In Jerusalem one November week with highs and lows

In Jerusalem, Israel, the last week of November 2023 began with an important visitor.

Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence, was open, but with less of the usual formality: no red carpets and no flowers decorated the stage in the main hall, just flags and two podiums.

The President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier was met outside and escorted in by the President of Israel Isaac Herzog as the media and staff watched.

The cameras were ready early, and I made sure to get a good seat.

Their speeches were broadcast live and are available to the public.

The large delegation that came from Germany was warmly greeted, but more importantly, the solidarity visit included traveling south to see the destruction of the Simhat Torah Massacre firsthand.

I wondered if they noticed the memorial candles for a fallen soldier, the son of Beit Hanasi staff member.

The yellow ribbons are still out.

The dog tags – “Bring them home – now” – are becoming more popular.

While some are so happy to take down the posters of the returned hostages,

the faces of the too many who are still held captive in Gaza are seen as life goes on slowly in Jerusalem.

After its grand opening, the Bezalel building is only open to students.

Haneviim Street was strangely lacking traffic, but the new buildings behind were easily visible over the old, showing the contrast on this old Jerusalem street.

People were on Ben Yehudah Streets and Zion Square, an interesting diversity of people as usual.

HaBoydem was open with their recycled fashions, it seems with all the donations to help southern families, the donated clothing for this charity keeps arriving in the original Talpiot branch.

The Farmer’s Markets keep popping up in various Jerusalem locations. I should have bought those orchids on the right when I saw them, as they were gone when I came back a few minutes later.

Perhaps fewer, but the young hijab-wearing women were also walking on Jaffa Road.

And as always, at Israeli medical facilities, Arabs both work and receive treatment.

Kikar Safra is the home of the Jerusalem municipality that has been working overtime to serve Jerusalem residents and the thousands of people from around the country who had to leave their homes under threat.

It was good to see tour groups as I walked around on a sunny weather day. Things are not always as they seem, as the sign warns that those cushions that look so inviting are made of cement.

Near Tzahal Square there was much less congestion than usual.

I had time to notice the Jerusalem lion on the bollards for the first time.

The view on the way to Jaffa Gate is an old photo favorite as usual.

This man sitting in his usual spot collected charity, a sign of returning to normal.

Traffic below coming and going from Jerusalem, who would have thought it a positive sight?

By Jaffa Gate, the tourists and birds were missing, but, as usual, a Muslim family walked by.

A week, that featured an emotional roller coaster of nights waiting to see which hostages would be released, ended with a Friday Fair at the Tower of David with no entrance fee.

An arts and crafts sale to aid southern businesses, at a time when culture is not seen as a priority.

In a city with too few tourists, there was live music at the popular tourist sight,

sweet treats to be designed and made,

and beer was sold, as well as food, at the Tower of David before Shabbat.

The flags were up on the JVP Margalit campus of Startup City Jerusalem, only I arrived after the Hackathon was over. It was hard to keep up with everything that was happening this past week.

However, from there I could see the sign announcing the Jewish Film Week at the Cinematheque, December 9 – 14, 2023.

Donuts. So hard to believe it will be Hanuka in a few days, as the past 2 months are a blur.

Jerusalem, Israel on Hanukkah 5778

Today the traditional menorah, made entirely of bronze, standing over 2 meters tall and 2 meters wide, was placed in the Kotel, Western Wall Plaza, a popular sight year after year.

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem had a poster up along a Jerusalem street. Most museums have special activities planned for the week of Hanuka, especially for children.

Hannukah events in Jerusalem, many in libraries in various neighborhoods, already have begun,

December 2-15, 2023, check the link for registration information on Lights from Jerusalem events.

No idea what will be this year, but here’s a favorite from the past to brighten and lighten the mood.

Hope to see you soon on the Jerusalem streets!

In Jerusalem many ways of giving and giving thanks

As we approach two months into Operation Swords of Iron, Jerusalem is slowly emerging from protected shelters to the streets, as the sirens warning of incoming rockets from Gaza have ceased.

