Every year at Christmastime, I watch four movies. The 1990s version of Little Women, which isn’t a Christmas movie per se, but is positively dripping with the Christmas spirit, despite the Marches being “temperance people.” National Lampoons Christmas Vacation because I’m an American. Love Actually, because I pine for the simpler days of meeting lovedContinue reading “That Certain Christmas Sadness”
Category Archives: Posts from Jerusalem
A Gap Year in Morocco
I recently posted that our next post is Algiers, Algeria, but we just learned before we land there for a two-year tour, we’ll be in Rabat, Morocco for one year! And I am so excited about it. For the food, for the climate, for the chance to explore a colorful new country. And for theContinue reading “A Gap Year in Morocco”
Our Sleek and Modern Jerusalem Apartment
It’s finally here: The day when I feel happy enough about the state of our apartment to take pictures and share them with you all! When we first arrived to Jerusalem (almost two years ago to the day), I was in tears when I saw our drab apartment out in the West Jerusalem suburbs, butContinue reading “Our Sleek and Modern Jerusalem Apartment”
Our Next Post is Algiers
Yes, that Mediterranean city you may or may not have heard of that is located in the North African country of Algeria. That is where we will be living from 2019-2021. I’m not super stoked, but I’m not dreading it or anything. Literally every one of our friends and colleagues here in Jerusalem thinks it’sContinue reading “Our Next Post is Algiers”
Bethlehem Beyond the Church
Every day, tour buses come to Bethlehem, drop off a load of passengers at the Church of the Nativity, and then load them back up and leave Bethlehem and the West Bank. For many, all they see of Bethlehem is the church (a very famous church, granted). After living a few miles down the roadContinue reading “Bethlehem Beyond the Church”
Terraces, Olives Trees, and Roman Baths in Battir
There’s a quiet, terraced, Arab village outside of Bethlehem called Battir where water from a cold spring flows through an ancient water system to hydrate abundant olive trees and vegetables that have grown here for thousands of years. Battir is off-limits to me for personal travel, as are many towns in the West Bank andContinue reading “Terraces, Olives Trees, and Roman Baths in Battir”
Nothing a Literary Lecture Won’t Fix
A little more than a year ago, I was feeling out of sorts and depressed. Trying to make a life in Jerusalem, write my book, and even just fill my days felt like a struggle. Once, I burst into tears in my Arabic class and my teacher took my outside and was like “What isContinue reading “Nothing a Literary Lecture Won’t Fix”
Sabih in the City
Falafel and shawarma: You know ’em, you love ’em. But I’d like to introduce you to another mouthwatering sandwich commonly found in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv: The sabih. I eat sabih (or sabich – it’s that aspirated sound that somewhere between a “k” and an “h” in English) all the time, and I’m a littleContinue reading “Sabih in the City”
Easter and Passover in Jerusalem
Jews around the world say “Next year in Jerusalem!” at the end of the Passover seder. I know because, while I’m not Jewish, I’ve joined Mr. Em in Jerusalem’s family seders pretty much since I’ve known him (and we even co-hosted a particularly interesting one at our hotelpartment in Yemen). I’ve now spent two Passovers inContinue reading “Easter and Passover in Jerusalem”
There are Two Sides to Every Hike
On the first day of Passover, a group of friends and I went on a hike. Our plan was to start just outside of Jerusalem in an Israeli National Park and end up in the Palestinian town of Jericho. We figured it would take us about six hours, because some ultra-fit friends said they ranContinue reading “There are Two Sides to Every Hike”