The Real Jerusalem Streets – Jerusalem, Israel

Check out Colors and Contrasts in Jerusalem after Passover

May 5, 2024May 5, 2024Sharon A

As soon as Passover is over, the Israeli flags start flying over the Jerusalem streets.

This year the roller coaster of emotion should be even sharper than usual.

More blue and white flags are seen over the Jerusalem streets than in the past.

All the Pesach, Passover food is gone.

One day the table was set for a holiday meal.

The next everything was upside down.

And the next day, everything was stored away until next year.

The Jerusalem cafes were filled and people were again sitting on the streets enjoying the weather and freshly baked cakes and breads.

Construction workers were back, blocking and hopefully one day soon fixing the Jerusalem streets.

The signs of summer and no rain with dried weeds,

add contrast to the colorful spring flowers.

However, the weather this time of year can and does change day by day with rain in the forecast.

Compared to what is seen in the media, life in Jerusalem is often a contrast.

Western Wall on Passover 2024 for Priestly Blessing

Over the week of Pesach, 500,000 people were reported to have visited the Kotel, Western Wall.

Today is Orthodox Easter and Christians are celebrating in the Old City.

A young Muslim couple finished their meal at the cafe where our business group met this week.

One sight at night in Tel Aviv was impressive, the building lit with not only an Israeli flag and “Together we will win” but also a yellow ribbon indicating the wait for the return of hostages.

New to the Jerusalem streets, posters with faces of fallen soldiers. Their families want Israel to not stop until Hamas is defeated so that their children’s lives were not sacrificed in vain. This group’s protest after Shabbat received much less coverage in contrast to a protest in Tel Aviv.

New signs are up over the Jerusalem streets for Yom Haaztmaut, Israel Independence Day.

“Our Independence is with our Unity” is a new slogan for year 76.

However, first is Yom HaShaoah, Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day, observed this year beginning on Sunday evening, May 5, 2024. At 8:00 pm a siren will sound.

Tomorrow at 10 am, there will be a two-minute siren in memory of the victims, not the same sound as an air raid siren, but one constant tone. Air raid sirens have a tone that goes up and down.

No one knows what will happen next.

However, if you walk along the Jerusalem streets and look, not down at your phone, you will see the beauty in nature. The contrast of new growth and colors as summer approaches after a winter of war.

It’s a good time to remember the traditional ending of the Pesach seder, “Next year in Jerusalem!”

How is this Passover Different than all others?

April 28, 2024April 28, 2024Sharon A

Passover, Pesach how is this Passover holiday 5784/2024 different from all others?

The new National Library of Israel was open and offered organized tours. This room is filled with unique volumes and ancient works in a modern technological setting.

There is an old colorful illuminated Haggadah used for Passover in the past.

This is the only surviving copy of the first Haggadah printed, in Spain in 1482.

There are also on display two printed in 1952 for the IDF. After 10,000 copies were printed, this secular version which removed Divine deliverance was suppressed at the last minute. Prime Minister Ben Gurion had them collected and destroyed, with only 20 copies surviving.

The National Library was not the only busy place over the holiday time, Mamilla Mall had new art pieces.

Extra security was visible in Mamilla Mall and at other popular tourist locations.

The sign near Jaffa Gate welcomed all with greetings for a Happy Passover.

Once again dozens of museums throughout Israel were open, including the Tower of David Jerusalem.

The Burnt House Museum in the Old City was also one open without an entrance fee.

It was good to be inside on the extremely hot intermediate days of Passover this year.

Despite the intense heat and security concerns, tens of thousands of people arrived Thursday morning for the Birkat Cohanim, Priestly Blessing at the Kotel, Western Wall.

The Kessim, Ethiopian religious leaders were easily spotted standing under their colorful umbrellas with a crowd of followers around them near the live cameramen and the stand for emergency medical care.

The women’s section was especially crowded in the few shaded areas.

However, people were standing in the sun on the rooftops all around the Western Wall plaza for the view.

One man found a quiet spot from the Aish building for a few minutes of private introspection and prayer.

The Chief Rabbis and dignitaries had their vantage point above the crowd.

This year at the end of the morning service with the Birkat Cohanim, special prayers were added for the safe return of the hostages and security in all of Israel.

