Israël and Egypt 2012

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Today was a day off...to break into small groups and go back and explore Jerusalem on foot. We returned to the Garden of Gethsemane, Garden Tomb, Mount of Olives, the City of David, the West Wall....and spent a great deal of time wandering through the seemingly endless shops of Old Jerusalem.

The Western Wall (Wailing Wall) is today the most sacred structure for the Jewish people. It is the only section that remains of the Temple that was destroyed by the Romans.

The Damascus Gate is the main entry into the Old City of Jerusalem. In ancient times a highway lead from this gate to the capital of Syria, Damascus. Its modern Hebrew name is Sha'ar Shkhem meaning Shechem Gate or Nablus Gate.

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