The Real Jerusalem Streets – Jerusalem, Israel

Yom Kippur Past and Present

September 20, 2018Sharon A

Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur in Israel the streets are quiet.

Yom Kippur in Israel the airport is closed.

Yom Kippur in Israel most adults are fasting and many spend the day in prayer.

Yom Kippur, 45 years ago, Arab armies attacked the young State of Israel.

After 20 days of fighting and a huge loss of life, Israel survived and carried on.

Yom Kippur 5779, the stabbing murder of Ari Fuld z”l weighed heavy on many minds.

The question arose around the world: how could the voice of the Lion of Zion be gone forever?

Arab armies were defeated in 1973. Israel prevailed and grew.

However, the same questions rise again.

“Another neighbor was killed doing his shopping. We all cried, mourned and came together and sang and yesterday we all prayed. Now, before we all go back to our regular routines, can we get angry and raise our voices? Can we demand from the people whose job it is to protect us that they make our supermarket into a place we can go without getting killed? Can we demand that we be able to walk down the street without fearing for our lives?”

The President and the Prime Minister of Israel, and long list of government officials came to offer condolences. Hundreds of people stood in a solemn line for over an hour to pay respects.

Now as we figure out where to go now and recall past tragic moments too vividly, note this:

I just found out that apologists for #AhedTamimi and her terror-supporting family are claiming this is a "fake" picture. So here is the archived copy of the original FB post of Ahed's mother Nariman https://t.co/73VJVqH54S https://t.co/VJyABZbr5u

— Dr. Petra Marquardt-Bigman (@WarpedMirrorPMB) September 17, 2018

I usually do not share from Tweeter and prefer to focus on the good news overlooked by media, however, see who shared this diagram of lethal points of entry. It received dozens of likes before it was removed from Twitter. Thanks to Petra who saved an important screen shot.

Nariman Tamimi is the mother of media celebrity Ahem Tamimi.

How do we survive against a culture of death, accepted and promoted by the UN, EU and international community, in 1973 and continuing in 2018?

Though I have many photos of Ari Fuld z”l, this is a favorite.

Even through sunglasses you can see the sparkle in his eyes, so pleased at getting me on his video.

May his memory not only be a blessing, but may the ripples from his murder lead to a safer world for us all.

Yom Kippur in Jerusalem with Avinu Malkeinu

September 17, 2018September 17, 2018Sharon A

Where to go in Jerusalem, Israel for Selihot, special prayers said late at night or early in morning before Yom Kippur, gets to be a bigger problem every year as the number of options goes up.

Tens of thousands as usual gathered at the Kotel, Western Wall. However, true numbers are impossible to calculate, as people were turned away, the area was so crowded.

Hundreds were at First Station for musical Selihot. Even the Israel Museum hosted a special late Thursday night event.

From small synagogues, to the huge stage in Kikar Safra, Government Square, the options for Selihot and holiday musical programs seemed endless, religious and secular.

In some locations, weary parents brought their children to school before 6:00 am for special Selihot.

For the fifth year, President Reuven Rivlin hosted an evening at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence.

The synagogue is located in a corner of the back garden with 12 seats for women in the back of this men’s section.

Each year this evening has changed and grown, this year 500 soldiers and post-high school students were invited.

The service in the synagogue was recorded on video,

and projected onto a large screen outside for all to see.

Some of the guests could not resist using phones for their own videos.

The President and singers Moshe Louk and David D’Or came outside.

At least one young man could not resist taking a selfie with them.

Instead of more photos, I thought better to share short video clips,

of David D’Or

and Moshe Louk songs before Selihot,

and one part of Selihot with traditional reading.

I did not get to the Kotel for the huge Selihot, so sharing this photo taken fro a video tweeted by Ari Fuld z”l.

“The Nation has to bring itself to Israel. That takes moral codes, courage and strength… At the end of the day, success or failure is up to HaKadosh Baruch Hu alone.”

These are some of the last words Ari z”l posted on a Facebook video before Shabbat. On Sunday morning, on his way to the supermarket, Ari was stabbed in the back by a young Arab. Mortally wounded, he chased after, aimed and shot to neutralize the terrorist.

How can we understand a culture where a 16 or 17-year-old could intentionally murder a stranger, a husband, son, brother and father of four, by stabbing him in the back?

Avinu Malkeinu by David D’Or ended the evening at Beit Hanasi.

Our father our king

our king, inscribe us

in the book of good life, in the book of good life.

Even more meaningful after the devastating news of yesterday.