Another Week in Jerusalem

Israel is under attack: during the past 56 days

21 innocents were murdered,

200 were wounded, 20 seriously,

and there were 74 stabbings,

10 shootings, and 12 car rammings.

It is hard to keep track–should one listen to the news or not?

Oh no, another terror attack.

This past week Ezra Schwartz z”l was one of those statistics.

The 18-year old was in Israel on an educational year program,

and was sitting in a van when an Arab terrorist shot and killed him.

His funeral was live-streamed from Sharon, MA.

People filled the gym in a Jerusalem school to watch it,

finding comfort in community and unity.

John F. Kerry was back in town.

 At his meeting with President Reuven Rivlin,

he signed the official guest book.

Kerry’s motorcade stopped traffic,

but the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr. Alexis Tsipra

is paying a more low profile visit.

Meanwhile, on the Jerusalem streets,

building and construction goes on.

I decided it was time to see what was happening outside,

as watching Facebook and Twitter feeds was too depressing.

A trip to the Old City,

found this gate very quiet,

and the egalitarian section at the Kotel, Western Wall was empty.

But,

there was a line of tourists waiting to go up to the Temple Mount,

during the one hour in the afternoon allowed for non-Muslims.

The scene at the Western Wall Plaza was quiet.

This man was writing a note to place in between the stones,

those notes get inserted, but often drop to the ground.

Maybe it was the warm sun and the walking,

but seeing tourists at eating in cafes

and taking photos,

and little children on their way home from school,

and the young woman with harp in her regular spot,

was so much better than obsessing on the news reports.

A group of 180 men were touring on a special trip,

boys speaking Arabic were in Mamilla Mall,

and an Arab woman was shopping alone.

No one knows what will happen next,

what will be new weapon of terror,

box cutters, knives, or scissors,

or where an attack will occur.

But,

Kisufim,

Jerusalem Conference of Jewish Writers and Poets,

in Mishkenot Sha’ananim under the Montefiore Windmill.

opened last night  and the auditorium was full.

This week I had too many photos to share in one post,

because in spite of the bad news,

so many good things are happening on Jerusalem streets.

Hanukkah is coming, and so are the suffganiot. 

There are so many choices, it hard to decide which one to try.

We remember, we mourn, then we celebrate life.