Jerusalem at Night

No, this is not a post about the exciting nightlife of Jerusalem. I'm sure there are wonderful cultural, entertaining, and spiritual things to do here at night - I haven't had the chance to take advantage of any yet.  What I want to mention is how pleasant it is to walk in this city at night - as hot as it can get during the night is as cool and delightfully breezy it is at night. You can walk everywhere without worry, enjoying the air, smelling the varied aromas of the city. I have a very old memory of this feeling from the summer that I was here with Ramah Seminar 1973 (that's right, immediately before the Yom Kippur War that changed so much about Israel). I was having Shabbat dinner with late family friends, the Bargteils, who had made aliyah and were living on Rehov Kaf Tet b'November (I know, odd name for a street - November 29th Street - but it was named after the momentous date when the UN voted on and approved the partition plan that effectively allowed Israel to be later established). After dinner, my host offered to drive me back to Chavat HaNoar Tziyoni - the youth hostel where Ramah rented space during the summer (and still does, as a friend who works there told me), but since it was Shabbat, and it wasn't far, I said I'd rather walk back. So he gave me directions, but anyone who knows me is familiar with my challenges in the direction department. Two hours later (of what should have been not more than a 20-minute walk), I flagged down a cab to bring me back. But during those two hours, I was confused but not at all scared or worried (of course, don't all 16 year olds think that they are invincible?), but rather I was simply enjoying the delightful night air.

For this trip, first thing when I got here, I bought a good street map, needless to say. But I can't think of a better city for getting lost at night than Jerusalem.