The family of hostage Eliya Cohen had attended the service at the Kotel and were leaving as more people arrived by way of Jaffa Gate.

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Thousands of people kept coming and going all day and most of the night to the Old City of Jerusalem.

What was different this year was that the crowds were somewhat smaller. Some families who usually come did not. However, other families were in Israel many times, but their first time for Pesach!

This year a cloud hung over the festivities, wanting the hostages to be returned to their families so they too could enjoy the holiday of Pesach, of freedom from bondage.

Everyone is concerned for the safety of soldiers and civilians both north and south and civilians, under constant rocket fire.

How many empty chairs for Passover seder this year?

April 21, 2024April 21, 2024Sharon A

Passover 2024 or Pesach 5784, will be different from last year on the Jerusalem streets.

The Chag Aviv, or the Holiday of Spring, can be seen in nature as the bees have returned.

As usual, baskets for unopened bread products can be found on the Jerusalem streets,

plus special bins to burn the bits of bread and crumbs on Monday morning before the holiday begins.

However, this year there will be thousands of empty seats at the Seder table on Monday night.

National Library of Israel entrance with faces of the murdered

The faces of the 1,200 murdered in the October 7 Massacre were illuminated in the new National Library.

At Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s residence a ceremonial presentation of certificates was held.

The families of the three young Israelis who escaped from their Hamas captivity in Gaza, only to be shot by friendly fire were acknowledged.

Iris Haim mother of Yotam Haim, posed and smiled for a photo. There were more than the usual amount of hugs and tears that day. I refrained from photographing the most powerful scenes.

The next day back at Beit Hanasi, 30 nurses were honored in advance of International Nurses Day. Even though the audience was asked not to photograph, phone cameras were used repeatedly by family members and friends. Each nurse was called up by name and her story was briefly recounted. One was the nurse in Beeri on October 7. One had been taken captive to Gaza on October 7. The hospitals mentioned were from the north to the south of Israel.

One of the nurses was Talya Slotki, the Nursing Coordinator in the Pain Clinic at Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem, Israel, who was awarded an Honorable Distinction for Bravery and Heroism.

Her husband, Rabbi Shmuel Slotki shared their story with our solidarity mission at the beginning of January along with a video of his sons and family.

On the morning of October 7th, their two sons, Noam and Yishai, left their home when the attack began and traveled south to join in the brave defense of the besieged communities along the border. Both sons fought heroically before falling in battle.

For the next week, their exact whereabouts and fate were unknown, before the family was informed that both sons had been killed.

Following the completion of the shiva, Talya continued to work to provide critical medical care in addressing and alleviating pain. Among many of her patients have been soldiers evacuated from the fields of battle who were treated for a wide range of injuries – many included painful orthopedic wounds and burns that have required intensive attention and care.

As I read about the commendation that Talya Slotki received, I remembered when Rabbi Slotki entered the room to speak to our group. Rabbi Doron Perez left his spot at the front of the room and went to hug him.

At 97 days from October 7, Rabbi Perez and supporters completed a Torah in the merit of the return of the members of the Perez tank crew missing since the day Hamas started the war by invading Israel.

A month ago the Perez family had a funeral to bury a bloody shirt after a video was found showing that the young soldier who held off the invasion was not only injured but killed. He was no longer counted among the 133 hostages still possibly alive in Gaza.

As we approach 200 days from the Shabbat Simhat Torah massacre and anticipate Passover the remaining hostage’s fates are unknown.

Passover tables are being prepared for the seder meal and retelling of the story of freedom from Egypt. The freedom of Israeli hostages and the many empty chairs at the seder are very much in mind.

In addition, the tens of thousands from north and south are still under constant rocket fire and unable to be home for all these months, as well as the soldiers on duty to protect against further attacks.

But to end on a brighter note, the colorful spring flowers are as usual lining the Jerusalem streets.

Now it’s time to finish preparing for Passover.

Hebrew sign Happy Passover, bus sign in Hewbrew

Passover Kosher and Happy

Remember, the Hagaddah ends with “Next year in Jerusalem!” Let’s hope we can all celebrate once again joyfully on the Jerusalem streets!