Jerusalem Time and Travel

Constantly, I find myself saying time goes faster in Jerusalem.

Certainly, the news cycle is hard to keep up with from week to week, or day to day – sometimes even minute to minute.

I remember this first image I took with my new camera was in the Knesset.

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It was the day the casket of Yitzhak Shamir z”l was placed in the Chagall Hall, the main room of the Knesset Building, a historic event to remember.

Interesting timing.

“Today we mark nine years since the passing of the seventh prime minister, the late Yitzhak Shamir. We all recognize Yitzhak as a man of the Greater Land of Israel, a man of vision and action, who devoted his entire life to the state – in the underground, the Mossad, the Knesset, and the government” mentioned new Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in the official statement released from his first convened cabinet meeting. “Shamir, together with Peres, established the first national unity government in 1984, and they knew how to bring ideological rivals around the government table.”

As the time of his seven-year term comes to an end, President Reuven Rivlin announced last night an official trip to the US. An invitation from President Biden to meet on June 28th at the White House was hard to refuse for the Israeli President.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz has approved the extension of IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi’s term for another year. Finally, Kohavi’s is traveling to the US, on a trip that was postponed due to the situation of those rockets from Gaza.

The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra is on its way to perform in Germany.

President Juan Orlando Hernández Alvarado of Honduras is on his way to visit Israel.

The skies are opening up. Missions to Dubai keep flying.

People are anxious to get away, as schools (oh that year zoomed by!) begin long summer holidays. Some are already heading to the beach, some out of Israel now that travel is somewhat easier.

For me it’s been awhile since watching the sun rise over the Kinneret.

Things are beginning to happen again on the Jerusalem streets

Signs are up, Jerusalem summer festivals are returning this week!

Jerusalem, Israel, Festival opens at the Jerusalem Theater, with President Rivlin’s participation at a performance in memory of poet Yehuda Amichai. Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Lion is also scheduled to attend on Monday night.

The Mekudeshet Festival is on in Abu Tor for three more events with free enterance.

The Hansen House is to host Runaway Circus on its grounds July 1-8th.

Jerusalem Jazz Festival, then the wine and beer are coming back too.

The official Hebrew Book Week is over. However, online programs are ongoing for book sales and author events. Plus, there are to be events for children, teens, and adults at municipal libraries.

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The mess near the Prime Minister’s Official Residence is gone! This Shabbat for the first time in a very long time, it was quiet. Without the march of noisy protesters, I could leave my window open and see the beautiful clouds over the city as the sun was beginning to go below the horizon.

Looks like I spoke too soon!

The barriers were back today. Part of Balfour Street is still closed.

Also in his remarks, Bennett included: “The next-to-last point. Last week we witnessed coronavirus outbreaks in two schools and the infection of dozens of pupils. This stemmed from a failure to stick to quarantine by people returning from abroad and the professional assessment – and this is not yet certain – is that this is the Indian variant. Last night we held a focused discussion and the relevant ministers will hold an assessment along with the professional elements and the National Security Council about both the Indian variant and procedures for entering and leaving the country.”

Two weeks ago, then Health Minister Yuli Edelstein announced the end of the requirment of wearing masks with Prime Minister Netanayhu at his last big public event at the Jerusalem Theater. Since then, the government has changed. Benjamin Netanyahu is head of the Oppostion. Edelstein had time to go to the beach on Friday with his wife and post a photo on social media.

If you missed the post on Jerusalem Flag Dance and Parade, please take time to see what really happened on the Jerusalem streets. Damascus Gate was completely cleared before those with Israel flags were allowed to enter.

Police did an exceptional job in avoiding confrontations last week.

The press area included a significant number of women in hijabs.

It’s how you set up and crop the photo – a positive or negative event.

In Jerusalem, time and time again, one small provocation recorded on mobile phones can travel so much faster than the real story.

The Jerusalem municipality announced, Gan HaSoos, The Horse Garden, near the first location of the Knesset is to get a new look. The original name of the garden was “Menorah Garden” because of the menorah placed by the old Knesset building, before the Knesset moved to its present location.

Jerusalem Israel park with horse stature and Windows

The current name of the park, “The Horse Garden”, was given to it after the “Peace Horse” statue which was presented to the city in 1997, by the Slovenian government on the occasion of the city’s 3,000th-anniversary celebrations. The park was the site of the popular “Windows” exhibit, only two years ago, as part of the Mekedeshet Festival.

