Life goes on in Jerusalem, for Lag B’Omer and Future

Another week in Jerusalem, Israel, where it’s hard to know where to start and what to share–so much was happening on the Jerusalem streets.

Yemin Moshe was as usual in the spring – picture-perfect.

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The International Writers’ Festival was again held across from the Old City Walls in Mishkenot Shaanamim.

The annual festival began on Sunday night with an introduction to an international writers’ group. PEN – Poets, Essayists, Novelists, which was founded in London in 1921.

It has spread to more than 100 countries, with a stated aim of supporting the unhampered transmission of thought within and between all nations.

Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Jennifer Egan, former PEN President, was one of the speakers at the opening event.

The 2014 Sapir Prize winner Rami (Reuven) Namdar led one discussion group. The Sapir Prize is the largest literary prize awarded in Israel.

The Writers’ Festival meetings in Jerusalem could not find a more historic or lovely location than Mishkenot Shaananim, next to Yemin Moshe.

Another special international guest in Jerusalem was the President of Kenya William Ruto. Kenyan flags were flying outside Beit Hanasi for his official arrival ceremony and state dinner with the President of Israel.

The past week included Lag B’Omer, the Israeli day associated with fire.

Some families started early with their fires on Monday night in the park.

As others were arriving, with every kind of wood to burn and food to cook.

The smoke rose from these bonfire sites before dark.

And more wood was on the way, to keep the fires going.

Over the years, I have repeated, there are those who love Lag B’Omer and those who go inside and close the windows. I went in again this year.

But Lag B’Omer is also a big family day of celebration for children, as it’s an Israeli school holiday.

Chabad Lag B’Omer parades were held in several Jerusalem locations.

Lag B’Omer in Meron is still the main Israel event.

But this year with the Meron site limited, a Lag B’Omer celebration was held in Jerusalem by an organization called the Rebbi Shimon Foundation.

As men continued singing and dancing, after men had poured oil to ignite the fire, it spread to the table holding the bonfire.

Water from a garden hose saved the day, and the party continued into the night inside the new party location.

While all this was happening, in the space above, we were enjoying a Lag B’Omer wedding. Lag B’Omer is also a day filled with weddings.

This one went as planned, however, many southern weddings had to scramble to find new locations with Gaza rockets being fired into Israel.

On Wednesday, in Kfar Batya, near Ranana, again questions of safety arose, for the groundbreaking ceremony of the new AMIT educational campus.

With a few changes, moving the event to be close to shelters in case of an alarm, the long-awaited and exciting program went ahead.

I heard the boom of an Iron Dome missile interception not too far away.

But it was on with the show – Dare to Dream.

An example of Israeli resilience, Nurit Davidi, principal of AMIT high school in Beer Sheva, the wife of the Mayor of Sderot, came and participated in the program while her town and family were under rocket fire.

Lag B’Omer is over, and signs are up for the new Jerusalem musical events.

But, notice the blue sign at the bottom with red for May 12th in Jerusalem.

On Friday hundreds of cyclists rode around Jerusalem, starting from First Station and along Jaffa Gate for rides of different distance routes.

Writing and weddings, fires, and riding not for you?

How about trying the newest tourist attraction in Jerusalem?

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Look closely and see the brown line across the bottom third of the photo.

It’s the new suspension walking bridge across the valley from near the Mount Zion Hotel to the Mount of Olives.

Or you can walk and go at your own pace, and enjoy the old and new of Jerusalem on a Jerusalem Photo Walk.

Hope to see you on the Jerusalem streets soon.

In Jerusalem Take a Walk: Hard to Believe What’s New

We feel it on the streets. Traffic. Tourist buses. The arrival of friends and family. International conferences convened again.

The skies in Israel were opened and in 2022, 2.675 million tourist entries were recorded, as opposed to only 397,000 in 2021 and 831,000 in 2020.

There are many changes for you to see on the Jerusalem streets.

On President’s Street in front of Beit Hanasi, the President’s Residence new outdoor photos of the beauty of the landscaped gardens have been posted.

Old hotel in Jerusalem valuable property derelict

Remember the long-abandoned former President Hotel building?

And how sad the sign became?

Finally – work is being done on Ahad Haam Street to restore its dignity.

The construction fence has been up for the new hotel/residence next to it,

but now construction work is visibly underway at last. The Jerusalem skyline continues to change as buildings go up and up.

This is not Azza Street next to the old Paris Fountain. One sign went up.

However, it soon came down when someone realized the mistake.

For 15 years, I have walked on Azza Street almost daily, including when they were redoing the sidewalks.

