In Jerusalem, the year ends with colors and candles

It’s the end of December, the end of the Hebrew month of Kislev, and the end of 2024.

It’s been a difficult year with war raging against Israel on so many fronts.

I lived in the northeastern United States, and after the amazing autumn colors disappeared with the falling leaves, December was not only cold but dark and dreary.

See what’s on the Jerusalem streets – more than the yellow ribbons and protests.

Winter in Jerusalem, Israel, though some tree branches are bare, it’s easy to find bursts of color.

I love that you can still find white roses blooming in late December.

These orange aloe flowers are another favorite sight along the Jerusalem streets.

The bright colors contrast against the blue sky during the day, an annual winter delight.

The blue and white flags with colored army unit flags are new, a sad reminder of this year’s events.

But for Hanukkah, the lights are out to brighten up the Jerusalem streets at night.

Candles and colors started inside homes on Wednesday, the first night of Hanukkah.

An oil Hanukkah menorah was in a restaurant window in a Jerusalem mall on the first night.

On the second night, we had the annual family Hanukkah get-together.

My holiday-themed Hanukia menorah-shaped cookie and dreidel-shaped cake were not as colorful.

This is the potato latke kugel – at least I got a before photo. The chaotic commotion, with most of the family together, ended up with no posed photo of the table before or the people after.

Coming from the Ashkenazi culture in the US, potato latkes, those greasy fried potato pancakes, were the traditional holiday food for Chanukkah.

In Israel, we have adapted and adopted the sufganiyot, jelly-filled donuts as a holiday treat.

This year decorating the plain versions with piles of cream and colored candies was popular.

On Friday, I went to walk off some of the calories and check out the InPrint Festival at Hansen House.

InPrint Holiday Edition was much smaller than the Hansen House In Print ART Book Fair in January 2023.

However, a few people were still taking advantage of an activity near the closing on Friday afternoon.

The candles I had admired in many locations as decorations inside – had fake flames.

After Shabbat, the sufganiyot traditional donuts covered in white sugar with red jelly in the center,

and donuts with various frostings and fillings were real and served by the box.

Chabad Talbiya was back at Mamilla Mall after Shabbat on the fourth night for the 14th year.

The Solomon Brothers provided live music, while the family of fallen soldier Yosef Malachi Guedalia hy”d said the blessings and lit the large menorah.

A fourth night with flames and music and donuts in Jerusalem.

The crowd was packed in the mall and walking through was a challenge, so I stopped trying.

On the way home at Paris Square, the Chabad Rechavia lighting of the hanukiah and program had ended.

But a few steps away, the protesters were out near the Prime Minister’s official residence and the sign for 449 days with all the yellow flags and ribbons, a reminder of those denied freedom on this holiday–the celebration of freedom.

At Beit Hanasi, Israeli President’s Residence the electric hanukiah was lit for the fourth night.

There were private parties with music and colorful lights.

and signs thanking soldiers for their service along my way.

Schools are closed, but I liked this – “each one is a small light, and together we are a mighty light.”

The walls of the Old City were lit again each night.

However, I prefer one from nine years ago with Hanukkah music.

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New signs are up for more holiday activities. Now to decide what to do with so many choices.

Hope for you to see the colors and lights – next year in Jerusalem.

חנוכה שמח

Hanukkah sameach.

Hanukkah: See the Lights

Lining the Jerusalem streets on חנוכה. no matter how you spell it, are the Hanukka or Chanukah lights, as we shared last week,

This week’s post is again about lights, the Hanukiot, or Chanukah menorahs as we called the 8-branch candelabras in the United States, whether for candles or olive oil.

There is an electric hanukiah outside Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence, again this year.

Off Jerusalem hotel lobbies, there are hanukiot, ornate silver ones, and smaller ones for guests to light each night of Chanuka.

The Begin Center lobby also had a large hanukiah, with sufganiyot, donuts, nearby ready for the second night of Hanuka.

The Jerusalem Cinema City had a large Chabad menorah lit for the fifth night, it seems hundreds of their hanukiot fill the Jerusalem street corners.

