Shabbat Shalom!

Last night was yet another epic experience here in the city of Jerusalem. We all went to the Western Wall to see how the Jews commemorate the beginning of their sabbath. Everyone splits with the men on one side and the woman on the other. People write little prayers and stuff them in the cracks of the wall before they pray. We all had the chance to touch the wall and pray with them! It was SO NEAT! The wall was smooth and almost polished where people have been touching it for years and years. I told my friend Amy that I want to go back and pray there as often as I can. My brother Josh came to Jerusalem last winter semester and he told me that one of his favorite places was the Western Wall -- I didn't know why until last night! It's surely a place that you can't even understand how amazing it is until you go there and see it for yourself. My heart was beating so fast and I felt so much joy in it all! There is indubitably a spirit there despite the differences in our religions. Everyone gathers around after awhile and sing and dance all of these exciting Jewish songs. I was thrilled to have known the words to a couple songs from my Hebrew class. I met some Jewish girls that I talked to for a long time. They were happy to practice their English with me and ask me questions like, "do you know Leonardo DiCaprio? or Beyonce?" They were surprised to hear that my name was Rivkah, and assumed that I was Jewish as well.  Maybe I just get overly excited about all this, but I can't help it! It's possible that Christ could have walked by that wall and maybe even touched it? :) It's a riveting thought I think. All in all... I love my life. Everyday I think about how amazing it is to have this opportunity to be in Jerusalem. It's a blessing beyond anything I imagined for my life at this point.