Judy Lash Balint is a freelance writer based in Jerusalem. Her articles have appeared in numerous international publications. Balint is the author of Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times published by Gefen. She can be reached at JudyB14868@aol.com.
More from Judy Lash Balint
	Where in the world?

In the center of town, fresh signs offer official apologies for the inconvenience of road works due to the construction of a tunnel running the length of the north-south Route number 1. Kikar Tzion, the once- lively square at the bottom of the Ben Yehuda mall is completely torn up. Pedestrians tentatively pick their way through the sand and wooden planks littering the pathway in front of the street that once was a magnet for the tourist throngs.

Today, the only visitors around seem to be a small group of gray-haired non-Jewish Scandinavians who stand out in their pale leisure suits, cameras bobbing over their chests.

They're accosted by a youngish Hasid weaving his way through the streets with a megaphone, loudly proclaiming his message in Hebrew and English: "Mashiach (Messiah) is coming, no one should worry, Mashiach is coming."

At a sidewalk cafe where I stop for more extensive people watching, a slender hip, young man is deep in conversation with his girlfriend at the next table. A tiny knitted kippa is clipped onto his thick wavy hair that's pulled back in a ponytail.

Across the street I notice that the Russian-speaking musician who could be seen and heard every day outside Sbarros Pizza shop just up Jaffa Rd, has migrated down to a new spot in front of the Village Green restaurant. His amplified mandolin renditions of old favorite Israeli and Hasidic melodies have a better audience here, where at least the restaurant has patrons. Sbarros, some two and a half months after the bomb blast that killed 15 people, is almost deserted.

As the traffic light changes in front of the cafe, I notice another familiar Jerusalem figure --albeit in an unfamiliar setting. I generally see Gershon Solomon, head of the Temple Faithful, conducting business at demonstrations near the Temple Mount during the three pilgrimage festivals. Today he's just a slight figure seated in the driver's seat of a dark blue Buick sedan -- a car not too commonly sighted on the streets of Jerusalem. An elderly Ethiopian priest passing by leans on his cane and ogles the vehicle.

I hop on a bus and head to an appointment in the vicinity of the recently opened Jerusalem bus station, stopping in at the new facility on my way. Some 20 people stand patiently in line to pass through the serious security check to gain entry to the building. Anyone could be forgiven for thinking they're in an upscale shopping mall rather than a bus station. Espresso bars, fancy shoe stores, well-stocked bookstores and an expensive juice bar grace the first two floors. The ticket offices and bus platforms are all on the top floors of the building, making a quick run for the bus a thing of the past.

As I board the local city bus for the ride home, the driver turns up the radio to allow us to hear the latest news. Just a mile away, riders who took the number 25 bus found themselves under fire from terrorists at the French Hill junction. For Shoshana Ben Yishai, 16, from Beitar Illit it was to be her last ride. Along with two other Israeli victims, as yet unnamed, Shoshana was murdered by a 34-year-old M-16 bearing terrorist from Hebron. Three people risked their lives to kill the Islamic Jihad member and prevent further mayhem.

On my bus, a disgusted passenger in front of me throws down the newspaper she was reading that bears a picture of Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian terrorist leader Yasser Arafat clasping hands at their meeting in Spain yesterday.

This is what passes for normal these days.

Views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.

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