Revision of my connection with Judaism

The center of Judaism

            The Land of Israel is a holy place for the three major world religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  The Western Wall is of particular importance to the Jews.  When the Byzantines destroyed the second temple, after it had already being rebuilt once, all that remained was the Western Wall. This magnificent temple was built in 586 B.C.E. then destroyed and rebuilt in 516 B.C.E. After that it was destroyed a second time around the year 628 C.E. As the Western Wall was a part of the second temple, that means tis landmark is over 2529 years old and has been standing by itself for 1427 years after the temple was destroyed. Because this wall managed to stay standing as the Byzantines tried to destroy it, it has become a beacon of hope.  Every year thousands upon thousands of people visit the Western Wall and take place in one of the many customs regarding the wall.  You simply take a piece of paper and write a prayer on it before placing it into a crack in the wall.  As this is so strongly connecting with my religion, I can’t help but feel connected to it when I see it.  Pictures of the Western Wall remind me of my grandmother, as my religious study was one of the things she helped me the most with. Every time that I see a picture of the western wall, no matter what's in it besides the wall, I get this warm feeling in my chest, and a slight feeling like someone is looking over my shoulder. I have no clue how to explain it other than my grandmother watching to for me. I feel the closest to here whenever I talk about or see pictures of Israel. This strong connection arising just from talking and looking at Israel is one of the motivating force for me to visit next winter. I will then finally take a trip to Israel and be able to see the Western Wall with my own eyes and place my own prayers of healing and peace into a crevice in the wall.

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http://www.trincoll.edu/~mdearin2/Western%20Wall.htm