Everything here has ground to a halt as Jerusalem got the most snow it has seen in over 20 years. They said it was 20 cm in the city center (near us), and even more in outlying areas. I still haven’t quite mastered the metric system, but I’m pretty sure that 20 centimeters is about 4 feet.

The orange tree around the corner from our apartment.

The boys are totally delighted, even though this would be routine back in Chicago (albeit not lately). They’re caught up in the excitement of the rest of the kids, who are absolutely beside themselves.

The local attitude is mostly to shrug, smile, and take the snow day. The schools are closed (except Yitzi’s school, Zilberman’s, which isn’t so surprising if you know anything about Zilberman’s), as are virtually all of the stores, restaurants, etc. Starting last night, they made the buses and train free in Jerusalem, to discourage people from driving. But then they suspended service on most of the buses, and the rest this morning when it really started to come down. The city does apparently have some snow removal equipment, but it’s clear that this will all be melted away shortly anyway.

Our sugya, with a demonstrative aid.

At my yeshiva, those who live outside the Rova weren’t able to come in the morning, and there was a festive atmosphere for the rest of us. Instead of our usual Thursday schedule (review of the week’s daf, followed by a test), the whole yeshiva is learning a sugya on snow (at the bottom of Niddah 17A). Some guys brought in snowballs for inspiration.

Some more photos I took this morning are below. Enjoy.

The square near our apartment, where the local kids were getting to work.

In front of the Churva synagogue, doing a little Sefer Yetzira work to make the minyan.

Looking down Rechov Hayehudim.

Looking the other way down Rechov Yehudim.

More foliage-weather incongruity.

The snow is major news here, as is this snowman, apparently.

The Cardo.

These guys are having a long-distance snowball fight with guys below the Cardo.

The Yehudim/Cardo area from another angle.

The snowman made by our friends, the Weisses.

The Weisses’ snow fort (occupied by some random guy who is not a Weiss). Our boys helped make this.

The snow fort made by one of our artist neighbors, Rivka Deutsch, and family.

The back view of Fort Deutsch.

Side view of the Churva.