Twice in the past two weeks, for special family occasions, we went for a short ride off the Jerusalem streets.
As always, traffic makes a difference in the time it takes to get anywhere.
Jerusalem traffic has been lighter until school starts this coming week.
The 1st-century historian Flavius Josephus wrote about Herodium (also Herodion/Herodeion), the artificial cone-shaped palace-fortress built by Herod the Great in the Judean Desert (c. 23–15 BCE), about 12 km south of Jerusalem.
From the road, I noticed new trees were planted along the road leading up to the developing tourist site.
We were on our way to Sde Bar on Tuesday morning for a special occasion.
Jordan is approximately 10 miles away over the Dead Sea. Sde Bar (Sdeh Bar Farm / Havat Sdeh Bar) sits near the foothills of Herodium, south of Bethlehem, near Nokdim.
From Jerusalem, before entering Har Homa, Road 398 goes toward Tekoa / Nokdim, and the drive is 20-30 minutes, depending on traffic.
Having not taken this ride in a few years, it was surprising to see all the new buildings.
Arab construction along the road and yellow warning signs not to enter.
Along with the better-known red warning signs forbidding Israelis.
From the road, the Arab building was impressive.
Where Israelis build, archaeologists first survey to see what was at the site in the past.
It took years for construction to start on this site, near Ramat Rachel.
These days, finding a road in Jerusalem without construction delays is unusual.
There is a student driver in the cab of this long flat-bed truck.
Sitting and waiting for heavy trucks to pass is not unusual in Jerusalem.
Fifteen years after the first trains, the new light rail line has opened. We got to sit and wait for it to pass on its way to the Malha Station.
September 1st, schools will open. More traffic will fill the Jerusalem streets.
The welcome to Kitah Aleph signs and celebrations have begun. Parents are counting the hours.
I love how starting first grade is celebrated with more exuberance than graduating from university.
The pomegranates are ripening. The seasons are changing.
As Elul ends, the streets will be filled with traffic as tens of thousands arrive for the pre-Rosh Hashanah Selihot prayers at the Kotel, the Western Wall.
This year, due to high demand, 19 major Selihot gatherings will be held with a cantor, sound systems, and giant screens set up outside the Western Wall area to ease congestion and enable more people to take part in the Selihot for the High Holy Days.
Will you join us this year in Jerusalem and add to the holiday traffic?