Home > Still Traveling > Archives > 2007 > October > 30 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USArriving in Amman
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(Editor’s Note: This blog is being written by three Atlantans — a Jew, a Christian and a Muslim — who are taking part in an inter-faith trip to the Holy Land to learn more about other religions).
At six o’clock in the evening it is dark in Amman already. Our group of 23 Jews, Christians and Muslims has arrived via Royal Jordanian Airlines after 10 hours in the air. The hotel “Larsa” has juice waiting for us in the lobby as we get room keys, each person rooming with someone of another faith.
Before we left JFK, our group gathered in a section of the gate area. Rabbi Ron Segal, Rev. Gerald Durley and Iman Plemon El-Amin each offered a prayer, setting a spiritual intention for our trip. I can’t recall their exact words but they asked us to remember we were making a pilgrimmage, not only to visit sites of historic importance to each faith, but into our own souls, and into the lives of our fellow travelers.
I wondered what the other air travelers thought as they eavesdropped openly on our group — black, white, veiled, hair uncovered, Jewish, Christian and Muslim, men and women, holding hands, eyes closed, praying for each other and for the loved ones we left at home. Maybe we amused them. Perhaps we confused them. Perhaps one among them saw something they’d only dreamt about — people coming together across racial and religious divides to support and celebrate each other.
That support was tested midway into the flight, when one of our Muslim sisters began hyperventilating. Another Muslim woman gave her cold compresses for her forehead. One of our Christian brothers fanned her. A Jewish woman put a cold compress on the back of her neck. Another Christian woman said, “get a bag and have her breathe into it.” A Jewish doctor came to her assistance. Our religious differences might have led each of us to participate in this pilgrimmage, but it is our shared humanity that shines through.
Photo: Imam Plemon El-Amin recites a prayer as members of the World Pilgrims group traveling to Jordan prepare for the flight from New York to Amman.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: World Pilgrims of Atlanta
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Dave
October 30, 2007 11:02 AM | Link to this
I didn’t know Atlanta had pilgrims. How old are they?
Here I thought we had a new sports team in town…..
By BiteMe
October 30, 2007 12:46 PM | Link to this
You mean, the way it SHOULD be? We are all one. Glad to see that this group is out to prove it.
By Blanche
October 30, 2007 6:00 PM | Link to this
Please spell “pilgrimage” with only one “M” or I won’t be able to keep reading your blog. You know how anal I am about spelling. xxooxx
By Dean Peters
October 31, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
Hi Audrey,
I’ll be traveling to Jordan next week - posting my experiences at http://blogjordan.com
Do you think we’ll have a chance to get together and exchange notes?
Dean
By Ameer
November 1, 2007 1:14 PM | Link to this
Hi there, I am a Muslim from the UK. I was in Jordan and travelled to Jerusalem via the King Hussein Bridge (Allenby Bridge). There I was made to sit for 7 hours for no reason apart from me being Muslim. There were also fellow travellers some of whom were Christian that were made to wait for very long time, and asked many questions.
So, we saw and felt a lot of mistreatment at the hands of the Israeli Soldiers at the border and at checkpoints.
I would like to know if you had encountered any problems in your travels and how you deal with them.
Anyway, Im very happy to have read this article and I hope that there will be peace soon. It takes us all to work together and really want it to happen. Doing nothing will not achieve anything. So keep it up!
By Joe McCloskey
November 7, 2007 4:44 AM | Link to this
The pilgrimage is awe inspiring. Keep up the groundbreaking work! Joe McCloskey