Today we drove into downtown Cairo to the Old City. We went to the masjid of Salah-din, similar to the Blue Mosque in Turkey this immense place of worship is awe inspiring with vaulted ceilings, beautiful glass and stone work and hundreds of lights adorning the room. There we listened to Imam El-Amin give an overview of Islam and the masjid.
The second stop was the most famous Coptic Church: The Hanging Church, where in the courtyard were the most exquisite mosaics. The most interesting were the legends they depicted of the holy family’s travels in Egypt. They were leading mass so we only had an opportunity to peek inside and see the interior. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hanging_Church
Then we went to the historic Ben Ezra synagogue where much of Jewish Egyptian life was uncovered when the Cairo Genizah was discovered in its attic. This discovery of texts and legal documents shedding light on Jewish Egyptian culture has been likened to the Dead Sea Scrolls of the 19th century. The synagogue was beautiful and charming. I spoke generally about synagogues, Shabbat and the genizah. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Ezra_Synagogue
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