View of the Western Wall and above it, the Dome of the Rock, from the stairs leading down to the main plaza in front of the Wall. The wooden ramp on the right hand side is new since I last visited in 2009.

Rosmary is one of my favorite shops in the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem. Tons of spices and snacks, expensive, but colorful and very tasty.

Back in Action in the Land of Israel

Greetings from Jerusalem, Israel!

             I arrived on Tue., 2016Jun28, and Shabbat ended a bit ago, on Sat., 2016Jul16. A ton happened during my first week, most all of it good. First good news to share: I finally found a semi-permanent place to live! Staying in a hostel for the first 2 weeks proved a good experience re meeting people and checking out areas of town, but made for a hectic existence. Thanks, btw, to all my new colleagues who sent me links to apartment listings! I finally got approved to sublet with an Israeli art student, living at 23 Washington St., Jerusalem, ISRAEL. So far as I know, letters will arrive without a zip code (hint hint) but I don’t have one yet. Once I know it, I’ll post.

            Classes feel good so far. I’m taking modern Hebrew language, which meets for 5 days a week, Sun. – Thu. (The weekday starts on Sun. here! Blows my mind still!) from 8:30 am – 1:30 pm (with breaks). Biblical History makes up the rest of the summer curriculum, which includes lectures and day trips to different places in and around Jerusalem and points nearby. We’re encouraged to explore further parts of the country – you can get most anywhere in Israel in 2 hours, given speedy traffic – but some places are pretty hard to do in only a day. Things will be busier with additional classes once the fall semester starts. I plan to keep you all posted.

            Pics coming soon, but haven’t done this in 7 years, so if I can’t figure out captions right away, please forgive me. “L’at l’at,” as they say here, which translates to “slowly slowly,” (or “take your time; relax it’ll come” more roughly).

            Hope all is well with all of you. Please feel free to message me with questions: bdyme1@gmail.com

                                                                                     Best wishes,

                                                                                     Ben