Beit Hanasi – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, Raise Your Glass

Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, Raise Your Glass

September 19, 2017Sharon A

In Jerusalem, Israel, it seems everyone is

is getting into the holiday mood,

as Rosh Hashanah,

the Jewish New Year, approaches.

Finally on Sunday, it felt cooler, as

I was at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence

and noticed this new arrangement in the front garden.

Major renovations have been underway for months,

both outside and inside the building.

But the mess of construction has not interrupted

holiday preparations or official receptions.

The flower arrangements included a fake pomegranate,

as the First Lady and the wife of Chief of Staff of the IDF

hosted 30 lone soldiers.

It was a rather modest event,

with the highlights of the day being Walter’s outfit

and this box for soldiers’ cell phones to be deposited during the program.

The program was held in the formal meeting room,

with a group photo at its conclusion.

Then on Monday, it was back to Beit Hanasi again

where glass pieces had completed this design.

At the President’s reception for foreign Ambassadors

business cards were exchanged and

newly arrived diplomats from around the world met.

There was no comparison to the simple food served the day before.

It was disappointing that the US Ambassador was back in the US,

but Egyptian Ambassador Hazem Khairat

and Jordanian Ambassador Walid Obeidat

were seated in the front row

and greeted me later with “Shanah tovah.”

The holiday treats were impressive

enough for Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely

to take a photo of them on her cell phone.

Israelis do take “raising a glass’ seriously,

from lone soldiers to diplomats,

businesses and organizations,

reception after reception,

l’Chaim,

to celebrate Jewish New Year.

I finally got used to year 5777,

and now it’s changing to 5778

Shanah tovah

Good New Year to all.

Presidential Visit Trumps Jerusalem Day

Presidential Visit Trumps Jerusalem Day

May 24, 2017Sharon A

Jerusalem, Israel,

prepared for Yom Yerushalayim,

Jerusalem Day,

with large Israeli flags draped on old buildings,

and painted across the modern light rail trains.

The footbridge over Derech Hevron, Hebron Road,

was covered by a long Israeli flag on one side

and the Jerusalem city flag on the other.

School trips this time of year are a common sight.

But this year,

US President Donald Trump was visiting.

US and Israeli flags flew over the King David Hotel

where the Presidential entourage secured the entire building.

Big red signs lined King David Street, warning of closings.

By Tuesday,

only a bird could move freely around the area.

Now a beautiful, prosperous and popular neighborhood,

from 1948-1967

Yemin Moshe – Mishkanot Sha’ananim, and the King David Hotel,

were on the border of No Man’s Land

and in the sights of Jordanian snipers.

This bollard was left as an example of the old security measures.

For this presidential visit, metal barriers lined

the route of the motorcade.

It was a good week for the people who rent metal barriers

and these fancier barriers too,

but many local businesses suffered from the street closures.

The first stop in Israel for the US Presidential visit

was at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s residence.

The red carpet was rolled out and covered to stay clean.

The media came early, and watched Air Force One

land in Ben Gurion Airport and waited.

I lost count of how many times the red carpet was cleaned.

Here is the signing of the official guest book,

the US delegation had not yet arrived.

But for the official speeches

everyone was in their assigned seats.

The Presidents and First Ladies went to the garden,

to see a tree planted in honor of the visit.

The ceremony was over,

and the Presidential motorcade sped off to the Kotel,

the Western Wall, for the next stop on a packed itinerary.

Pedestrians were permitted to start walking.

But not even this official Israeli limo could leave until

the buses blocking the roads were given permission to move.

Most of the US Presidential visit was live-streamed,

so you can find it all on line.

For the grande finale,

after what seemed like dozens of Israeli police helicopters flying over,

a military helicopter flight parade started,

accompanying Marine One

and ending with more helicopters and flares.

I have not seen the official number of helicopters,

but they were noisy and flew in a long convoy over

Jerusalem, Israel, as they escorted the

US Presidential visitors away.

Now, back to flags

and Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, and major celebrations

marking 50 years after the Six-Day War victory

and the liberation of the Old City from Jordanian rule.

What a week to be on the Jerusalem streets!

Oh Jerusalem, Lag B’Omer to Yom Yerushalyim

Oh Jerusalem, Lag B’Omer to Yom Yerushalyim

May 17, 2017May 17, 2017Sharon A

In Jerusalem, Israel, some bonfires started after Shabbat,

while others began Sunday night and Monday.

Lag B’Omer seemed less intense this year.

Some hide inside from the smoke and close their windows,

and I was one of the insiders.

On Monday morning many children had no school,

which was great timing for a free Museum Day.

Though Monday was warm and windy,

this father went biking with his children.

I saw fewer fires at night burning near us,

but these ashes looked like a party the night before.

No reports of serious damage is always good,

and the sirens this week were not all bad.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine went by in this noisy motorcade.

Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence,

was busy as usual with foreign and local guests.

On Monday, history was made,

when the first female Qadi, Sharia Judge,

was sworn in by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked.

Then on Tuesday, new ambassadors to Israel

presented their credentials, the first one of the day was Thailand.

The Israel Police Band played anthems, however,

even the new Spanish Ambassador received only minimal attention.

Most cameras were focused on new US Ambassador David Friedman

as he presented his credentials to President Rivlin.

As Hatikvah played, Friedman started to sing,

but after a few words, his lips stopped moving.

These red warning signs are up lining the street,

in Hebrew, and English ones too.

US President Donald Trump is to come next week.

Then we will see roads closed and traffic stopped.

This week Jerusalem is preparing to celebrate 50 years united,

with special Jerusalem flags,

in multiple ways and locations,

with music going late into the night.

Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day,

is on May 24, 2017, the 28 of Iyar.

The main event is set for May 21, 2017, at 8:30 pm,

here by the walls of the Old City,

but we are to have a US Presidential visit.

So many festivals, visitors and events,

it is hard to keep track,

stay tuned for what happens next on the Jerusalem streets.