[img]96|left|Shachar||no_popup[/img]Dateline Jerusalem — This week I returned to work after almost three months off for injuries. Although a 4½-hour daily round-trip commute to Jerusalem via four buses and two trains, the ride is comfortable and scenic.
Since it is December, the temperatures range between the high 70s and low 80s. The water level of Israel's main source of water, the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), is dangerously low. The entire country is on rationing. Therefore, my morning buses have been crowded with people traveling to Jerusalem to give charity and pray for rain at the Kotel (also known as the Western Wall and Wailing Wall the only remaining remnant of the Holy Temple), and to worship at other holy sites.
A Splendid Distinction
Palm trees of every shape and variety, olive and almond and orange tree groves, and acres of grapevines grow adjacent to the highway. There are also greenhouses along the bus route with fruit, vegetables and flowers growing above the ground according to the latest Israeli innovative technology. Israel is the “No. 1” exporter of flowers to Europe, and introduced seedless watermelon and insect-free lettuce to the world.
Known to be an arid desert until the Jews returned from exile, Israel is the only country to have more trees now than at the beginning of the century. This phenomenon is due to the fact that forests of trees were planted throughout the country. Thanks to a relative who made a donation to purchase a tree on my behalf when I was a child, there is even a tree planted somewhere in Israel in honor of me!
The bus climbs the mountain as the freeway cuts through the Jerusalem forests. Thousands of trees surround us. The boulders and Jerusalem stone retainer walls often have colorful flowers or trees growing out of the rocks. At various points along the way I see broken-down and rusty old trucks and tanks, left along the road as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the War of Independence and liberation of Jerusalem.
Blending Ancient and Contemporary
There are also roofless stone buildings, crumbling into rubble, indicative of the age of this ancient land. Yet modern apartment buildings are built into the sides of the mountains in terrace-fashion close by. In Israel, old and new blend together.
As we approach Jerusalem, I am continuously awed by the sheer size and beauty of it. Every neighborhood in Jerusalem is unique and distinctive as the makeup of its community. The buildings are constructed of glistening white Jerusalem stone that turns to a vanilla- and peach-like color upon close examination. From afar, it is a magnificent panorama of pristine white against a backdrop of clear blue sky that progressively turns clearer and bluer the closer it gets to the Kotel. There is no doubt in my mind that the presence of Hashem (G-d) is sitting atop the Wall.
After a full day at work I take the train in order to relax and unwind on my way home. The train slinks around the Jerusalem forest like a snake on its belly, following the paths of rippling brooks and streams. During the day an occasional shepherd or goat herder can be seen, but tonight I observe only twinkling stars against a black sky.
L'hitraot. Shachar