Star Wars, then Back to Normal in Jerusalem

After Hanukkah is over

there comes a long stretch with no major holidays.

It’s a time to get back to ‘normal.’

For many tens of thousands, mostly Anglos,

the visit and four performances of Jerry Steinfeld

was a big deal for two evenings in Tel Aviv,

so was the opening of Star Wars at Jerusalem’s Cinema City.

Out on the Jerusalem, Israel, streets

new bollards are being installed at city bus stops,

to make waiting for a bus safer from car rammings.

But, as I write this post,

there has been a new stabbing attack outside Jaffa Gate,

at the open walkway where hundreds pass day and night,

which was recently the back drop of a wonderful video.

An annual occasion,

one of the bittersweet kind,

 was the Bar and Bat Mitzvah reception,

held at Beit Hanasi, Israeli President’s Residence.

Naor Ben-Ezra who was seriously injured

by a 13 year-old stabber in October spoke

on  behalf of 58 young victims of terror

who joined President Reuven Rivlin to celebrate their special day.

The Rivlins were in New York for most of Hanukkah,

but this cat stayed on guard in their absence.

Jerusalem started a cleanup campaign,

initiating environmental improvements that include

much needed shady areas in public parks.

The President of Ukraine was here for three days,

but as usual there is too much happening to keep up with him too.

The annual Hullegeb Festival

celebrated Israeli-Ethiopian arts and music,

was followed by three days of Piano concerts

at the Jerusalem Theater.

That seems to be our normal,

 the good and bad,

birth and death.

Time to get going to deliver dinner to families with new babies,

then two nights of pianos ahead!

Disturbing, but fact,

the majority polled think attempted murder is justified.

Must enjoy the good things happening,

because those stabbings, rammings and attempts at terror

are not going away any time soon.

This is the not-so-new normal in Jerusalem.