Real Response

As members of the Knesset and government were engaged in loud verbal discussions,

the real Jerusalem streets responded to the seemingly endless negative international press

 by proceeding with two annual events.

Hebrew Book Week opened in  the Liberty Bell Park .

 

 

For the next ten days thousands of books

will be displayed and sold.

 Earlybirds beat the huge crowds that attend every year.

People of all sizes and ages will come to the event to see the vast selection.

 As libraries and publishing houses around the world are closing down, this event seems all the more remarkable.

 

Nearby traffic was being diverted.

Streets were closed to traffic and bags were searched because

  in Gan Ha’aztmaut, the Independence Park, the annual  parade of old tractors was beginning,

Thousands of people turned out for the agricultural community’s Salute to Jerusalem,

which this year honored 100 years of the kibbutz movement.

The number of Israeli flags was overwhelming,

 and there was more than just tractors and flags on the streets.

One of the many speakers was Noam Shalit, father of captive soldier Gilad Shalit.

  

 

Even though he was late, Education Minister Gideon Saar stopped and posed on his way to the podium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This event is popular with young families, as bus loads of people from around the country came to Jerusalem, but

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

this  year it also became a rally in support of Israel, its army and soldiers.

Marchers went through the center of Jerusalem and ended up in Gan Sacher

where loud music continued until late into the night.

The celebrations ended with a fireworks display at 10:30 pm.

It was a beautiful and colorful day enjoyed by tens of thousands of people, no threats, no riots…

not news worthy.