Last Shabbat in Jerusalem - a week late

So, last week on Shabbat, I went to Jerusalem. It was my last trip to Jerusalem during my current time in Israel.

I went to the Kotel since it was my last time in Israel. It took forever to get there on the bus, because in addition to the regular Friday pre-Shabbat traffic, they were tearing up Jaffa St, a major road, for installation of a light rail system that is years behind. While at the Kotel, I had a guy come up to me and ask me why I had not been back to Israel since 2005. He then told me that I should make Aliyah (move to Israel) and that he would find me a wife with whom I could raise a family. That was fun.

I spent Shabbat with the Romm's on French Hill. They are the same family I spent to High Holy Days with. They were very nice and a number of the members of their synagogue welcomed me back and some asked why it had been so long since they had seen me. We talked about my time in Israel and relaxed and all kinds of good stuff. They were really nice people and I hope to see them again some day.

I am going to miss Jerusalem. I'm glad I have been studying in Be'er Sheva, but I have enjoyed all of my time in Jerusalem. There are just some things about that city you can't get anywhere else. Hopefully, it won't be too long before I can look out of a window into a Palestinian city on Shabbat and then drive down Bar-Ilan back to the bus station at night and see all of the ultra-Orthodox Jews everywhere.