graffiti – Page 2 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem: Good, Bad and Ugly Week

Jerusalem: Good, Bad and Ugly Week

February 1, 2017Sharon A

Jerusalem, Israel,

what a week!

Heavy rains fell over Shabbat,

strong enough to wash away layers of ad posters.

Effects of a municipal strike were being felt,

but I went looking for something good.

After the winter rains,

buds were popping out on branches.

In the Valley of the Cross there were

signs of new growth and small pools of water,

and a favorite sight,

rakefet, cyclamen, growing in rock structures.

Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, had puddles and

unattended, uncollected garbage bins.

The Old City was not affected,

as the municipal strike went on for another day,

but in most neighborhood bins were overflowing.

Only the street cats and birds were happy.

Overflowing trash on the streets

near Machane Yehuda Market, the shuk,

was not only an ugly sight,

but unhealthy and dangerous as well.

A friend saw these photos and

thought it was the aftermath of a terror attack.

On Agrippas Street, people waited for buses that did not come,

since buses could only pass through the ugly mess in one direction.

In addition, the mess by the shuk which overflowed on to the streets

caused the light-rail trains to stop running.

Jaffa Road became a pedestrian mall,

perfect for the occasional skate boarder.

Thousands trudged along to find transportation.

However, by walking along Agrippas Street,

I did find a new and colorful piece of graffiti,

and poorly translated signs

are always good for a smile or laugh,

like this one posted across from Cinema City

near the Supreme Court Building.

The strike is finally over.

It will take awhile to clear the mountains of trash accumulated

while the mayor and finance minister feuded.

But at least children are back in school,

so parents can go back to work.

Now back to normal?

It has rained again, and the sun has come out again.

It’s that time of year when the water from the tap

is colder than the water in the refrigerator.

Hope we can go back to complaining about the cold.

But if reality gets too ugly again,

we can go to Beit Avi Chai to see a movie.

It’s free.

Top 10 Favorite New Jerusalem Street Art

November 24, 2013rjstreets

In some places they are called graffiti,

but in Jerusalem, Israel,

there are wall drawings that are properly called art.

Jerusalem Street Art is constantly changing,

this scene could be called a classic,

while this new one is colorful, bold and modern.

This one is near the Old City Walls.

When I saw it recently,

all I could think was, wow, I must share that one.

The cars at the bottom indicate the size of this masterpiece.

This piece by Jack was a favorite,

it was on the construction fence around First Station,

which has been removed.

But Jack has been busy with smaller works

in many other Jerusalem locations.

Look up on Jaffa Street to see this new one;

or down park paths for black and white,

as well as color drawings.

However, in a category of its own,

is this colorful piece called “One Day…”

which showed up on a wall in the center of Jerusalem.

What perfect timing for Hanukkah,

see this translation of the Hanukkah song

מעוז צור Ma’oz tzur:

My refuge my rock of salvation! ‘Tis pleasant to sing to your praises.

Let our house of prayer be restored. And there we will offer You our thanks.

When You will have utterly silenced the loud-mouthed foe.

Then we will celebrate with song and psalm the altar’s dedication.

Perhaps not politically correct, but sums today up nicely.

Fair Price

December 18, 2011rjstreets

Let me begin my stating that I do not approve of any rock throwing

or any kind of violence against Israeli police or army by anyone.

“Price Tag” reports from last week were extremely upsetting

and they were condemned by community leaders.

But there is another phenomenon that needs to be addressed.

For years I have collected photos in a folder called “Street art:”

they are photos of signs

and colorful graffiti that I found around Jerusalem.

Recently I did a whole post using some of these pictures.

However, in the last few weeks,

the graffiti on abandoned buildings

and in the city center has noticeably increased.

Some time ago these small designs appeared outside an apartment building,

but this overnight attack on the same building and adjacent street sign is not art.

People living in the building are upset,

they contacted the authorities who just shrug their shoulders.

Jerusalem businesses have also been the target of this type of graffiti.

This drawing was found near Kikar Safra, Safra Square,

next to site of the municipal government and Jerusalem City Hall.

The walls around the monastery in the Valley of the Cross

have also been defaced by vandals recently.

“End the occupation” and other graffiti was scrawled on this public property,

an entrance to Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, in the center of Jerusalem.

The media has ignored this plague of recent graffiti vandalism.

Every Friday for months Israeli activists from left-wing NGOs have been

on the scene at demonstrations where rocks are regularly thrown at Israeli soldiers.

That incitement and those extremists have been handled with “kid gloves.”

The “Price Tag” phenomenon is a terrible thing and a cause of concern,

but what is needed is fair and balanced reporting on the left and right.

Until we come together as one people and respect personal and public property,

anti-Israel forces will use all these incidents to undermine Israel’s security.