Dear Into Israel Readers,

I’ve just received my first pair of rain boots, a stylish leopard pair.  Now, I can’t wait for the rain, and since fall has arrived, the rainy season is here in Jerusalem, and with it comes the windswept streets and beckoning puddles.

I love walking the streets, usually alone, but I don’t mind as I seldom feel lonely. I’m with my People, and I’m in my Land.  I write the first draft for the Into Israel posts in my thoughts a lot of time on these long walks.

My First Pair of Rain Boots!

Sometimes, though instead of walking, I will take the buses.  Before I moved to Israel, I had never spent a lot of time on buses.  Most likely I will buy a car, but for now I’m enjoying my bus rides.  I recently passed my Driving Test.  I had heard ahead of time the whole process was daunting, but I won’t even attempt to go into it, because you wouldn’t believe me anyway.

When the moment grabs me, I will get on a bus and see where it takes me.  I’ve had some interesting experiences with my carefree excursions as some of these routes twist up into the hills of Jerusalem, and I find myself looking back into town.  I try to block out the homes and vehicles, and wonder what it was like thousands of years ago.

There’s a system for riding the buses, but it doesn’t take long for one to be a pro. Often I select standing versus of sitting on the bus, because I then use the bus as a way of working my upper arm muscles as I stand holding on as the bus swings around a corner.  I really have to hold on tight for dear life, or I might fall into some guy’s lap, heaven forbid.

On My Way Home

Here’s a link to an article about a fascinating new web site a college student created for the Jerusalem bus lines entitled the Jerusalem Bus Map.

There’s a train that runs between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and I’m looking forward to my trip on it soon, as I’ve heard it has breathtaking views.  There is also a train that runs parallel to the coast from Tel Aviv to Haifa.

I may or may not move to Tel Aviv, but it has to be one of my favorite cities to visit. The atmosphere in Tel Aviv with the shops and cafes and Bauhaus architecture, and of course the beach, is young and energizing.  Here, you will see those souls walking along the promenade, older but still fierce and full of life, who built this city from the sand.

The contrast between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem is astonishing.  They are day for night, and it is always dark when I arrive back in Jerusalem after a day in Tel Aviv.

The City of David is a quiet city, waiting, as it holds its breath.  Waiting for the Mashiach, waiting to see where and when the next shoe will drop, its stone walls privately weep in the stillness.

My biggest surprise of Israel is actually her diversity on every level, topographical, cultural, and even religious.  It is a whole world in this small nation, after all. There’s no need to leave, never ever, never again.

Shalom,

Barbara