From 3rd through 6th grade, I went to the Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis. Here I studied the Hebrew language and was taught Torah and Talmud from Orthodox Rabbis. When I hear I think of Canaan I remember Rabbi Levy describing it as the, "Land of Milk and Honey." In her book Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths, Karen Armstrong explores the idea of holy cities and sacred places. She writes, "Even those who have no interest in any of the traditionally holy cities and have no belief in the supernatural often have special places to which they like to repair. Such sites are "sacred" to us because they inextricably bound up with our conception of ourselves; they may be associated with a profound experience that transformed our lives, with memories of early childhood, or with a person who was important to us." Reading this passage made me think about my sacred places. One of these places is the kitchen nook back home. Through high school, I studied at the kitchen table while my mom made dinner. While she coated the chicken in Panko breadcrumbs, I studied US history. Periodically she would give me before dinner snacks--a bite of the dish simmering in the pot or a salted cucumber. This place both brings up memories of my childhood, reminds me of my mom, and fosters nostalgia for my home. I can understand why so many people consider Jerusalem a sacred city. Jerusalem is an integral place for the three monotheistic faiths. People use religion to define themselves and Jerusalem is defined by religion. For Jews, Christians, and Muslims, Jerusalem is place that defines who they are in terms of their religion or a place, "inextricably bound up with our conception of ourselves." We discussed in class that Jerusalem is a place where religion an sacredness is tangible. Jerusalem is religion in objects and buildings. I feel connected to Jerusalem and I haven't even been there. When I think of Jerusalem, I think of the Western Wall, which in turn reminds me of the Western Wall we made out of paper at JCC summer camp. I wrote hopes and wishes and prayers are crumpled pieces of paper and placed it in spaces of our version of the Western Wall.