I confess. Long before there was Netflix, I was a “binge reader.”
One genre I especially followed was murder-mysteries, not the gory/porny stuff, but good police whodunits. There was Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware, and Peter Decker and Rina Lazar created by Faye Kellerman were special favorites. Those murder detective stories set in LA with a Jewish theme were fun escape reading stories.
Multi-talented writer Michael Fertik’s “HIP SET” brought back fond memories. His book, published last year, is set in Tel Aviv, on some of “The Non-Stop City’s” ill-famed streets and infamous locations.
When Kobi Sambinsky of Tel Aviv’s Asylum Unit wakes up Congolese refugee Oscar Orleans early on a Shabbat morning, Oscar knows something is seriously wrong. Overnight a young man from South Sudan was found murdered in an iconic Tel Aviv waterfront building. Oscar, a Hebrew-speaking liaison to the African refugee community living in Tel Aviv’s slum district, has helped local police over the years with translating languages and explanations of African culture.
As the unlikely pair work to solve the first murder, Fertik incoperates current issues, not only of African immigration and South Sudan warring factions but Russian immigration, Israel’s “Russian mafia,” and Israeli resident status. All factor into the narrative along with police detective work and women’s status.
I am certain Fertik was pleased to see Faye Kellerman comment on his work, “Fast-paced with an original, exotic setting HIP SET is an unstoppable read from the first page to the last.”
After a long list of recent nonfiction books, “HIP SET” was a welcome change of pace. I will not give away the well-planted clues to the conclusion of the story. However, obviously, it’s been too long since I read a good murder-mystery, I shouted out loud at the end “How could I missed that!”
It used to be that “20-20” was an expression for hindsight.
This year of 2020 has taken on a different context with the COVID-19 pandemic. The novel coronavirus has changed the world and certainly life as we knew it in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, Israel, endured a holiday season so unlike recent years, the excited holiday crowds and tens of thousands of international visitors were missing from the Jerusalem streets.
The Israeli Chief Rabbis, Mayor Moshe Lion, US Ambassador David Friedman attended, however, the main plaza was empty. People watched from home on a screen, on Facebook for a live stream of the service.
On other days a lone Kohen could be found blessing the small prayer groups. Regulations for the holiday week this year limited outdoor groups to 20 people, and within one kilometer from home.
This was the year for the private home sukkah, tucked away in the garden,
or up on the roof,
in all shapes and styles.
Some sukkot blended into the architecture,
while others were easier to see.
A wooden one on this small porch is an annual sight,
but there seemed to be many more new white walls in driveways this year,
as more people had to stay home and not travel near or far.
They were placed in parking spots next to apartment buildings.
On the last night of Sukkot, I took a walk around the neighborhood and found a friend eating dinner. This “communal” sukkah is shared by many people in the building, but this year families were eating at separate times and not sharing meals.
When I started going each year, President Shimon Peres was at Beit Hanasi, hosting the Israeli President’s sukkah which was open to the public.
But this year, President Rivlin missed out hosting the public, and the “open sukkah” was a two-hour program online, which included
the Israel Space Agency, a program involving young Israelis.
The little Professor G got my vote as the cutest presenter.
Photo credit: Aleksandr Tokar
Even the sukkah at the Kotel Plaza, though brightly lit, was much smaller this year and was used only by those who lived near by.
Instead of running around all night long in Jerusalem to attend classes, now one can sit anywhere in the world and zoom in and out to learn Torah.
This year went online for dozens of lectures for Hashana Raba.
And music – last year Akiva Tourgeman was singing at Beit Hanasi, this year he was on Israeli TV.
This year Tourgeman was on stage for Hashana Raba televised concert.
Yemima Mizrachi spoke and introduced Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion and other performers on the outdoor stage for an online Hashana Raba event.
This was the year of the small sukkah and even smaller holiday businesses.
Hoshanot at the Kotel, were seen live on Facebook and now on YouTube.
The Jerusalem March with tens of thousands from around the world coming to show love for Jerusalem did not happen.
The Bible Marathon was run online, not over the Judean landscapes.
Tourism which had been in the millions of visitors, went down to zero.
Small business owners have really been suffering with forced closings.
This was a year to find simple pleasure in nature close to home.
Repurposed unused school lunch bags made into a sukkah decoration.
Of immediate family time together,
seeking quiet time and some sun up on the roof,
or on a rock in the park for solitude.
