outside of Jerusalem - June 25, 2011

inscription outside walls of Church of St. John the Baptist - Ein Kerem

entrance gates to Church of St. John the Baptist

minaret - Ein Kerem

Mary's Spring - Ein Kerem

lunch in Abu Ghosh

Crusader Church - Abu Ghosh

gardens - Crusader Church - Abu Ghosh

exterior of Church of the Crusader - Abu Ghosh

Saturdays in Israel are the Sabbath, a day of rest. In Tel Aviv, that means meeting friends for brunch, going to the beach, catching up on sleep or doing whatever. In Jerusalem it might mean praying at the Kotel or at synagogue, then enjoying lunch, napping and praying again. On a bright, summer June Sabbath, I decided to drive from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and stop in two interesting spots that I had never visited. My first stop was the Arab-Israeli town of Abu Ghosh, about 6 miles west of Jerusalem on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Highway. After driving up a windy road, I came upon the Crusader Church, one of the best preserved Crusader remains in Israel. Built in 1140 and destroyed in 1187, it was acquired by the French government in 1899. Crusaders have identified the site as the biblical Emmanus. The gardens of the Church were in full bloom with impeccably mowed grass and colorful bouganvilla. The building itself was somewhat imposing but the doors were open so I quietly made my way inside. The interior was beautifully painted in subtle tones and had neatly arranged rows of seating. There were stairs leading down to what once may have been a well. A monk dressed in white robes was singing hymns to a few listeners. It was quite awe inspiring and definitely made an impression on me.
After roaming the grounds, I decided it was time for lunch. After all, Abu Ghosh is famously
known as the "Hummus Capital of the World". I stopped at the Abu Ghosh restaurant. I was greeted with warm hospitality at the Abu Ghosh Restaurant and sat down to a filling meal of....hummus, pita and falafel. This was certainly going to be my main meal of the day!!
After lunch, I continued my drive to Jerusalem with another stop in Ein Kerem. According to Christian tradition, John the Baptist was born in Ein Kerem. Many of the visitors today are pilgrims from around the world. Ein Kerem means "Spring of the Vineyard". It is an ancient village of the Jerusalem District and is now a neighborhood in SW Jerusalem. It was one of the few depopulated Arab localities which survived the war with most of the buildings intact. Over the years, the artsy atmosphere has attracted a population of artisans and craftsmen.
According to Christian tradition, which is where Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, miraculously became pregnant and gave birth to John the Baptist. Tradition teaches that during her pregnancy, Elizabeth was visited by Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus. The two women met beside the village well and Mary drink from its cool waters. That place is now called Mary's Well. Many pilgrims come to drink from the well and take the holy water away with them in bottles.