Reactions to Readings: 6

As many have said in class, I can't imagine having such a strong connection to something as the three religions do with Jerusalem. I mean, maybe my parents? But still, they are my blood. There is no place, object, etc that I can think of that means THAT much to me. So for the Muslims to lose Jerusalem and then gain it back...wow. What a feeling that must have been. I guess I could say that for the Jews and Christians, though, too. Jerusalem gets tossed around like a baseball. Or a hot potato...who will catch it next?

Over the course of reading this book, through the long history of Jerusalem, it seems God was showing himself everywhere. It makes me wonder, how come stories like that haven't surfaced in recent years? Besides Jesus' face on a grilled cheese, a cheet-o, or in a field, I wonder why these intense religious sightings don't happen anymore? Or do they, and I just don't pay enough attention?

I also think aliyah, the ascent of Jews to Israel, is such a cool thing! What an experience that must be. It kind of relates to the Somalian speaker, (her name escapes me at the moment) and her epic journey to Jerusalem. How incredible!

I hope we get to visit the Western Wall when we visit Jerusalem. I was doing some outside research about it, and found a really cool picture of prayers that people put in the cracks of the wall. I think this is a really neat concept, like the religious version of a wishing well.




















Oh yeah, and I also hope we can go here on the trip! :)