It's Friday, I'm in love

On Friday Jessica arrived in Israel. It had been over a month since we had seen each other; it was our longest time apart in seven years. I spent the morning shopping for food for us for her first weekend here in Israel. The plan was for Jessica to call me when she landed and gone through customs so I could have dinner in the oven, and ready for her after she showered off her two days of travel. Instead she called from the shirut (shared ride) and said she would be there in ten minutes. Oh well, the best laid plans … After she had showered (and then we waited for the food to cook) we did have a lovely Shabbat dinner together with our two roommates.

While we have both been to Israel before, the two of us had never been in Israel together, and Jessica hasn’t been here in ten years. So what’s a nice, young, Jewish couple to do on their first Shabbat together in Jerusalem? Saturday morning we walked through the Muslim Quarter of the Old City and then into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. (oh well)

It is traditionally believed by most Christians that the Church contains the locations where Jesus was crucified and the tomb where he was buried & resurrected. HThe Church of the Holy Sepulchre was first built around the year 326 CE. It was eventually destroyed in 1009 CE by orders from Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. A smaller version of the church was rebuilt two decades later from 1029-1048 CE. The church has been renovated many times, notably in the 12^th, 16^th, and 19^th centuries.

Control of the church is divided among many sects of Christianity, with each in charge of different areas of the church and holding different responsibilities. The common areas are strictly regulated, with designated times and places of prayer for each community. In addition, the common areas cannot be so much as rearranged without the agreement of each community. This has left some areas of the church in dire need of repairs. The territorial division of the church has also been a source of violence among the various sects, with brawls breaking out as recently as November of 2008. I’m glad the Jewish community isn’t the only one in Israel with problems of in fighting.

Jessica and I decided the church would also be a great location to shoot a horror film.

We spent the rest of the day walking through various parts of the Old City and to Ben Yehuda Street in the City Center, showing Jessica how to get around. I’m sure after a few days here she will know her way around the city better than I do since I spend so much of my time in the Yeshiva. It is so wonderful to have her here with me to share in this experience.