Israel - First Day

Our party arriving at the Jaffa Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Our trip to Israel was organised by New College, where I have been studying for the past 3 years. It was funded by a trust that supports Church of Scotland trainee ministers. There were 17 trainees, 1 spouse, and 4 members of staff.

Our first day began very early with our arrival into Jerusalem at 5am on Wednesday 11th June. We left Edinburgh at 6pm, and travelled via Frankfurt, with a 2 hour flight from Edinburgh, followed by a 4 hour fight into Tel Aviv, and a further 1 hour coach ride to Jerusalem. Needless to say, we were all shattered by the time we reached Jerusalem.

Since our rooms were not available until the afternoon, after breakfast we set out to explore the Old City. The Suks were a fascinating maze of markets that hopelessly confused my sense of direction all week. The traders were divided into the four quarters of the city - Arab, Jewish, Christian, and Armenian.


We took some photos from the famous viewpoint over the ancient Western Wall of Herod's Temple, with 10th century Islamic Dome of the Rock to the left, and the Mount of Olives to the rear, with the Church spire of the Russian Orthodox Convent of the Ascension at the summit (see above and beyond the Western Wall). The whole visit constantly switched between these three religious cultures, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic, ranging from ancient Old Testament history into the present-day.

On this first morning we also visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site of Jesus' Crucifixion and his Empty Tomb. The anonymous rocks at the centre of the multiple layers of building surrounding them did nothing for me. It seemed like we were looking at a manmade edifice that conveyed nothing to me of the original scenes in the time of Jesus. I was disappointed - although maybe this was due to my tiredness.


After a pleasant lunch by the city walls, we left the Old City and were greatly relievied to see our accommodation appear across the valley. We stayed in the St Andrews Hostel, part of the Church of Scotland complex in Jerusalem, located to the Southwest of the Old City, across the Valley of Gehanna. You can just make out the St. Andrew's Flag flying from the church tower.

After a rest some of us walked down the Valley of Gehanna to the Kedron Valley to the East of the Old City and then walked up through site of the Old Testament city of Jerusalem, up to Herod the Great's Temple Platform, before heading back home for dinner.

You can see some of the ruins of the city just below the Southern wall of the Temple Platform. We visited the Temple Platform, including the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, on the Monday of our trip - Day 6.