VISITING SANHEDRIN TOMBS & ORTHODOX JEWISH NEIGHBOURHOODS, JERUSALEM (MARCH 20, 2009)

I guess its my 11th visit to Jerusalem. It all happened accidentally when I spoiled my scheduled plan to see the Tomb of Rachel in Bethlehem. Due to the sensitivity of its location and security concerns, I had an impression for long time that visiting Rachel's Tomb is not always a wise option. Finally, on this fine Friday morning I made up my mind and said let me take the risk. The only way to reach there was through the bullet proof Egged 163 from Jerusalem Central Bus Station (CBS).

I started my journey by taking Egged 446 (7.50am) from Beer Sheva and reached Jerusalem around 9.15. What followed was tragic. Strangely, I couldn't locate 163 in any of the 20 or so platforms inside CBS. However on the digital display board the bus was expected to start from platform number 11 at 10.10 am. I waited for one hour and no bus arrived....went back to check the display board and found the next bus at 11.10 am from platform number 2! After spending some boring 45 minutes, I began to realize that I was the only one sitting there. From the information counter I later found that Egged 163 comes outside the Bus Station and not inside!! Cursing my ignorance and for wasting 2 hours, I rushed down to the street before CBS. Again to my surprise there was no egged 163 in any of the platforms outside also! I knew for sure that it was not my day for Rachel's Tomb.

Didn’t want my day to go waste and decided to walk randomly through Jerusalem's streets. I walked from CBS to the orthodox Jewish neighbourhoods of Kiryat Zanz, Ramot Eshkol and Sanhedriya. It was like entering a new world where most faces were that of black-clothed Haredi (orthodox) Jewish community. Sanhedriya reminded me of the 2000 year old burial tombs alleged to ancient Jewish Supreme Court members called Sanhedrin. I could later trace these ancient catacombs near the Sanhedriya neighbourhood. After visiting Sanhedrin Tombs, I continued walking and saw myself standing in the Mount Scopus area, famous for the Hebrew University and Mt. Scopus Hadassah Hospital. Taking a nice glance towards Mount Olive, I walked towards the Old City through Bar Lev Street. On the way was Ammunition Hill and Jerusalem Police Head Quarter. Walking past the Museum on the Seam, I reached the Damascus Gate of Old City. From there, ascending the steep slope and passing New Gate and Jerusalem Municipal Office, I reached Jaffa Road. No more stamina to walk....took Egged 18 from Jaffa Road to CBS and back to Beer Sheva via Egged 446 (2.20 pm) and Sede Boker by Metroplin 60 (4.30 pm). An unplanned and unexpected visit... yet I managed to see a few interesting sites.