Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period

      By Tanner Smith,     11^th grade,       Illinois

One, two, three, four, five steps. In just these few steps, statistically speaking, I have almost definitely followed the exact path of one of my predecessors. Two thousand years ago Jews would venture forth up the very stairs I climbed, carrying sacrifices for God.

I make it to the top, hit the wall, and search for shade. We proceed down to the fallen Robinson's Arch. I contemplate the path that the cohenim of the Temple would follow. Right above me, two thousand years ago, the great priests in control of the Temple would lead the Jewish people in their daily life.  The modern day leaders of my community have the last name Katz, one of the names indicating forefathers that were cohenim. To think that their forefathers were right next to me, displaced only by time. Just before this we traveled underground in the Old City, into the ancient mansions of the cohenim. Inside we found approximately six mikvaot, the remnants of rich Jewish life, and the cutest cat (we can only assume that he is two thousand years old and has lived there all this time).

It strikes me now how close to history I was. There are four dimensions and I was only separated from my forefathers by one of them. In fact the wall I stood in front of and the steps I walked upon made it through that fourth dimension, calling out to me, saying ‘hello’ in David’s terms.