I cannot get the internet to work in the apartment, and all of the cafes are shutting down in preparation for Shabbat (it is now 3 PM and Shabbat starts in about an hour). In fact, the table and chair I was just sitting at was pulled out from under me, and I am crouching against a wall to type this message while I still have the Wifi! Dinner is already in the oven, soup is hot on the stove, since Chaim and I prepare all of our Shabbat food before Shabbat (he is strictly observant in that way — I, not so much).

We walked from our neighborhood (the Greek Colony) to Mahane Yehuda, the marvelous market in central Jerusalem for our fruit and vegetables today– a very, very crowded and busy place on a Friday, but always colorful and exciting!

We are looking forward to hosting Bili, my Israeli pen pal since I was 10 years old, for Shabbat dinner tonight. Tomorrow we go to my friend Susan’s for Shabbat lunch.

More tomorrow night. May your Shabbat be sweet and restful.