I belong to a Facebook group called ‘Coffee Talk Ladies’. For a description of what our group is about please read a blog I wrote when we had our first face to face .
Travelling from the South to Jerusalem with my friend Esther, we arrived in good time to meet up with the rest of our friends.
Our visit started with hugs and kisses, happy to see each other and meet a couple of Ladies who were new to our group.
Taking the Light Rail and then a mini bus which had to navigate the very narrow streets of the Jewish Quarter of the Rova, one of my favorite areas of Jerusalem.
Our first stop was to visit The Plugat HaKotel Museum, also known as "the Western Wall Squad” Museum and tells the story of a group of young heroic Betar members who risked their lives to keep a Jewish spark alive at the Western Wall.
Their story is often forgotten and seldom mentioned in the story of the Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel. Recommend to visit.
Everyone was hungry! It was time to go to the Holy Cafe, a small restaurant in the Rova, close to the museum, where we had lunch reservations.
The staff had set up a long table for us. The food was tasty, prices reasonable, but the noise level from blenders etc every few seconds, was unbearable.
After taking a group photo, some of the girls headed for home and the rest took a short walk to the Kotel.
The weather was perfect for a visit. Not too hot, fluffy clouds to cover the sun and a nice breeze.
The Kotel, what can I say... its beauty, its holiness, a place where you feel the closest to Hashem. When you touch the ancient Wall and pray for family and friends, the feelings you have are magnificent.
Placing some notes into the cracks, I stood in front of the Wall and just marveled how honored and privileged I was to live in Eretz Yisrael.
The Kotel was just a bus ride away. I told myself, I must make it my business to visit the Wall more often.
I’m not sure if it is halacha or tradition, but when you leave the Wall, you walk backwards to your seat, in other words you don’t turn your back to the Wall. After saying Tehillim and davening mincha, we said goodbye to our friends and left for home.
The day was fabulous. I came home tired but it was a good tired.
Sure enough to ruin this perfect day, less than 1/2 hour after our bus left Sderot, the incoming missile alert blared...
That’s all for now. Feel free to comment
Miriam
