attractive tourist destination – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem After Holidays Now What?

November 6, 2019Sharon A

What’s new in Jerusalem after the holidays?

Looking back at last year it seems much is the same.

The universities are back in session.

A rocket from Gaza hit a home in Sderot.

Again, thankfully, the family was able to get to shelter and was not physically hurt.

Winter clouds hover over Jerusalem and the Old City as seen from Mishkenot Sha’ananim.

Holidays are over but tour buses line busy streets, coming and going from Zion Gate.

The annual Jerusalem ‘Houses From Within’ was held at the end of October.

The sign was up for entry to the old leper hospital grounds, one of 200 sites open to the public.

But it is so different now, unlike the first tour nine years ago when it was in ruin.

Nine years ago the price of tomatoes made headlines, this year it is the scarcity of butter.

Jupiter was in line with the moon. Crazy–this photo received hundreds of likes on Facebook.

Amazing. It is so fascinating what gets attention on social media.

The new moon and conferences galore begin as the holidays end.

The Herzl Conference on Contemporary Zionism ‘From Vision to Reality’ was a first-time event.

The opening was held at night on Har Herzl close to Herzl’s final resting place, with the gravestone illuminated.

Former US Senator and Vice-Presidential Candidate Joe Lieberman was on the opening program, mentioning proudly that he has children and grandchildren who made aliyah.

Stanley Fischer at Herzl Conference in Jerusalem

Dr. Stanley Fischer was another featured speaker on the program, along with President Reuven Rivlin.

The annual Jewish Agency Board of Governors opened on a somber note with a powerful video remembering those murdered in Pittsburgh one year ago.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to the Jewish Agency Board of Governors at the Begin Center.

There was security for the Prime Minister, this time I got a photo as they were taking it away.

Security was at a high level at the Waldorf Astoria. But, unlike most events, security let guests at the KKL-JNF Gala get close enough to photograph former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper seated next to the Netanyahus. The new KKL-JNF visitor center in Hula Lake Park is dedicated in Harper’s honor.

Though busy with government and election drama, President Rivlin hosted a special meeting on antisemitism at Beit Hanasi, the President’s Residence.

US Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism Elan Carr attended.

The panel also included the UK – Lord Eric Pickles, France – Frederic Potier, Germany – Dr. Felix Klein, and European Commission – Katharina von Schurbein. The consensus was that education is the key to combating antisemitism. Opinions once considered fringe are becoming mainstream on campuses and they are spreading. The problem is not a Jewish one, but one for all humanity.

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem shared important finds from an excavation in Beit Shemesh. Though no one knows exactly who the ‘Glorious Martyr’ was, the dig exposed a large Byzantine church, filled with hundreds of glass pieces and stone lamps.

On opening night invited guests arrived to see the exhibition and hear from experts.

A favorite object was this marble piece, probably the ‘seat’ of a high church official or donor.

Who knew hundreds of years ago donors had names on plaques in churches?

International Science Centers and Science Museum Day is November 11.

Look for free admission to the Bloomberg Science Museum and again the end of November.

The annual Piano Festival at the Jerusalem Theater is from November 13-16.

But first will be the annual international Animation festival in Jerusalem – AniNation.

Science and tech and start-up conferences–always more happening on Jerusalem streets!

In honor of Aliyah Day, celebrated this week, time to share an old favorite.

No government and elections looming.

Years of rockets from Gaza.

Serious threats from Lebanon and Iran.

Jordan, a very cold peace partner.

Rush hour traffic reaching nightmare levels.

Miracle in our times,

Am Yisrael Chai.

Remembering Fallen ANZAC Soldiers

October 30, 2019October 30, 2019Sharon A

Leaving Jerusalem by Route 1, when traffic is moving, is a wonder.

So many cars, so much construction with new wider roads and multiple lanes.

Oh the contrast, remembering the early days of one lane winding up and down the mountain.

Alongside the highway, light rail construction is even more impressive.

Rising up and over the valley and stretching into the entrance to Jerusalem are new train tracks.

Driving south to Beer Sheva on Route 6 is also a sharp contrast to the old days of narrow roads.

Not only has SodaStream in the Negev grown in size,

but from barren sand, a new industrial park is growing next to the SodaStream complex.

