Back to "Normal" in Jerusalem

It is after the chagim,

the holidays are over.

Our prayers for rain were answered quickly.

“Don’t you love walking in the rain?”

asked an elegantly-dressed British woman

I passed walking Thursday night.

No, not really, since my umbrella was at home.

But we all know rain is good and needed.

After a  few days of this wet weather,

the Valley of Cross will have green covering the ground,

and olives on those trees will be over-ripe to pick.

Winter comes and Jerusalem, Israel,

turns colors, mostly turns to green.

On my way to Knesset yesterday,

 a small demonstration was going on,

in a regular protest location.

Today thousands of bus drivers were protesting.

I sure hope they work out a deal before November 7,

which is the date set for general bus drivers strike.

With the holidays over,

the universities, except for the Hebrew University,

are finally back in session.

Youth organizations are back to “normal”

and as always I love to see

what the Israeli Scouts are building.

The winter session of Knesset began,

and on the second day,

you can see for yourself how many MKs were in the building.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to the Board of Governors

of the Jewish Agency on his usual topics, such as BDS.

“Israel is home to all Jews.”

“Jews never quarrel among themselves, ask Moses,”

quipped the Prime Minister who stressed patience and tolerance,

and woke up this morning to some of those same delegates protesting

at the Kotel, the Western Wall, carrying Torah scrolls.

When I walked to the Knesset,

it was hot,

but when I left a short time later,

it had poured and was still raining.

Good for the grass at Gan Sacher, Sacher Park,

but not so great for people who want to play or picnic.

These new butterfly shaped floral planters

appreciate the sudden downpours

much more than I do.

This time, however, I had my umbrella,

now to go find my boots also.

After perfect weather for holiday tourists,

it feels like winter has arrived in Jerusalem.

With changed clocks and clouds,

3:00 pm,

and street lights were on.

Cars are to have their headlights on, even during the day,

until end of February,

getting dark early, the new “normal.”