After being in Israel for 7 weeks we finally made it to Jerusalem to visit the Lehmanns. For Margalit and Dani it was a great opportunity to get together with Shira and Eli -- and for the grown ups, it was a fun to get together with the adults see Jerusalem again.I haven't been in about 12 years, and the place has really changed. The first shock was trying to navigate to the old city. After more or less accidentally driving right through Mea Shearim (Dena dove beneath the seat to find a modest shirt to throw over her sleaveless top), all of a sudden I was driving through a tunnel beneath Jerusalem, and the next thing I know we were right outside the Jaffa gate. Wow! After much confusion, I dropped off Dena and the girls at Mt. Zion and they walked in to the Kotel. Dani and I parked the car and entered through Jaffa gate. I tried to take a short cut to the Jewish Quarter, but I made one wrong turn. So we turned around and took the long way. We arrived just in time to meet Dena and the girls for a tour of the tunnel excavations along the Western Wall. For ages (since Dena and I were last here together), I've been hearing about the excavations and about how Aunt Roz had been a big contributor. We finally got to see the tunnels. Wow! It was facinating to walk along the entire length of the Western wall many feet beneath the Shuk, through old cisterns and aquaducts. The tour is very well done, with really cool models showing the topography and structures from the second temple period. Dani was fascinated and cannot wait until we return to see the model of the second temple at the Holy Land Hotel. We've promised him a visit next month when Savta visits.
After the tunnel tour, we grabbed falafel and shwarma in the Jewish Quarter and waited to meet the Lehmanns. Together we walked the ramparts from Jaffa gate back to the Kotel. The kids loved running along the wall. The views are great. One can't miss the huge dumping ground in the Armenian quarter and not wonder why it hasn't been developed. And then its hard to miss the graffiti saying "Death to A----" on the park bench. Yuck!We stayed at a great hotel in the Baka section of Jerusalem just two blocks from the Lehmans. It is an old house converted into a hotel , 20 foot ceilings and all. Our suite had two bedrooms and a total of 6 beds, so it could have easily fit us all even if Dani and Margalit hadn't had a sleep over. Shabbas evening we went to Shir Hadash, an egalitarian Minyan with a Michitzah. It was packed with english speakers even though the announcements were made in Hebrew. On Saturday morning we went to Mayanot -- a much smaller egalitarian minyan were everybody sits together. Mark Ivker and old friend recognized Dena pretty much immediately. It was great to see him again -- 12 years and 3 kids later.
We spent the late afternoon in the Talpiot park overlooking the old city. A great view and a truly mixed part -- Jews and Arabs enjoying the view together. We had a tough game of ultimate frisbee --Lehmans umpteen, Glasgows 1.
