I am in Jerusalem almost every day. It is a most amazing city. Often cool, comfortable and breezy when most of Israel is hot and humid. In the bright sunlight, the stones of Jerusalem turn golden. As the sun sets, the stones change color, giving off an almost reddish tint. When it storms in Jerusalem, the stones show they are timeless and the homes become cold…the kind of cold that comes deep from within the stones.
In some neighborhoods, you could easily imagine that little has changed in centuries, the arched entry ways speak of a time long ago; the open market places still relying on the strength of the seller’s voice as they call out merchandise and prices, “Bananas, 7 shekels a kilo” – “Avocado! Avocado!” – “Corn! Corn.”
Jerusalem is, most of all, timeless. It always shocks me to walk through the Old City and see cars there. How can they drive on streets so narrow? Years ago, I drove the family car down some of these streets, slowing backing up, turning more sharply as I advanced, watching the sides and wondering how I would make it without scraping the sides. “More, more. Turn right. Right!” the man called out…and I slowed and angled to the right and then to the left and pulled into the side street and wondered how I would ever get the car out again.
The ancient walls show thousands of years of history – where once they shot arrows, now weeds grow. Where once armies were forced to slow their advance by meeting a sharp turn, now cars attempt to take the same path, also slowly making their way through. Where once guards walked the walls, now Israelis and tourists scale the heights to see the amazing views below. Here the ancient ones walked, always here and here I walk today.
Jerusalem is a city that lives in its own space, its own time. In what other city are concerts held in the Sultan’s Pool? Where else can you walk through tunnels created two thousand years ago? Is there another place where you can walk through a valley, come to a tomb and know the name of the man buried there 3,000 years ago? Is there another place on earth as beautiful, as deserving of peace as the beautiful city of Jerusalem.
Mornings here during the Hebrew month of Elul are a blend of shofar blowing, calls to prayer from the muezzin, and church bells ringing. Where else? There are moments when all three faiths are praying and you wonder how there could be any problems at all in the world at that moment. Such prayers, such hope.
On the main street in the center of town, you are as likely to find a stone building that is hundreds of years old, as you are to find one just recently built. You can walk beside the store and see special sales for tourists, and then, as an Israeli, walk in and get a smile and even a better deal!
Once, when bombs were exploding regularly, I needed to go put more money in the parking meter but my teenage daughter was trying on clothes…I stood frozen. What if something happens between the car and the store and I’m separated from here. The store owner asked what was wrong and I explained, “Go,” he said to me quietly, “I’ll watch her, I’ll make sure she stays inside.” Years ago, that memory still brings tears to my eyes. The people of Jerusalem are as beautiful as the city.
And sometimes, this ancient, now modern city becomes whimsical. There’s just no other word for it. Lest it become predictable, the city does something different. It builds a living water exhibition that shoots water up to some music only it hears. Light shows on ancient walls. It adds a modern light rail system on roads that have seen almost every other type of transportation known to man…from donkeys, camels and horses, to trucks, cars, tractors and even tanks.