Israel – Page 158 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Crazy Design Week Contemporary Art in Jerusalem

May 25, 2016rjstreets

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

at the old Hansen House.

The opening event for Design Week

held in the courtyard,

was called a Kugel Party.

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

There were pink signs in Yiddish,

burnt Yerushalmi kugel with a pickle,

an Oriental noodle sent upstairs to the second floor

in glass jars with a pulley system.

The third kind of kugel was a Belgian waffle,

the one with longest line,

not fast food, but slowly crafted by Bezalel artists.

Inside were a variety of exhibits,

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

photography, paint and light and shape and form,

displayed in different rooms inside the Hansen House.

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

the LA Mayer Museum of Islamic Art.

Sign from Iran is a collection of

60 art poster masterpieces

by 27 Iranian graphic artists

over a 40-year period.

Israeli graphic artist Yossi Lemel

who initiated the project was at the opening.

Contemporary Iran is not usually seen around here.

So many strange and unusual happenings this week,

maybe it was the full moon.

The only thing related to politics

that I will mention

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.

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.

Jerusalem Education Week Opens with Special Children’s Exhibit

May 18, 2016rjstreets

A wise man from Texas once told me,

“One is not “good” or better.

It’s the sum of it all that matters.”

It is education week in Jerusalem, Israel.

An opening event took place at the Israel Museum,

and was held in the plaza outside the museum’s Children’s Wing.

There were 40 winning art projects

made by hundreds of Jerusalem school children

on the theme My home, Your home.

Art projects in Hebrew and Arabic were next to each other.

Israel Museum director James Snyder spoke in English,

but his remarks were translated into Hebrew and Arabic.

Water, shade and seats were provided for the hundreds of

students, teachers and family members who came to see the exhibition.

A lucky few had a head start on frozen treats.

The projects were spread out all over the plaza area.

They were interesting

and diverse,

and colorful too.

Speeches were blessedly short,

as was the audience attention span.

It was super hot even with the shade and water.

People came not to listen,

but to see the winning projects which were on display.

When the exhibits were officially opened,

the area was packed

with a crowd as diverse as the neighborhoods of Jerusalem.

Good news?

For this Jerusalem municipal education project

supported by the Jerusalem Foundation

and the Israel Museum,

what do you think?

“One is not “good” or better.

It’s the sum of it all that matters.”

From Yom Hashoah to Yom Haatzmaut

May 11, 2016rjstreets

This time of year is always busy,

starting with Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day,

until after Yom Haatzmaut, Israel Independence Day.

Six symbolic torches were lit at Yad Vashem on Yom Hashoah

for the six million Jews murdered in World War II.

Another symbol of mourning is

the large Israeli flag on top of the Knesset

flown at half-mast.

Small Israeli flags can be found on cars

and huge ones unfurled down buildings.

This week even the skies were blue and white,

from the road leading out of the Judean Hills,

and all the way up over the Kinerret.

There were hundreds of ceremonies

for Yom Hazikaron,

remembering the fallen soldiers and victims of terror,

all 23,447 who lost their lives.

One new and special program this year

was held at Givat HaTachmoshet,

Ammunition Hill.

As the sun set and the memorial siren sounded,

a capacity crowd was on hand

to remember lone soldiers who fell,

it was sponsored by

The Lone Soldier Center in memory of Michael Levin.

An honor guard watched as the Israeli flag was lowered

and a memorial flame was lit.

Young people supporting and giving comfort to each other,

wore these Yizkor strips on their hearts,

remembering those who lost their lives.

From nightfall and during the entire day,

thousands visited to the military cemeteries,

from Har Herzl and gravesides throughout Israel.

But as soon as Yom Hazikaron ends,

Yom Haatzmaut, Independence Day begins,

Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence,

is getting ready for a big day of celebrations.

The gardens in front and back

are ready for the invited guests.

The waiting room inside has had a makeover.

120 selected IDF soldiers will be honored

on Yom Haatzmaut.

Since some of their faces cannot be shown,

this photo from the back will have to suffice.

President Reuven Rivlin came out at the rehearsal

and seemed to really enjoy

the few moments he spoke with the honorees.

The pilots of special planes also rehearsed this week

for the traditional mid-day air show.

From mourning

we turn to celebration

and preparing for

Yom Haatznaut,

Israel at 68.