The Beer Sheva ANZAC Museum opened two years ago in time for the 100 years commemorations.

Inside is a display of World War I military items, boots, hat, and a trumpet.

While our guide Colin explained the ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) role in the 1917 war in Palestine, I was fascinated by digital posters.

Why would these young, very young, Australian and New Zealanders travel halfway around the world to fight in a war so far away from home?

But they did enlist. And the Light Horsemen from Down Under came to assist the British army fight the Ottoman Empire.

Having toured Beer Sheva in the past, Allenby’s place in the story of Beer Sheva is well known.

However, the video in the ANZAC Museum was new.

Old black and white photos from World War I do not tell the story as effectively.

The war was not going well for the British army before the ANZACs arrived by boat with their magnificent horses.

Without water. In the desert heat with flies and sand and lice, the options were few and demanded immediate action.

They charged. Those crazy Aussies and Kiwis! Sorry, I could only get a blurry photo from the video, they were galloping too fast.

The Light Horsemen charged mounted on their prize horses to the surprise of Turkish soldiers – right at them, jumping over the shocked enemies heads and out of weapon range.

They made it to Beer Sheva, to the wells, which were found safe and intact.

The Australians lost 32 soldiers.

The New Zealanders lost 31 soldiers.

From the victory in Beer Sheva, the British forces went on to turn back the last of the Ottoman Empire, arriving in Jerusalem on December 9, 1917.

Each year on October 31, there is a memorial ceremony in Beer Sheva.

In 2017, there was a major 100-year ceremony and commemoration.

I thought it appropriate to take a minute to remember those young ANZAC soldiers who never made it back home.

Jerusalem Sukkot Highlights

October 23, 2019October 23, 2019Sharon A

The fall holiday season in Jerusalem, Israel, has come to a close.

Monday night, the Jerusalem streets from First Station to the Kotel, Western Wall, to the Gur Hassidic Center, and dozens of other locations were filled with live music and tens of thousands dancing with Torahs for Hakafot Shniot.

Tourists prepared to go back to their homes, as Jerusalem fall flowers were in full bloom.

In the first year of Reuven Rivlin’s presidency, there was no line on the street outside of Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence, for the annual Sukkah Open House.

This year 8,000 people came. For many, it was their first time inside the usually closed gates.

The theme in the President’s public sukkah was Israeli grapes.

Barrels of wine were in the sukkah this year, but no samples were offered. Artificial grapes hung from the top of the sukkah. A large wheelbarrow outside the sukkah was filled with a variety of grapes that were consumed before I thought to take a photo.

MK Zeev and Maria Elkin were at Beit Hanasi early for the intermediary days of Sukkot event.

Activities for children included making a Bar Kochba coin sponsored by the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem.

When President Rivlin made an appearance, he was surrounded by media.

Crowds were both outside and inside the main hall,

in the big sukkah,

and outside on the back lawn.

Crowds. Crowd control. Closed streets. All have becomes constants of Jerusalem holiday seasons.

Even late at night, tens of thousands of visitors walking to and from the Old City is a common Sukkot sight.

Families dressed in their best holiday clothing, day or night, head toward Jaffa Gate.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation announced that 2.5 million people visited the Kotel, Western Wall during the month.

Perhaps not the best, but surely the biggest etrog I saw, was the size of the man’s head.

The huge sukkah in Kikar Safra, Municipal Plaza, welcomed the public.

Free, live musical concerts attracted crowds to Kikar Safra on several nights.

The list of free and fundraising concerts and events in Jerusalem was long and diverse.

Day and night the sukkot lining the light rail tracks on Jaffa Road welcomed the tired and hungry .

One Jerusalem festival was set for holiday visitors.

The 11th Manofim Jerusalem Contemporary Art Festival opens soon,

followed in November by the Oud Festival for the 20th year.

The 4th Jerusalem Biennale which opened October 10 goes through November.

There are 14 locations, 200 artists and 500 works in this Jerusalem contemporary art event.

So I will end with another view of Rabbi Yitzchok Moully’s sukkah constructed of reflective plexiglass exterior panels at Heichal Shlomo.

So many photos from Jerusalem Biennale, it needs a post of its own. Coming soon.

So much happened over Sukkot holidays, so much more happening on Jerusalem streets.