Author Archives: crow610
Visiting the 2 Cousins
Festival of Light
Lag BaOmer
Following with the tradition of Lag BaOmer, Jerusalem with filled with bonfires (some much taller then I am!) and people singing and dancing around the fires. Unfortunately this year I wasn’t able to make it to Meron where many Jews flock to visit the grave of Rabbi Shimon however I hope to go next year since I hear it’s an amazing experience. U
Yom HaZikron & Yom Hatzmaut
After a day’s worth of ceremonies honoring fallen soldiers of Isrsel and victims of terrorism, the night ended with a transitional ceremony put on by members of the shul I attend and included singing, dancing, and prayers to bring us out of the mourning mindset and into a more joyful mindset for Yom Hatzmaut (Isrsel Independencr Day).
The rest of the night was filled with parties all over town and crowds of people in the streets having fun.
Benjamin Netyanyahu
Priestly Blessing At Kotel
Reminiscent of the times when the Temple was still standing, 75,000 people flocked to the Kotel to hear the Priestly Blessing during Passover. Sure it was quite chaotic with people rushing to make it to the blessing, rushing to get to the front, standing in the sun, but to see that many people standing in front of the Kotel almost gave a feeling that the Temple is still standing today. The video below is almost 30 minutes long beginning with me walking to the Kotel and then waiting for the blessing but if you want to see the actual blessing just fast forward to 12:55.
Be’er Sheva
Tel Sheva
Had to wear a helmet before going in the tunnel
Abraham’s Well
Pesach in Jerusalem
It’s quite amazing to not only feel Pesach in the home but to also feel it outside of home. This isn’t just seeing an endcap in your local grocery store selling a couple boxes of matzah and some gefilte fish. From seeing the grocery stores covering up products with hametz in them, seeing public wash bins, and seeing the the hametz burned in the street, Pesach is all around Jerusalem and most of Israel.
חג שמח

washing hametz off dishes


coveting up hametz in grocery store

burning hametz






Petra Day 2
On day 2 of Petra I visited more tombs and hiked up to a point where the Treasury could be seen from above instead of below. I spent some time up at the top enjoying the view while taking pictures then began the hike back so I could pick up my luggage at the hotel and be back at the meeting spot by 3PM.
Upon exiting Jordan I was worried I would have visa problems again however to my luck the only arbitrary question they asked me was what my father’s name is and where he was born. The person in front of me didn’t have the same luck. Turns out since her mom made Aliyah and returned to Canada some years ago, her mom was required to fill out some paperwork and the daughter was told that since her mom was a citizen she shouldn’t continue entering Israel as a tourist and apply for her passport. Was talking to another guy in our tour group who had just finished the Birthright trip and he said he was asked “what special ceremony he had when he was 13″.
Petra Day 1
