Friday, June 20, 2014

JERUSALEM TOUR: New Railway Station Area

Should Still Be Called Gilo

New Railway Station- You can now extend your Tel Aviv bus ride from 45 minutes to 2 hours and 45 minutes, on the train. This not efficient railroad has been built in place of the old railroad which also did not work. Keeping with tradition, there are now two pointless railways in Jerusalem. 
One has now turned into a walking path to keep away charedim (ultra-orthodox), which you can witness when you enter the Baka neighborhood. Made to be a pedestrian walk, people are able to find their way to their destination much quicker than when the train was running, and without running into religious people.
The reason the train was built is that many religious people had to catch a minyan on the way to work. Being that the country could not find a single non-motorized destination for 10 men to pray together, the religious factions of Jerusalem agreed to the building of this train, even though its final destination is Tel Aviv. The agreement for the building of the train went through, as soon as it was decided that the old train station, or anywhere Barkat visits, would not be the destination.
We all love a good view, for a very long time. And for that reason, a three hour trip to Tel Aviv is beautiful. Nonetheless, the second time you use it, you start thinking that views can be caught quicker.

You can see foliage by the side of the station, in what is known as the Jerusalem Forest. The Jewish National Fund might have used your money over here to plant the shrubs, which make up the forest. And you dare to say the the Jewish National Fund does not use its money for planting trees?
Be sure to put on sunscreen when entering into the Jerusalem forest.
A full acre by acre of the bonsai looking trees is found surrounding Jerusalem. This makes up the forest which connects Gilo to Har Nof and the Jerusalem drug ring.

You can see, over here, the Sorek River, or Sorek River Monument. There was water there at some point.
The Sorek river is mentioned in the Prophets and is where Delilah lived.
Sorek comes from the word 'Rek' which means empty and defines how much water is found here.
The translation of Sorek to 'fruitless tree' can be traced to Delilah; meaning that Samson's relationship with Delilah was fruitless, as with most women. But I do not know how Wikipedia took all of that from the Midrash on Torah (homily).
In Judges 16:2, we see the story: 'And Samson went to Gaza...he loved a woman in the brook/valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her: 'Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lies... that we may bind him to afflict him...' The whole Gaza story. Always trying to afflict the Jews coming out of Gaza.
Sorek also could mean a special vine, but nobody cares about the grapes that grow there, and nothing beats a good Samson and Delilah story.
You can see the bank of a river right to the side of the train station. There is no water. Keep on looking, you will see something that looks like a little mountain and cliff with a slope. That is a river bank. If there was water, that might be the bank of a river. You might be able to see some water if somebody presses the button on that fountain over there.

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