Jerusalem’s Steps to Future

Sharon A

With the holidays over and tourists returning home, one might think Jerusalem streets would be quieter this past week.

Sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, you would know that was incorrect.

The week started off slowly enough to appreciate the Jerusalem autumn colors while walking to the VERT Hotel for a conference.

But oh the new impressive views at the end of the week!

The olive trees are full of ripe olives, ready for picking.

The flowers by the garden established in memory of Sarah Herzog were in full bloom, bursting with color in the midday sun before the rain started.

The 23rd Oud Festival is one of the many events happening in November.

The Jerusalem nature strips and traffic circles were cleared and now new flowers are being planted along the Jerusalem streets.

Small areas were busy with gardeners working to beat the rain.

One shmita sign was still up.

But drivers nearby watched the new planting, which started as soon as the holidays ended.

New flowers line the Bloomfield Garden near the Montefiore Windmill.

And work on King David Street appears to be completed – at least for now.

A bigger landscaping project is now happening at the new National Library.

With the construction fences removed, the campus is now being developed.

Israel National Library cranes with Knesset in background

Remember when this was cleared and just a huge hole in the ground 3 years ago?

Jerusalem Israel construction new National Library

Located across from the Knesset, extensive work has gone on for years.

There is still more to do, but an end appears in sight.

The renovation work has finally started at the Prime Minister’s Residence which was unused for the past year. With a November 1st election day, maybe soon it will have an Israeli Prime Minister living there again.

The Wohl Rose Garden has big signs lining the road to say that it’s closed.

The estimated completion is set for December 2023, so that means no nature photo walks there for quite some time.

Construction site in Jerusalem Israel

However, who remembers the construction fence near the Gerald Behar Center? It was exciting to see the workers finally above ground in 2019.

On Thursday, the Sam Spiegel School of Film and Television opened its new building in the cultural complex, a project started under Mayor Nir Barkat.

I got Mayor Moshe Lion to smile at the morning dedication.

The mandatory ribbon cutting was a big red one, along with the red carpet.

The Jerusalem Mayor attached the mezuzah to the door.

One student smiled when handed a notepad with his photo on the cover – perfect for his grandmother he said.

There were dozens of other photos of students on these notepads too.

The film equipment, library work areas, theaters, everything excelled over the old Talpiot location of the past 3 1/2 years.

But as we went up the stairs in the seven-story building, the views became more exciting. Imagine having the city of Jerusalem as the backdrop in student lounges–the real thing, not a photograph.

With each new view as we went up, it was hard not to snap more photos!

And finally, we were on the roof of the new Sam Spiegel School.

From the roof, you see the VERT Hotel and the Chord Bridge in the distance, but look at all those new buildings that have gone up!

And as this busy week came to an end, I was at the Shalva Building.

There the stairs offer an important message – “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the FIRST STEP.”

Hard remembering the steps, and the years involved, as we see a few of Jerusalem’s major projects coming to completion. As Israel approaches 75, Jerusalem combines the old with the new.

Getting out and appreciating the sunset was a good way to start a busy week. The tour at Sam Spiegel was a great way to end on a high.

Looking forward to seeing you soon on the busy Jerusalem streets.

Sukkot Photos in Jerusalem: Best and Biggest

Sharon A

Sukkot holiday week in Jerusalem, Israel, was a busy time, the best and biggest celebration in several years.

Many things were happening at once, here is a recap of only a few events.

With the most international visitors since 2019, the crowds were really impressive.

After the pandemic years of Israel’s closed borders, groups of tourists have returned to the Jerusalem streets.

People in street minayn with lulavim on Sukkot
Credit: WhatsApp Group

Despite the end of pandemic restrictions, some street services are still going strong on Jerusalem streets.

The scene at Jaffa Gate was back to the best days before corona closings.

Inside Jaffa Gate people were coming and going all day from the Old City.

However, even at First Station, it was possible to find a quiet time in the morning along the old train line track.

Big Sukkot crowds at the Kotel, Western Wall were the topic last week.

Did you notice the special small sukkah available near the entrance bridge to the Temple Mount for those who waited a long time for a turn to go up?

A bigger sukkah above the Kotel Plaza even had glass chandeliers.

Nearby, these guys looked comfortable in their comfortable sukkah chairs.

