I’m buried in non-blog-related work, but I decided that I still wanted to take time to write this week because I am constantly amazed by Jerusalem.

This week there were two big gatherings in Jerusalem.  On Tuesday, 1,200 Jews entered the Temple Mount on the fast day of 9 Av, which among other things marks the destruction of both Temples.  This is the most that have ever entered the site on that day.

And a few days later, 22,000 people marched in Jerusalem’s Gay Pride Parade that ended with a rally in Independence Park. (They expected 4,000; I read last night it was 14,000; and this morning it was 22,000.)

The Temple Mount and Independence Park are separated by about a 25-minute walk.

The people participating are possibly miles and eons apart in their beliefs.  Or are they?  This year’s Pride theme was “LGBTQ and Religion.”

The thing is that you can be who you are and still be part of the vibrant city of Jerusalem. There’s a place for everyone here.

Free to be you and me and we can be ourselves in Jerusalem