19 Favorite Scenes this Week in Jerusalem

Raining, pouring weather in Israel in May

is most unusual, but it started last night.

Too bad that I missed getting a photo of lightning over the Knesset,

or little children splashing in puddles this afternoon.

But this was such a colorful, event-filled week it was hard to keep up,

 so I decided to share  just a few favorites scenes.

The weather had been warm and summer-like  last week,

image school trip. photo trip to Jerusalem

perfect for the many groups of children on school trips to see Jerusalem.

image air show, picture fly over, photo planes flying together

The planes  for flyover air shows are such a favorite that I did a whole blog post on them.

musicians unusual place photo, image street musicians, picture night music

What a spot for a show, in the Jaffa Gate plaza of the Old City,

with the King David Hotel as backdrop

image Israel flag, view Tower of David

The flags inside of Tower of David Museum fly all year.

But this week there were lots more flags to be seen,

image Israeli flags

my favorite decorated car was this one.

Israeli flags, Jewish Agency Building photo

The Jewish Agency Building was one of many draped with long flags.

However, I hate to see so much water being used for cleaning

when getting ready for holiday ceremonies.

Back to Israeli flags,

photo Palestinian women, Palestinian women under occupation, photo Arab women

these Arab women walked under rows of them.

image Israeli flag.

It was nice to see one hanging in a new Jerusalem yeshiva.

While down the street,

image Israeli apartheid, photo Arabs in jerusalem, picture Israeli occupation

I met these two Kurdish women.

They are in Israel with their children who are receiving life saving medical care.

It is always a favorite to share that kind of under radar story.

DSC_3626b Isareli flags hanging on building

By day there were various flags flying,

image sign in Hebrew

by night for Yom Ha’aztmaut, Independence Day

this sign warns of street closings.

The all night parties and fireworks were really something else.

Not just Israeli flags,

DSC_3661b  large flag of Jerusalem

 but Jerusalem flags are also lining major streets.

DSC_3811n lobby warning closing

I loved this warning in hotel lobby,

that things will be closed on Yom HaZikaron, Memorial Day

On our first time in Israel for Yom Ha’atzmaut our tour bus drove

for hours looking for somewhere to get food.

I never understood how that could have been so poorly scheduled,

everyone in Israel should know about these closing times.

DSC_3854 image Jerusalem for Yom Haatzmaut

Blue and white flags and cars fill on the streets,

park crowded with people, image park Jerualem , photo sacher park

and people and smoke filled  Gan Sacher, Sacher Park and other green areas.

image park, Jerusalem park on holiday.

Some people know how to stake their claim to a picnic spot.

Israel independence day image, photo Yom Haatzmaut, picture blue and white Israel

The blue and white plastic hammers keep getting bigger.

image animal independence day, photo independence day. picture dog dressed for independence day

This dog was dressed in red, white and blue.

It felt like US July 4th Independence Day, hot and muggy,

so no idea why he needed to wear anything.

image Israel indepndence day, photo Israel birthday , picture BBQ

Grilling meat went on all day,

at just this one mangal BBQ over 250 pounds of meat were consumed.

The photo of a girl in Gan Sacher in a “GO VEG” tee-shirt

came out good, but not many were paying attention to her advice

and this is getting too long.

It has cooled off and I had better get going,

after the violent weather, the sun is starting to come out.

Yom Ha’atzmaut: Fly Over on Independence Day in Jerusalem

Air space over Jerusalem, Israel is not open,

when planes or helicopters fly over we notice.

The week before Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day

DSC_3385fb planes over Jerusalem, Israel

the sounds meant, it was rehearsal time

for the annual flyover air show and time to grab the camera.

planes flying over Jerusalem, airshow photo, image planes in formation

On Yom Ha’atzmaut it was very cloudy.

image flyover, photo air show

Friends on beach in Tel Aviv had it easier to get a clear view.

IMG_3673b watching air show in Jerusalem, Israel Sacher Park

But when those planes start flying over in formation,

it is something special to see.

Former Israeli Ambassador to US, Michael Oren (right)

stopped mid-sentence to look to the sky.

image planes in formation, photo air show

A little coloring helped this photo.

image planes flying in formation, photo planes on cloudly day

There were several flyovers by different types of planes.

image planes in sky, photo air show, image flyover

In Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, where we were at the time of the show,

 by the last set of planes

everyone had found their spot to see and to take a photo.

Israel Independence Day 66!

Jerusalem Marathon 2014

The sun was shining for the 4th International Jerusalem Marathon,

image runner, photo marathon runners Jerusalem, picture men running

as 26,000 runners raced through the Jerusalem, Israel streets,

image winner, photo race winner, picture winner at finish line

and the winner came in with a record-breaking time.

Streets were closed,

image Jerusalem marathon, photo people walking, picture walking to marathon

so everyone had to walk to get to check in and the starting line.

image Jerusalem marathon, photo park of marahton, Jerusalem marathon photo

Once a year the graffiti is white-washed away and

a new banner is hung near the full marathon finish line.

image sign marathon, photo Jerusalem marathon

Besides the full and half marathons there are other popular races.

image Jerusalem marathon, photo starting line, picture crowd at starting line

Thousands lined up at the starting line for the 10 kilometer run.

image Jerusalem marathon, photo marathon start, picture 10 k race

The young and not so young, most dressed in colorful shirts,

iamge Jerusalem marathon, photo marathon start, picture start of marathon

and their enthusiasm off the start was contagious.

iamge people on stilts, photo men in flag colored costumes, Jerusalem marathon picture

Entertainers on stilts were dressed in flag-colored costumes,

near a special course for shorter races for the young and disabled.

image Jerusalem marathon, photo children watching for runner, picture Jeruslaem marathon

Supporters lined the streets watching and waiting.

image Jerusalem marathon, photo sing for marathon, photo Jerusalem marathon

Along the routes were

image Jerusalem marathon, photo marathon, picture water stop marathon

  water stations.

image crowd going to starting line, photo Jerusalem marathon

It was hard to get through the crowd in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park

at the start of the 10 K race.

image female marathon winner, photo runner Jerusalem marathon, winner picture woman runner

With so many events running at once, it was hard to find family members,

but we did see the winner of the women’s full marathon.

image runners, photo Hungarian runners

Over 50 countries were represented, and many religions,

image runner kissing finish line, photo marathon runnere

but we only saw one runner from Brazil kiss the finish line.

image Israeli winners at Jerusalem marathon, photo winners, picture marathon winners

Separate awards for Israeli winners were presented for best times.

Loud music pumped through the park, which could be heard kilometers away.

image crowd at Jerusalem marathon, picture crowded park , photo crowd

The runners at the end of their races and arriving for medals,

were separated by fences from the crowds of spectators.

image Jerusalem marathon, photo smiling race finshers, picture grandmother hugging girl at end of race

But some proud grandmothers knew how to get around barriers for a special hug.

iamge Jerusalem marathon, photo RavBeni Lau, picture Jerusalem maraton

And then there was the walk home.

The sun was hot.

Some runners were still approaching the finish line,

image runner late in day jerusalem marthon, photo Jerusalem marathon runner,  photo last runner

even as the streets were opened to traffic at one o’clock.

Thousands of shekels were raised for charity.

Everyone who participated was a winner.

Many have been inspired to try next year,

to enter or to train for a longer race.

image ahava emunah , picture Jerusalem marathon

#happylanche

 The Real Jerusalem Streets Facebook

 Jerusalem Marathon album has many more photos HERE.

I wonder how many faces you will recognize?

Remember last year?  If not see:

Jerusalem Marathon 2013

Did you Hear About Jerusalem Marathon 2013?