In the early days of The Real Jerusalem Streets, publishing a new image or photograph of Jerusalem before Shabbat was a weekly post.
Over time, new ideas were hard to find. Last night was distressing. Countless vile messages on Twitter, bolstered by lies from international media about Israel, so decided to create something to brighten the night.
Hoping this Shabbat Shalom greeting strikes a positive chord with you.
שבת שלום
FYI. This is a photo of the top of the Jerusalem Chord Bridge at the entrance of the city against a bright blue sky – pun very much intended.
As July begins, the days in Jerusalem do not feel shorter but are warmer.
The seemingly endless end-of-school-year events, when every grandparent, cousin, and neighborhood friend is called on to help watch the siblings who are not allowed to attend the nighttime extravaganzas, are ending.
The streets are getting more crowded as international visitors arrive.
Tour groups abound inside Jaffa Gate,
and near Zion Gate.
Mamilla Mall has new artwork ready, here my friend was tipping his hat to the new Einstein piece. If you missed the story of Einstein coming to Jerusalem check out Einstein House here.
There is still work to do on the new entrance at the Tower of David.
New shops opened in the Old City.
And this “temporarily” closed entrance to the Kotel Plaza is still closed.
But with the thousands of bar mitzvahs and other celebrations,
the main entrance can be very crowded, and to get there
can be quite the experience with the sidewalk dug up.
There were bar mitzvah parties,
and more bar mitzvah parties,
all day long on Thursday, so busy from early morning.
I could not find the two families I was looking for,
and I did not go down to the shaded egalitarian section.
Walking out I marveled at the new go-to cars, going nowhere.
The salesman at the Armenian tourist store agreed it has been a long time since we have seen so much traffic and so many people in Jerusalem.
What else was happening?
The Shavuah Hasfer, Hebrew Book Week extended into Reading Month.
Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence hosted a special event sponsored by Beit Avi Chai on the 150th birthday of Hebrew poet/writer Nachman Bialik.
President Isaac Herzog spoke as did Beit Avi Chai’s David Rozenman.
Beit Hanasi has invested in new barriers – as the protests continue.
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center was the site of the First Pulse of Israel Conference. Itamar Marcus gave his presentation by video, as he was in the US speaking to Congressional committees on the antisemitism and Holocaust denial found in Arab media.
One slide was of journalist Muhammad al Burni, from Jordan, “I want to note a very important point regarding the fabricated Holocaust, truly fabricated” was the quote.
The mostly older audience heard from a new generation of pro-Israel success on Tik Tok and other social media to reach young users with the truth about Israel.
Journalist Sara Haetzni-Cohen, with a child on each side, received an award for her leadership role after the protests and destruction in Lod.
Going home that night I walked thru the Hansen House to see Design Week.
The Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha was also last week, and thousands of families came to the Old City of Jerusalem to celebrate and pray.
In July the festivals do not end – the Jazz Festival and Film Festival, and more,
and a new exhibit on food at the Islamic Museum in July.
Plus, the Machane Yehudah Market, the Shuk is celebrating its 100th year – with music and food to fill the narrow streets in and around with people and parties – more than usual.
In Jerusalem at the end of June, the multitude of end-of-school-year events slow down, and the trips to the airport increase, as Israelis head overseas and tens of thousands of tourists arrive to fill the Jerusalem streets.
The weather is still not too hot.
This is the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens in the evening with cool breezes, and even lilies in the pond are a tourist attraction.
The bright flowers are blooming all around the Jerusalem streets,
even the weeds are colorful,
with bursts of purple before the summer heat arrives.
The Botanical Gardens has become a popular venue for events, this night was to hear Col Richard Kemp. He said as a child he was taught right from wrong and with his military experience he speaks out about Israel’s military being unfairly criticized by too much of the world.
Walking into this area one encounters roadway construction.
I will spare you many photos of random road closings for road work,
and stay with the sweet things happening now that it’s summertime.
First Station has been busy with public musical performances.
And the annual Shavuah HaSefer is thriving in the First Station location.
Hebrew Book Week attracts all ages, from families with babies to one older gentleman I saw walking pushing a walker for support and a helper following with a shopping cart to take his purchases home.
Authors come to sign their books.
I knew two authors the night I came, Michael Eisenberg and
Rabbi Reuven Ziegler. Notice the sign?
Hebrew Book Week is also for bargain hunters.
At Hansen House, the annual Design Week has started – “Lies & Falsehoods.”
Inside the old stone building the new technology amazes.
But did the courtyard ever look as nice as this?
Indeed, it is hard to know what is true, what is an illusion, and what is real.
To close the week, the Nefesh Be’Nefesh Campus in Jerusalem hosted a Shuk Olim on Friday morning. Various immigrants to Israel have started businesses and they were provided with tables to share their wares. Muffins went by the hundreds. Candy, tea, whiskey, honey, and beer, even corned beef was available besides artwork and jewelry and more, and the best herring I have had in a long time
And the Jerusalem Food Trucks are to be back in the Hinnom Valley on Tuesday-Thursday nights in July and August.
June 29-July 1, a marathon of tours is planned, not just inside, but starting at the Tower of David, the New Jerusalem Museum – tours include meetings with the communities and neighbors adjacent to the museum, men and women of different religions and cultures.
