On top of Cinema City Jerusalem,
Noah looks out from his ark.
A good week for this greeting,
and good time for a new rainbow.
שבת שלום
Shabbat Shalom
Israel
`14 Photos This Week in Jerusalem
What a week!
It was truly hard to know what to do first.
The laundry hampers are still full with piles of washing
from the Sukkot holiday time.
However, with the present “situation”
could I post holiday leftovers as usual?
Like this car parked on the street in Baka,
or this one off the road from a “regular” accident?
They seem too trivial.
Normally, closing the American Center for renovations would be news.
But despite yesterday’s sirens,
in keeping with the real streets theme,
there are many positive things happening to share.
First of all,
2000 delegates from around the world
are attending the International Astronautical Congress
at the Jerusalem International Conference Center.
The IAC 2015 has dozens of exhibits;
this is one from Korea.
The astronaut space suit was special.
Former US astronaut “Buzz” Aldrin
told stories from his moon-walking days
at the opening press conference.
Heck, after walking on the moon,
what’s a walk around Jerusalem?
He announced that the space suits and helmets will be
part of a traveling exhibit for Israeli school children to inspire
future research and scientific development.
How many of us were inspired by
the Russian Refusniks?
What timing,
finding this old clipping showing the number
of weeks the refusniks spent in prison
on the front page of this Vancouver, BC, newspaper.
This week Jewish Agency Head Natan Sharansky
spoke at the Begin Center launch of a new book called
Let My People Go:
which tells the story of the Australian involvement in getting his release.
Sharansky mentioned that in the days before twitter and internet,
news traveled much slower,
but when the Jewish people were united,
they were able to bring down the Iron Curtain.
The demonstration for increased security,
was canceled because of security concerns.
However, with plenty of security,
President of India Prahab Mukherjee
had the red carpet rolled out for his historic visit to Israel.
Too many attacks to list here,
another funeral for victim from #78 bus took place today,
and an annual bat//bat mitzvah celebration for IDF orphans
was moved away from the Kotel, Western Wall
for the first time because of security concerns.
But that special milestone celebration
was held at the Jerusalem Theater.
Child celebrants called dignitaries to the stage to “light”
a special menorah at this bitter-sweet party.
Their fathers were missing.
For many, for many years,
missing from their lives and celebrations.
At the end all gathered on stage to sing Hatikvah
and celebrate life.
That was this week in Israel.
Sorrow and tragedy,
but still celebrating life.
10 Favorites of Sukkot: Photo Essay
Over the Sukkot holiday, it was hard to keep up
with all that was happening in Jerusalem, Israel.
Every year the Sukkot holiday season is a busy time,
and this year was the same, yet very different.
With the ongoing terror attacks increasing drastically
it was hard to know what to post.
Staying true to my goal of sharing what is really happening,
means that life in Israel goes on.
So I have decided to share some favorites,
the good things and best events
that did not make international headlines.
1. The Jerusalem Biennale Contemporary Jewish Art,
hosted 10 exhibitions in 7 locations,
with 200 international artists.
It alone could be several posts.
The new Polonsky Building at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute,
was the site of the opening of two international exhibits,
and was a stand-out favorite as a new must-see venue.
2. The annual Kite Festival at the Israel Museum
was fun, but not as large as usual,
at least one kite had a “whale” of a time.
3. The Tower of David Museum,
is always wonderful at night,
and as an extra for the holidays,
guests were welcomed by costumed actors.
4. At the Kotel, the Western Wall,
tens of thousands of people came for Birchat Kohanim,
the Priestly Blessing, in the morning,
and again in evening for the Hakhel ceremony.
Singing and dancing to the live music,
these families were celebrating,
long after the bands stopped playing.
5. Open Sukkah at Beit Hanassi,
was colorful and casual this year,
as Israeli President Reuven Rivlin hosted the annual event.
Inside the sukkah, decorations were simple,
and a lulav with etrog were available for the public to use.
Behind the permanent exhibit of the heads of former presidents,
large posters were hung with information about each one.
First Lady Nechama Rivlin stood to greet visitors.
What a shame,
this year there was shade, but no long line waiting to enter
the beautiful gardens that are usually off-limits to the public.
6. One very Special Chuppah
was near the Montefiore Windmill.
Often there are brides and grooms in this area,
so a white chuppah would not get my attention.
A large throne under a pink chuppah with balloons
was fit for a princess, Princess Tamar.
Volunteers from Make-a-Wish Foundation spent hours
fixing every detail to delight a young girl with cancer,
and grant her wish to be a princess for a day.
7. The 60th Jerusalem Parade
is an annual event on much larger scale.
60,000 people participated,
with marchers from all over the world.
These people had great view along the new route
which went past the King David Hotel to First Station.
Colorful costumes,
large flags,
smiling well-wishers,
graceful dancers,
all were happy to show support for Israel.
(To see Facebook photos: more here)
8. The Sukkah at Kikar Safra was open,
Mayor Nir Barkat and wife Beverly,
greeted the public warmly,
in the over-sized, biggest sukkah.
But, the Yemin Moshe Synagogue wins for best windows in a sukkah.
While many sukkot have posters of the Old City Walls hanging on the wall,
this one had spaces in one wall open for the view of the real thing.
9. After Sukkot celebrations:
Shlomo Katz performed in one of the many community
Hakafot Shni’yot, this one at the German Colony community center.
The rally near the Prime Minister’s residence,
felt and sounded more like an extended holiday celebration,
but it was a protest calling for better security.
I only found one poster at the rally,
but there were lots of cute babies,
in the crowd of thousands.
Meanwhile,
Kraft Stadium was also the scene of hundreds of people
with live music and dancing.
10. Finally, the popular Umbrellas,
the hottest photo-op of this summer in Jerusalem,
were hung over Yoel Salomon Street.
But as the holiday ended and the rain started,
the umbrellas were taken down,
and piled on side of the road.
They were filthy and had holes,
but I took one home as a souvenir.
Finally, it is “after the chagim”
the holidays are over, and it is now
time to get back to “normal” what ever that is.
With so much bad new news,
I would like to end with one piece of
tech start-up nation good news
and from the Jerusalem streets more sounds of music.