Picture of the week

Lanterns of the Sepulchre

Hanging lanterns from inside the Church of the Sepulchre. This is a focal point of the christian religon as located in the Old City of Jerusalem, representing the general area where Jesus was crucified. The decorum is more influenced by the Greek Orthodox sect which has more control over this church vs. the Vatican and some of the other sects also squatting in this rather complex multi-leveled church. I also tried to get into one of the muslim focal points, the "Dome on the rock" or Harim ash Sharif, but the Israeli military turned me away (Next time I think I know what I need to do to fake my way past the checkpoint(s) and get in :^).  As for the jewish focal point, that would be the Western Wall (aka "Wailing Wall"). After getting through another military checkpoint, X-ray machine, and metal detector; Getting up to the wall just required putting on a cardboard yamaka, and being discrete about the use of the camera.

I visited the Old City during a recent business trip to Israel and had some extra time off to walk through all four quarters (arab, jewish, armenian, and christian), photographing the city and its people before catching my next flight. As an aethist and trying to be neutral toward any one segment, I found it interesting to see both the contrast and similarities between these four areas of this tightly wound little city.  Frankly, I find it all a bit hard to comprehend what all the commotion is about, and why there has to be so much tension around this place. I am reminded of a saying by a jewish philosopher whose name now escapes me: "When you think about it, not all the religons can be right. But it is possible, that they all may be wrong."

All content and images are property of Stephen Fischer Photography, copyright 2013.  Last updated: 7/10/2013   ()