After another busy week,
looking forward to a
שבת שלום
Israel
After Hail on Passover, What Next?
Hail in April,
in Jerusalem, Israel?
Not only was there a hail storm as the holidays ended,
but this was the scene the next day also.
It looked and felt like winter, not spring.
The city looked black and white,
as 4 mm hail stones fell.
But now,
the Passover things are put away,
and visitors have returned home.
The Happy Passover signs on buses have changed,
to wish Jerusalem riders “have a good trip.”
The skies have cleared
and people have returned to the streets,
some of which are lined with flowers.
Two hundred and fifty invited guests associated with OneFamily
filled the main room
at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Home,
with President Reuven and First Lady Nechama Rivlin,
to launch a new cookbook.
“Tastes of Life” features foods that mothers made for their
children who were victims of terror.
Each mother shares not only a recipe,
but memories of their loved ones that are gone.
Very different,
but still another way to remember a lost loved one,
a new Healing Garden was dedicated by a New York family
in the Hosptial Saint Louis Francais.
In the sunshine, supporters of Kashouvot,
an organization advancing Pastoral Care,
heard the story of Randie Malinsky z”l
who passed away in October
after losing a battle with cancer.
Now hospice patients and families can sit in the garden,
to talk or watch the light rail and the rest of the world go by.
The “French Hospital” was built in the mid-19th century
and stands next to the Notre Dame,
across from the Old City Walls, near New Gate.
It boasts the only strictly kosher nunnery in world.
Also this week for all to see,
the first Israeli flags are flying from car windows.
And the large trucks have gone around hanging Jerusalem,
and large Israeli flags over the Jerusalem, Israel streets.
The radio is playing sad, slow music,
as soon it will be Yom Hashoah,
Holocaust Remembrance Day,
and the beginning of another busy holiday season.
Passover in and out of Jerusalem
Passover time in Jerusalem, Israel,
sees a population exchange.
Many locals rent (or try to rent) their homes
to holiday visitors for large sums,
and go away for the week.
Even more take day or overnight trips
to one of Israel’s amazing nature spots
like this one near Zichron Yaakov in Ramat Hanadiv park.
Estimates were as high as 75,000 people
for Monday morning’s holiday annual
Birchat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing.
But huge crowds were at
the Kotel, the Western Wall all day the next day as well.
Not only were prayer services held at the Kotel and at regular synagogues,
but impromptu minyanim for the afternoon prayers
sprung up just about everywhere.
It was good to see First Station busy again,
but this was the only sign of the new Luna Park.
The free shuttle bus service was finally being used,
with a full size buse to accommodate the crowds,
in addition to the special vans.
The route was different and it went to a different Old City Gate.
While walking to Kotel, you could see
people on top of the Walls looking down at Silwan below.
Streets were closed and blocked to cars,
while some places were even blocked to pedestrians.
I was not allowed to walk up this alley,
but the guy in white shirt was allowed to smoke.
The closings caused a lot of extra walking for people.
This little girl is watching a man from an Arabic tour,
who is taking a video of the hasid, religious Jewish man,
while I was taking photos of the Arabic writing on the back of his vest.
Warm, clear weather was perfect for
the large and diverse crowds,
and for photos in Jerusalem on Passover.
Mamilla Mall had extra balloon people
and we hear they did a great business.
And of course, there was food.
Parks were filled with picnics and BBQ grills,
and the sky filled with smoke.
Many food places were closed for the holiday.
The ones that were open did just about anything with potatoes.
However,
this pizza did not seem to be too popular
with one young family.
But, always popular
is the holiday greeting on Jerusalem buses,
Happy and Kosher Passover.