Jerusalem Streets finding Balance after 414 Days of War

The Jerusalem, Israel, streets are constantly changing. The buildings are rising higher.

The stresses of over a year of prolonged Operation Iron Swords are growing more serious.

Sharing the events of one week in a short photo essay is a constant challenge.

On Jaffa Road, the new skyline is difficult to capture with a simple lens.

The old Ticho House is hard to see with the new surrounding construction.

Yoel Solomon Street is missing the tourists who browsed the shops, though volunteer tourism is high.

But the Machane Yehuda Market – the shuk – is popular on Thursday afternoons and at night.

Jaffa Road has new signs for hotels with the old Jerusalem buildings.

These Arab women going past Zion Square were shopping on Jaffa Road.

I still feel safer walking on the Jerusalem streets late at night, than almost anywhere else in the world.

Years of constant construction during years of ongoing threat, the Jerusalem-TLV train is still a wonder.

The new entrance to the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens can be easily seen from the road.

It is located near a future light rail train station. I wonder which will be completed first.

When it is Muslim prayer time, there are prayer rugs on the Jerusalem streets.

To make room for the buildings and roads, mountains have been moved.

But along the Jerusalem streets, there are constant reminders of the young who have fallen this past year.

Over 800 lives – each one a world – have been lost in this war.

The Jerusalem municipality has supplied tents to the mourning families. Hundreds of people come to pay a condolence call to the families of the fallen.

A note from this past week asks visitors to see photos from happier times.

After Shabbat, a Torah was dedicated in memory of fallen lone soldier Rose Ida Lubin hy”d. The procession made its way through the Jerusalem downtown streets to a small synagogue off of Jaffa Road.

There was music food and dancing, some found it difficult to participate, but the Lubin family attended, proud of their daughter and pleased so many contributed to keeping Rose’s name alive.

There are thousands of lone soldiers serving now, and falling, but also couples are coming together.

The OU Israel location on Keren Hayesod is closing down and new locations are to fill in the gap. The Women’s Hub had a grand opening on Monday night.

There have been protests, large and small, new and long-standing, against the government, and for the war to continue to victory on the Jerusalem streets.

However, life goes on, but not like before. The 3rd Jerusalem Business Conference began with a United Hatzalah presentation of the terrible day of October 7, 2023.

But as keynote opening speaker Izhar Shay, whose son was killed on October 7, emphasized,” “we are here to build.” His ‘Next October’ NGO is to support startups to grow. PHOTOS and more PHOTOS.

Time to give thanks, as the Michael Levin Base is preparing for Thanksgiving dinner again for lone soldiers and bnei and bnot sherut.

We give thanks for what we do have and hope to see you soon on the too-quiet Jerusalem streets.