Jerusalem, Israel’s Children

Jerusalem, Israel’s Children

June is full of graduations and end-of-year celebrations,

from nursery school children to honorary doctorates.

Plus, all the different festivals in Jerusalem,

and it is impossible to keep up with everything.

The Jerusalem Theater auditoriums were filled with

the 56th annual Israel Festival, an annual June event.

Memorial performance Tirza Atar daughter of Nathan Alterman

“Songs of Tirza,” a unique performance by Nathan Slor,

with music and readings of his mother Tirza Atar z”l,

was a memorable night for one full-house audience.

While outside all along Chopin Street

and down to the Hansen House,

Jerusalem Design Week on Chopin Street

music and lights from the

Jerusalem Design Week

Design Week in Jerusalem Israel 2017

were seen and heard by all.

Music for Design Week Jerusalem Israel

Except these musicians, who could be heard only

by festival goers wearing special headsets.

The two major Jerusalem book fairs

were scheduled to overlap this year.

International Book fair in Jerusalem

But the large signs for the Book Fairs posted at First Station

Light Festival Jerusalem 2017

have already been replaced by the ones for the Light Festival.

Inside Takhana Rishona, First Station,

Jerusalem Shavuah Hasefer

children’s books were displayed at the entrance,
Performance for children at Shvuah Hasefer

and performances for children are scheduled daily.

Little girl looks at flags outside international book fair in Jerusalem Israel

The flags of the participants in the international fair

First Station International Book Fair

were flying outside Station Hall,

Station Hall at First Station, Takana Rishona

which was filled with displays,

Jerusalem Israel book fair

with publishers’ booths and rows of books,

and authors coming in to autograph purchases.

So much to do, so much happening,

and so much attention to children.

But.

Also, in the center tent of First Station

last night was a very different type of event.

Protest against MK LItzman for not opening cancer center in Jerusalem

Hundreds of people showed up on short notice,

informed only by a few afternoon Facebook posts.

Parents of children with cancer wanting Jerusalem hospital care

Parents of children with cancer held signs,

urging Israeli Health Minister Litzman,

to save their children.

Tent in Sacher Park for child patients with cancer Jerusalem

A white, large air-conditioned tent was erected

in the Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, basketball court.

In the past, the park has been a scene of protest tents.

Gan Sacher hospital tent children with cancer

But this one is a make-shift hospital for children,

Medical clowns in Gan Sacher

complete with medical clowns.

However, there is nothing funny about the situation.

As I understand the complicated issue,

Hadassah Hospital closed their children’s cancer division

to merge it with the adult division,

and the pediatric oncologists resigned en-masse.

Some parents have given up hope for suitable treatment

for their seriously ill children in Jerusalem

and are travelling to Tel HaShomer for medical services.

Other parents want Shaare Zedek Hospital to open

a children’s oncology unit.

Doctors, parents, and politicians are involved.

Hopefully this painful situation will be resolved soon,

sign for Live at Museum Israel Museum

and  I can go back to posting about

Live Music in the art gardens of the Israel Museum,

Blue lights lining streets of Jerusalem for Ramadan

Ramadan lights lining the streets,

and the record-breaking increase in tourism

Tourists in lobby of hotel

that is filling once-empty hotel rooms and lobbies.

Meanwhile refuah shelama,

thoughts and prayers for a speedy and full recovery to all the children

and for a solution to the dilemma.

Crazy Design Week Contemporary Art in Jerusalem

Spring in Jerusalem, Israel.

It is hot, then it is cold.

Yesterday it rained.

You never know what will happen next.

During Jerusalem Design Week

you have no idea what you will see next.

When I have the opportunity I love to see what is new

Hansen House at night Jerusalem Design Week festival outside gardens lit

at the old Hansen House.

The opening event for Design Week

 held in the courtyard,

Kugel Party Hansen House Design Week opening event

was called a Kugel Party.

At first, even the guests had trouble figuring that out.

There were pink signs in Yiddish,

Yerushalmi kugel at Hansen House for Design week opening event

burnt Yerushalmi kugel with a pickle,

Kugel Party Jerusalem design week

an Oriental noodle sent upstairs to the second floor

people waiting for noodles at Hansen House Kugel Party Design Week opening

in glass jars with a pulley system.

The third kind of kugel was a Belgian waffle,

the one with longest line,

Waffles at Hansen House for Jerusalem Design Week Kugel Party

not fast food, but slowly crafted by Bezalel artists.

Inside were a variety of exhibits,

design week at Hansen House chemistry Jerusalem

this one brought back memories of hours titrating in a lab,

with a theme of yellow and blue for the men and women of Jerusalem.

Contemporary art exhibits using the media of

light Jerusalem design week at Hansen house

photography, paint and light and shape and form,

displayed in different rooms inside the Hansen House.

gardens Hansen House at night for design week

Animals were outside in the garden,

with colors, shapes and forms.

I am sure Dr. Hansen would never have envisioned them.

Design Week is spread out in 7 locations.

A much more serious exhibit is at

Islamic Museum Jerusalem Sign from Iran

the LA Mayer Museum of Islamic Art.

Sign from Iran is a collection of

posters Sign from Iran at Museum for Islamic Art

60 art poster masterpieces

by 27 Iranian graphic artists

over a 40-year period.

Yossi Lemel at Islamic Art exhibit sign from Iran

Israeli graphic artist Yossi Lemel

who initiated the project was at the opening.

woman in Iran art

Contemporary Iran is not usually seen around here.

So many strange and unusual happenings this week,

Hansen House gardens at night with full moon and animal lit for Design week festival

maybe it was the full moon.

The only thing related to politics

 that I will mention

Eiffel Tower in Jerusalem for French PM

is an Eiffel Tower model constructed during the visit of

the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls.

I was going to photo shop out the man on the crane,

but then I realized that he was securing the tower

so that it would not fall down in the extremely high winds.

selfie at Hansen House night in garden

Just a bit from this week worthy of a selfie.

There is also a Book Festival, Russian Festival,

MusaraMix Seam Art Festival,

the annual Israel Festival

and my favorite, the Light Festival.

Tonight, starting as soon as the sun sets and going all night long

are the huge bonfires of Lag B’Omer

Spring festival season,

never know what you will see next happening

on the real Jerusalem, Israel streets.