This week Laurie and I decided to use a coupon ($5.00 off!) I had gotten for renewing my membership at the Pineville, NC BJ's super club. We wanted to check out the new, one year old restaurant in our area.
We had to drive seven miles to it's location east of us, which wasn't too bad. Specifically, it was in Matthews, NC. We could have walked I suppose, but I was hungry.
As you probably guessed by now (pictures tell a thousand words, so do titles of Blog posts), it is called Jerusalem Cafe'. We were excited that some true tastes of Jerusalem, Israel were awaiting us - falafel, shawarma, hummus and more. Three years not being in the capital city of Israel had been just too long without having a good bit of Israeli food.
After parking and walking to the door, the hours on the sign said "Open 11:00 to 3:00 pm" We missed it! But then, the "OPEN" sign was on, even though no one seemed to be inside.
But after closer review, the rest of the sign said, "Also Open 4:30 pm - 8 pm". They were open!
We walked in, and I immediately starting taking photos. ("Have camera will travel.") There were indeed scenes of Israel's cities on the walls - Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem and Jaffa. We had been to them all several times.
Of course, the olive wood camels...and smoke pipes? Don't recall that being Jewish.
But I continued taking photos (self-portrait to prove I was there.)
Even though I dislike taking pictures, or showing pictures of, the Islamic Golden Dome mosque, which sits on the Temple Mount, where the rightful Jewish Temple is to be, I took this one anyway. It was the only Jerusalem photo on the wall, except for the Damascus Gate and other sections of eastern Jerusalem.
Soon enough we were greeted by a smiling, young, dark-black haired young lady.
"Welcome to the Jerusalem Cafe!'" she said.
I replied quickly, "Are you from Israel?"
And she responded even more quickly, "Palestine!"
In a surprised gesture, my eyes lit up but I spoke not a word. I knew then that this was not a Jewish restaurant. And I didn't want to get off on the wrong foot with a smart comeback. Let there be shalom.
So I continued taking pictures, while praying for the Lord God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to touch Ishmael's sons' and daughters' hearts too. Praying that they would come to the saving knowledge of Yeshua HaMashiach, King of kings and Lord of lords!
We ordered from the menu and enjoyed the good food. Yum yum!
Laurie had a chicken salad. You can go ahead and have a bite of hers. I did!
I had the beef and hummus. (Sorry, the section missing below was meant to be yours.)
And yes, we will be going back! Maybe we can make an international connection right here in Charlotte/Matthews NC that will reach to Jerusalem! (Louie, my Arabic friend, lives in the eastern part of Jerusalem. inside the Old City's Jaffa Gate. Maybe he knows this young lady, even though I didn't get to ask her her name.)
Shalom my family of friends,
Steve Martin
Love For His People
Jerusalem's flag - the capital city of Israel
The correct map of Israel.
(No "West Bank" - it is Judea and Samaria.)
Hebrew name for Jerusalem - "Yerushalayim"
Painting below by Baruch Nachshon
"Going Up To Jerusalem"
AMEN!!!
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