Temple Mount

The wailing wall, the remnants of the temple, the temple mount, the Dome of the Rock - this site is brimming with history. Currently, Jews are discouraged from going up to the temple mount. For some, it is a matter of safety and maintaining peace in this complicated area - the Dome of the Rock is under Jordanian guardianship. Orthodox Jews avoid it since the borders of the temple are not clearly defined, and historically parts of the temple were restricted to certain select few. We spent time at the Wailing Wall. Although a special place for Jews, people from all over the world approached the wall praying and slipping written prayers into the wall. On the Temple  Mount, we wandered the open areas and marveled at the beauty of the byzantine Dome of the Rock, which is not a mosque but a shrine. The mosaic was beautiful, and the gold ceiling allegedly is original, meaning it dates back to the 7th Century.  The remnants of the temple surrounded the area, and the view of the city was spectacular.