Reflecting today 7/3 on Tour Day 4

We go to Hebron.  This is where the Tomb of the Patriarchs are located within a synagogue/mosque.  Today Hebron has a population of about 500,000.  We first stop at the oak of Abraham.  There to greet us is the keeper of the oak.  He is a Muslim man with 4 wives and 33 children (from 38 years to 6 months).  The oak of Abraham, tradition says, is where God told Abraham that he would have a son, and later, to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice.

We now head to the Tomb of the Patriarchs –  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their respective We go through a market area.

Alongside is an Israeli settlement.

We then hit another checkpoint with high security.  We now enter the mosque side of the tomb.  In Mosque (Picture 240) area, where I had to wear covering (Picture 240) are tombs of Sarah, Rebekah and Isaac.

Only one way down to the tombs.

(Picture 247)  In synagogue area (Picture 253) are tombs of Abraham, Jacob and Rachel.

This was Herod’s monument to the patriarchs, but now is divided in two.  On outside is tomb of Joseph just inside checkpoint.

(picture 252)

We head back to bus via Israeli settlement rather than market.

(Pictures 254 – 261).  Here’s graffiti from the other side. (Picture 262)

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