In last weekend's papers and on the local news, there were a few stories and opinion pieces on the fact that Jerusalem, arguably the holiest city in the world, is also one of the dirtiest. It's true and it's one of the first things that struck me after arriving almost 6 weeks ago. There's scattered litter all over the place, garbage bins are frequently shedding trash, and people do not pick up after their dogs here. All this combined with the pollution and dirt in the air (traffic and construction) adds up to one dirty city.

But, is it any surprise? Who cares about throwing a food wrapper onto the street when you can worry about getting blown up on the way to work? The stories are a sign that people are attempting some level of normalcy, but I don't see real change coming any time soon.