Jerusalem More than Sukkot on Sukkot

Intense.

Exhausting.

 Sukkot are special,

Simple style natural sukka on moshav in fields

we even found one in the fields of a moshav.

However, in Jerusalem, Israel,

 there was much more happening.

Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing,

attracted tens of thousands as it does  every year.

Not just on Wednesday morning,

 but on other days of the holiday

People walking near Jaffa Gate on Friday sukkot

thousands walked to the Old City,

and to the Kotel, the Western Wall.

Muslim men going to pray in Old City Friday Sukkot

This way or that way,

Muslims going to pray on Friday sukkot

on Friday of Sukkot,

Muslims and Jews going to Jaffa Gate on Friday sukkot

thousands of Jews and Muslims

were walking toward the Old City together.

The annual Jerusalem Parade again

attracted thousands of international participants

with thousands of Israeli spectators.

Gan Sacher ready for Jerusalem parade on Sukkot

The feel-good event started in Gan Sacher,

Sacher Park. where flags and flowers lined the street.

Israeli Museum kite festival on Sukkot

The Israeli Museum held its annual Kite Festival,

Israel Museum kite festival

but you had to provide your own wind most of day,

so we did not get to see the huge kites in the air this time.

The musical events seemed endless,

with way too many to list.

However, a few of them

we wished we could have attended include:

Chabad had Yishai Lapidot at the Great Synagogue,

and at the Yellow Submarine were

our friends Moshe Hendel and Zusha.

Every night of chol hamoed

a large show was staged at the Sultan’s Pool.

Also, those Simchot Beit Hashoeva with music and more

at homes, yeshivas and places too many to recount.

Then there were the fairs!

A street fair on Derech Beit Lechem,

unusual dance street fair sukkot Jerusalem

had this unusual dancer/s.

Jerusalem street fair carved vegetables

The only carved pumpkin I saw this week was at the fair.

There was everything from carved vegetables

Jerusalem street fair music sukkot Israel

to live musicians and more.

Thousands turned out for the evening fun.

Another new fair was held at Mamilla Mall,

Sukkot special fair at Mamilla Mall

where the young and not-so-young could purchase

Israeli products at a Mini-Market set up in the mall.

Sukkot in Jerusalem Israel Tachana Rishona stalls

First Station had its stalls ready to sell goods.

For holiday tourists,

Tachana Rishona Octoberfest

Octoberfest beer and food were also ready.

A parade of very different type,

Women Walking for Peace also ended

Jerusalem protest women who walked for peace

in Jerusalem, Israel, near the Prime Minister’s house.

Here four women are carrying a banner from the march.

Sukkot comes to an end with Hoshana Rabba.

sing for list of all night classes hashana raba

Signs were up all week for classes

and all-night study programs

of all types and locations.

For those more into sport than study,

the Harlem Globetrotters were at the Sports Center.

Sign for Harlem Globetrotters in Jerusalem Israel Sukkot

I wanted to be sure that I had a photo of that sign

towering near the walls of the Old City.

And more sports,

new oleh and former NBA basketball star,

Basketball star Amar'e Stoudemire Hapoel Jerusalem basketball star at Inbal Hotel for fund raiser

Amar’e Stoudemire came out to support charities

for his new Hapoel Jerusalem basketball team.

What next?

Hebrew sign Jerusalem

AniNation, an international celebration

of animation meets in Jerusalem, Israel.

I have no idea what that will be,

but first we have Simhat Torah.

Tonight the streets will be filled with thousands

celebrating, singing and dancing with the Torah.

Soon it will be after the chagim,

universities will begin their classes,

and children will go back to school and “normal.”

But first, for the last time for a while,

bus sign Jerusalem holiday

 chag sameach.

21 Favorite Sukkot in Jerusalem

I love Sukkot in Jerusalem, Israel.

Whether it is one large sukka

sukka in courtyard of Jewish Museum

 tucked away in a courtyard,

building with sukka built on porches

or many standing on the porches of new buildings.

How many can you count hereת

Building with many succahs on porches Jerusalem Israel

and here, seven or eight?

sukka in Jerusalem Israel

Some are small and inconspicuous,

sukkah on roof top Jerusalem Israel

some on roof tops.

sukkah in Israel Museum

The sukka in the Israel Museum next to the children’s wing

is simple, and with branches for supports and on top.

Simplest roof top sukkah

This rooftop sukka wins the prize for

the least elaborate and inexpensive sukka.

sukka outside of pizza shop Jerusalem

A pizza shop put up a white sukka on the sidewalk,

while the King David Hotel

sukka large King David Hotel

has one large colorful sukka on its veranda.

Outside on King David Street

plain white sukka no opening

there is this plain white one.

sukka on balcony King David Street Jerusalem Israel

All you had to do was look up,

to see these on King David Street.

On the porches of the Waldorf Astoria Residences

Waldorf Astoria Residence bed on porch

one sukka even had a bed standing by.

The Jerusalem Waldorf Astoria Hotel sukka in the atrium,

sukka in Jerusalem Waldorf Astoria Hotel

is always a favorite.

sukka Mamilla Mall and residences

Mamilla also has its share of sukkot.

Jerusalem Israel Citadel Hotel view of Old City and sukka

The Old City is in background

of this view from inside the Citadel Hotel.

Sukka of Citadel Hotel from above

Its main sukkot were huge,

but if you look more closely

Wood sukka on roof Jerusalem Israel

you can see this wooden sukka perched

view of sukkot from Citadel Hotel Jerusalem

on a ledge high above these below.

Sukkahs on top of Citadel Hotel

The Citadel also has dining tables in the sukka on top.

Thousands of visitors are here for the holidays,

Private sukka on top of Inbal Hotel Jerusalem Israel

and the Inbal Hotel also has private sukkot above,

sukka in Inbal Hotel Jerusalem Israel

and the elegant atrium sukka below,

and more along the side of the hotel as well.

sukkah in Liberty Bell Park Jerusalem Israel

I also like the sukka at the neighboring Liberty Bell Park.

Every year the Beit Hanasi, the Israel President’s residence

 has an open sukka day,

when the public is invited inside.

This year the time was extended to 4:00 pm,

but I was late.

As on Yom Kippur at the conclusion of the Neilah Service,

Beit Hanasi sukkah open house closed

the gates were closed.

This was as close as I could get to the presidential sukka this year.

However,

I was in Hevron today.

So instead of my annual Presidential sukka photo

Sukka in Hebron Caves of Patriarchs and Matriarchs

here is the sukka of Avraham Avinu,

Hebron Caves of Patriarchs sukka

where Jewish voices

and sounds of prayer and song for Sukkot

were heard both inside and outside the burial places

of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs.

OOPS,

I almost forgot!

family sukkah in Jerusalem Israel

Our family sukka is pretty special too!

The multitude of holiday events happening this week

will have to wait for next time,

meanwhile, hope you are enjoying.

חג שמח