The end of summer.
The end of August in Jerusalem, Israel.
The Hebrew University is locked up tight,
no students, no classes, forced vacation time.
It is finally possible to stay inside without air-conditioning.
The water from the cold tap was actually cold!
Flowers have grown to the roof top.
This purple flower is always a favorite
against the white Jerusalem stone and the blue sky.
The Scouts have been busy building towers.
The last child of the day ran through the Israel Museum yard.
The end of August,
and these children are headed to the park.
Summer day care is over, parents are at work,
and most schools have not yet begun.
So it is no surprise to see a little girl
at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s house,
as we were waiting for UN Sec-Gen Antonio Guterres
to come from meeting President Reuven Rivlin.
There are long lines to pick up school books,
and purchase school supplies,
as families get ready for the first day of school.
New signs have gone up honoring teachers
and education in Jerusalem.
Signs are up for selihot, pre-Rosh Hashanna prayers,
recited either early in the morning or late at night,
and the pomegrantes are ready for picking.
These are signs of the end of summer in Jerusalem, Israel.
And in the you-never-know-what’s-next department,
the helicopters hovering overhead
were not to transport the Prime Minister,
but to entertain the crowd of children below.
The crowd also watched men rappelling down the side
of Jerusalem’s main municipal building
End of summer, soon only photos and memories will remain
from the long summer school vacation time.
