Jerusalem from A to Z

by Randi Brill Zieserl, Am Shalom Board Member and trip participant

December 24, 2014

Jerusalem—from A to Z

We are leaving Jerusalem today after four action-packed days, barely skimming the surface of this rich, powerful, and historic city. As I tried in vain to sleep last night, I found myself reconstructing the many details of these days here. Vivid images danced in my head, from Rabbi Steve holding a box overflowing with dozens of jelly doughnuts to so many diverse women praying at The Wall. Dozens of doughnuts; hmmmm. Long attracted to alliteration, I began to wonder if I could capture this short visit in an Alliterative Alphabet and so began my toying with Jerusalem—from A to Z.

A = Alliyah, agriculture, appetite, and adventure

B = B’nai mitzvahs, bus trips, and big breakfasts

C = Camels, climbs, construction cranes, and caves

D = Dozens of doughnuts, a desert, and desserts!

E = Education, excitement, and energy, equality, enigma

F = Family, fabulous French fries, fresh fruits, friendships, and of course, Falafel!

G = Gelt, goats, and a great guide!

H = Hanukah, Havdalah, Hummus, and Hebrew Union College

I = Ideology, Israeli inspections, and ice cream!

J = Juxtaposed Judaic life, Jaffa Gate, jumble of Jews, and jewelry

K = Kaddish, kibbutz, and kipahs

L = Late nights, languages, and love

M = Markets, museums, and a mission to Masada

N = Noshes, nudniks, and night life

O = Old City, olive presses, and originals

P = Pilgrimage, palm trees, and pita

Q = Quarters, quests, and questions

R = Rooftops, rabbis, and rainstorms

S = Shwarma, sheckels, scrolls, sesames, shopping, and security

T = Talmudic center, totally awesome teamwork, trust, and truth

U = Underground tunnels, understanding, uncertainty 

V = Viewpoints, valleys, and vision

W = Water, wisdom, walks, and women at The Wall

X= X marks the spot! X-tremely X-citing

Y = Yad Vasham, Yiskor, and Ben Yehuda Street

Z = Zionism, Zion Gate, and Zieserls!