What does Tolerance look like you ask?

To me it looks like an Olive Tree in a splint. .
.
.

Now it looks like the tree is giving big bear hugs....aaah yes, this is starting to make sense

Now the "REAL" story:

The bronze Tolerance Monument was built by the Jerusalem Foundation in cooperation with the Municipality. It was erected atop the Armon Hantziv ridge, adjacent to the United Nations Headquarters, commanding a view northward (the Old City) and southward (the Judean Desert and the Roman palace Herodium).

The project’s initiator and sponsor Aleksander Gudzowaty, born in the Polish city Lodz, is considered one of the most influential businessmen in Eastern Europe. His activities for the advancement of tolerance and coexistence began several years ago, out of the belief that understanding and accepting "the other" are prerequisites for the development and prosperity of mankind. Gudzowaty selected artist, Czesław Dźwigaj, professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow to bring to life his vision for the monument.

The monument is built from two halves of a broken column, with an olive tree ascending and growing out of the center. The tree's branches and golden leaves look as if they are trying to heal the rift and bring the two halves closer.

The 15-meter monument was brought over from Poland in parts and assembled in Israel. Mounted upon a 5-meter man-made knoll atop the ridge, the Monument completes a circular walking path along adjacent promenades.

-not sure if I have to cite my source but just in case, I retrieved this "REAL" information off the Jerusalem Foundation website.

One Man's Holy Land is Another Man's Lasagna

I say Lasagna because I think our tour guided used the analogy of Lasagna to describe Jerusalem and the Holy Sites in general about 4,543 times. And as you can see below he is describing the different periods in Jerusalem's history with a laminated Lasagna visual.

Today's 1st stop on the tour is none other than the tombs of Samuel. Yes that is right. In this one site there are two tombs of Samuel. One that is set up in the basement of this building and where the Jews go to pray. ....
...this is just outside the tomb of Samuel. These are different books that can be used to study and/or pray near the tomb. I wasn't allowed to take a picture of the tomb itself but it was a big rock covered with an elaborate blanket with some Hebrew writing. There was also a place where worshipers would leave little notes with prayers near the tomb. Now out of the basement and on to the main level where the Muslim's believe the tomb of Samuel REALLY is...
This is a picture of the mihrab, which is used to indicate the direction of Mecca. Muslims face Mecca when praying. I again was unable to take a picture of the actual tomb of Samuel in this level as well because it was behind a locked door. Now going up to the top layer of Lasagna which is the rooftop. This is a significant spot for Christians...

This church was originally built by the Crusaders in the 12th century before the Jews built their Synagogue or the Muslims later built their Mosque on top of it. From the top of the this mountain known as the "Mount of Joy" the Crusaders got their first view of the Holy City. From the roof you can see all of northern Jerusalem and in the distance the mountains of Samaria. Around the tomb are excavations where cisterns and quarries have been uncovered from the time of the Crusaders (you can see below).


And if you were wondering...there WERE stray cats all over this Lasagna. ;) Can't get away from them.

Mahane Yehuda

Mahaneh Yehuda Market
We took the bus from our dorms down to the city center then walked over to the market. We knew right away that we had arrived due to the huge crowds of people. The market was filled with tourists and locals stocking up for Shabbat. This market had everything from fruits, nuts, fish, meats and clothes. The hustle and bustle was really exciting. I bought some oranges and some pastries. Its open everyday and once my internship starts I'll be much closer and I'm sure I'll get to know this area much better. For now I was in awe and snapped some photos.

Spicy!

Mmmmmm Halva!

The picture below is of a delectable confection called Halva. It looks a little like cheese from the picture but a guy was offering samples of a coffee flavored halva and it was sweet bliss. I decided that this would be the gift I would be bringing home to everyone. Get ready for a treat!

Almonds, Dates, dried Papaya and Figs Oh My!

