In Jerusalem, Israel, as December begins
the holiday season gets going.
Signs are up for a new Ethiopian-Israeli Festival.
International tourist groups have been enjoying
the unusually warm, sunny, and dry weather.
These holiday streets lights are up
and new signs of Hanukkah
are everywhere:
some with neighborhood activities
and this series of signs with holiday treats to eat.
Suffganiot have been in the shop windows
in Machane Yehuda Market, the shuk’
and in Jerusalem bakeries for weeks.
But one of my favorite holiday foods are
those big red, delicious strawberries
that are just coming into season.
In the shuk, they are for sale, but not yet piled high.
It is not only the Hanukkah season;
Santa Claus is in the Old City,
and the YMCA has decorated trees both inside
and outside in the front garden.
On Friday, while on the bus to the Old City,
we saw thousands of Muslims coming
from all directions for Friday prayers,
while at the same time
these characters were waving Israeli flags
and holding signs.
It was a wonderful peaceful week in Jerusalem.
We will have to wait and see what will happen next.
But to end on a festive note,
one of my all time holiday favorites,
from two years ago,
is this wonderful sound and light projection,
on Walls of the Old City.
