Monday, Sept. 29th at sundown through Wednesday, Oct. 1st at sundown was Rosh Hoshanah, the Jewish New Year. In the early afternoon on Monday, Ilan and Daniel, the two operator algebraists Dawn is working with, took us to Jerusalem. That wasn't the plan originally. but the national park 20 minutes north of Be'er Sheva was closed, and Ilan was headed to Jerusalem anyway to spend the holiday with family. But, since we were invited for a special Rosh Hoshanah dinner Monday evening with a Jewish History professor and his wife, Bob and Adina, and since bus service would cease for 2 days for the holidays, we had to make sure we made the 16:30 (4:30 pm) bus from Jerusalem back to Be'er Sheva, a 1 hr. 45 minute ride.
We arrived in Jerusalem just before 3 pm, and headed straight for the Old City. We entered through Jaffa Gate, and made our way through the marketplace to where we had a view of the rooftops. We could see the Dome of the Rock in the distance. On the way into town, we also caught a glimpse of the Knisset, the Israeli parliament. On the way back to the car through the market, we stopped at the Church of the Holy Sephulcher, where Christ is believed to have been crucified and buried. We barely made our bus back to Be'er Sheva!
The evening meal was fantastic, but unfortunately, I did not ask if it was OK to take pictures, and so I don't have pictures to post. It is customary to wish "a sweet New Year", and many foods (bread, apple slices) are dipped in honey. Even the barbecue chicken was basted in honey! Yumm! The downside of the holidays and the Sabbath here is that EVERYTHING shuts down. We are trying to adjust, and I just found a great English-language web site with more information on Be'er Sheva: http://my-negev.co.il/show7.php?idp=128&id_new=1583
