Psalms and the Shuk

The past few days have been unseasonably cool and rainy here in Jerusalem, and so in an effort to find something to do indoors this morning, we decided to check out the "Museum of Psalms," which I discovered in a list of lesser-known museums in Jerusalem. The Museum of Psalms is definitely, as its website asserts, unique. Nestled in a few rooms in an old stone structure, the Museum of Psalms features the work of one artist, Moshe Tzvi HaLevi Berger, who is a Holocaust survivor and student of Kabbalah. We met the artist, who is 89, and the museum's sole guide. The exhibits feature Berger's paintings of all 150 of the Bible's Psalms, which are rendered in vibrant colors on large canvasses. As the website says, "each painting included in the museum's collection is a visual poem, blurring the lines between aesthetics and meditation to soften the eyes and connect the soul." Who could resist visiting a place with that description?! We thought Alexander would appreciate the colors and imagery, and he did have a good time exploring the artwork. We all did. Check out Benjamin's face: I'm not sure if his expression is one of awe, or bewilderment!

 

 

 

After the museum, we met up with our friend, Michelle, and, since the rain seemed to be holding off, walked up Jaffa street to Mahane Yehuda Market, or "the Shuk," which is Jerusalem's vast, open-air market. You can buy anything at the Shuk, from fresh food of practically any kind (vegetables, fish, meat, nuts, cheeses dried fruit, spices, pastries, wine,) to clothing, shoes and housewares. The Shuk has been in existence 1887, and though it has evolved throughout the last century or so, it remains a central part of life in Jerusalem. Jerusalem's mayor, Nir Barkat, says that "Mahane Yehuda has become more than a market: it is an important part of the city's public space – and it's a unique part because of the way Jews and Arabs bargain shop side-by-side in its crowded alleyways and streets."

 

After picking up some dried fruit, nuts, pita, and a delicious fresh spice mix that tastes something like pesto, we walked through Nachlaot, which is the neighborhood Eric and I lived in when we traveled to Israel in 2008.

We haven't seen a drop of rain since this morning, and the forecast predicts days of sun and warm weather. It might be in the 80s by the end of the week!