Two years ago, before corona, time is a blur, seems like so long ago.

This week synagogue services met again – inside without the dividers. The Great Synagogue is open and announced they are ready to host weddings and other celebrations again.

Here’s to hoping in a short time to see you all on the Jerusalem streets.

Remembering Tomorrow 2011

It is too hot to be outside.

The news of more terror attacks from Egypt are distressing.

The reports of the Egyptian presidential results are depressing.

The fourth Israeli Presidential Conference – Facing Tomorrow 2012,

opens at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem tomorrow.

So today seemed like a good time to remember last year’s conference.

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At the opening press conference President Shimon Peres called Shakira 

“Sharika”…I still have to stop and think, so as not to repeat the mistake.

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On the opening night, Sarah Silverman stole the show,

showing that she was a comedian with brains.

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Rabbi Jonathan Sacks called anti-Semitism a virus:

the oldest virus of hate that is spread today by the internet.

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“Holocaust happens when language debases happenings,” he warned.

History shows hate begins with Jews, but it does not end with them.

A year later his words are even more insightful.

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I spotted President Shimon Peres more than once

moving quickly from session to session.

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Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales was a featured speaker.

It is still distressing to me that some Arabic entries found in Wikipedia,

  are very different from the English ones.

In Arabic, the only connection of the Jews to the “Wailing Wall”

is that they tried to buy it twice and failed.

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Popular ‘Dr Ruth’ Westheimer often got stopped in the halls.

She is on the schedule again this year.. and yes, she really is short.

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A favorite of mine were the students from the Hebrew University labs.

  Those doing studies on the blind loved to show

their sensor invention that makes a walking stick obsolete.

Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu was one

of the speakers at the conclusion of the conference.

At some popular sessions there were lines waiting to enter,

and once inside the room there was standing room only.

Lucky for me Mohammad Dajani got up and walked out 

"photo Nir Barkat", "image Jerusalem mayor'. Picture mayor Jerusalem"

 when Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat spoke of his vision for Jerusalem,

so I got a seat in the crowded room.

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Facing Tomorrow… more on Tomorrow 2012 tomorrow.

Facing Tomorrow, Closing

‘Conversion-Who Keeps the Gate for the Jewish Nation’,

 was one of the closing sessions that confronted controversal subjects

at the 2001 Israeli Presidential Conference.

 ‘The Israeli Palestinian Peace Process:

How far away are we from a Peaceful Tomorrow?’ was another.

One of the participants, Mohammad Dajani has published material on Jerusalem.

Was he the one who walked out the previous day,

when Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat began to speak on ‘My Vision of Jerusalem’?

Dr. Ruth Westheimer is not controversial, as everyone seems to love

Dr Ruth and wants to be photographed with her.

 ‘Where is Jewish Philanthropy Headed’ attracted a large crowd,

however, there were plenty of seats at ‘The Jewish Dimension of a Peace Agreement’.

From opening to closing, the Hebrew University hosted exhibits,

with enthusiastic students anxious to show off their impressive research.

When it was time for the Closing Plenary in Teddy Hall,

everyone had to leave the building and reenter

 through multiple layers of security checks.

Plenty of jokes in the slow line about the great photo opportunities, but

I decided to not to take pictures as security does not always have sense of humor.

Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyhu was the first speaker, followed by

 Natan Sharansky, who was not thrilled to have to speak in English right after Bibi.

In closing, President Shimon Peres got in the last word,

however he repeated much of what he had said earlier in the day to the bloggers.

Not exactly the real streets, but as in the game of Monopoly, to land on

  Park Place or Park Lane, in the British version, can be fun for a change.

After the singing of Hatikva, buses took everyone back to their hotels.

Summer is here and school’s out.

A delivery man was almost lynched in an Arab neighborhood near Hebrew University.

Police were busy last night with demonstrators burning tires

that closed the main road into Jerusalem and caused rush hour chaos.

Flotillas and Glen Beck are their on the way.

‘Cottage’ is still a crisis, goods are high and salaries low.

The doctors’ strike keeps getting bumped to the back page.

It was great to see old friends and make new ones,

but there is always something happening on the Jerusalem streets

and as Sarah Silverman said in a TV interview, Israel has “crappy pr”.

So it’s time to get back to the real Jerusalem streets.

 

More photos on The Real Jerusalem Streets Facebook Page