This one is very special. I was driving home a few days after the attack on the kosher supermarket in France…you know, the random attack on a bunch of folks in a deli that was random because the killer didn’t know the names of the people and because it just so happened there was at least one non-Jew in the Jewish-owned store on the eve of the Jewish Sabbath when nearly all of the Jewish patrons were shopping…yeah, that random attack.
As I entered Jerusalem, I saw this sign and stuck at a light, I was able to take a picture. It shows two flags – France and Israel, and says, “Jerusalem hugs the people of France.”
The Shuk and the Inflating Flower
Near our offices in Jerusalem is Mahane Yehuda – the Jewish open market where they sell fruits and vegetables, inexpensive clothes, and pretty much everything else.
It is an experience shopping there – one that I love. The open market – called a shuk – is where many people go to do their shopping.
Quality is usually very good (for the vegetables) or bad (for other non-perishables).
A few months ago, the city of Jerusalem began building these weird things. I still can’t really explain what they are, or why they are – but they remind me of some horror movie prop.
Every few minutes, the red part fills with air and opens to a flower; then it deflates, only to start again.
They are interesting; they are fun, and I honestly don’t have a clue what or why but they certainly entertain. People are constantly taking pictures of them.
Raining Mud
I have never seen this in any other place – but sometimes, it rains mud in Israel. It starts after a period when there has been little rain. First comes what we call a sharav, the wind comes from the east, instead of the west, and brings with it sand in the air. These sand storms are very common in the Middle East and while Israel has less of them than some countries, it still happens.
The air is hard to breathe. You feel like you are swallowing sand, and when the rain finally comes to cleanse the air, it does it, at first, by raining mud. Add to that this beautiful blue car I have – which shows dirt much more than a black, silver or white car. In fact, this past week when it rained mud, my car looked like the dirtiest car on the road.
This is something that neither Elie nor David could resist. And so first, David went out and drew all over my car and Elie’s car – writing “Clean Me” and making smiley faces. Elie, not to be outdone, added the hand prints and the huge X made of mud on my car.
Even with some rain in the last few days, I still need to take my car to be cleaned, but at least I got off the worst of it…
