Alte Sachen in the Bukharan Quarter, Jerusalem

 

I was looking forward to visiting the old Bukharan Quarter with a guide who could explain a thing or two about it. My main motivation was a longtime interest in the Moussaieff family’s history, for some reasons I won’t go into right now. So I went on a tour a few years ago, just before the corona hit us. It was quite an interesting place to walk around. Near the oldest synagogues there I saw a group of religious men loudly urging people passing by to shun the evils of cell phones.* I agree with them on this particular issue. I do dislike the constant bother cell phones always bring with them when you bring them along. I like to find my way without following their every dictate.

(*I should say there are stripped down versions of cell phones the Haredi have no problem using.)

Today I’m just going to share a few photographs I took — with a digital camera that is not a cell phone — while I was there. I didn’t take pictures of people, because people in this side of town often object to being photographed, and I’m way too shy to ask. I really want to go back again when the virus days are behind us. These days I’m going nowhere more than four blocks from home, for exercise, and order all my food for delivery to my front door. All too predictable. Enough with all that predictability.  Nimaas-li* as the Hebrew speakers say, especially the children when there isn't anything fun to do. If an older person says it expresses a pathetic world weariness. That’s my understanding.

*נמאס לי

Yehudayoff Palace (circa 1905)

To read a short piece about the Bukharan Quarter and its history, try this web page.

Domes of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

 

Taken from the rooftop of St. Saviour, at New Gate, within the Latin Quarter of Jerusalem’s walled city. Notice the scaffolding on the dome of the Catholicon. The large dome covers the Edicule.

Today’s brief photo blog is supposed to start up a set of records of things learned (and unlearned) over a three decades long stay in the Holy City, understandings of my own illustrated in photographs to share with family and friends. I’m thinking it will include developing musical tastes, a fascination for eight-sided objects, and a love of spring wildflowers. It will be noncommercial with no advertisements anywhere in sight.

But it can hardly ever be forgotten for long that Jerusalem is a city enjoyed and venerated by followers of three Abrahamic religions, and if you are going to live here happily you have to learn to respect them or at least come to terms with them. I would say the first step is to pay attention, learn about them, and then you’ll see how interesting they can be and maybe even recognize what they might be good at and good for.

Nothing will ever be required of you, my dears, but if you are human and would like to comment in the comment box, please do. And bear in mind, if the captchas are turned on there is good reason — I detest spam — so please be patient with them, and be prepared to wait a day or two before seeing your comment on the screen.

Blogging is my social medium. I won’t ever go back to Facebook and I’ve never felt tempted to tweet or twitter. I prefer to talk awhile without feeling hurried. I’ve never been a slogan shouter or placard waver, as much as I would like to change the world and clear the way for every peaceful and beneficial pursuit.

Okay, let’s get this going! 

There, done.

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A book I wish I could loan to you

David Stephenson, Visions of Heaven: The Dome in European Architecture, Princeton Architecture Press (New York 2005). Awe inspiring and sometimes gasp-worthy photographs of dome interiors. It’s almost as if you’re standing beneath them.