Jerusalem, Israel – what is really happening
Shabbat shalom from Jerusalem, Israel.
I saw these this week while passing the Knesset.
If you remember this old floral clock, it has been redone recently,
and even the butterflies are appreciating the improvements.
At the end of another crazy week,
thought I would take time to share something simple and nice to see and remember,
Shabbat Shalom!
It felt like spring last week,
at times it even got hot enough to dry clothes.
Passover is a only week away.
There will be extra sanitation service
and special bins for burning Chometz will be out.
Every last bit of bread will go up in smoke,
so that the windows will have to be closed.
But first,
everything from large plasma TVs and refrigerators are on sale,
and as usual, all kinds of housewares can be found on the streets.
Dates, nuts and other holiday foods are everywhere.
Now is the time to get married before the holidays,
although not everyone seemed so excited at this outdoor chuppah.
The Mea Shearim (100 Gates) neighborhood was always on
our ‘must do shopping list’ when we came as tourists,
so I decided to go to see what was new for Passover this year.
The area which used to have beautiful art work for sale,
now is big on photographs of rabbis,
some very big ones indeed.
As always there were pashkvilim, the red one announced a big fair.
This man’s job is to put up the new announcements,
impressive how quickly he works.
The ultra-orthodox community is not too pleased with the
proposed changes in the laws on army service and it showed.
Which is worse for this generation: Yair Lapid or an iPhone?
Everything from new bikes
to a coat of fabric looking like a piece of matzah,
and new designs of matzah covers were out on the street.
This is the busiest season for retailers.
Thousands of visitors arrive annually during the week before Passover.
Jerusalem streets are packed with rental cars and tourist buses.
But this year President Obama has decided to pay a visit to Israel.
Many streets will be blocked.
Hundreds of cars will not be allowed to park in their usual spots.
US flags are ready and flying along the Presidential route.
This year, the week before Passover should be like no other.
#ObamainIsrael
Last week it rained, and then it rained some more.
Today the new members of the 19th session of the Israeli Knesset
eagerly await to be sworn in.
Those people who stayed up all night to watch the Super Bowl live
are suffering from football fatigue and moving slower than usual.
But for most people, after a week of rain and grey clouds,
the big excitement is that sun came out and the sky was bright blue.
Runners were not the only ones out on the streets;
many people were happy to be able to walk outside again.
Even little babies seemed to enjoy the warm temperatures.
I love that a rose in the garden is budding in the middle of winter
and that flowers are blooming in so many small parks.
But I hate that these steps are usually blocked by a parked car.
Free parking is hard to find in Jerusalem, but still, it is real chutzpah
to constantly block access to stairs leading to a public park.
And what would Jerusalem be,
without cats out enjoying the weather too?
It is clouding over again, so better get going before the rain starts.
Yes, we need rain, but people do smile more when the sun is shining.