Feeling hot hot hot

Sunday morning, and the second session began. There are 20 students like myself continuing from the first session, along with about 40 new faces. It is hot in Jerusalem this week. So hot that during Sunday morning’s orientation the yeshiva staff cautioned against going out in the heat of the day if it could be avoided. In addition, they shared with us about an article in one of last week’s newspapers about the 20 most dangerous streets in Jerusalem, based on the number of vehicle accidents and pedestrian injuries. The three streets that intersect where the yeshiva is located, King George, Karen Hayesod, and Agron, as well as Azza, which is a couple blocks away (and the street I live off of), are all on the list.

I am remaining in the same ulpan, but the starting level of the students this session seems to be higher than last session. This is great for me and the others two students who remained in the class from the first session, as it means we are in some ways continuing on, instead of just starting the same class over. Rather than going to a class in the afternoon, I went with some friends from the yeshiva, in the heat of the day, to Ein Karem.

Ein Kerem is entirely built into the hills

Ein Kerem is a village in Southwestern Jerusalem which, according to Christian tradition, was the birthplace of John the Baptist. For this reason, there are many famous churches in Ein Kerem. The first church we attempted to visit was Church of the visitation, the top of a steep hill. The church is built on the location where the virgin Mary (mother of Jesus) visited the mother of John the Baptist, Elizabeth, while she was pregnant with him.

The Church of the Visitation

Outside the church is a wall adorned with tile artwork containing in languages from all over the world the words of the Magnificat, a blessing which Mary said to Elizabeth. Both the interior and exterior of the church are filled with paintings and mosaics depicting the life of Mary.

The Magnificat prayer in English ...

... and in Hebrew

The next church we tried attempted to visit was the Russian Gorny Monastery. After climbing all the way to the top of the steep hill where it stands, we discovered that the church was closed to visitors. We then trekked all the way back down the hill, though as a consolation prize we stopped for gelato. That was quite good on such a hot day.

The Ein Kerem Mosque

The last church we visited was was one of the two churches named for St. John The Baptist. Outside the entrance to the church was a sign, which read, "NO ENTRY ... EXCEPT ST. JOHN'S STAFF VEHICLES AND VISITORS" true story.