First Shabbat


  • Morning walk to grocery store on Friday before the Jewish sabbath when everything on the Israeli side closes. Lots of food, lots of questions. Got everything we needed.
  • Shabbat finger foods ahoy. Find of the day: green apple, lemon and mint popsicles.
  • Surprising number of Jews with American, British accents. Making Aliyah is a big deal.
  • On the walk back: we watch police cordon off a major thoroughfare and detonate a mysterious object. Very efficient. The locals are nonplussed.
  • Afternoon heat limits enthusiasm to go outdoors beyond the compound. Maleaha takes 3 naps.
  • Set up stereo. Second station is 70s-80s-90s+Israeli classics. 88FM, Shmonim-shmoneh!
  • Getting 10K steps simply by constantly walking around our house in search of things. Will need to optimize this place.
  • Walked around the mixed Israeli-Palestinian neighbourhood. Shabbat begins at sundown, but almost everything is closed by 3pm.
  • No buses or tram, but still plenty of traffic in the evening. Window will stay closed tonight.
  • No internet, so the DVD menu for the evening is Harry Potter and Season 1 of Sex and the City.
Location: Jerusalem

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