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Away From it All

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The headlines this week were full of scandals.

It was not easy, but we found a few places away from it all…

At the International Conference Center in Jerusalem 

there was an international stamp event.

Going to the main entrance, and then finding this sign was not a good start;

but as the information sign on the marquee changed, we finally found the correct entrance.

Inside the hall it was bright and flags were colorful.

One could wander around alone studying the old stamp collections

or join a group tour.

There was even an option to make your own stamp.

Photo booths were available for portraits, so

everyone could find at least one set of special stamps.

Stamps not your thing?

The annual Oud Music Festival is on until November 25.

Or you could have joined volunteers for a Package from Home ,

who packed bags for Israeli soldiers with winter items.

Two very productive hours away from it all…and for a great cause.

That is the Real Jerusalem Streets…..

 

Jerusalem City of Fire

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It is said that Hebron is a city of earth, Safed a city of wind,

Tiberias a city of water  and Jerusalem a city of fire.

A common sight in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park is a fire for a family picnic,

 usually there is also plenty of smoke.

The weather has been hot and dry enough for fires,

but thankfully there have not been many in Jerusalem,

The Knesset might look calm, but Israeli politics offers plenty of fire.

This has been a week of protests, to name just a few:

a demonstration against the separation of men and women on public buses 

and the same morning,

thousands of people came to protest against a new building freeze.

On the plaza outside the Prime Minister’s Office electric generators

were fired up in a protest tent.

The protesters using  the slogan, Yes you can!  say “No”.

A tent set up by the Gilad Shalit family supporters attracted a large crowd 

at 1000 days after his captivity.

What  began as a simple tent, near the Prime Minister’s official residence

now receives a constant stream of visitors.

  The tent is equipped with a full kitchen and gets restaurant-size deliveries.

It has been fitted with plastic and heaters ready for the winter’s cold weather.

The newly-installed floors need washing, 

and the protest tent has taken over the entire  corner.

International visitors still demand his release on humanitarian grounds,

but the days just go by.

The fruit and vegetable growers are on strike. 

Supplies could decrease by the end of the week.

Farmers are demanding more legal foreign workers to help them work.

There could be shortages,

and you can bet that prices will go up for the holidays.

The fires have started heating the oil for sufganiot.

Chanukah is next week,

 then Jerusalem will be a city filled with fire from holiday candles.

To everyone in US:  Happy Thanksgiving!

Signs of Progress

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While construction in Jerusalem is a hot topic in international headlines,

 on a local level, the construction of the light rail train system goes on and on.

The Chord Bridge near the entrance of the city, love it or hate it, has been discussed from every angle.

 

In the middle of the night, the roads leading into the city were closed, the bridge was tested with real trains.

As the mid-April completion deadline date approaches,

 

the track system of the light rail appears to be completed.

The high voltage power lines have been turned on,

and there are many

signs of progress.

Along Jaffa Street landscaping is under way

and train stations are under construction.

 

The corner of King George and Strauss Streets is less of a construction maze.

Years of changing traffic patterns

 

and construction have taken their toil on local businesses.

But with all the signs

of progress,

there were very few people actually working

 on the entire length of Jaffa Street.

 There have been lawsuits, counter law suits and delays, but one thing is certain.

The weather cannot be blamed if the system is not finished on schedule.

 Ben Gurion Airport may have closed for hours because of fog,

but in Jerusalem the weather still feels like summer.

Hot and sunny all day, still no rain by the middle of November,

great for construction work, but very bad for everything else.