We arrived at night to the hotel in Jerusalem. I was wowed as we came into the city. The day had already been a full day with stops at Bet-She’an, a section of the Jordan river where 30 feet separate Jordan from Israel, the Dead Sea and to the top of Messada.

One of the ladies who was with us wanted to go down to the Temple Mount and partake in the Festival of Sukkot. I, like everyone else, was tired. But the Spirit of the Lord impressed me to go on with Gloria.

The Festival of Sukkot begins the fifth day after Yom Kippur and it was the last day. It is quite a drastic transition, from one of the most solemn holidays in the Jewish year to one of the most joyous. The word “Sukkot” means “booths,” and refers to the temporary dwellings that the Children of Israel were commanded to live in during this holiday. There were “palm booths” (temporary structures on the fronts of homes and businesses.) And Sukkot is also a harvest festival, so there are many vegetables and grains that are gathered in spots.

More of me standing in awe was I was there for an event that happens only every 7 years.
A ceremony called Hakhel Ceremony.

At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles” there is to take place an assembly of the whole people, “men, women, children, and the stranger that is within your gates.”

The purpose of this assembly is “that they may hear and so learn to revere the Lord your God and to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching”

Our arrival at Temple Mount was greeted with open arms. Men, women and children were there.. And Gloria and I were the strangers within the gates. So we went into a Synagogue where were the women welcomed us in to a packed room (only women) to watch the Men dance in celebration of finishing the reading of the Torah.

Packed, hot and electrified. Three words that describe the event.

We met a lovely lady who explained to us the event and walked us into an area where we could view the celebration. Men and women are kept separate from each other during this event. A sheet with holes cut into it so the women could “watch” the celebration. As the men dance around, they put little candies and flowers through the holes. It was such a joyous celebration.

I really desired that we could have been there earlier to watch it longer. It was a celebration of the Word… The Promise of God…It is a Celebration of Jesus, Who is the Word, the Promise of God, only they don’t know it.

Wow… I’m in Jerusalem.. Really I’m here in Israel, standing at the Temple mount. Thank you Lord for allowing me to see this event….