attractive tourist destination – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Purim, Shushan Purim, Crazy Time in Jerusalem

March 24, 2019Sharon A

There’s Purim as we know it in most of the rest of world.

Then there’s Shushan Purim that is celebrated on the following day in Jerusalem, Israel.

Purim goes on and on and on, and this year it went right into Shabbat on Friday evening.

This Purim Sameach sign was hanging on the wall at an army base, above the tables set for their celebration.

Thousands of Israel security personnel received mishloah manot, gift bags with treats, and letters written by children from around the world expressing appreciation for their service in defense of Israel. This has become an annual project for multiple organizations.

Hamantashen galore are an annual sign of Purim.

A reading of Megilat Esther in First Station has become an annual event.

Children dress in costumes for the night time reading all over the world.

Purim masks vary from year to year.

Sometimes it is hard to decide who is in a Purim costume and who is not?

And some costumes are inside jokes, too long to explain.

For some hats make their Purim costume.

This year the beret of new Beit Shemesh Mayor Aliza Bloch became a popular costume in Beit Shemesh, and in Jerusalem as well.

The Scroll of Esther was read from a real scroll in hundreds of Jerusalem locations.

Also, collecting money for the poor and remembering the half shekel of old are annual important customs around the world.

But on the Jerusalem streets there were all sorts of characters running around.

Sadly, some of the best were moving too fast to photograph.

One family was dressed to go out of this world. But they were left holding their children’s space helmets, which were not allowed to be worn on this moon bounce.

The Purim Carnival celebration burgers looked good, but what a shame! I heard that the power went out soon after I left.

Unicorns were popular this year, for all ages.

Smiles at Purim parties were easy to find.

However, deciding which doctor to consult could have posed a problem.

One royally dressed friend wanted to show off her glam outfit under her coat.

Purim in Jerusalem means wings and ears,

and lots of colors,

tall hats,

and even sushi ones.

Little Purple Riding Hood going to Gramma’s house?

Festive meals went all day on Friday, some going straight into Shabbat.

Purim on Friday is not my favorite, it feels so strange.

All week costumes have been spotted on Jerusalem streets, as these young women pose for a photo at a Jerusalem bus stop.

But not to worry, there will be no boring days now that the Marathon and Purim are finally over.

Signs are up for the Jerusalem Arts Festival.

The Art and Brain Festival at Cinematheque is back again this week.

I do not need the Fly Over Birds Festival to be aware of bird migration, as they are outside my window chirping away loudly before dawn.

Clocks are changing on March 29, so being tired is a certainty.

And the annual Sounds of Night Festival is next week.

However, one last time until next year…

Purim sameach! Happy Purim!

Jerusalem Marathon Highlights

March 20, 2019Sharon A

Early Friday morning on March 15, 2019, 40,000 runners filled the Jerusalem, Israel, streets for the 9th International Jerusalem Winner Marathon.

Thousands from around the world came to run in the full marathon and other races.

Streets were closed for these athletes with blue tags for full marathon.

The full Jerusalem marathon runners seemed to keep coming.

Emergency teams were in place, but I did not hear any reports of serious injury.

Some of the runners dressed up as superheroes.

Oops, this motorcycle lead for the half marathon first place went by so quickly.

I missed him coming, and only got a shot after he whizzed past.

But second place was not far behind and here he is coming into the home stretch.

This year I decided to take fewer photos, so I missed the rest of the half marathon runners.

International media covered the event, here is one doing an interview in Arabic.

The flags of the eighty participating countries are flying along the route to starting line. This year for the first time there was a Syrian flag.

Heavy rains the day before of the marathon blocked view of Jaffa Gate.

Mayor Moshe Lion and dignitaries had to pose inside with elite runners.

Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, was one big mud patch, but the sun was shining and temperature cool and pleasant for the races.

Key areas were covered, like this area near the stage where the first place medals were awarded.

The Jerusalem Marathon is always more than a competition for the fastest running.

Team Shalva had teen participants from US schools, among its hundreds of supporters. Shalva raises large sums each year from this event.

Other nonprofits and charities had teams and booths in the park.

Teams from Camp HASC and AMIT, and over 100 good causes, come year after year.

One new team this year was Lion of Tzion. These young people organized to run to raise money to buy a food truck in memory of Ari Fuld z”l to take food and treats to IDF soldiers.

Trampolines were set up in the park as one of the activities for families, and at an early hour it was not crowded.

But in spite of weather the day before, and in spite of the mud in the park, runners and their supporters came.

For the new ninja, there was a long line waiting for a turn.

Media was waiting for the full marathon winner to arrive and cross the finish line.

There were two main finish lines, the one in the park was only for the full marathon,

while the long list of other races end at the other locations outside of the park.

This was the crowd waiting to greet the marathon winner.

New Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion was ready at the finish line for a photo op.

Mayor Lion stood waiting for the winner, front and center.

So center, with the medal in his hand, the mayor blocked my view of both the first and second place finishers.

All the first place runners were from Kenya this year.

But there was more action at the starting lines and the other finish lines.

The starting line was out of the park and up the hill toward the Israel Museum and Knesset.

At the various starts there was a burst of energy and excitement.

For years I tried to get a photo of former Mayor Nir Barkat.

This year I did not try and there he was with the green tag to the right.

So many smiles and such excitement, this woman was with a group from Hong Kong.

Thousands waited for their starts, over and over, every 15 minutes for the 10K races.

