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| By: Associated Press |
| Published: March 17, 2005 |
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| "Pilgrimage on Wheels": interfaith bikers arrived at the Kotel (AP) |
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Christian and Jewish cyclists arrived at Judaism's holiest site on Thursday on a pilgrimage from the Vatican, in an unusual effort to understand each other's religion.
The 10 bikers pedaled onto the stone plaza at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, a remnant of the biblical Jewish Temple compound, after a three-week trip across Italy, Greece and Israel, starting at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
Ed Kessler, head of Cambridge University's Center for the Study of Jewish-Christian Relations, talked about the rewards of such an undertaking.
"You come back at the end of a long day, you're tired, and you sit down looking at texts together and you talk about it as friends," Kessler said. "That's fundamental learning."
Among the 30 participants involved in various stages of the pilgrimage were a Polish student, a financial consultant, a Jewish mother and a college chaplain. The group has raised nearly $60,000 to support interfaith dialogue and understanding, organizers said.
Rabbi Arieh Banner, who helps supervise activities at the Western Wall, said it was the first time he saw people riding bikes into the plaza during his 17 years there, but he was glad to see the spirit of the international group "who have come in the name of faith and peace."
Claire Malone-Lee, 64, a cyclist and student of Jewish-Christian relations, said the group's discussions have challenged each other's preconceived ideas about religious texts or the prospects for peace in Israel.
"All you hear about is the complexity of the situation here, but really when you arrive, hopefulness is reinforced wherever you go," said Malone-Lee, who is from Cambridge, England.
The bikers were awarded special certificates and 'Israel loves you' buttons by the Tourism Ministry. |
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