Israel and You Spaces and Places in Israel
Cops and Robbers
Visiting the holiest site for Judaism in the Jewish state requires playing a game of “cops and robbers”. Moslems, of course can enter through any of the gates to the Temple Mount, with no time limitation. Tourists must enter through the Mugrabim Gate, but have not time limitation. Jews must enter through the Mugrabim Gate, but must leave the Temple Mount during Moslem prayers. So if you wait for 1-2 hours and are lucky enough to enter at 08:30 you must leave by 11:00. For most tourists this is enough, but it is not sufficient to have a serious academic tour of the site.
You may not know this but it prohibited to bring alcohol to the Temple Mount. So make sure you don’t have any. Printed t-shirt are also a no-no.
Of course Bibles and prayer books (of any faith in any language) are prohibited, too. If you forgot to leave them home, you can discard them with all the other holy garbage at the Mugrabim Gate Police Station. Religious Jews are recommended to not wear a kipa on their head or leave their tsitsit out. Moslems don’t like that. Don’t forget! DON’T PRAY! Moslems don’t like that.
Moslem Cheerleaders and Pom Squads
The Northern Section of the Israeli Islamist Movement is paying stipends and busing women, girls and unemployed men to sit on the Temple Mount and swear at Jews. The specifically point out religious Jews with a kipa, but also start yelling “Allah Akbar” at anything that moves.
Linemen
The Moslem Waqf is in charge on the Temple Mount. They take their orders and salaries from the government of the Kingdom of Jordan. As soon as a group of Jews enters the Mugrabi Gate the “officer” of the “overseers” chooses one overseer to stick to you like used chewing gum. The overseers are pleasant enough but a nuisance. Our guide took out a piece of paper and a felt pen. The overseer thought he was praying and immediately called in a complaint.
Rorschach test
Did you know that when Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik completed the Dome of the Rock he included built-in Rorschach tests?
Trivia: Is the Dome of the Rock another name for the Mosque of Omar! No, The Mosque of Omar is another building next to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Who moved my holy rock?
Well, Jews cannot enter the Dome of the Rock. However, we now have our own holy stone. There is only one place where one can see the foundation stone of the Temple Mount. All the rest has been covered. If you want a holy stone, here it is.
Holy Timber Thrown in the Garbage
Many religions honor and save every reliques. Moslems have Prophets hairs. Christians have chips of the cross. But here on the Temple Mount the cedar columns (which were replaced by marble columns donated by Mussolini after an earthquake) were just thrown away behind the Sha’ar HaRachamim ) The Golden Gate – Jerusalem.
Outdoor Prayers
There are many outdoor prayer areas for Moslems on the Temple Mount. Needless to say there are none for Jews.
Ramadan camping
The Temple Mount is being prepared for Moslem pilgrims during Ramadan. Many will sleep in seasonal tents or in the mosques.
Toilet training
There are toilets for men on the Temple Mount. Women have to leave the site on the north side of the Mount. If they are Jewish women they are forbidden to return via the north side of the Mount and must circumvent the entire mount to re-enter. So go when you can.
Herodian columns and capitols
Even though there are no archaeological digs on the Temple Mount there are several items worthy of attention, some of which may even be Herodian from the time of the Second Temple.
Christian architecture on Misgad al Aqsa
Christian churches are being destroyed daily in Syrian and Iraq, but some of the Christian architecture still remains on the Temple Mount, for example the awesome Rosetta on Misgad al Aqsa.