There was also a special 5K track for a family friendly, slower paced walk.

The finish line for the 10K runners was impressive.

People were pushing baby strollers.

Also there were runners pushing wheelchairs in various races.

Seems each year, one person I find at start and finish. I was not looking for him this year, but there was Nir Barkat.

Runners were still arriving as people were slowly walking home.

Full marathon runners were arriving to Gan Sacher on this newly finished path.

Hundreds of volunteers were cleaning up thousands of water bottles along the route.

The Jerusalem Winner Marathon has become more than an annual sports competition.

Each year I go back, and say I will take fewer photos, but do not succeed.

Here are two examples of why I spend hours walking and sharing this event.

One their way to the midday family run, I met up with one family.

Big brother gave his medal for finishing the 5K run to his little brother.

And with all the tens of thousands of runners at the finish line, some seem more special.

Team spirit. Family spirit. A day of unity. Am Yisrael Chai.

Some smiles were more special than others, races were not about who came in first.

Finally – with posting this, my Jerusalem Marathon is over for this year.

Now time to get ready for next marathon!

Crazy Purim in Jerusalem, check out official events HERE

Are you up to more Jerusalem Marathon, check out photos HERE and HERE

March Madness Jerusalem Style

March 13, 2019Sharon A

In the United States March Madness means the college basketball championship playoffs.

In Jerusalem, Israel, March Madness has a very different meaning.

First there is the weather, which is constantly changing and so hard to predict.

This year with heavy rainfalls, low lying areas are full of water days after a storm.

Outdoor activities have to be re-planned. One rainy afternoon we went to the Israel Museum.

Loved the sunset view from inside the museum.

March madness means Purim is coming, with costumes, treats of sweets, and parties galore.

Special Megillot Esther, scrolls with the story of Purim, are on display in the museum.

Of many sizes, from small to this large illuminated one, both of these stand out in the collection.

This case contains special noise makers that are used to block out the name of Haman as Megillat Esther is read at night and again in the morning of Purim.

Across the corridor from these noise makers and the Jewish holiday collections is a special exhibit on Rambam, Maimonides.

Thirteen handwritten, works of the Rambam are displayed in a dark room, in special cases, including this one from Germany, from 1355-56, written in ink, with tempre and gold leaf.

From the early 1300’s, a handwritten Guide of the Perplexed, also illustrated.

The Kaufmann Mishnah Torah, dated 1295-96, is also in the impressive collection.

From the calm of the Israel Museum, back to madness.

It is impossible to keep up with the number of international conferences.

Over 18,000 people from 183 countries were registered for Jerusalem innovation conference Our Crowd. The crowded halls and spaces of the Jerusalem International Conference Center were at times packed with people moving from speaker to event. The room for the panel on cannabis was closed after capacity was reached. The lines for Beyond Burger, a plant meat substitute, were just mad, hard to believe how long people waited while other food stations had no lines. I ate waffles, never got a bite of burger. More photos HERE

State Comptrollers from Europe and Asia are meeting at an official gathering this week in Jerusalem. A delegation visited Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence and received a brief tour of the gardens and its history before meeting with President Rivlin.

The Innovative TV Conference (intv) brought television executives from around the world to Jerusalem for two days at the YMCA on King David Street.

Overlapping for its first day with intv, the DIGITELL19, also was at the YMCA, before taking off to Mitzpe Ramon in the south, and then going to Tel Aviv.

One of the sessions at YMCA for DIGITELL19 was ‘Xtream Marketing’ presented by SodaStream’s Matti Yahav, Chief Marketing Officer. The conference sponsored by the Ministry of Strategic Affairs brought an international group of pro-Israel social activists together. I only took a few photos. The “secret sauce” for SodaStream, the 4 ‘Ps’ is here, but some of participants were also a secret, so I only posted a few on Facebook HERE.

Most of the conferences do not involve the real streets. However, the upcoming Israeli election is hard to avoid. A visit to the Israeli Elections Committee Logistic Center was interesting.

As messages from various political parties invade our phones and homes, in this building in Modiin Industrial Park in Shoham, the boxes for election polling stations are being packed.

Each box has everything down to the paper clips counted out and sealed. Work goes on 24/6 to be ready to deliver before the April election day.

Notice the new boxes being made to accommodate the 46 political parties, plus one blank ballot for a write-in option.

After the election 250 tons of paper will be recycled. No politics here, just posting the logistical madness.

If you are interested in knowing more about the various parties, their names, ages and positions.. check out a clever voting guide – HERE

But, before Purim, before elections….

The Jerusalem Winner Marathon is running on March 15th!

Runners are training on the streets. Landscaping and paving along route is going at a mad pace to finish before the 40,000 runners from 80 countries start to line up at 6:45 am.

Jerusalem schools are closed. Museums in the area are closed on Friday, as they are near the starting point of the marathon.

The Bloomfield Science Museum is closed on Friday for marathon, but in honor of PI day, on Thursday afternoon, is open and free.

Marathon direction signs are posted along the routes where Jerusalem streets will be closed from 5:00 am until after 1:00 pm.

March Madness Jerusalem style gets really going after the marathon.

For Purim one never knows what or who one will find on the Jerusalem, Israel streets.

This year the city has a long list of events planned all week.

The day Purim is over, the Passover marathon begins, from March Madness to Passover Panic.

Where to go and what to do with so much happening Jerusalem streets!?