While Hurricane Irene soaked the eastern United States last weekend,
it will be some time before there is a threat of rain in Jerusalem.
Seems the only ‘rain’ here are the missiles, grads and rockets from Gaza,
which continue to fall in southern Israel in spite of a Hamas call for a truce.
All was quiet this morning, but last night
loud music and the sounds of teenagers laughing ended near midnight,
possibly neighborhood complaints of noise were all that dampened
the end of summer party for a Jerusalem Israeli scout troop.
It was quite a contrast to the terror attack the night before in Tel Aviv.
A man from Nablus carjacked a taxi at knife point, cutting the driver,
then rammed the stolen vehicle into a police barrier that
was erected to protect a dance club teenage end of summer party.
Eight people were stabbed as the terrorist yelled “Allah is Great”
August coincided with the Muslim Ramadan holiday this year.
The Eid Al-Fitr, end of month celebrations silence the jack hammers in Jerusalem
and the construction cranes stop flying, while in Syria more people were killed.
In the Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan
the colored lights at night were bright
as were the ones in the Old City.
Colored lights were strung at Jaffa Gate,
Damascus Gate,
and Herod’s Gate.
Late at night, young men came to sell food and merchandise
and women sat to enjoy the cool night air.
Even young children would be out late at night during the month of celebration.
As the sun set, smoke
and more smoke from the food being cooked to break the day’s fasting
filled Gan Ha’pa’amon, the Liberty Bell Park .
There is often a rise in violence after this month devoted to Koran study.
A molotov cocktail was thrown at an Israeli ambulance this week,
no one thought to bother this PA ambulance.
As we look to September, security is again heightened near Eilat
and security precautions are in the news.
Hype about a PA statehood vote in September at the UN is gaining steam,
while the PA and Hamas cannot even agree on one time zone.
As for the real streets, everyone is looking anxiously to September,
September 1 is the first day of school.
The last week of August there is no regular day care,
every grandparent, friend and neighbor is called on to help out hassled parents.
Who is the most excited for the first day of school?
The sound of the shofar this morning announced the Hebrew month of Elul,
Chodesh tov…
here’s hoping and praying for a good month
and
looking to a peaceful September!