Gems in Katamon

My boss came back from an overseas trip and things were kind of back to routine. The mad pandemonium in the office returned and everyone would scatter back to their offices when they'd hear him thump downstairs towards the reception area. And there I was, sitting in the boardroom, getting hoarse from reading his biography back to him 50,000 times, each sentence being constantly re-arranged until it stunk of perfection. By the end of the day, I wanted to wring his neck, but then I'd be out of work. Not a bright idea. Maybe I'll just take voice lessons to cope and speak correctly from the diaphragm, not from my larynx. Perhaps they ought to pay for my friggin' lessons.

All was forgiven, however, when I was invited by him to join the group I take minutes for at the luxurious King David Hotel for breakfast. It is supposed to be absolutely divine over there, and a person can certainly be forgiven upon giving me a substantial food perk.

My long-lost British friend, whom I'd last seen in 1980, invited me to dinner tonight at this home/restaurant that is only open on Thursday evenings and costs 30 NIS for dinner (around $7). The price is certainly right. Plus the food is vegetarian Indian and how cool is that. I had just read somewhere that people who have close friends live longer than people without a social network. I feel blessed.

This place was in the middle of what used to be the worst of Jerusalem slums in the Katamonim section - the newly renovated homes stand together with the older, slummy looking housing - and, as with many neighborhoods nowadays, it is quickly becoming gentrified. The place? An Israeli woman, married to a man from India, opens up her home once a week as a restaurant. Inside looks like an Ashram, but we ate in the beautifully lit garden filled with fruit trees. (For those that want to have this lovely experience - call the restaurant for reservations at 02-678-4172). There were 8 of us around the table and I didn't know anyone there except for my friend. What felt strange was that we all had these mystical connections to each other. It seemed like a movie of us sitting around the table not knowing why we were all together but by the end of the film you know why. Rabbi Levi Kelman of the Kol Haneshama Reform synagogue was there with his wife, and we had a lively, animated conversation. I was impressed that they had met the Dalai Lama and laughed when the Rabbi said he was meeting him in New York and wanted to take him out for a pizza. I guess not too many people invite His Holiness out for Dominoes or Pizza Hut very often and it just may be a special treat for him. I wished I lived closer to this congregation so I could join them more often for services and community stuff. Everything seems to be a far trek when the weekend comes and all you want to do is sit in front of a television to unwind after a nutty week. And I get the prize for the nuttiest weeks - every week. There too was the guy who is the moderator of the Anglo e-mail community - Janglo (Jerusalem Anglos). This is where we found all our furniture from people who were moving or upgrading and needed to sell - cheap - and where Hubby finds all his work - people post there about everything they want, know about, want to share, want to sell, buy, etc.

We toasted each other over steaming cups of Chai Masala tea - for health, happiness, peace and to meet each other again soon.