After we checked out what the Christians were doing on Good Friday, we went to the Western Wall. There's always plenty of people there Friday afternoon. At one point, there was a sudden flurry of activity and excitement that included several cars, complete with a police escort, driving right in the courtyard. A bunch of Hasidim ran over to the cars and out stepped a wise looking old man and a couple middle aged guys. They hurried him down to the Wall as if he were late for something. Based on the reaction he drew from the Hasidic crowd, he was very important. Some of the boys even tried to run up and touch him, only to be thwarted by the guys on either side of him. It was quite an event.
Dad sat next to a Hasidic teenager on his flight and learned a little bit about the dress code. We had noticed that some of them wear long silk jackets that are black, and some wear white. Apparently they are just carrying on the traditional dress of their grandfather's grandfather's grandfather. It depends on what your family has been wearing for generations. Also, some men wear round fur hats, which intrigued us. It turns out that depends on marital status. Married men often wear them on Shabbat, when they perhaps get a little more dressed up. They are often a present from the bride's parents.
Pictures: A taste of people you see at the Wall.
1st: The closest shot I could get of the men's side. Dad is to the left of the ark, close to the Wall, with the blue kippah.
2nd: The important man arrives. Notice the man sticking his arm out to block the kids.
3rd: Cute matching outfits
4th: Look at those red payos!
5th: Cute Orthodox girls
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