Category Archives: Jerusalem Letters

Cultural, religious, and other perspectives during three years living in Jerusalem.

Suicide Bomb

(One project I am working on is editing and compiling 40-45 letters and partial letters, nearly 45,000 words worth, I wrote while living and working in Jerusalem 18 years ago. I edited and posted 16 of the letters to this … Continue reading

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Oh Little Town of Bethlehem

(December 2004) Hello from Jerusalem, Oh little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie, Actually the whole adventure started with me.  Early in December I was chatting with the number-two person in our office here, lamenting that we … Continue reading

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Oktoberfest in Palestine

October, 2005 Hello from Jerusalem, I went to an Oktoberfest celebration last Saturday.  It had everything you would have expected: good ethnic food, colorful garb, music, dancing, and of course there was plenty of beer from the local brewery.  The … Continue reading

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Saturday Night After Rosh Hashanah

October 2004 Hello from Jerusalem, My daughter called it outrageous.  I felt a little intimidated.  We  were both amazed and delighted by what we had, serendipitously, seen on the Saturday night after Rosh Hashanah at the end of Sabbath. We … Continue reading

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Buying Meat: From Hebrew Burbs to Old City Meat Alley

June, 2006 Hello from Jerusalem! Buying good meat here has been a challenge and I’m not just talking pork which is very tricky to obtain though I’ve found ways.  We’re not huge meat eaters but when we do partake we … Continue reading

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The Accidental Pilgrim, Part 2

(The Accidental Pilgrim, Part 1) Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Jordan River, Hippo/Susita Hello from Jerusalem, The night’s “rest” at the monastery re-emphasized for me just how rural Galilee is.  Roosters crowing even before the crack of dawn (not polite, pious … Continue reading

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The Accidental Pilgrim, part 1

The Accidental Pilgrim, Part 1: Nazareth, Cana, Mt. Tabor, Capernaum November 2005 Hello from Jerusalem, We were thrilled when they offered to take us to Galilee.  It was absurd that we’d been in Israel for over a year and hadn’t … Continue reading

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Jerusalem on Foot

October, 2005 Hello from Jerusalem, During the month of October we had an unusual number of holidays including our own Columbus Day and a series of four Israeli holidays.  We took advantage of this time to explore parts of Israel … Continue reading

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From Tomb to Tomb

Late Spring – 2006 Hello from Jerusalem, Yesterday, Saturday, my wife and I took an afternoon walk to the Old City.  It was surprisingly busy, with Jewish people going to the Western Wall for Sabbath prayers and tourists thronging shops … Continue reading

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Among the Ultra Orthodox

Hello from Jerusalem, Surrounded by waves of fervor, I stood amazed and delighted at the 450 gold robed, fur-hatted, side-curled Hasidic men and boys welcoming in and relishing their Queen: lovely, precious Shabbos. On a Friday night not long ago … Continue reading

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