6 Years in Jerusalem: Then, Now, Next

Riots.

Riots in the Old City.

The radio announced riots in the Old City,

 and I grabbed my camera and went to see for myself.

That was 6 years ago,

and it became the topic of the first post

of The Real Jerusalem Streets.

Thanks to Facebook for the reminder

and for sharing this photo from 6 years ago.

When I got to the Old City,

if you looked very, very  carefully,

on the roof tops, security personnel dressed in black were posted all around.

But down below on the streets of the Old City,

there were thousands of tourists who did not listen to

the Hebrew news that morning,

and were enjoying another lovely day of touring.

The scene outside the walls was also calm,

nothing like the media reports.

6 Years!

Now, the Yes Planet cinema complex

fills the construction site of 6 years ago.

Israeli Apartheid? had the best viral days, but

Arab Girls  is still going strong on Google search.

Stores in Mamilla Mall have come and gone over 6 years,

but it has become a favorite tourist site.

How many times over 6 years has the “situation”

affected so many people in the former desolate

“No Man’s Land” turned popular shopping location?

Yesterday, it rained…again,

but security was out and alert again.

Here watching the Light Rail trains on Jaffa Road,

and looking and checking near buildings and buses in town.

 6 years ago, the welcome banner

 for the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency

was hung outside of the hotel where their meetings were held.

This week the meetings went on again,

but for the last few years

the welcome banners have only been hung on the inside.

A memorial to Yitzhak Rabin was on display on the landing

on the way down to meetings in the hotel ballroom.

On the 20th anniversary of Rabin’s death, 

there are many official memorials being held this week.

6 Years, always something new, at first it was shocking

 to see this planned project for Jerusalem, Israel’s

green and famed Gan Sacher, Sacher Park.

But on closer look at fine print at the bottom,

these are art posters popping up around town.

6 years,

578 RJS posts and 299 on Israellycool,

who would imagine that 6 years ago?

After the rain the clouds part, with a blue sky and cleaner air.

Stabbings, car rammings, “random” murders, BDS,

however,

government leaders from India, Panama, Croatia and Honduras

are here this week, plus an impressive

German cooperation with the Israel Museum.

As always, so much more than “conflict”

is happening on the Jerusalem streets.

There is always more

Good News from Israel