After ten days in Ethiopia, we eagerly returned to our home in Jerusalem. The first task at hand was filling our empty fridge and cupboards, so we made a fun trek to the Jerusalem open-city market. I love this place on any day; but the week of Sukkot, the feeling in the air rings with holiday cheer and goodwill. People are happy, and the shopkeepers are wishing everyone, “Chag Semeach!” 

Of course, my favorite little shops are the ones that sell spices and condiments.

I just wanted to buy this whole bag of rose buds. I have no idea what I would do with it…

The sign in Hebrew says the cinnamon sticks are from China!

I am making Red Pepper Soup this week… the recipe is here. It is a great soup!

The pastries!

But the gem of the day was passing this sweet, little man on the way out of the market. 

Imagine what he’s experienced in his lifetime…

Imagine what he knows…

Imagine what he doesn’t know…

 Surely he took up our infirmities 
       and carried our sorrows, 
       yet we considered him stricken by God, 
       smitten by him, and afflicted.

 But he was pierced for our transgressions, 
       he was crushed for our iniquities; 
       the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, 
       and by his wounds we are healed.

~Isaiah 53 4-5