11/10 | A Tour of the Knesset

Today, Matt, Steven, and I decided to take a tour of the Knesset, Israel's national parliament.  The Knesset is located on top of a hill in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Givat Ram.  This building, which dates back to 1966, has seen every Prime Minister since Levi Eshkol and has seen some of the world's most moving events, namely Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's visit for peace in 1977.  The Knesset has seen the nation through the good and the bad, carrying with it a remarkable legacy: it is the first national body in millennium to represent the Jewish people in their homeland.  Walking though this building, one can almost feel the history.  Even greater, there is a huge sense of pride in knowing that this is the culmination of thousands of years of hoping.

The outside of the Knesset from the back corner.  Notice the menorah on top.

A sculpture in a traffic circle near the Knesset.

The Knesset Menorah was given to the State of Israel by the British in 1956.  It features engravings of people and events from Jewish history.

The old gates of the Knesset now serve as sculptures.  They have been replaced by sheets of glass that allow maximum visibility as well as additional security.

The front of the Knesset, where major ceremonies are held.

The front doors of the Knesset.

A row of Israeli flags next to the Knesset.  It is just a guess, but I believe the 12 flags stand for the 12 tribes of ancient Israel.

The emblem of the State of Israel.

The Plenary Hall of the Knesset, also known as the plenum.  This room has seen some of the world's greatest leaders sit in its seats.  The seat in the middle of the long desk is where the Speaker of the Knesset, currently Reuven Rivlin, sits to preside over all 120 Members of Knesset.  The sculpture on the back wall "celebrates the celestial and everyday Jerusalem."

Chagall Hall, where official receptions are held.  The three tapestries, all created by Marc Chagall, represent different stages in Jewish history.

"The vision of the end of days."

"The return to Zion."  The Old City of Jerusalem is seen in a bubble because it was painted before the 1967 Six-Day War, when the Old City was still under Jordanian control.

"Exodus."  King David and Moses frame the image on either side.

A mosaic, also done by Marc Chagall, featuring the angel of redemption beckoning the Jewish people home to Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel.  Jerusalem is pictured at the bottom.

A close-up of Chagall's interpretation of the Western Wall.

The Jerusalem Law, featuring images of the gates of the Old City.

Soliders of the IDF taking a tour of the Knesset.

A panoramic view of modern Jerusalem from the windows of the Knesset's newest wing.