What's Happening in Jerusalem?

When people ask what life in Israel is like, I usually say, "It's just like in America, except when it's not."

Take, for instance, the Lev Talpiot mall. Just another mall. There is a computer store, some cosmetics outlets, even an Office Depot and a Burger King. Just like in America. But then, on Friday morning, everything changes. Suddenly, all the little felafel stands and bakery cafes set up these enormous displays in the middle of the main area, and everyone crowds around buying chicken, rice, borekkas, and confections, all to be loaded into plastic containers for Shabbat (sabbath) meals the next day.

There's more than one way to marinate an olive.

Meanwhile, our yeshivah, Machon Meir, had the honor of hosting Professor Robert Aumann, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2005 for his work in Game Theory. He made aliyah from the United States back in 1956, when life was much harder here and that wasn't exactly considered the "Thing to Do" amongst America's assimilating Jewish population. And what's more, achieved everything while remaining a Torah-true Jew. Below, he delivers a lecture on Gemarah (Talmud) and its relation to advanced mathematics at Machon Meir. It was in American-accented Hebrew, and was too complicated for me to really grasp.

Some of the older buildings on Betzalel street. When Professor Aumann came to Israel, most of the city looked like this.

"Caution Automatic Gate"

Random Graffiti

Walking back through the Christian Quarter.

The tefillin mobile in front of the Shtieblach. This guy fixes your tefillin while you daven Mincha.

"The fat guy and the skinny guy." A local sandwich stand. I guess they wouldn't know Laurel and Hardy by name.

I had a date in the old city and took the opportunity afterwards to head to the Kotel (western wall.)

A little young to be counted in a minyan.