New Jerusalem

The MASHAV - MCTC Experience

New Jerusalem

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Let's get acquinted with the New City Of Jerusalem.

We visited the New Jerusalem on March 17, 2004, and for about an hour or whatever time we had before our first stop-over, it was an uncomfortable start for me because I felt the need to go to the toilet. I forgot to go to the toilet before the trip because not waking up early, I had to rush to the bus, and in fact I just brought the rest of my breakfast to the bus and eat it there. On top of that, Mr. Kien was quizzing me on metalinguistics, L1 and L2. I was not able to help him though when he started on BICS and CALP, acronyms Ive only learned on Israel that I didnt remember their meaning yet, I had it in my notes but if Im taking notes, I cant tell anyone whatever it is that Ive noted down unless I read them again (just the act of listening takes a lot of effort from me even in my native language) and I havent read my notes on that yet. Fortunately, Portia, a reading expert was behind us so she told him that BICS is Basic Interactive Communicative Skill and CALP is Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency.

The Supreme Court

After having done with the security check, we entered through a stairway with a right wall made of unhewn stone similar to the walls of buildings in old Jerusalem while the bare wall on the left is modern and pure white.

We entered the pyramid area that is surrounded by the library. The guide from the supreme court explained that concepts of law and justice are represented visually in that building, that. lines represent law and cicles represents justice. as quoted from Psalms 119:137 "You are righteous and Your laws are straight; and in Psalms 23:3, "He leads me in the circles justice".

We went through a hallway where the Offices of the Prime Minister and other important offices can be seen through the windows that flooded the room with natural light.

Natural lights also enters the courtrooms through skylights. Weve seen the prisoners dock and a press box provided in the right side and left side of the audience. Lawyers are supposed to sit at the semi-circular table facing the justices. Our guide informed us that Jewish, Christian and Arab influences were adopted in the design of the courtroom to make every citizen whatever his faith may be, feel at home in the supreme court. She said that the church like design of the ceilings were made in consideration of Christians petitioners, the design of the wall at the back of the courtroom, similar to that of the front wall seen in Arab houses so they can see the people passing by without being seen in the street, is for the Arab petitioners while the simple lines of the room that characterized Jewish buildings is for the Jewish petitioners.

She also told us that the narrow water channel bisecting the Courtyard of the Arches is reminiscent of fountains seen at the center of Arab courtyards and at the same time was inspired by a verse from Psalms, Truth will spring up from the earth and justice will be reflected from the heavens (Psalms 85:12).

The First Village Outside The Walls of Jerusalem

We also visited the cursed windmill near the first village ever established outside the walls of Jerusalem. Our youthful looking guide, Frances, told us, that people back then were so afraid to leave the safety of the walls of Jerusalem that the visionary man by the name of Moshe had to pay them to live there, and so as time goes by, they understood that living in that new settlement where sanitation and pollution were not a problem led them to realize the advantage of living outside the protection of the walls as the perceptive Moshe wanted them to see, thus, villages were established one by one outside the walls all named after this farseeing man, that getting lost in Jerusalem was so easy since all villages are called with the name Moshes in it.

The Jerusalem's Bird Observatory

Weve seen a group of children divided into two lines having a contest while walking along the slope to the bird observatory. I think, it is unfair that the boys group scope the petals in the bowl by a ladle while the girls had to get the petals by a thong. Weve seen another group of children, this time much younger ones, about 4-5 years old I think. They were all listening avidly to a man who was explaining about the birds eating habits, weights everything. Some children were courageous enough to stroke the feathers of the other bird near the table where the man was having his lecture, others just contented themselves by intently watching the man.

Apparently, the bird observatory had plants that would attract the birds to stop. Frances friend, who worked in that bird observatory, told us that they put rings on the birds that stopped on that park to put a tag on them. Theyve just learned from the news that a bird ringed in Jerusalem was discovered in Budapest. They had also caught a 15 year old bird that flew from a very far place, I forgot the place, obviously. In that park they learned not just the age of the bird but also a lot of things, but Frances friend told us that what is really nice about that park is anybody can come, children and adults alike, be they Jewish, Christian or Arab, and maybe through places like this, they could learn to live together harmoniously.

The Holocaust Museum

Visiting the Children's Museum really made me sad. Imagine those children who have to die just because they were born with Jewish parents! But the Museum with those pictures and pictures of emancipated bodies of children and adults in the street, even in the grave pits with those bony legs and arms barely covered with dirt made me wept inside. Inopportunely, the good-humored Benley, our security personnel for this trip, was just right behind me, bugging me why I am wearing sunglasses when it was very dark inside the museum. Fortunately I had been able to lose him or maybe he find someone else to bother.

I commiserated with the youth who killed a leader when he learned that his family was denied safe passage in the border. I simply don't know what I might do if I'm around somebody who had done great harm to my family. I too had experience receiving bad news about my family when I was 18, I was still in second year college in the university where I had my undergraduate degree back then. Learning the news in the TV that my hometown was isolated and no food can be delivered inside or no one can go out of the town anymore because the bridges were swept up by the rushing lahar from the Mount Pinatubo erution is really terrible. Not knowing what happen to them, where they are, if they still eating or not, plus the fact that I would be all alone in the world if something happen to them caused me a great deal of anxiety back then.

A Delectable Lunch at the Jerusalem's Hebrew University

We entered through the revolving iron gate of the Jerusalem Hebrew University to have our lunch there though we have to wait for a few minutes because the Spanish group from the MCTC had been there before us, and the canteen can only accommodate a specific number of people. The short wait was worth it however, my vegetarian meal was so delicious, and the vegetarian fish simply melts in my mouth.

Even Shirley could attest to this, because she was so curious about the taste of my meal when I mentioned that it was veggie meat. Shes interested in veggie meat because she wanted to stay slim for her husband, in fact shes planning to try veggie meat and avoid eating pork meat as much as she can when she came back to the Philippines.

Receiving my Pilgrim of the New Milennium Certificate from Ms. Janette with Frances looking on

What really made the day however, was when Ms. Janette gave us our Pilgrim of the New Millennium Certificate, witnessed by our beautiful and youthful looking guide. Frances. It was a wonderful culmination of our trip to Jerusalem, in my humble opinion. Everyone was very happy, and of course we didnt let the chance of saving the moment for posterity slip through our fingers, thus, picture taking session punctuated every awarding of the said certificate.

During our trip back to MCTC, most of the group were worn-out and let their drowsiness took over, there were a couple of apples left in the box, so Joke and I agreed to eat them to help lighten Bracha's load since she's the one who carried the cooler if it is forgotten by the leaders of the week.