Today we left the old/new meritage and traveled back to the time of King Herod. Built by King Herod in honor of Augustus Caesar, Caesaria was a huge port built to allow Herod to fulfill his Edifice Complex by bringing in quarried stones from all over the known world. It served as the capital of the Jewish province of the Roman Empire, until it was taken by the Muslims in the 7th century. Because of all the pagan statues, the Muslims destroyed much of the city and built a mosque there. In the Crusades, the Christians took much of it back, and then abandoned it until he 19th century, when a kibbutz was built nearby.
A young kibbutznik named Hannah Senesch strolled on the beach that used to be Caesaria, writing the poem called On the Way to Caesaria, which would become known as, "Eli Eli." She had no idea that the beach on which she walked was covering a huge hippodrome, source of entertainment during the time of Herod, and covered over by the marauding Muslims. It was not until about 25 years ago that those were excavated. Strolling the ruins, we got a sense of the beauty of the Mediterranean, combined with the majesty of the ingenuity of Herod's builders.
After a jaunt to a mall for falafel (yum!) we found ourselves in Acco, once again immersed in the rich history that is Israel. In the time of the crusades, it was a strategic position for entry into the Holy Land. Tunnels under the city and huge underground rooms provided a place for Christian priests to establish themselves so that the knights could rally in the city that was their entry point into Palestine.
As a city that served as a strategic point for entry from the north, it changed hands from Muslim to Christian and back often enough that it remains a multi-faith city. This made it easy for us to travel to the Al Jezzar Mosque in the old city. Many of our group had never been in a mosque before, and it was an interesting glimpse into Muslim religious culture. Since it is Ramadan, there were several men praying quietly on their own, or relaxing in the cool mosque, perhaps to help deal with their late-day hunger. We were able to chat a little with the guards and ask questions about Islam. They too find great import in ritual washing (like a Christian Baptism or a Jewish Mikveh or hand washing), and had a washing station outside the mosque. They too have set time for prayer--five times a day--and had a schedule on a digital plaque inside the mosque so worshippers know when next to be at prayer. They too have public and private prayer, allowing the imam to give sermons when leading prayers, or allowing worshippers to sit quietly when praying on their own.
An interesting difference is the lack of imagery in the mosque. It is only decorated with geometric shapes and calligraphy, lest anyone mistake a human or animal figure as an idol, thereby breaking what we call the "second commandment." It makes for an intricate and beautiful decor all around the inside, almost reminiscent of kabbalistic meditation pieces. But more about those tomorrow when we enter Tzfat.
No comments:
Post a Comment