Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem!
It’s difficult to find the words expressing what I have been feeling since arriving. The words that keep coming out are “Oh my God!” and “Oh Wow!” “Oh my God” seems to come out as I see roads and landmarks that I remember so vividly, as if I was just here yesterday. It’s amazing how much one can remember of a particular place. Stepping out of the hotel to find a place for dinner, I knew the path I was walking as if I had walked it every day for the last 10 years.
“Oh Wow” came out each time I realized I was looking at something new. The road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is filled with development just a few years old (the road itself is newly done, too.) There is so much new in this ancient city. Dozens of new stores line the streets. And if it isn’t built yet, it will be soon, because there is construction EVERYWHERE in Jerusalem. From this beautiful hotel, I look out my window and see the brand new Mamilla Avenue, apparently Jerusalem’s answer to Rodeo Drive. And there are many more stores and restaurants open on Shabbat Eve than there used to be, a sign of secular life making a greater impact on Israeli society.
Yet along with all the new I see, Israel is still Israel. I was still pushed and jostled off the plane by Israeli passengers. Drivers still find a way to make 3 lanes out of a one lane road. Customer service still leaves a bit to be desired. Jerusalem is still remarkably quiet for such a large city, as most people here observe some form of Shabbat. And of course, all the sites that have made Jerusalem special for 2000 years are still here as well.
Tomorrow I hope to have some quiet time exploring the Jewish Quarter of the Old City on Shabbat. A sudden rumble of thunder in the distance just now may mean my plans will have to change, but that's the wonderful of a true Shabbat... there is no schedule, just time for refreshing the body and the soul. For now, it’s time to reset my body clock and enjoy a little Shabbat Menuchah or Sabbath rest. Shabbat Shalom and Laila Tov.