Easter & Passover in Jerusalem

Things are in high gear in J-Town as Easter & Passover are both being celebrated this week. The Old City is spit & polished and Israeli flags are flying high & proud!

Yesterday, after attending Palm Sunday services at Christ Church, we walked to the outside of the Old City eastern wall to watch the commemorative procession down from the Mt. of Olives and into the city. It wasn't a re-enactment with Jesus on a donkey, but a celebration with flags waving, drums beating, and the growing crowd singing & dancing. At the base of the mount, Nat & I saw a group of very enthusiastic people dancing their way down. I said, "I'd wager that the JUC students are involved in that!" And sure enough . . . by the time they passed us, they were yelling, "Nat & Shirley, come on with us!!!" So we did! It was so much fun! Tourists, local Believers, priests, nuns . . . all having the time of their lives celebrating the King of Kings! I noticed the streets & Via Dolorosa were lined with curious Jews. One Jewish policeman asked Nat to explain the palm branches we were waving. After a very good explanation, and a thank you from the officer, Nat said to me, "I should have said, 'You explain it to me . . . your people started it!' "

The crowd ended at the courtyard of St. Anne's Church (traditional site of Jesus' grandmother's house . . . Mary's mother). A live band was set up and the celebration continued. Nat & I finally gave up and made our way back to dinner. This evening is the beginning of Passover. For the past several weeks, the Jews have been systematically cleaning their homes and particularly removing any leaven. Stores have cleared their shelves for the week of any leavened products. Smoke is rising all over Jerusalem today . . . not from acts of violence, but as items removed from homes are burned. "Tradition, tradition!"

I would love to have been invited into a home for a seder meal, but alas, no. We had a pseudo sader (just fun to say) last Friday night as part of our shabbat. I enjoyed it, but not the same. We'll be gone on Good Friday for a three day field study to northern Israel, but will be back Saturday night. I'm planning to get up and join the crowds for the sunrise service at the Garden Tomb. Seems a shame to be here and not, huh?

Pesach Shalom y'all (Passover Peace)