Today is tiyul day (trip). We met at the Lion's Fountain in Yemin Moshe. We went to Ketef Hinnom which is an old burial ground. Each year when someone died they would bury them in these caves with special slots for each of the bodies. Then after a year the bones were stored on a shelf below and a new corpse was placed in the burial slot. Special silver plaques were found in these burial grounds all rolled up. With great care they were opened by archeologists and they found the priestly benediction on them. They are the oldest biblical text in whole found along side the next oldest, Dead Sea Scrolls. I want to go and see them at the Israel Museum where they are on display.

We went to King David's tomb, where some believe he was buried. We also went to the Broad Wall and Mt. Zion. It was interesting entering the building where the Last Supper is supposed to have taken place. We concluded our day in Gai Ben Hinnom (interesting ending considering this is considered "Hell"). Where we read from Jeremiah about G-d's plan to punish the Jews for offering child sacrifices and prayed to other gods.

There is an interesting passage in Jeremiah about the song Kol Sason v'kol Simcha that we sing at special occasions like weddings....one passage has a negative connotation where "(G-d) will silence in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sound of mirth and gladness, the voice of bridegroom and bride. For the whole land shall fall to ruin." In Jeremiah 33, it ends,.... voice of bridegroom and bride, the voice of those who cry." Interesting.

Came home and crashed after such a long day in heat. Went to Beit Cafe "open mic night"...was awesome Joe M.C.ed, Raina and Rollin both sang beautifully. Went home for some sleep before Tel Aviv Friday!

Gai Ben Hinnom

Broad Wall

Mt. Zion