Setting Up Shop

I arrived in Jerusalem on Thursday evening, February 3 and spent the first few days getting my feet on the ground. I explored the Old City; the epicenter of the Abrahamic religions; Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The city is divided into four quarters; Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Armenian; they are literally on top of each other– it's pretty wild.

Christian Arab monk on the roof the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The Wailing Wall

In front of the The Wailing Wall and Dome of the Rock 

I spent the first couple nights at the Abraham Hostel. The hostel is run by Gal Mor, an inspiring character who has traveled the world and is now establishing hostels in the region with a progressive and open minded vision. Religiously, Abraham is the father of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam and the name reinforces the hostel's ethos. I hit it off with Gal and he offered me a room to stay in for the trade of me running an music night at the hostel. I spent the first week here hustling to find a room to sublet and eventually found a pad in Baka, a nice neighborhood about a half an hour walk from the Old City and the city center. The hostel's got a great vibe and energy to it, so I may still run a show their when I am free. I've now been in Israel two weeks and it feels like a year full of adventures so far! I've had some amazing and intense music and political experiences that I hope to post about in the near future. Until then– nitrae bishmichot (see you in happy times)!