Jerusalem

      

 

Generally, I’m very comfortable in Jerusalem.  I’ve accumulated months of time here in increments of days, weeks and occasionally months over the decades.  I mostly know my way around though buildings get knocked down or renovated, restaurants and hotels change name, stores close, favorite hang outs disappear.  It’s ancient and dynamic, so I guess one is always learning here.

I haven’t done anything touristy here (other than shop).  I’ve had some really nice meals, spend time with old and new friends, did an abbreviated wine tasting and introduced some new olim from Maryland to my winemaking personal Rashi, Avital Goldner in Katamon.

I got here Sunday just before noon and had a ridiculously dessert-for-lunch Babka French Toast at Cafe Tipsy with Arnie Draiman, a friend of over 3 decades. Then I met my friend and colleague from my teaching days at Sulam, Panina Licht and her husband Jacob and we had a brief barrel tasting with Avital (including his 7 year old brandy, which is magnificent and will be released soon) and his Chardonnay.  I saw Panina and Jacobs”s beautiful apartment in Talpiyot and walked to more long time friends, Charlie and Shaiel Yitzchak and had a wonderful dinner and a show with 5/6ths of the family.  Around 9:30 I got on a bus, depleted my Ravkav (transit card) and went back to my hotel.

Nice hotel breakfast at the Eldan including Shakshuka with eggs cooked all the way, which is how I prefer it.  It was more reminiscent of how the Italians might make it since it tasted more like a mild marinara than a spicy Moroccan dish.  There was ravioli too in a rose sauce, babka and halva and plenty of fruit.

I set out for my errands thinking it wouldn’t be too hot, but by leaving early a lot of stores, even in Machane Yehuda weren’t open.  I did what I could, walked down to Ben Yehuda visiting some favorite store keepers on the way (there are very few tourists - almost none) and stopped for my tradition of fresh carrot juice (I never seek it out in the US - odd). I took care of some calls, tried to check a few more things off my list, went in search of a gift for me of a new tallit (they’re about 2/3rds of the cost here over online offerings in the US) and I hadn’t bought a new one in about 20 years or more.  I tried to get one less likely to slide off my shoulders - the fabric is textured - we’ll see if it works.  Both my current weekday and white Tallit fall constantly while I wear them.  I bought kippot for the boys (I have plenty, some I haven’t even worn yet from my trip 2 years ago) so I decided to exercise restraint.  I shlepped back to the shuk, cheating a bit by spending 6 shekels to take the light rail two stops up the hill.  After 4 hours and over 10,000 steps by 1:30 (Apple sent an alert saying someone must have stolen my watch) I stopped at Rimon for the Business lunch - a 130 gram (4 oz.) ribeye steak with a side and a drink for 68 shekels - delicious, and then back to the hotel to cool off (it was about 90 degrees here and the sun is intense).  I tested the set up for my webinar in the States tonight, took and nap and showered again.

After a big lunch I had a light dinner at Mamilla, came back in time to meet Judy’s friend Daniella to deliver some Folk Dance Festival swag, and now I’m writing this before my late (9:15 pm here) webinar session.  Heading to the Negev with Yossi in the morning for some new wine adventures.

A brief revision of my early impressions; Israelis are living parallel lives.  There is a sadness and frustration when talking about the war and the hostages.  There are a lot of signs, posters and graffiti related to all of that.  Everywhere. Bur Israelis are shopping, sitting in cafes and restaurants, going on vacation.  The evacuations in the north and the Gaza Envelope have been extended to August 31, and as an educator, I don’t understand how anyone north or south will be able to start school on the traditional date of September 1.  How will those towns recover, between the COVID education losses and being out of their communities for what looks like a second school year. Will people move their kids back or try to stay where they’ve resettled? Will the teachers take new jobs elsewhere? Don’t trash pick up and pharmacists and medical staff, and police and teachers have to move back into their jobs for all of this to happen?  This is all uncharted territory and I’m not sure how these parts of the country willl recover, despite the amazing resilience of the Israeli people.

More in a couple of days.