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The large one in Mamilla Mall is back with music and a special lighting ceremony each night. I hope to get there for the eighth-night celebrations.

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If you eat in a Jerusalem restaurant, your meal may be delivered to the table only after the candles are lit, and restaurant patrons join in singing along with the staff who light the hanukiah.

But this year I was also in Tel Aviv and saw other hanukiot.

On the bus to the new ANU Museum of the Jewish People, I was impressed by this large billboard with a colorful menorah, selling toothpaste.

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In the museum, were many hanukiot with interesting designs and stories.

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The Statute of Liberty branches has an eagle on top.

Also, an eagle is on top of this 18th-century brass menorah originally in the Great Synagogue on Tlomackie Street, in Warsaw, Poland. The Polish symbol of the eagle was often placed on Judaica as a sign of gratitude and allegiance to the regime of the time.

In 1939, the rabbi and secretary of the synagogue buried the two hanukiot in a secret hiding place. After, they offered to sell the synagogue valuables to raise money for Polish citizens to be saved from the Nazis. Marguerite Wenner Gren of Stockholm bought the menorah for a large sum of money and later donated it to the state of Israel.

The synagogue built in 1878, was destroyed by the Nazis in 1943.

In the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, there is a replica of Shimon Peres’ office, in the display case along with the Nobel Peace Prize medal and soccer ball stands a silver hanukiah.

Being honored to light the Chanuka candles on the second night was a special moment for a Ukrainian mother and her son who found refuge in Israel.

Chabad was at the i24News studio on the fourth night to light the flames with Nitzan Chen, the head of the Government Press Office.

Chabad had more donuts and hanukiot to give away to those of us on the tour who wanted.

Besides the hanukiot and lights, sufganiyot have been seen in abundance – almost everywhere.

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In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the dessert display was hard to resist.

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It was a full and busy week, with highlights I plan to share in the future.

However, finally, I made it home for candle lighting before Shabbat.

The lights shine out to the Jerusalem streets to share the miracle of Chanuka.

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Again this year in Jerusalem, my mother lit the large silver menorah that my father bought many years ago. Yesterday, their neighbor in Virginia mentioned to me how he remembers the light from their menorah lit in the window when they lived across the street – almost 20 years ago.

Happy Hanukkah! חנוכה שמח

May the Hanukkah lights shine brightly.

Near and far, no matter where you are, Chanukah Sameach, Chag Urim Sameach from Jerusalem, Israel. May you see the lights, and have a great year in good health.

It’s Hanukkah in Jerusalem

Hanukkah is the time of miracles.

While some things were certainly not the same in Jerusalem, Israel, this year,

Jerusalem Liberty Bell Park autumn colors

there were the familiar winter colors in Liberty Bell Park.

Israeli Scouts build near their club house

The Jerusalem Scouts have finally returned and are building again near their moadon, clubhouse.

Israeli Antiquities in Jerusalem

Workers were even seen entering the National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel. After a grand opening in 2016, it was locked for a very long time.

GPO Jewish Media Summit Zoom panel

The Jewish Media Summit was held on December 8, and was a Zoom event this year.

In the past, UN Ambassador Danny Danon brought UN Ambassadors to see Israel, but this pandemic year he will settle for hosting them on Wednesday – online.

I am remembering that a year ago at the Jerusalem Biennale ziara was the theme of the large exhibit in the YMCA.  Ziara: Moroccan Common Wisdom, was curated by Amit Hai Cohen. Along with seventeen other artists of Moroccan descent, the display included a wide range of contemporary pieces. The Moroccan heritage of ziara, the feeling of home, contrasts greatly with other Arab countries where Jews were persecuted and expelled, and this week Israel and Morocco announced that they will reopen their liaison offices and in time, establish diplomatic relations. Expect travel to increase to Morocco, as well as to the United Arab Emirates.

Danny Danon said today that he expects more countries to announce they will establish relations with Israel before January 20. There’s clearly a new paradigm in the Middle East.