Finally, the sidewalks were completed and the street was paved.

Who remembers this space empty for weeks–or was it months–in 2018?

And here, when the long-time bookstore and framing store had to move.

Construction started, and last year was finally progressing.

Today on Azza Street the shell is looking near completion with the bottom stones resembling how they looked in the old structure.

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One spot on Azza was paved and space was cleared to replace the cement bollards in front of Netanyahu’s Jerusalem property. There are more of those cement barriers today.

I decided not to walk on my usual side of the street on Wednesday to avoid the newest security measures.

Then the next day, the sun was shining, and I thought it a great time to walk. However, this time the sidewalks were blocked with work vans on both sidewalks, and people had to walk in the road. You will not see that,

because this happened. I was detained by security!

Only once before was I forced to delete a video. As a newbie to Jerusalem, I took a photo of the US flag on Agron Street – not the building, just the Stars & Stripes blowing in the wind against a blue sky. A security person came across the busy street and made me delete the image of the flag.

In over a decade of work, I have been scrupulously careful not to show faces of security, IDF, Arab women, children, and people I know who could possibly be on a date.

Of course, my photos would be more powerful with facial expressions.

Go a few more meters on Azza Street, and there is the entrance to Balfour Street near the Prime Minister’s Official Residence – two years ago it was covered with 5 levels of security.

For the past few months, the public has been able to use Balfour Street again. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Residence has been empty for over a year and serious construction work has not been apparent. Interestingly there are no longer flags on the poles over the residence.

I like being able to use my shortcut again. We will have to wait and see how long it will last.

On Shabbat, I walked on Azza Street to the Great Synagogue. Hard to believe, it was my first time inside in three years! BC – Before Covid – I went every few weeks.

Jerusalem Great Synagogue for Selihot

It seems I am not the only one to slowly return, as the crowd was smaller on Shabbat compared to this photograph in the past.

And then there’s the new National Library! I have been watching the construction of the roof for years. Hopefully, we can tour inside soon.

Sometimes we have to wait to see results, sometimes a very long time.

Also, this past week we attended the Melbourne, Australia Mount Scopus College Foundation Reunion event in Israel. It was a gala and a fun evening. As with most Scopus events, there was a program with speeches and entertainment. This evening included greetings by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, began with two digeridoos and concluded with an Idan Raichel concert after an elegant dinner!

The last time we saw Jonathan was in July 1997. He was lying in an Israeli hospital bed bandaged from his nose to his toes. I found his rendition of Waltzing Matilda moving enough to share it with you. You need to watch the video on a larger screen than a phone to understand why.

For all non-Aussies out there, I added the words and meanings at the end.

On the Jerusalem streets there is always more.

And now “More Than One.” A new arts festival is happening in multiple locations in Jerusalem until February 25, 2023.

When are you coming to see for yourself on a Jerusalem Photo Walk?

Holiday Lights and Nights in Jerusalem

חנוכה –

Hanukkah or Chanukah is also known as the “Holiday of Lights.”

And for the winter holiday season, Jerusalem, Israel fills with lights!

The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens “Winter Lights” Festival is back again.

The colored lights at night are reflected in the pond.

I came back, again and again, to stop and watch as they changed colors.

Brilliant in purple, it was hard to stop taking photos and set out on the trail.

The display is the work of light artist Gil Teichman and his staff, who hung over 2 million small bulbs along a one-kilometer area of the garden using about 25 kilometers of cable.

The LED bulbs used are ecologically-friendly and save electricity.

Background music by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra is heard at multiple locations as you stroll along the garden path.

Actors dressed in illuminated costumes are also there to entertain.

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I admit a favorite this year is the large chanukiah, the Hanukkah menorah, reflecting in the water.

But there are many more lights along the Jerusalem streets.

These new light installations have been posted on poles.

This one with three dreidels, on the top right.

This one has a snowflake and colorful shapes.

Chanukah Lights on poles for Hanuka

These were the older ones at night.

These are from two years ago, I have not found them up now.

The lights at the YMCA are back on again each night, as are many new ones inside New Gate. So much to do this week, will I have time to get there?

One man praying at Western Wall on Hanuka

The large hanukiah is back and ready at the Kotel, Western Wall, to be lit by various officials each night of Hanuka, from Sunday night, December 18 – December 25, 2022. Watch live HERE

Happy Hanukkah from the Jerusalem streets, may the lights spread far and wide for a good week and good year for all.

A video of light projections with Hanuka music to add to the holiday mood.

חנונה שמח