Purim Colors in Jerusalem

It seems like ages ago, but Purim in Jerusalem, Israel, was celebrated this year on Thursday night and Friday.

Purim in Jerusalem family dressed in costumes

Families dressed up in costumes. In many neighborhoods they filled the streets as they went to synagogues, community centers, and hundreds of other locations for readings of Megillat Esther.

Purim for megila reading men in costumes

Not all participants dressed up, but many parents and children did, including the reader in this synagogue.

Pirate costume for Purim in synagogue

There were pirates below,

Purim costumes in Jerusalem Israel for megila reading

and fair damsels above. All quietly listened to the story of Esther and Mordechai and made noise when name of wicked Haman was read.

Jerusalem Purim costumes

Purim is a colorful time,

Rabbi Benny Lau poses in Purim costume with Yonks

with smiles a plenty.

Jerusalem Purim costume poop emoji

One never knows what costume you will find in Jerusalem on Purim,

Man dressed in costume pushing baby carriage.. Purim in Jerusalem

however, this man’s outfit stood out–and up–as he pushed the baby carriage up the street.

Tens of thousands were out on the Jerusalem streets on Friday. Some streets were filled with cars, and others were filled with celebrants, not all sober.

Purim costume little fireman Jerusalem Israel

Purim in Jerusalem is exciting enough to tire out even a fearless firefighter. The Purim marathon is finally over.

Jerusalem Marathon Finish line 2018

Now it is time to finish preparing for the Jerusalem Marathon on Friday, March 9, 2018.

Streets will be closed again and filled with colorful costumes as tens of thousands of runners and their supporters fill the Jerusalem, Israel streets.

Jerusalem Prepares for Purim

Purim is a big deal in Israel,

Especially in Jerusalem, where celebrations go on and on,

not for a day or two like the rest of world,

but starting at the beginning of the Hebrew month of Adar

and continuing for two weeks.

This year it has been hard to figure out,

what is real.

What is Purim nonsense?

What is satire?

What is a joke?

truck fro Israeli elections

 You can see trucks like this one driving around

all the time blasting happy music.

This van, however, is also promoting a political party running for Knesset seats.

No joke, and there is an official pot party too,

as in marijuana, in the race for our new government.

This year an Anglo Vote Event was held in Cinema City,

bugs bunner and goofy at Cinema City

 two of my favorite characters were with the hot chocolate cakes.

Some of the political parties were represented

and candidates answered questions in English.

As one friend noted, no female candidates were in attendance.

However, there is one new party where women do have a voice.

haredi women running for Knesset

Ruth Culian (right) and Noa Erez are two of four women

running in a new party of religious women,

בזכותן  B’Zehuton which means “in their merit.”

To their credit, this is trail-blazing effort.

It took a lot of guts for Ruth to go to law school

and start a political campaign in her community,

  maybe even more than for the Prime Minister

to make a speech in Washington, DC.

go in peace sign

.A sign wishing Bibi well was hung on the String Bridge.

There were more talking heads in the media,

for and against the speech,

than I could count.

Fromer ambassador Yoram Ettinger

Here former Ambassador Yoram Ettinger

was headed to the Jerusalem Press Club for one pre-speech debate.

The speech is over.

The Prime Minister is back,

but the talking is still going on and on.

And on the real streets,

the snow felt like ancient history, 

ice skating in Jerusalem

as a new ice skating rink opened in Cinema City.

cat resting in sun Jerusalem Israel streets

The cats enjoyed the warm weather,

flowers jerusalem

and wild flowers exploded in open spaces.

Purim treats

However, the real color and excitement was for Purim.

Purim costumes

 Children are wearing their costumes everywhere.

Adults wearing Micky Mouse ears while driving in cars.

People dressed in wild outfits and

crazy hats while eating in restaurants.

Most anything can be seen this week on the streets,

at least through Shushan Purim and the weekend,

we can assume it is all in the holiday spirit.

purim samech

Happy Purim.

Jerusalem Knights Back in Saddle for Old City Festival

The Jerusalem Knights Festival is back again in the Old City.

Since attending the Jerusalem Knights first night,

I have tried to return each year to see what is new and different.

image Jerusalem Knights, photo people blowing horns, oto

These trumpets and trumpeters greeted visitors

as they approached the Walls of the Old City at the Jaffa Gate.

image inside Jaffa GAte

Upon entering  Jaffa Gate

image dancing girls, Jerusalem knights festival

the plaza was filled with dancing-girls and spectators.

image actor in medivial costume

Many actors were positioned along the route,

image actor in costume, photo old costume and cell phone. man using cell phone picture

but this gladiator with his cell phone has to be my favorite photo.

spider costume photo, image man dressed in costume.

Some costumes were unusual, 

image knights festival. photo stage

and others like these Medieval fashion show costumes

were hard to see, as crowds blocked the view of the stage.

Young children on shoulders have a distinct advantage at this event.

image walls Old City , photo fire, picture Old City walls night

However, this man with a lit torch on top of the walls was easy to see,

 everyone who looked up could see the fire show.

image clown, photo clown, picture jester in costume

Many performances, like this clown act and jugglers,

entertained the thousands of young children who attended.

image sign in Old City, picture Jerusalem signs, photo Jerusalem Knights

The route this year was both through and around the Armenian Quarter, 

sparing the residents of the Christian and Jewish Quarters

the noise of four consecutive Thursday nights,

with thousands of people outside their windows late into the night.

image people posing for picturs

These photo-ops were not just for the kids.

image old instruments, picture old musical intstruments

Medieval musical instruments

image old intstruments., picture medical musical instruments, photo old musical instrument

were featured at more than one site.

Old City walls, image festival, photo Jerusalem knights

Movies screened on the walls of the Old City in Gan Habonim

could never have been predicted by Medieval seers.

iamge old city, photo knights, picture Jerusalem

There were live shows with plenty of tacky costumes,

image man on horse, photo knight

but beautiful real horses.

two men on horses, knights on horses photo, picture real horses

There were also knights in not-so shining armor jousting,

image Old City, photo out side walls old city

colorful lights, the Gravita aerial-acrobats,

and a Knights’ Pub with a bar with real wine.

Though there are those who oppose the idea,

 once again thousands and thousands of people

were out on the Jerusalem, Israel, streets, enjoying the experience.

The last night of Knights, is Thursday night, November 21.