However, in the crowded public sukkah on the Plaza people had to stand.

One man was able to make the blessings, while others stood and watched.

Big, but not best the crowds on the stairs to and from the Kotel. The planned elevator is not going to be completed in the near future.

One of the best – were the multiple stations where drinking water was offered for free, and this one in the Jewish Quarter was “manned” by children.

Much of the Rova Plaza in the Jewish Quarter was filled with big Sukkot.

The Citadel Hotel had dozens of small sukkot on balconies.

Once again, Kikar Safra had the biggest sukkah in the city municipal square.

However, the sukkah was closed to the public on Wednesday afternoon.

Workers were already setting up hundreds of chairs for a city-sponsored Hakel event to be held that night.

People who came to the big Jerusalem public sukkah were turned away.

While nearby, a private sukkah was set up with a sign welcoming everyone.

The biggest chandeliers were in the King David Hotel sukkah.

The desserts on display looked great. I wondered if one could gain weight by looking.

A beautiful private party was set up off the King David lobby.

And as always, a beautiful flower arrangement was displayed in the lobby.

The Inbal Hotel also had a big beautiful sukkah for guests.

In addition, there was a smaller colorfully decorated front-yard sukkah this year.

They also had an impressive floral arrangement in the main lobby.

The Inbal added a comfortable outside sitting area, the best way for guests to meet with visitors who were corona conscious.

A peek into the Waldorf Astoria sukkah, big and impressive as always.

Outside, this big sukkah at Mamilla Mall across from the Old City walls seemed to be filled with people every time I went by.

Sukkot were built on porches, big and small, wherever you looked.

The sukkah at the Israeli President’s residence appeared accessible at the entrance gate area for the annual Open Sukkah reception.

Multiple colorful venues for selfies were spread around the grounds.

I went to get early photos of the staff setting up inside the sukkah,

inside and outside,

before the public was admitted.

As you see, it got a bit too crowded to see the agricultural displays.

Very, very crowded–which could be why the President’s staff tried various other ways for him to make appearances during the day.

If you are curious, I took this photo of the other sukkah in the Beit Hanasi back garden, the one the President’s family and staff can actually use.

I heard people with young children had a negative experience with the security checks. It was not pleasant to remove sleeping babies from their strollers to be checked to enter, but these actors were two of many colorful characters who tried to keep the big crowd smiling.

I tried to see how long the line was to enter, but the Jerusalem Parade marchers were well on their way past the President’s House as I was leaving.

And they kept coming. There were three Jerusalem walking routes in the morning, as well as one in the afternoon.

Sukkot is over. The marchers have gone home. School is starting again. Government offices are open ‘after the holidays’ – finally.

The dinosaurs on display in the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens are leaving.

The big exhibition is on its way to a new location.

But the newest augmented reality art exhibit called Seeing the Invisible will be available after the holidays,

as well as the YAAR art exhibit at the Terrarium. More later on that…

The Pilgrim’s Road under the Old City from Ir David to the Kotel has been developing over the past five years.

It now has an exit near Robinson’s Arch near the ancient Temple stones.

For three intermediate days of Sukkot, there was a unique exhibit called “Arteology: The Power of the Ancients in Contemporary Forms” located in the cistern at the end of the route below the Kotel.

I liked the young boys climbing in the area above, the best of the past and the future coming together in Jerusalem for Sukkot.

My friend Stu Gherman also likes to share photo images of the Jerusalem streets and his exhibition at Heichal Shlomo goes until November 3rd.

Three years ago YA Fine Art Gallery opened. Then COVID kept the doors shut much of the time and people had to stay away. Yehoshuah Aryeh has fine art images, not only of Jerusalem but in many locations around Israel.

Whew, it was quite a big and busy holiday week on the Jerusalem streets!

No longer are the bright and colorful lights wishing all a happy Sukkot holiday on the wall of the Old City near Jaffa Gate.

The lights of the sukkot at First Station at night and all around Jerusalem were turned off and are being packed away until next year.

The day after Simhat Torah the Pizza Hut hut was still up, so I had to take one more sukkah photo after I said no more.

May the holiday blessings keep all well in the year ahead,

and may the Jerusalem streets stay busy with good and even bigger things happening for all to enjoy.

Shana Tova!