Mira quickly intervenes and is speaking Arabic so quickly that I am having a hard time following. Eventually, the guard hands me back my passport and says to Mira that he will let me pass, but I will still have to get past the Sheik. Malesh. We continue inside the long hallway only to come across a second set of guards who stop us and proceed to quiz me all over again. At this point, I concede and tell Mira that I will just wait for her outside – but she refuses to give up. Finally, after an intense negotiation process and a promise from her that she would not let a non-Muslim inside, they let me pass. The outer compound surrounding the mosque is beautiful and serene. We walk slowly trying to soak up all of the imagery as we approach the entrance to the mosque. Upon the entrance, we come across the final set of men that will determine once and for all if we are allowed to enter. Mira is told immediately that she cannot enter because she is wearing long pants, instead of a long skirt – which is apparently the only acceptable attire for inside the mosque. He agrees to let the “children” pass (which somehow included me even though I too was wearing pants) and the three of us head inside.

The inside of the mosque is breathtaking. We choose each step carefully in an attempt to notice the smallest of the intricate details surrounding us. Mira’s little sister, Bella, guides me around the mosque explaining the history to me in her bold yet broken English. We walk downstairs to a quiet space where the famous rock is located and just sit taking in this momentous occasion. After several moments we continue our stroll inside and walk quietly around those praying and paying homage to this holy place.

The trip to Jerusalem was certainly more than just a visit to a famous religious and historical site; it brought to light the deeper and revered importance that religion holds here. I would never have imagined that being born into a religion would matter as much as it appeared to on that hot summer day in June. But like many things here, it is the most unanticipated aspects of ourselves, our history, our backgrounds and our experiences that in the end tend to be our saving grace.

Al-Aqsa Mosque

Al-Aqsa Mosque

Delicately crafted artwork creates beautiful stained glass windows

Delicately crafted artwork creates beautiful stained glass windows inside the mosque

Bella and Ayes (Mira's siblings) in front of the Al-Aqsa

Bella and Ayes (Mira's siblings)

Me, Mira and Bella (From left to right)

(From left to right) Me, Mira and Bella