In order to see the Wailing Wall, it is necessary to go through security (similar to airport security).

It is a relief to make it through all the security.

During Holy seasons, the courtyard in front of the Wailing Wall is crowded.

Behind us is a new fence to control access to the Wailing Wall.   There is also a divider section in order to have men on the left and women in the section on the right.   The men must wear hats when approaching the wall.

Here is the women’s section.   The Jewish people face the wall in order to pray.

On the men’s side of the wall, there are several prayer booths.

A Bar Mitzvah was being held at the Wailing Wall while we were there.

Recently the aqueduct tunnels under the Western wall were opened up.   The rabbinical tunnels start at the Wailing Wall and travel along and under the Western wall.   The Moslems have their Dome of the Rock at the site of Solomon’s temple, so the Jewish people cannot go near the Holy of Holies.   The tunnel allows the Jewish people the closest point to the former Temple Holy of Holies.

At various places along the tunnel, there have been excavations down to the base of the city wall.   The tunnel floor is covered in Plexiglas, so you can look down at the older sections of the city wall.

Halfway through the tunnel is a model of the city of Jerusalem.  It was mechanized to show the changes in the city walls over the last 2000 years.