Jerusalem of the City of Lions is roaring back to life.

New posters proclaim the City of Lions offers thanks to those who gave blood and offered assistance.

Schools have reopened with more blue and white and signs for the return of hostages.

Jerusalem also has given shelter to tens of thousands from the south and north who had to leave home.

People in Jerusalem have been giving mountains of clothes to those in need. Some families lost everything when forced to leave burning homes, lucky to escape and save their lives.

Here at one center set up by Chabad of Talbiyah upstairs in the Social Space, gives to those who need for free, more than clothes, most anything they need until they can go home.

From another Chabad house, a truck was waiting for donated food to take to soldiers serving in the Gaza border. The number of initiatives giving food would fill pages, including the Jerusalem Baking Batallion.

Also, the number of pop-up Farmers’ Markets in Jerusalem grows by the week.

Jerusalemites tend to buy more than they need to support the farmers and then have to figure out what to do with it all. We have enough avocado for every meal this week, but it is so good, no complaints.

Standing in lines waiting to pay, giving a little to help the struggling agricultural communities.

Also, too many fresh figs meant guess what cake for dinner?

And then another day and another location and another market near the public shelter.

The Tower of David Museum of Jerusalem is to hold a fair of artists from Jerusalem and from the communities of the conflict line from the north and the south who are hosted in the city.

The fair will be held before Hanukkah, on Friday, December 1st between the hours of 9:30 and 15:00.

Giving thanks, “Thankful & Grateful” was the theme of a special Thanksgiving dinner in Jerusalem.

Thursday night at the StandWithUs Center near the King David Hotel there was a meal hosted for lone soldiers and lone b’nei sherut (volunteers) who came from around the world to volunteer to serve in Israel.

Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and all the trimmings was served by volunteers from The Michael Levin Base.

The Solomon Brothers were back again playing American oldies to the greatly reduced number of Thanksgiving dinner participants, as so many lone soldiers were on active duty. But a Thanksgiving dinner-in-a-box was prepared for those on the front lines.

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan Nahoum and Stand With Us director Michael Dickson were smiling at the successful event. With them, was a dentist who came from the US, volunteering and giving dental care to those who need it. One did not have to be from the US to attend of enjoy the food and company.

A highlight of the program was a surprise guest from the US. James David Maslow has millions of followers on social media. However, when the musician/actor posted a pro-Israel comment after October 7 he received an astonishing number of antisemitic replies. With a few days free on his schedule, he took the time to come to Israel to give support.

The young people surrounded Maslow after he spoke. He took time to speak to them and take dozens of selfies. His Instagram posts were of the usual Israeli food and salads. But he also went to the south to report the situation from the standpoint of one who could have been on the stage at Nova where the massacre outside Kibbutz Reim occurred on the morning of October 7.

For dessert, there were donuts instead of pumpkin pie. Herby’s Bakery donated dinner rolls in the past, and this year gave boxes of donuts. Here a father who had arrived in the morning by plane from the US on Operation Hug agreed to pose with his lone soldier sons and a donut.

Hanukah is less than two weeks away with its sweet donuts, and it’s time to give thanks for what we do have, appreciate the miracles, and also, remember the fallen, captive, and injured.

There is a campaign in memory of fallen soldier Roey Weiser to post a photo on social media eating a donut with #donutsforroey. People and organizations have been posting photos on Facebook.

Sorry, I ate one too fast, so I shared the photo of the box before taking one of the plain glazed donuts.

Another sweet memory for educator and fallen soldier Yosef Chaim Hershkowitz, whose mother gave out chocolates after completing the shiva for her son.

Hershkowitz wrote to his students from the front, “There is no left, there is no right, there is no Haredi. There is a Jew!!!

Together we will prevail!”

Good must prevail over evil.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Hope to see you too soon on the Jerusalem streets!

Seen in Jerusalem positive to balance too many lows

This week in Jerusalem, Israel, had too many lows.

