Hanukkah – Holiday of Lights

 Hanukkah is called Chag Ha’Urim, the Holiday of Lights.

Haunkiah at Kotel, Menorah at western Wall , Wailing Wall

 At the Kotel, the Western Wall, is one of the most famous hanukiot.

One of my favorite things in Jerusalem at this time of year

is that the usually shuttered windows at night-time

Jerusalem at Hanukkah time

are opened to show the burning candles.

oil menorahs, Jerusalem photos chanukah

 They are wide open to let the Hanukkah lights shine out to the street.

menorah in window, Jerusalem photo

At this yeshiva, there were hundreds of lights burning,

oil menorahs, Jerusalem photo tours

wow, they use a lot of olive oil.

The view in the windows upstairs in the Bet Midrash,

Menorah, Jerusalem photo tour

 revealed the main celebration.

We not only saw the light, but also heard the music on the street below.

Jerusalem photography tour, candle lighting, oil menorahs, chanukios

May the special beauty of the Hanukkah lights from Jerusalem, Israel 

spread throughout the world.

Chaukah candle lighting, Jerusalem photography tour

Chodesh tov and Shabbat shalom

decorated Hanukkah cake, a great miracle happened here, Jerusalem photography tour

Hanukkah sameach!

Happy Hanukkah!

Muslim Rage and Yom Kippur in Jerusalem

Tens of thousands of Muslims have been killed in Syria, 

and thousands more rioted around the world “about a movie.”

I wasted 13 minutes of my life watching this awful thing,

please save your time, I am being very generous to call it a movie.

A judge in Jerusalem, Israel ruled that Google does not have to take it down.

Too bad that over 11,000,000 people have viewed this poorly acted,

badly dubbed, lowest-budget piece of vulgar junk.

It is sad to think about how many better ways to use all that time.

If so many people did not die and so much damage wasn’t caused,

it might be considered funny.

In Jerusalem, Israel it is a time of feasting, fasting and food shopping,

so what about Muslim rage?

Supermarkets are usually crowded, crazy places at this time of year.

I hate going shopping, but big meals have to be prepared for the holidays.

While I was trying to decide on what kind of canned olives to buy,

niqab

two Muslim women dressed in hijab and one with niqab

covering her face were in the same aisle.

Arab women regularly shop in stores in many areas of the city,

 no surprise about that.

niqab

However, the young woman in niqab was also wearing long black gloves.

Often Muslim women cover their arms and wrists, but fingers too?

This was the first time I had seen such a thing, not only did it get 

  my attention, but also that of an Arab man working in the store.

Stores have lots of security checks for bags and people,

but what was happening on the streets?

Arab women

In Mamilla Mall, Muslim couples were strolling about as usual.

Arab girls

These Arab girls had a big crisis: deciding where to eat lunch,

arab girls

but these Muslim women picked a different restaurant.

Going to the Old City, near the entrance for The Kotel, the Western Wall,

Arab women

this was the scene, an Arab woman and boys walking freely.

Meanwhile, in Syria near Damascus, 400 Palestinians

 have been murdered in the Yarmouk refugee camp by Syrians,

  with another 18 killed yesterday, including 4 women & 3 children.

Arab women

And in Mamilla Mall, more Arab visitors arrived and went on their way.

The most shocking thing that I saw was in the Jewish Quarter,

old city jerusalem

 it seems barbed wire is being put up in some Jewish areas of The Old City.

On the way home I passed by Gan Ha’atzmaut, Independence Park,

Muslim prayer

where two Muslim men were bowing on their prayer rug.

I did spot an Israeli soldier standing with an Arab man at a traffic light.

Israel soldier and Palestinian

  Holding his lunch, not a rock or Molotov cocktail,

 my taking a photo seemed to be the only thing annoying him.

Yom Kippur, the Jewish holy fast day will be in a few days.

39 years ago on Yom Kippur most Israelis were fasting and praying, 

when the surrounding Arab countries attacked.

This year there is a new threat of a nuclear Iran

and growing Islamic extremism.

 Muslim calls have been to prayer and not rage in Jerusalem until now.

 We hope and pray that rational minds will prevail, in 5773 and in the future.

bus sign Yom Kippur

Bus signs have changed from a happy new year greeting to Yom Kippur one. 

May we all be sealed for a good year.

Rosh Hashanah Greetings

With the year 5772 coming to an end,

shana tova

Shanah tovah signs are lining the streets of Jerusalem, Israel.

bikor holim hospital

Bikor Cholim Hospital displays holiday symbols on a wall banner.

Yes, they are still in business with thousands of new babies born annually, 

but they were only in the news when there were threats that it would close.

Jerusalem street

Newly planted  flowers line the streets,

Jerusalem store

while thousands of new shoes have been purchased to walk on them.

honey cake

In the “land of milk and honey,”

this time of year the streets are lined with honey cakes.

bus sign happy new year

Shanah tovah,

may 5733 be a year of peace and prosperity and good health for all!