Waiting...

The real-estate market in Israel is boiling. There are not enough apartments to suit everyone and rent fees rise. I see American immigrants asking for apartments to rent in double their market price, which of course causes the rent prices to increase. I want to pray about it, but I feel uncomfortable praying about something like this. It is something material, and I feel embarrassed to pray about something material. However, it is also something basic. Having a decent place to live is very basic. My landlords increased my rent last year. Last week they called me and told me they are going to increase it again this year. And I already know that they will increase it again and again in ever growing numbers. I like the apartment that I live in, it is small and sweet. It is old, not renovated, but it has its own charm. I hear the sounds of prayer from the nearby synagogue, which is charming. I've never felt totally at home here, not sure why. When I lived in my previous neighborhood near the city center, I loved my apartment, I really felt at home there, even though it was less special and beautiful than this apartment. But on my last year there, I felt it was time to leave, I felt my heart was yearning to move closer to Mt. Scopus, and G-d made me do so, by making the landlord increase the rent in that apartment dramatically, suddenly. I'm glad the landlord did it, as it forced me to leave and move here. I like my current neighborhood and I want to continue living here.

The Gemara in the tractate of Sota says that before the anointed king will come, the prices will soar high. As a parable, it says that the wine will be very expensive even though there will be plenty of grapes. Meaning, the reason for the high prices is not shortages of any kind. It will be an unnatural rising of prices, and we already see it here in everything. Everything costs more and more, while salaries remain the same. 

We're waiting for the king, a descendant of King David (from the father side, of course, as this is how kingly and priestly dynasties work in Israel). May He come soon!  

Free riders

On Shabbat, memories flooded me, and I allowed myself to flow with them. As I did, the lyrics of the popular song, 'Say something, I'm giving up on you', entered my mind somehow. I felt as if someone, somewhere, was perhaps feeling this way. 

So here I am.

Friday morning I went out for a morning walk. As I was walking, I saw many bicyclists riding in a long row. When I got closer to them, I realized they were participating in the Nevi'ot Sovev Yerushalayim ride - apparently, it is a 40 km ride across Jerusalem. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of men, women, children and old people, most thin and fit, but some heavy-weight, were riding and enjoying the beauty and special air of this holy city. I was so proud - that they can come here from other places and enjoy the mystery and exquisite beauty of this place. I zoomed-out a bit, to some 80 years ago and tried to see the scene with the eyes of someone who lived at that time: the scene, of sovereign, independent Jews, riding their bicycles in the rebuilt city of Jerusalem, the capital city of sovereign Israel, hit me as surreal. I realized how far-fetched and impossible this scene is. How can this be? For almost 2000 years, the land of Israel was in desolation, changing hands from empire to empire, from ruler to ruler, none being able to take root here. For the same amount of years the Jews were dispersed among the nations, looked at by their neighbors as a hopeless nation forsaken by G-d, ridiculed, persecuted, hated for being who they were. And now, fast-forward almost two millennia, they returned here from all four corners of the world, reestablished Hebrew as their spoken language, rebuilt the ruined cities and towns, made the land blossom, flourish and give of its produce abundantly - and they are sovereigns in their land, children of the land of Israel, riding their bicycles freely at her heart, Jerusalem. 

I was moved beyond words. 

I didn't know what their route was, but I wanted to witness that miracle and the joyful atmosphere longer. So I changed my intended route and walked opposite them, facing them, going to where they were coming from, not knowing where this route will take me. 

After about 30 minutes or so of walking, I found myself near the Hebrew University on Mt. Scopus. They were circling part of it. It was so beautiful. The views of the desert on one side, and the university on top of the mountain on the other, and in the middle these free riders, dressed with colorful clothes, and all in the pristine air of Jerusalem - this was so moving and so beautiful. I am not in the habit of taking pictures, normally. I prefer to experience the moment. But I decided to take a picture at that special place. For me, but also for you. I have an old phone and my camera is not so good, it doesn't capture the vividness of the colors in reality, but I hope you can enjoy it nonetheless.