The Sukkot and Simhat Torah under corona limitations for many were at home, home alone without the usual dancing and large parties.
Jerusalem, Israel was the destination for millions of visitors for the autumn holiday season. The streets were filled with rental cars and excited tourists.
This year due to the coronavirus restrictions, the Kotel, Western Wall Plaza is mostly deserted, day and night time.
The area inside the Wilson’s Arch is closed again.
For Yom Kippur most synagogues were closed.
Some synagogues made use of their outdoor spaces with tents.
Pop-up street services were held by small groups of neighbors coming together. Doing the best they could manage with cars, cyclists, children on noisy scooters, and dog walkers coming through the random plastic chairs spread around.
The sounds of prayers filled the Jerusalem streets.
In spite of COVID-19 restrictions, hundreds of cars noisily made their way to Jerusalem and to the Knesset after Yom Kippur.
After months of loud late night disturbances in Jerusalem, the black shirts were again on their way in the morning to the Knesset.
Loud, some profane, some with young children, they paraded and screamed in the midday sun. The over the top display could still be heard when after midnight the Knesset voted to limit the protesters numbers and locations to one kilometer from home. Rules the rest of the country we’re supposed to follow.
The protesters are getting more than their share of headlines and filling news feeds. COVID-19 pandemic is a global problem, the deaths tragic.
I have decided to share good things happening you might have missed.
2. The weather has cooled, colorful clouds cover the Knesset at sunset.
That bit of red is a postal truck, nice to know the mail has not stopped moving during the latest set of lockdown restrictions.
The big crane on the left is for the new National Library under construction.
3. Building has continued all these months of pandemic.
I am fascinated by the work on the library roof structure. One day in the future I will share the progress with you.
4. The Harvest Moon was shining bright.
Mars was too far away to get a good photo of both together. However, a Blue Moon is due to appear the end of the month. Another chance.
Photo credit: GIRO PR
5. Israeli Start-Up Nation was on the front line of the Girod’Italia.
In the international bike race, Maglia Azzurra, King of the Mountains, was Rick Zabel representing Israel in the blue uniform.
6. There are quiet spots to meet andkeep your distance in Jerusalem.
Hotels are closed again with the new COVID-19 restrictions. A few had opened partially over the summer for Israeli guests.
Photo credit: United Hatzalah spokesperson
7. Lights were visible at night at the Crowne Plaza.
The hotel had been dark every night, closed since March. Presently, United Hatzalah workers are based in the conveniently located hotel.
8. Mayor Moshe Lion said keeping Jerusalem clean is a priority.
The Jerusalem Municipality clean up trucks have become a regular sight on the Jerusalem streets. The days of furnishing your apartment with cast-offs off the street are over unless you are very quick before a truck arrives.
Photo Credit: Jerusalem Mayor Spokesperson
9. Three Machane Yehudah Market, shuk, streets got names and signs, “Ha-Tut” or “Strawberry” Street was one.
Photo credit: Jerusalem Mayor Spokesperson
Another was “Arbaat Haminim” or “Four Species” Street. The sign over a nearly deserted street which would have been packed with shoppers any other year before the Sukkot holiday.
Thousands of careful shoppers would have come to select their etrog and luluv and greens for their four-holiday species as in this old photo. This year the small kiosks on Jerusalem streets in various neighborhoods filled the void.
The Kotel, Western Wall would be packed with tens of thousands of people for the Sukkot holiday in the past.
Not this year. Numbers are extremely limited and distanced.
The huge Birkat Kohanim – Priestly Blessing did not happen this year.
A lone kohen did the blessing on the second day of Sukkot.
On Monday, October 5, the corona style Birkat Kohanim was recorded and put on YouTube for all to have a front-row view. HERE
10. With the impending corona restrictions, many sukkot were put up early, before Yom Kippur instead of after or last minute.
On roof tops,
and on porches,
and even our open-air sukkah for two instead of twenty was ready early.
11. Imagine, a sukkah in Dubai ready for kosher meals!
12. A sign of normal in crazy times! Cut palm branches tied to top of a car to take home for the sukkah.
This will be the year a small porch sukkah is “in” in Jerusalem.
With fabric walls up on a porch,
or tucked away in the garden.
Last year President Rivlin was surrounded by crowds of visitors for the annual Open Sukkah at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence.
Two years ago he invited the public to the presidential sukkah that had a health theme at a press conference before Sukkot.
13. President Rivlin’s last open house as President will be virtual.
