It’s my tradition to go to the Western Wall (the Kotel) on Yom Kippur in the morning before it gets too hot and too crowded.  I use this special time to be grateful for all the blessings in my life and think about the upcoming year.  I try to limit my asking for requests for other people.

Here’s what I saw and experienced:

• It’s always hot on Yom Kippur – no matter the weather the day before or after.
• The streets were gorgeously quiet and empty.

Yom Kippur 8:45am

Overlooking the valley outside the walls of the Old City 9am

• When I arrived at the women’s section, I saw two female soldiers praying, in uniform and with their guns.  Later one of them went up to the wall and said a few prayers, with her gun.
• At the wall, the woman to my left was praying in a romance language (Italian, Spanish?) quite loudly.  I heard her say “gracias a Dios,” which seemed fine, and then “benedictus Christos.”  Hmm.  Probably not Jewish.
• The woman to my right was reading a bible in Chinese.  Status unknown.
• When I sat down, I looked around more carefully.  More than half of the people there were drinking water and didn’t quite fit.

Bird’s eye view 10am

• When I left, there were large tourist groups – with their cameras – entering the Western Wall plaza.
• I wondered if all these non-Jews thought that God was only answering calls at the Kotel on Yom Kippur; perhaps the connection wasn’t as good at other holy locations.
• I didn’t see as many people in the Jewish quarter as I expected, but it might have been too early.

Not the Jewish quarter. This is Jaffa Gate at 9am.

• There was a police presence.  At around 9am, it was calm and relaxed.  By 10am the Border Police were stationed with a much stronger presence.  (It hasn’t been calm, so they were expecting trouble.  In the end, it was a quiet day.)

I completed the fast and even though I didn’t spend the entire day in reflection, I did feel renewed and ready to start a new year.

I promised a post about my trip in Romania, but I had such a great time that I think the trip would be better served in several short entries (coming soon!).

Until then, Shabbat Shalom!  May we all have some peace and quiet, renewal and reflection.  And birthday cake.  We should all have some cake.