Jerusalem, which literally means "The City of Peace", has a history which perhaps no other city in the world has, riven as it has been through centuries and the present geography of the city is a little over half a century old when Israel decisively won the six-day war in 1967 and pushed out Jordan from the old and Eastern parts of the city. Till that date, the city, also Capital of the country, was divided in the middle with the old parts with Jordan and the newer parts with Israel. On that day, Jews had complete control of the city, Temple Mount and Western Wall, the holiest shrine for them, after almost 2000 years when the Romans had destroyed the temple and Jews had to flee the place to different parts of the world. The status quo of 1967 continues to date and to commemorate that "Special Day" for Israel and Jews, Jerusalem Day is celebrated every year.
So given the fact that how much Jerusalem means to World history, having been the Centre of conflict for ages with Crusades being an important part of it when Christians tried to free the city from Islamic control in the middle ages, you do not want to say goodbye to the historic and ancient city. It has everything to offer not only for tourists but also pilgrims as it is holy for the three Abrahamic faiths--Judaism, Christianity and Islam. That perhaps was the reason for conflict since time immemorial. Having walked the Ramparts of the forts built by successive rulers and emperors, lanes, by-lanes and the Bazaars of the place through which millions of pilgrims of each faith had passed through the ages, it was a memory which is there to keep forever and I briefly reflected on the memories collected in the two-day stay that would perhaps stay for a lifetime. The story of the walk which Jesus Christ took leading to his crucifixion through various stations to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, his resurrection and his miracles which have been told to generations became vivid here. It was too surreal to walk on the same route in 2025 which Jesus took 2000 years ago. But there was more of Jerusalem to come. Our guide, the 69-year old Ofer Drori had one more idea, to have a kaleidoscopic view again of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which too is connected to several stories of Jesus Christ.
The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jerusalem's Old City. It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes. We crossed a valley and climbed up the Mount of Olives and the view was out of this world. From here, at an elevated position, you see the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Al-Aqsa mosque and of course the golden colored Dome of the Rock. Minarets, Bell Towers, alleyways, walled city, which was once the Capital of Abraham, David and Solomon and home to Mary and Jesus and then a host of conquerors was there. In this walled city, is the Western Wall, the holiest place for the Jews all over the world. The walled city, built and rebuilt for over 2500 years was there in all its glory and one could imagine how for the believers of three faiths nothing was more significant than visiting the city once in their lifetime. Mount of Olives now is used as a Jewish cemetery and has been for since time immemorial. It has been used as a burial location for Jews since biblical times, including the burial location for some of the most prominent biblical kings.
The guide informed us that old people want to die here so that on the day of judgement, they are closest to the holy place, something similar to Benares in India where many Hindus want to spend the last few days of their life in the city of Lord Shiva. One could see old separate cemeteries of Jews, Christians as well as Muslims lined up from Mount of Olives. Just near the old city, you can see 150 year old European style houses which have been bought by rich Jews from the United States and other parts of the word so that they could spend some time every year here in close proximity to the Western Wall.
How poignant a moment it was. I was also reminded of the 'Juresusalem syndrome' which meant that devotees were so possessed with the life of times of Christ and the holiest place for the Jews that they never wanted to leave the city. In some tourists and pilgrims, the syndrome is an acute psychotic condition characterized by religious delusions, obsessive thoughts, and sometimes, identification with biblical figures. The religious atmosphere of Jerusalem, the intense spiritual significance of the city, and the potential for heightened emotions in some individuals may contribute to the development of this temporary syndrome, I was informed.
Several books have been written and movies made on the struggle and control of Jerusalem in modern times, beginning 1948. One of the bestsellers was "O Jerusalem" by Dominique Lapiere and Larry Collins, who had also written "Freedom At Midnight" about India getting Independence in 1947. They have written how they searched in stones and walls, the motives that had made so many men, from different origins and creeds, give up their lives for the conquest of Jerusalem's ancient walls after the British left Palestine in May 1948. The kind of passion and emotion that drove them, how blood and fire engulf the Holy City. How in each Camp in the Arab-Israeli conflict, men and women take up weapons to defend their ground with faith, courage and passion.
SALTY SHORES OF DEAD SEA
Moving on, the drive to the Dead Sea, next in our itinerary, began on a bright sunny day. We passed through the West Bank, occupied by Israel after the six-day war in 1967 and saw the Jewish settlements there and passed through these areas. This is what I used to read in the newspapers and hear on TV for years and there it was in front of me. On one side was the Palestinian city of Jericho, the entry of which was controlled by Israeli security and had a long queue of vehicles formed in the morning. Huge walls demarcated the city and getting in and out was quite tough as one had to live within the confines of the walls. Down the road to the Dead Sea, we reached a point where a board indicated that this particular point was at sea level. Then at one turn, it was 200 and then 400 metres below sea level.
But the first halt before the Dead Sea was Masada National Park high in the mountains facing the Dead Sea for which we took a Cable Car. The story goes that emperor Herod built and fortified Masada on the top of this hillock which had all facilities. Then the siege of Masada began by the Roman troops at the end of the First Jewish–Roman War and ended in the mass suicide of the 960 rebels who were hiding there. The mythical narrative became a national symbol in the early years of Israel's nationhood and made this place one of the most visited in the country. Ruins of that period, quite well preserved, were spread all over, including the water system, storage of food, living quarters of the rulers and even the catapult stones which were thrown by the conquerors in an attempt to break the siege. The Dead Sea with all its glory was visible for miles from top of Masada and even the Beaches of the Jordanian side of the Dead Sea were clearly visible on a clear day.
