Jerusalem

Crazy Design Week Contemporary Art in Jerusalem

rjstreets

Spring in Jerusalem, Israel.

It is hot, then it is cold.

Yesterday it rained.

You never know what will happen next.

During Jerusalem Design Week

you have no idea what you will see next.

When I have the opportunity I love to see what is new

Hansen House at night Jerusalem Design Week festival outside gardens lit

at the old Hansen House.

The opening event for Design Week

 held in the courtyard,

Kugel Party Hansen House Design Week opening event

was called a Kugel Party.

At first, even the guests had trouble figuring that out.

There were pink signs in Yiddish,

Yerushalmi kugel at Hansen House for Design week opening event

burnt Yerushalmi kugel with a pickle,

Kugel Party Jerusalem design week

an Oriental noodle sent upstairs to the second floor

people waiting for noodles at Hansen House Kugel Party Design Week opening

in glass jars with a pulley system.

The third kind of kugel was a Belgian waffle,

the one with longest line,

Waffles at Hansen House for Jerusalem Design Week Kugel Party

not fast food, but slowly crafted by Bezalel artists.

Inside were a variety of exhibits,

design week at Hansen House chemistry Jerusalem

this one brought back memories of hours titrating in a lab,

with a theme of yellow and blue for the men and women of Jerusalem.

Contemporary art exhibits using the media of

light Jerusalem design week at Hansen house

photography, paint and light and shape and form,

displayed in different rooms inside the Hansen House.

gardens Hansen House at night for design week

Animals were outside in the garden,

with colors, shapes and forms.

I am sure Dr. Hansen would never have envisioned them.

Design Week is spread out in 7 locations.

A much more serious exhibit is at

Islamic Museum Jerusalem Sign from Iran

the LA Mayer Museum of Islamic Art.

Sign from Iran is a collection of

posters Sign from Iran at Museum for Islamic Art

60 art poster masterpieces

by 27 Iranian graphic artists

over a 40-year period.

Yossi Lemel at Islamic Art exhibit sign from Iran

Israeli graphic artist Yossi Lemel

who initiated the project was at the opening.

woman in Iran art

Contemporary Iran is not usually seen around here.

So many strange and unusual happenings this week,

Hansen House gardens at night with full moon and animal lit for Design week festival

maybe it was the full moon.

The only thing related to politics

 that I will mention

Eiffel Tower in Jerusalem for French PM

is an Eiffel Tower model constructed during the visit of

the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls.

I was going to photo shop out the man on the crane,

but then I realized that he was securing the tower

so that it would not fall down in the extremely high winds.

selfie at Hansen House night in garden

Just a bit from this week worthy of a selfie.

There is also a Book Festival, Russian Festival,

MusaraMix Seam Art Festival,

the annual Israel Festival

and my favorite, the Light Festival.

Tonight, starting as soon as the sun sets and going all night long

are the huge bonfires of Lag B’Omer

Spring festival season,

never know what you will see next happening

on the real Jerusalem, Israel streets.

After Israeli Independence Day Celebrations

rjstreets

Celebrations for Yom Haatzmaut,

Israel Independence Day,

have come to an end for this year.

There were lots of ceremonies, and the Bible Quiz on TV,

and flags flying above the streets and on buildings,

Israeli flags on cars for Independence Day

and little Israeli flags clipped on to cars.

As usual, Gan Sacher,

GAsh Sacher on Yom Haatzmaut

 Sacher Park, was the scene of hundreds of family picnics.

Yom Haatzmaur in Gan Sacher

People brought chairs and tables and bags of food,

People with beds in Gan Sacher on yom Haatzmaut

and even mattresses for comfort.

men carrying couch in Sacher Park on Yom Haatizamut

But this couch was a first.

Tents and friendly strangers in Sacher Park on Yom Haatazmaut

There were smiles from strangers and tents.

smoke from grill in Jerusalem park on Independence Day

Smoke from grills and the sounds of karaoke filled the air.

During the afternoon planes of all sizes

flyover on Independence Day

appeared in formation

flyover Independence Day

in the blue skies

flyover on Independence Day in Jerusalem Israel

 and thrilled the crowds below.

cute little boy with Israeli flag and balloons

Beautiful children with flags and balloons

enjoyed the celebrations.

Isaeli soldiers with big piece of meat at BBQ on independence Day in Gan Sacher

A group of lone soldiers enjoyed some serious ribs,

 grills were fired up all day to feed the hundreds that came.

Tens of thousands celebrated in Gan Sacher,

including one special group of girls,

Bat Sherut in Jerusalem for Yom Haatzmaut in Gan Sacher

Bnot Sherut, girls from overseas who are spending

their “gap year” volunteering in Israel.

The media missed their dance performance, but they did find this family

tv interview in Gan Sacher on Yom Hatzmautl

who were happy to share their opinions

of what a beautiful day it was,

concluding with a rousing,

“AM YISRAEL CHAI.”

No it is not snow, even if it’s called “sheleg,”

it’s the dreadful white shaving cream stuff,

couple with purple "shelg" in Gan SAcher on Yom Haatzmaut

 this couple found some tinted pink

and had a great time spraying it all around.

I was happy to see less of that messy stuff this year.

And security?

Two Israeli Policewomen in Gan Sacher on Yom Haatzmaut

Policewomen were seen checking out the food.

That was all on Thursday, now on Sunday,

I hope this heat wave is over quickly.

The heat and humidity keep me off the streets

and inside with the air conditioner running.

With the holidays over,

it is time for more festivals,.

Education starts tomorrow with an event at  the Israel Museum,

Sign for Light Festival in Old City jerusalem

and the Jerusalem Light Festival in the Old City

 which begins next week, plus

 an International Writers’ Festival and Lag B’Omer—

all will be happening in Jerusalem, Israel.