Holiday Leftovers
This year gender segregation made international headlines,
not the Hanukkah and holiday lights
nor the sights of Jerusalem.
On the last day of Hanukkah at the Great Synagogue,
hundreds of women took over and occupied the men’s section.
This women’s only gathering of prayer and performances
called for the unity of all the people of Israel…it did not make headlines.
Dozens of special children’s performances were held.
The thousands of chanukiot that decorated shop windows,
lined the sidewalks,
and eateries,
and were displayed on the tops of cars are being stored away for next year.
Traffic was a grid-lock nightmare,
with tens of thousands of international visitors in Jerusalem,
as many gathered for weddings and various other celebrations.
Millions of sufganiot were sold
and served over the holiday period.
105 of the doughnuts were consumed by Elie Klein of Bet Shemesh,
as his ‘Dough for Doughnuts’ fundraising stunt inspired donations
of $14,000 from people around the world for 83 charities.
And not a crumb was leftover from my Hanukkah cookie.
It would be nice if the women’s project, “One People”
was the headline next year.
Meanwhile, after all the days of holiday and celebrations…
almost everyone needs a vacation.
Beautiful! Shabbat Shalom!
Thanks and Shabat shalom
Thanks for sharing the important things in life! Hope Beit Shemesh goes back to being a sleepy, bedroom suburb (doesn’t seem like it).
I liked the women’s group at the Great Synagogue – kol ha’kavod.
Shabbat Shalom.
great pics. may we always be seen with smiles and feel happiness.
Hi, I just came over from Dina’s blog. Looks like a lot has been going on lately in the streets of Jerusalem. I’ve added you to my blog list so I can see more as you post.
We saw a car driving down the 405 freeway one night near Huntington Beach with a brightly lit blue chanukiah on top of the car…I’d never seen anything like it before, even here in Southern California. It really lit up the freeway!
Welcome, there is always happening on the streets of Jerusalem.
Came over from Dina’s blog. I like it over here!
Happiest New Year wishes
with Warm Aloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
>
A lot warmer in Waikiki than Jerusalem
Thank you – I feel like my sanity has been restored. I feel refreshed and renewed that reason reigns in most of our beautiful country. Thank you for the inspiring overview of our Yerushalayim. You made my week.
A pleasure, thank you!
A belated thank-you for bringing our magnificient Jerusalem into our homes. As usual your photographs are just perfect.
Thanks, holidays are easy!