During Sukkot, we wandered through Jerusalem’s Old City, looking for the Elia Photo-Service, a shop famed for dated local scenes developed-on-glass. Alas, it being Sunday, most of the Christian Quarter was closed– especially the shops owned by Armenians who are very observant.
The Jewish Quarter was bursting with Jews arriving, as of old, for the harvest festival of Sukkot. Thousands, secular and religious alike thronged the Western Wall Plaza and its narrow streets. Along with shaking lulavs–estrogs in hand–bagels and lox, ice-cream, pizza were the order of the day….
Like many Old City residents, we escaped the crowds by climbing to the roofs.
There we found domed buildings (used for what?) and series of slats that offer peeks into the Arab Market, redolent with spices, below. Since the City is so small and crowded, these roofs also host homes, mosques, and yeshivas, side-by-side. As the church-bells chimed and the muezzins called the faithful to prayer, we caught sight of some Jewish children, sporting holiday finery, horsing around.
Melody Amsel-Arieli 