The Cinema City mural, an all time favorite, for this week.
שבת שלום
Cinema City
Purim Old, New and Ignored in Jerusalem
Purim celebrations went on for days and days,
in Jerusalem, Israel.
As usual, the bus signs said, “Purim sameach.”
Families celebrated with carnivals and rides for the kids.
Groups like the scouts had loud parties.
For the first year in Cinema City an ice skating rink was open,
and this woman had her face painted to purrfection.
People in costumes,
and well, even this whatever it was.
There was a lot happening on the streets,
with people in a good mood having lot’s of fun.
Celebrations and huge meals,
and yes, many people drank too much.
News film crews were out
and got videos of drunken men on the street.
But, not one international film crew came on Purim
to the Israeli Foreign Ministry Building,
where for the first time, some Israelis working overseas
were able to vote in advance of the March 17 election.
A live feed from Tbilisi, Pretoria, New Delhi and Berlin,
showed some of the locations where diplomats were voting.
Israel Supreme Court Justice Salim Joubran,
chairman of the Central Elections Committee,
on Purim, Thursday, March 5, 2015,
visited the situation room in the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem
to observe the elections taking place at Israel’s diplomatic missions abroad.
A prominent Arab juridical figure overseeing Israeli elections,
discussed Israel’s being a democracy.
This topic may not fit the media narrative,
but it is what was happening in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem Cinema City Open
Hezbollah is escalating its activity near Syrian border.
The Israeli navy stopped an Iranian rocket shipment headed for Gaza,
from Syria around to Sudan, under a Panamanian flag!
Spending so much time and effort on terror makes sense to them?
Government foreign service workers are striking.
Hundreds of thousands of haredi protesters went home.
The Sandstorm from Egypt is finally over.
And the new Jerusalem Cinema City is open.
The area outside is landscaped with trees, flowers and signs.
Wish I knew why they used so many tall thin cypress trees?
Inside the fountain is flowing,
and huge chandeliers and bright floors shine.
The theaters are down, down under the ground.
The foot bridge is closed off for now,
but some shops are open.
There are plenty of ticket sellers with little to do,
and freezer case in the ice cream store is empty.
There seems to be something for everyone,
Uncle Sam wants you,
even Elvis wearing brown shoes, but with a blue guitar.
We used to use the expression “Bigger than Ben-Hur.”
But while I did not see him,
Moses is here with all Ten Commandments.
Outside on the roof is Noah with his ark and animals,
and colorful Smurfs too.
The Zipora Express restaurant was quite full and busy.
Unfortunately, not all the escalators were working.
I did a lot of walking up and down these steps,
but one woman was there with a walker.
So many lights, colors and busy stuff,
anyone with a seizure disorder should beware.
Actually, you could probably develop one if you walk around long enough.
Jerusalem, Israel, ‘city of lions’ has a new attraction.
Lights, action, camera, but for now, the theaters are closed on Shabbat.