Jerusalem Forrest, Ein Kerem and Church of the Visitation

Jerusalem Forest

It's a man made forest planted in the 1950's by the Jewish National Fund. We hiked through this forest on our way to the Ein Kerem neighborhood.

Ein Kerem

Literally means spring of the Vineyard. This neighborhood is located southwest of Jerusalem. Ein Kerem is where John the Baptist was born. The homes are so unique and there are many artists who live in this neighborhood.

Below is a Studio we stumbled upon. The artist's name is Ruth Havilio. Her specialty is in hand painted tiles. They were beautiful. She lives below her studio and decided to move to Ein Karen because it inspired her work. I would agree.
The Church of the Visitation:

We saw a number of churches while walking around Ein Kerem neighborhood but the Church of the Visitation was by far the most beautiful. It is said to be built over the home of John the Baptist's parents.

In Luke 1, the pregnant Mary visited her pregnant cousin Elizabeth and stayed for three months (Lk 1:56). Upon Mary's arrival, the unborn John the Baptist recognized the unborn Jesus and "leaped with joy" in Elizabeth's womb (Lk 1:44).

Elizabeth exclaimed, "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" and Mary sang a hymn of thanksgiving known as the Magnificat:

The Magnificat is translated into many languages and posted on the wall in the courtyard of the church.

Stray Cats, Zionist Botanist, and Tombs

Day two started with a loss of power in our apt/dorms. This is a problem since we must turn on the boiler 1-2 hours before we want a shower. So I went au natural which I think is the preferred state here based on some interesting smells on the bus rides.
Our group received a tour of the botanical gardens located at the University. The lady giving us a tour was really nice and made me laugh when she oh so excitedly showed off her Weeds collection and stated in her broken english "it could ah cure cancer".
The botanical gardens are not like here in the states with plush greens. OOoooh no, it features the plants native to Israel/Palestine. Yes folks you guessed it, this darn place is a dessert and not to mention we are here in the winter. Anyway, I found a few angles that had the most green and snapped a couple photos. Another unique note about Jerusalem besides being a holy city it has a ton of stray cats. The campus is filled with them inside the buildings and out. Even the botanical gardens had its own personal stray. For those cat lovers, most of them are beautiful and look very well fed.
Our tour of the gardens took a turn for the better when we came to an open area that looked like an amphitheater and were told we were seated near tombs. The tombs housed the remains of Nicanor, who donated one of the gates to Herod's temple and the other is David Pinski who was a big labor Zionist. I'm sure I will write more on the issue of Zionism later. For now it was kind of fun just to see a tomb and I tried not to focus on the glorification of the Zionist's movement in particular. I keep telling myself "be a sponge, be a sponge leave any of your bias behind you and be a sponge dang it" so I did and took pictures. Please see below:

Please note the official stary cat of the Botanical Gardens

First tomb

Nicanor and Pinski tomb


3rd tomb and as you can see I liked the vines

Little doorways

Day 1 photos in Jerusalem

View from Mount Scopus Campus (Hewbrew Univ.) Where I will be taking classes

Moi in front of that beautiful view overlooking a Palestinian neighborhood

City Center -Jerusalem

Another view in the City Center

Packing before the big departure

"Have Fun, Eat Hummus, Watch out for Hamas"

- a text from a good friend while I pack for my 10 week adventure to the Holy Land.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Jerusalem here I come!

~Peace in the Middle East

there she is. my new beautiful girl. my gift from santa.
I will soon capture the soul of the middle east. t-2wks.
until then, i'll be content to experiment with capturing the heart of good ol' iowa.

deserve your dream

“Deserve your dream.” ~Octavio Paz

"patience is passion tamed" ~Lyman Abbott

"be the change you want to see in the world" ~Mahatma Gandhi

“What the United States does best is to understand itself. What it does worst is understand others.” ~Carlos Fuentes

Our job in this lifetime
is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be,
but
to find out who we already are
and become it.

~Steven Pressfield