Shabbot Shalom at the Western Wall

Earlier in the week, the 80 of us were informed that on the eve of the Sabbath (Friday) we would journey to the south-eastern section of the Old City to the wall known as Western. The home of the Dome of the Rock or Haram al-Sharif stands as a memorial of the ancient Temple of Herod. Acclaimed as one of the most sought after religious sights among Jewish, Muslim, and Christian religions, the Temple Mount draws devout worshippers to its holy confines.

When evening drew near, we gathered together in the plaza amid thousands of others prepared to usher in the Sabbath. Minutes later, groups of celebrating soldiers passed by, dancing and singing jubilant songs. The guys and girls parted to their respective sides and joined others in approaching the face of the Western Wall. Our group of guys donned our kippahs and then timidly stood in line, waiting our turn to offer a prayer. Gazing around, we were fascinated by the show of devotion from the surrounding Jews, paying their respects with fervent prayer and scripture reading.

Despite our differences in religion, I was surprised at the feeling of overall acceptance and brotherhood that pervaded the area. It was as if all present realized that all are one family and share that commonality with each other. After concluding my turn at the wall, I watched as different groups of worshippers joined in song to welcome the Sabbath [Shabbot Shalom]. Starkly different than most, the Jews believe that the approach of the Sabbath should involve dancing, singing, and laughter. We participated in some of the festivities and came to realize that they are simply showing their gratitude for the Lord's Day in a different way. As we hopped in the vans and rode back to the Center, all of us decided that we would do well to take a page out of their book: to do our best in starting the Sabbath with joyful thankfulness for day when the Lord rested long ago. And I close this post and pose a question--- why not?