“Close your eyes and imagine that everything you now wish for can come true if you really, really try”

Jerusalem is founded over 3,000 years ago, and is holy to Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The historical heart of  the capital of Israel - Jerusalem – is the Old City- the place of living history. Only 7 of the 11 Gates are open, and the narrow streets and suqs ( marketplaces) is full of life and bustling crowds. By Jaffa Gate, we  can follow ancient  footpaths  to Western Wall- which has other names- Wailing Wall or The Kotel- the last remnant of the support wall constructed around 19 BC as part of the renovation by Herod the Great. This is the closest connection to Hashem ( Hebrew for God)   It has been a site of pilgrimage and prayer since the 4^th century. More than a musty place of rocks and dust, this limestone structure is alive unlike other relics.  The best time to experience the wall and what it means to the faithful is Friday at sunset, the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath,  where it transform into a mix of the penitent engrossed in prayer and jubilant crowds who dance and sing the night away as they celebrate the start of the Jewish holy day. It is this personal connection with the millions who did exactly the same thing over the generations- writing notes and placing them in the cracks.