Wish You Were Here - Jerusalem

One cold January morning our little family wandered around the quiet streets of Jerusalem's old city on Shabbat. The first time we visited our daughter was 3 months and we were still too much in the blur of the feed, sleep, cry cycle to appreciate its complicated beauty. This time we found ourselves stumbling upon the same streets much more relaxed. Our daughter ran up and down the narrow, cobbled streets giggling. You can't escape the fact that Jerusalem is contested and bloodied and tired. Yet for a visitor, what is remarkable is that life continues. That morning, people were doing what they do most days - buying bread, praying, greeting friends.

Living in the Levant now when war is brutal and too common, it's easy to dismiss the remarkable fact that these communities continue to survive and thrive. Despite the violence, their incompetent governments, weak economies, poor health and education. There is much joy in this region and all of its people have been incredibly kind and generous to us. Spending a carefree morning in Old City once again reminded me that we are very lucky to live here.

Lavinia