Our Visit to Jerusalem

Sharing memories of our week in Jerusalem…

My daughters have been to Israel on tour, and of course I lived there for seven years, so we’ve seen the country. This was not that kind of visit. This was more personal. I wanted to see all the places that were dear to me when I lived there. Where I worked, where I lived, the favorite places, the people. The girls were in favor of staying in Jerusalem, in fact it was their idea. So my pictures aren’t going to be pictures of famous sites. This trip was to live, walk, play, and enjoy Jerusalem.

We stayed at Lev Yerushalayim on King George Street. We chose it because of its nearness to Ben Yehudah Street where I have so many memories. It’s not a 5-star, not even a 4-star hotel, but it was sufficient for us. Includes two bedrooms and a livingroom-kitchen area. The only negative point is access. Too many stairs.

This tall building is Migdal Ha’ir, two spaces down from Lev Yerhushalayim. When you see a photo of Jerusalem, most often you’ll see this building in the background, it towers over them all. Sometimes I would get my bearings by seeing where I was in relation to this building.

This was the very first apartment I lived in when I first went to Jerusalem, located at 13 Hovovei Tsion Street. It’s a Christian Embassy (where I worked) apartment. I shared this apartment with Nanci, another staff member at the Christian Embassy. It was a beautiful apartment. One day I opened a drawer and found a yellow star, which the Jews had to put on their coats during the lead-up to the Holocaust. I could only imagine who had worn it, and what had happened to the person.

Ben Yehudah Street

Ben Yehudah Street, where I lived most of my life in Jerusalem. It’s a pedestrian street with many bet-cafe’s and little shops all along the way. I would go down to Ben Yehudah Street every day after work, sit at one of the cafe’s and watch the people, visitors from all over the world. Usually someone from the Christian Embassy would be passing by and would stop for a coffee and a chat. I so loved Ben Yehudah Street that I actually asked a favor from the Lord. I know that when he comes, when his foot touches down on the Mount of Olives there will be a huge earthquake. I asked him would he please leave Ben Yehudah Street intact. 😊

This man sat there all day long, and was there every day.

Ben Yehuda Street

My favorite place in all the world.

Notice how the limbs of the tree are crooked. When I was there before, there was a snow storm and it devastated the trees. I remember going to Ben Yehudah Street in mourning, it was a disaster zone. But look! The trees survived! Out of the tree I thought was destroyed, new limbs grew.

INTERESTING PEOPLE

And then you have the beggars. It’s hard to know whether they’re truly in need. One I heard of made quite a living by panhandling. During our week there were several beggars tapping you on the shoulder.

Mahaneh Yehuda
“The Shuk”

At the Mahaneh Yehuda shuk. Something I have never been able to find in the states is redskin peanuts. My mother loved them. Well I got some at the shuk and they were absolutely delicious. Hope you were watching, Mum.

And then there were the babies!

Everywhere you looked there were babies. Every orthodox woman you saw was either pregnant or pushing a baby carriage. And as many men as women were pushing baby carriages too.