However, here are a few positive stories to balance life on the real Jerusalem streets.

An invitation to the Tower of David Museum is one I always try to accept, not just for the photos at sunset.

Going thru the new entrance is still a novelty, an amazing blend of old and new.

I hope to go back soon to explore the new areas that were visible at night.

As I walked up this well-lit staircase I remembered when it was still a dangerous construction site.

A sign of our times, a sign with directions to one of the protected areas.

There was an evening program, an Israeli sing-along with live music with the words on the screen. Israelis sing sad songs on Tisha B’Av. They sing on Yom Kippur Night. They sing as the day shifts from Yom HaZikaron to Yom Haatzamaut. This night the list of songs included Adon Olam.

The appreciative audience included young children and adults of all ages.

There were lights on the flags on the side of the Jerusalem Theater.

Across the street, the lights were on at the new Theatron Hotel. Instead of the expected international tourists, this hotel, like most in Jerusalem, is hosting citizens from north and south who had to evacuate.

Praying for soldiers, hostages, evacuees, and the injured was first on the agenda for an evening program organized by three Jerusalem synagogues.

With children, grandchildren, sons and daughters, and close friends involved in the war in Gaza and along the northern border hostilities – everyone knows someone in harm’s way. Rabbi Dr. Alex Mondrow discussed coping during the crisis and trauma.

Baking. Yes, one extremely active group has been baking for soldiers. The Baking Battalion should have enough stories and videos to fill a book. Part of my contribution last week were vegan oatmeal cookies.

It is hard to ignore the profound sorrow of families of fallen soldiers, especially lone soldier parents. The family of Rose Lubin came from Atlanta, GA to sit shiva, and thousands came and stood quietly in line waiting to offer a few words of comfort.

It is hard to calculate how many hugs from “strangers” Rose’s mother received.

The tragic deaths are growing and getting closer to home. Yosef Chaim Hershkowitz’s parents live nearby in Jerusalem, and the family sat shiva for one day in Jerusalem.

Again, there was a crowd and a line of people waiting to have a few seconds to mumble a few words of comfort and move along. They barely had time to say the traditional greeting:

המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים

“May God comfort you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.”

As we left, more and more people were arriving. And sadly, this will not be the last shiva visit this week.

Signs are up. However, the new Jerusalem pool opening is hardly news now.

There were jugglers on the Jerusalem streets on Friday near the Pillbox. Only when I got home did I notice the poster in the photograph and decided not to edit it out.

People are out eating in Jerusalem street cafes again when the weather is warm. Hostage posters ended up in this image too; they are plastered all around and I have yet to see one taken down.

New long Israeli flags are displayed on buildings.

At first, I was impressed by the flag on the Museum for Islamic Art.

But, wow, the ad space on the side of the building is filled with the #BringThemHomeNow poster.

The red strollers with hostage posters are sad to see.

These children have been held hostage in Gaza for over 6 weeks, and now the weather is turning cold.

The way to Gaza is the name of a small Jerusalem side street.

It is off of Gaza Street, across from the current Prime Minister’s home. I decided though the security was low when I passed by, that it was better to refrain from taking photos of the new security being constructed.

But I also decided to save the best for last to end on a positive note!

The gates for the Hansen House were open on Thursday afternoon.

A new exhibit has opened upstairs “A Smart Home in a Dumb Body” by Guy Goldstein.

And downstairs is the Toldot Printing exhibit.

In the always fascinating space on the lower part of Hansen House.

But where were all the people?

Hundreds of people were outside on the Hansen House grounds.

Piles of produce were brought from southern farmers (most of it picked by volunteers since many foreign workers were killed or captured on October 7 or went home) for sale in Jerusalem.

This is one of the locations where people in Jerusalem are trying to help by supporting southern agriculture.

Even the paper cups are going blue and white, “Together we will prevail.”

Hope to see you soon the the Jerusalem streets.

Hatikvah