I got to the Western Wall tonight just in time to witness a successful marriage proposal and Thursday evening prayers. This was 9 p.m., and the holy place was hopping, both the women’s and men’s sides. The rabbis in charge continue to resist tearing down that wall.
Back at St. George’s pilgrim guest house in East Jerusalem, I checked in with the Rev. Canon John Peterson, former dean of St. George’s College; the Rt. Rev. Ed Konieczny, former bishop of Oklahoma, with deep roots in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles; and Canon Iyad Qumri, whose son Sami is having his marriage to Seka blessed on Saturday afternoon at St. George’s Cathedral. Ed has made 20 trips to the land of the Holy One. I’ll be here for a week, my eighth visit but first by myself, on retreat.
As you may know, there’s a rich tradition of tucking prayers in crevices of the Western Wall, which comprises part of what is left of the Second Temple expansion, the work of one of Herod the Great’s more lucid moments.
If you like, use the comments below to give me your prayer requests. For privacy’s sake, please use first names only, without the reason for the prayer (since God knows already). I’ll write them out on my last day and leave them in the wall. If you prefer, though I hate Facebook Messenger, use Facebook Messenger. For this week only, the anathema is lifted.
