Speaking of which, let me tell you what neighborhood I'm in. I am currently living on Mount Zion. Some of you may know that name... it's in the Bible a lot. The sad fact is, though, that when the Bible talks about Mount Zion, it's actually referring to what we call today the Temple Mount. It was where the Temple stood. At some point since the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, people (probably the Crusaders in the 1500's) thought that the hill where I live now was Mount Zion. They were wrong.
Anyway, I live right outside the "Old City" of Jerusalem. This name is also a little deceptive. The Old City has a wall around it, fortified since around the Middle Ages. It is not the same parameters as the city of Jerusalem back in the Bible periods. You can see in the picture below that the now Mount Zion is Southwest of where it was back in the day. Also notice that within the Old City there are different "Quarters"- Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Armenian. You walk through it, and you definitely know when you've switched to a different quarter.
I also live close to the "New City" of Jerusalem. This is a very recent development with a mall and a bustling cultural center with nightlife and everything people could want. It starts mainly to the East. I walk through Jaffa Gate to the Old City usually, and right outside that is the New City, with a coffee shop named Aroma that has become the favorite place to get coffee around here.
I'm coming back to the States in about 6 weeks, which is sad and exciting at the same time. Today it is 99 degrees, and in Lansing Michigan right now it is 35 degrees. Yep, you read that right. I think I may leave on that note. I wish I could spend more time talking about Jerusalem, but I have homework to do. I have to study for a test in my Rabbinic Thought and Literature class with a friend. God bless!
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