Hanukiah in Jerusalem near Museum of Tolerance and Friends of Zion Museum

With Jerusalem under coronavirus restrictions and rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, I was afraid that I wouldn’t get new photos for Hanukkah, like these favorites, a huge menorah from an inner Jerusalem city plaza,

Hanukia on top of Hadar Mall for sixth night of Hanukkah

or this one on top of Hadar shopping mall.

But I was wrong!

No tiny viral bug was going to stop lights on Hanukkah in Jerusalem.

Western Wall menorah lighting first night of Hanukkah 2020 corona restricted

Attendance at the lighting of the large golden menorah near the Kotel, Western Wall, is restricted, but accessible to all online. On the first night, people were divided into socially distanced sections, with live music, and the Chief Sephardic Rabbi lit the oil lamps.

Jaffa Gate large menorah on Hanukkah with Tower of David in background

The traditional large Hanukah menorah is back near Jaffa Gate.

Without international tourists due to corona, popular sites are not crowded as usual.

However, again Jerusalem is encouraging Israelis to come and visit.

Jerusalem streets signs to Celebrate Hanukkah in Jerusalem

Signs are up for celebrating Hanukkah in Jerusalem – check the website – HERE

Large Menorah near Jerusalem Nayot Park for Hanukkah

Public Hanukkah lightings are held nightly, (well the sign says 4:30 pm) here at Nayot Park, and multiple other community outdoor locations.

But in Jerusalem, even private homes have their menorahs or chanukiot, on display, here on an outer gate to a Jerusalem street, for all to see the lights.

So what’s new?

Two young men walk by Tzahal Square new Hanukkah menorah in background

There’s a large modern chanukiah near the walls of the Old City.

Hanukah menorah in flower bed near Jerusalem Bloomfield Garden

A floral menorah with a dreydel on each side near Bloomfield Park and the Montefiore Windmill. Plus, I hear there is also another on the Tayelet.

Jerusalem traffic circle Hanukkah menorah for holiday

And on Jerusalem traffic circles,

Hanukkah menorah in restaurant table, outside as restaurant closed for COVID10

even with restaurants closed now, there was one on the street where people could take out food and eat outside.

Jerusalem street signs to keep city clean

There are new signs to keep Jerusalem streets clean! That yellow thing is a banana peel and a plastic bottle was on another.

Man sitting in new Jerusalem outdoor area

There are multiple new areas to encourage sitting and enjoying nature.

Three young actresses performing on street theaters closed

With theaters closed during this pandemic year, three young actresses from Nurit Katzir Theater were performing on Jaffa Road on Friday.

So far the weather in Jerusalem has been pleasant to get out and about.

This year, Nes Gadol Haya Po, a special concert for Hanukkah by the Jerusalem Symphony will be broadcast online at 9:00 pm IT, December 15, details can be found HERE.

Restrictions due to coronavirus have limited inside gatherings, but have not stopped Hanukkah celebrations on the Jerusalem streets.

Even in a pandemic, there are plans for the annual candle lighting each night in Mamilla Mall, and tonight there is an event at First Station.

Now is a good time to remember, the famous menorah at Yad Vashem:

Hanukkah menorah display in Yad Vashem of photo and real menorah from Germany with Nazi flag in background

In 1932, Rachel Posner wrote in German, on the back of her photograph, “Their flag wishes to see the death of Judah, but Judah will always survive, and our light will outlast their flag.” In 1934, the Posners left Kiel, Germany for Israel.
Man and daughter looking at Hanukkah menorah outside

From generation to generation, the Hanukkah candles lit up dark nights.

Jerusalem is hosting events all week, hope to get out at night to the see.

https://youtu.be/4gFfRaR2XyM

The light projections and music near Jaffa Gate from 2016 were special.

Happy Hanukah poster color projection on wall of Jerusalem Old City near Jaffa Gate in 2016.

We still have 5 more nights of Hanukkah. Check back next week to see the best of Hanukkah on the Jerusalem streets.

Meanwhile, stay well.

חג חנוכה שמח