Ready for Hanukkah or Chanukah in Jerusalem

What a week this has been.

From as far away as Sydney, Australia,

we hear that an armed man “claiming political motivations”

took hostages,

sometimes

image clouds

 something as simple as the cloud formations

against a blue sky can be appreciated.

Last Friday, coming from the Gush to Jerusalem, Israel,

we stopped for a traffic light.

The same as we have done many times.

That signal was installed after many traffic accidents.

image security

We saw this police vehicle blocking our view,

and we heard a man scream, then he was down on the road.

Israeli soldiers

As the security forces arrived in force,

it was clear this was no simple accident.

Acid (yes, vinegar is an acid!) was splashed on Israelis

by a terrorist and he had run to this spot.

I had been looking for cars involved,

but it was stopped a few meters away.

We got through quickly,

as the traffic in the other direcion stopped and backed up.

 I sit here now,

watching a live news feed of a cafe in Australia,

under threat by a person with an ISIS flag.

We cannot be sure when or what will happen next!

Meanwhile,

חנוכה

menorah

Hanukkah is coming.

After finally deciding to spell it as spell check goes,

the Government Press Office is using Chanukah this year.

Oh well, people are getting their chanukiot, menorahs

ready to light.

Chanukaih, street lights Jeryusalem

As always I love the streets lights,

and signs filling the streets.

banner in Hebrew for Hanukkah

“A Great miracle happened here.”

The school holiday is shortened this year,

but the school extravaganza productions

are bigger and better and longer than ever.

donuts

Suffganiot, millions of all types of donuts and

fried foods will be consumed over the eight nights.

strawberries

But also strawberry season has begun

and the markets are filled with the sweet red berries.

Happy Hanukkah,

image hanukah semach on bus, picture Hanukkah in Israel, , photo egged bus sign for holiday

Chanukah sameach

however you spell it,

the first candle is tomorrow night.

Shabbat Shalom

Instead of a new photo for Shabbat Shalom greeting,

this one goes back to summer of 1965.

old view of Jerusalem Shabbat shalom poster

At that time under rule of Jordan,

Jews could only look from afar,

over a ‘No Man’s Land’ at

 The Old City and the Temple Mount.

Now much of the world is calling to go back,

to a time when The Kotel, Western Wall

was Judenrein,

a time of complete separation and

a truly divided

Jerusalem, Israel.

But today, the rain has finally stopped,

the sun is shining and sky blue,

time to get outside and enjoy the clean warm air.

שבת שלום

Shabbat shalom.

Thankful for the Rain

Yesterday the sun was shining,

image flowers on street

and even though the sky was not blue,

these gates were very blue.

photo street scene Yemin Moshe

Yemin Moshe was picture perfect,

only the streets were empty,

and much too quiet without the usual tourists.

photo sign colorful

 I was looking at the new signs for Hamshushalayim,

an annual Jerusalem tourist weekend discount offer,

and I wondered how it would do with so many people staying away,

image people walking near streets

and just then a group of tourists walked by.

Things have been slower this week,

but work has gone on.

photo construction workers

 The Isrotel luxury hotel construction is finally above ground.

In the US as people prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday,

in Israel, thankfully it has started to rain,

woman crossing street in rain

and rain.

image rain in Jerusalem, Israel

We are thankful for rain for it is an answer to our prayers,

wet streets and splashing cars

but one which involves flooded streets

traffic accident near light rail

and accidents galore.

However,

Jerusalem Israel bus banner from Berman Hebrew Academy

 rain or shine,

sleet or snow,

or terror threat,

the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy High School from Rockville, Maryland,

is in Israel again for their Israel mission.

Every four years the entire high school gets a trip to Israel

over the Thanksgiving holiday week.

It can be a life changing experience to see

the real Jerusalem, Israel, streets, even in the wet and rain.

 And

 a group of 1000 pilgrims is on their way from Lagos, Nigeria,

so things go on.

I just hope I do not rust.