Blogs from Jerusalem District, Israel, Middle East - page 7

I just watched part of an episode of Board Walk Empire; a violent, yet entertaining show that made me think about working in a ‘family business’. To be sure, the type of family business I work in is VERY different!! I am grateful to have two parents who have been serving the Jewish community, together, for nearly a century!!! As one of 3 brothers, I picked up the mantle to continue their service, now having worked in the Jewish non-profit field for almost 20 years. I love my chosen career. Some might even call it a ‘calling’! I get to work with remarkable philanthropists, gifted colleagues, dedicated community members, inspiring clergy and educators, and forward thinking young people. I have always loved building programs, relationships, and institutions. And for the last decade, my fundraising efforts have ... read more

For those of you who have been holding off on coming to Israel because you are world travelers and still have some Muslim countries you want to visit, we can let you know that you don’t have to wait any longer. Israel has stopped stamping passports. When you arrive they print a small sticker the size of many visas we’ve had and hand it to you. They do not affix it to your passport pages; they do not stamp your book. We believe they realized their political and religious issues had negatively impacted tourism or circumstances and they were impacting people’s ability to travel to other countries. So – problem solved. They are not stamping the passports. The amazing thing about having the wonderful opportunity to travel is being exposed to the differences in nations and ... read more

Today we were on the bus early but there was so much traffic in and around the hotel that we couldn't go anywhere....so my favorite vendor got on the bus to sell Jerusalem crosses. They were so beautiful!! They are made by Armenian nuns. We headed out to the temple and old Jerusalem. We went through the stages of the Via Delorosa. The place that touched me most was where Pilate question Jesus and finally turned him over to the Jews to be crucified. The pavements where we were standing were the actual pavements where Jesus walked.. Where he put his feet.... Where his blood was shed. I touched them... I took pictures.. But nothing can describe what I was feeling there. Just around a corner is a beautiful mosaic of Jesus bearing the weight of ... read more

Throughout my travel life I have always felt that it was important to maintain, as best as possible, an observational attitude towards the places I have visited. I don’t feel it is my place to interject my personal feelings towards the customs, culture or political and religious climate of the places I have chosen to visit. After all, I think one of the wonders of travel is seeing things that are different from your own world. It is what makes travel such a rewarding thing for me. Most travelers would agree that the world is becoming too generic. Inserting your own beliefs or customs can only alter the local culture and contribute to global sameness. I say observational and not objective because it is not always possible to be objective. I know that some things are ... read more

null Ihr Lieben, Der Besuch auf dem Tempelberg war ein einmaliges Erlebnis. Zum einen dürfen Nichtmuslime weder in den Felsendom, noch in die El Aksa Moschee. Dank der "grande Dame" Prof. Dr. Dr. Neuwirth dürften wir dort hinein. Die Dame ist studierte und weltweit anerkannte Arabistik Kennerin. Wir waren mit einem Audioguid ausgestattet und sie erklärte uns alles sehr verständlich. Eigentlich betrachten die Muslime das gesamte Areal als Moschee. Der Felsendom ist so prunkvoll ausgestattet, angefangen vom Teppichboden über Wand- und Deckenmosaike. Dazu arabische Schriftzeichen, d.h. Koranzitate, in denen Mohamed Jesus gleichgestellt wird. In der Mitte des DOmens ist ein großer Fels, von wo aus Gott die Welt erschaffen haben soll. Eben auch dort unten sollen sich 2x im Monat die Toten zum Gebet treffen. Also es gibt genügend Geschichten, fest steht, es ist ein monu ... read more