As it was time for lunch, we saw an outlet of MacDonald's and I straight away preferred it for the Hummus and Falafel which I was having for the last few days. A Fish Burger was for 34 Shekels (around Rs 825) and it was relatively cheaper than restaurant food and good too for the Indian palate. As the time for hotel check in is after 3 pm, we went to the Herbert Samuel Hotel, right on the banks of the Dead Sea after the Burger meal. The resort area which houses several hotels, is called Ein Bokek and some even call it the Las Vegas of Israel even though there are no casinos here, banned as they are by law. It's an interesting Resort Town, as one could find only fancy Resorts-hotels and no residential colonies.
The Dead Sea at an elevation of 430 metre, is the lowest point on earth and due to high salinity of its water, it cannot support any marine life--fishes or weeds. The salty water and its associated mud are renowned for their health and healing properties, attracting people from all over the world. In the high density of its salty water which is ten times that of normal sea water, you can even float naturally on the water and never drown. Staying at the Herbert Samuel Hotel had its advantage as soon after checking in, we went for the spa and treatment experiences where warm black mud from the Dead Sea was applied all over the body, left for impact for several minutes, washed down in hot water and then an expert masseur used his fingers to press the nerve points, relaxing the body, mind and the spirit.
Early morning walks are always refreshing anywhere, it was all the more special at the promenade of the Dead Sea before sun-rise on a windy day with the gentle salt laden waves of the Sea hitting gently on the shores in a rhythmic pattern. The early morning view from the balcony of the Herbert Samuel Hotel was breathtaking to say the least. When I woke up in the night, I stared out of the balcony and saw darkness with a string chain of light, which denoted the road just above the Dead Sea shores. In the first rays of the morning, the sight turned into sheer magic with miles of Blue enveloping my vision. Time to put on walking sandals and see it from close quarters.
There I was, on the Beach with no one around. Sat on the Beach Chair with legs in the water to have a feel of the sea at the lowest point on earth, 430 meters below the Sea-level. It was surreal. The physical touch of the water, where no marine life survives due to high salinity, feels as if it has been mixed with oil. But that is only because of high mineral content and of course salt. You can float on the water easily but as I had a couple of bruises, I was advised not to do so as the water in contact with bruises in the skin makes it a painful experience. As I was immersed in the experience, a Russian tourist came and we acknowledged each other. We did not know each other's language but the sign language of beauty, the sunrise and magical experience was common so we appreciated the beauty of nature together. At that precise moment, the Sun started rising from the Jordan side and filled the Dead Sea with the rays of the Day. Jordan was just a stone throw away from where I was at the Beach. After getting enough of the experience, I took the walk from the Beach and on to the promenade for 3 kms and then came back. There were several small round-shaped islands of Salt, a natural formation a little distance away. You cannot compare this experience to anything else, it had the power to transport you to an entirely different world altogether.
TIMELESS ALLURE OF JUDEAN DESERT
The next in the list now was a Tour on an old 4x4 Range Rover, driven by our host Barack Horwitz in the Judean Desert, which has salt mountains and the terrain looked as if it had been carved out of a mountain.
The Judean Desert lies east of Jerusalem and descends to the Dead Sea and stretches from the northeastern Negev to the east of Beit El, and is marked by natural terraces. It ends in a steep escarpment dropping to the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley. The Judaean Desert is characterized by the topography of a plateau that ends in the east in a cliff. It is crossed by numerous valleys flowing from west to east and has many ravines, most of them deep, our host cum driver explained. At one point, he stopped the vehicle for a photo op and pointed towards rocks saying that it is entirely made of salt. He asked one of our fellow travellers to lick the rock and confirm that it indeed was salt. Yes, it was salt and once it formed part of the geological phenomenon of the Dead Sea. He explained how salt was one of the most traded and controlled items of ancient periods and how even the word "salary" has come from salt.
It was not a desert like that in Rajasthan with sand dunes but a geographical phenomenon which had developed over centuries. Huge salt rocks were all around and Barak Horwitz, the driver of the Range Rover, explained how salt from this place was used as a barter system in several kingdoms and how it is one of the most important things to have in ancient times. A talkative Barak had several anecdotes as his village was close to the area and he was an expert of the Dead Sea, its minerals, the Desert and the Salt mountains surrounding it.
After experiencing the Dead Sea and Judean Desert, we began our travel journey again for our next destination up the hills. We passed through the Bedouin tribe hamlets on both sides of the highway. These are nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes of the region following Islam and their living standard is quite low as compared to the Israelis. Guide Ofer Drori explained how Bedouins, 2 lakhs in all of Israel, are being assimilated in the mainstream and how difficult it has been for them to abandon tribal Arab traditions and adopt modernity even though changes are taking place now.
Ofer then pointed towards Dimona city, described as mini-India by many for its 7,500-strong Indian Jewish community who have carried their food, culture and also language to some extent. I wanted to go there but could not due to the paucity of time. "Maybe next time" was what Ofer was saying quite often when we could not visit a place which he was describing. Beersheba town was next, which we did not visit but saw from a distance. Tel Aviv was now on the horizon.
