Israeli Presidential Civilian Hero Awards

In Jerusalem, after the holidays is conference time

Sharon A

It’s that time of year Israelis have been talking about for weeks, some even for months.

It’s “achrei hachagim” – after the holidays.

The holiday meal planning takes a break until Hanukkah.

The nights in Jerusalem are cooler.

The autumn sunsets are colorful wonders of nature.

On the Jerusalem streets, the Sukkot palm branches are out to be collected.

This year, adding to the busy conference and event season, the Israeli elections are scheduled for October 27.

October 4

A full house attended the Israel365 News Conference – Knesset Elections Town Hall at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center.

Rabbi Pesach Wolicki, Editorial Director and Senior Political Analyst for Israel 365 News, moderated the event.

Two panels of English-speaking candidates for the 26th Knesset represented their parties.

Each of the ten spoke passionately for their varied positions.

Were they able to influence the audience to change their minds and vote for them?

I think many voters are still having a hard time deciding. I know I am. More photos HERE

One thing for certain: don’t take walking or driving on Jerusalem streets for granted.

Changes seem to happen overnight. Get to a corner you know, and where to go?

October 7

Ceremonies started on Monday, with major events held north and south.

Sharing memories RJS –100 Days from Jerusalem to the South and North.

October 8

On Thursday, a special event at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence, honored flydubai’s flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv heroes.

President Issac Herzog honored six Israeli heroes who saved the flight from catastrophe.

The honorees and their wives, seated in the front row, rose as the President and his wife Michal entered.

One of dozens of hugs at that feel-good event was the President with Asaf Rajuan.

Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, chairman of the award advisory board, said “mazel tov.”

Matan Hasan provided the musical entertainment.

Or Bardilov was the sixth awardee who helped to stop the Omani co-pilot from crashing the plane into Ben Gurion Airport.

The dentist Dr. Shota Musayev has become well known for helping the injured captain stop bleeding.

The couple Tali Manes and Zvika Manes received the award together.

Their daughter, who was in the right place at the right time, received special attention.

And of course, Yaniv Hayoun, the plumber from Ness Ziona, became a celebrity overnight for his actions in the cockpit.

I don’t remember so much media, so many photographers present for recent events.

Not everyone with a camera phone was a pro. This over six-foot-tall guy was often in my way.

Camera. Selfies. Smiles and hugs galore. More photos HERE


President Isaac Herzog mentioned Indian Captain Smit Machchhar, expressing the deep gratitude of the State of Israel for his exceptional courage and determination in steering the flydubai aircraft to safety and averting catastrophe for the 174 passengers.

When Smit is well enough to come to Jerusalem, he is also to receive the Presidential Civilian Hero Award.

Three years since October 7, where are we today?

That was the theme of the Michael Levin Base Gala, which was held that night at the Jerusalem Theater.

Former IDF spokesperson Jonathan Cornicus was a featured speaker.

The first panel was with Tila Falic Levi, Yaakov Katz, and Joseph Cohen.

The second panel, led by Michael Dickson, was with Diane Neal, Fleur Hassan Nahoum, Adir Schwartz, and Nitza Darshani-Leitner.

Richard Corman was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award.

There were more speakers, special mentions, and awards.

But I want to highlight Panama’s Ambassador Ezra Cohen and his wife. They attend so many events, always with a smile and a positive message.

I told him I had seen him in the livestream from the Davidson Center in the Old City the night before.

The Eagles Wings and Ambassador Program, with over 1,200 Christian leaders, community leaders, and influencers from over 115 countries, participated in the Friends of Zion Ambassador Summit. Their buses were on the Jerusalem streets and toured north and south.

Oh, these Jerusalem streets. Can you imagine King George Street being closed?

The old and new coming together in Jerusalem: the old #1 police station and new light rail on Jaffa Street.

I took time to walk to Beit Hanasi.

I stopped and admired these flowers on the way.

With multiple conferences all week, it was impossible to be everywhere. Here was only a brief taste of what was happening.

This coming week, there are more conferences and events at the same time.

It’s after the chagim!

Things are happening on the Jerusalem streets.

October in Jerusalem Ends with High and Lows

Sharon A

Oh, what week it was on the Jerusalem streets to end the months of October and Tishrei!

Many times this past year, RJS repeated it was a”roller coaster” and “up and down” week.

Exhausting and wearing are words that come to mind from the experience of getting up from the lows.

After a slow start to the last week in October, here are highlights from the Jerusalem streets.

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem hosted an academic symposium on October 29, 2024.

The ‘KUMA‘ exhibition that opened in May is closing soon. The legacy of the brilliant young artist Eitan Rosenzweig, hy”d, who fell in battle, should be shared worldwide.

The Jerusalem streets have been much quieter than the north and south of Israel, but the signs for shelters are posted in the museum.

A well-researched presentation by the impressive Dr. Izabella Tabarovsky at the Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem Academic Symposium focused on the Denial of Jewish Peoplehood and Jewish Connection to the Land of Israel in Late-Soviet Propaganda.

The former Soviet dissident who spent 9 years imprisoned by the Soviet authorities, Natan Sharansky was a keynote speaker.

He was highlighted along with Professor Gil Troy, who presented “The Promised Land versus “Settler Colonialism”: Land, Indigeneity, Identity and Creativity in Zionist Thought.” A study of how and by whom the term “settler-colonist” developed.

Maori Sheree Trotter, PhD in history from the University of Auckland, is a founder and co-director of the Indigenous Embassy of Jerusalem which had an impressive event in February.

Multiple speakers and delegates could not attend because of air travel cancelations.

Shadi Khalloul from Kfar Birem made his presentation on Zoom because of illness. An Israeli Aramaic Maronite born near the border of Lebanon who served in the IDF as the first Christian paratrooper in 1995, he founded the NGO – ICAA. Who knew that Aramaic is still being taught?

As the full-day program continued late in the afternoon, Dr Charles Asher Small spoke on “The Implications of Antisemites Defining the Jew: From Indigeneity to Colonial Settler.”

To close the day, co-convener Prof. Wayne Horowitz lectured on “Indigenous Narratives of Land and Sky-Modern and Ancient, Arctic Canada and the Land of Israel.” From this graphic of Abraham’s hometown of Ur, he developed the connection of Indigenous Peoples’ narratives to their land by song and dance.

Think of the Jewish agricultural holidays we recently celebrated and the words of “Hatikvah.”

It was a very thoughtfully presented program with much information and videos to be published.

On Wednesday night, at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence the first award ceremony for Civilian Heroes of October 7, 2023, was held.

A large screen and stage were constructed in the back garden. With the clock and season change, it was dark and colder than recent nights.

The President awarded cousins Ismail, D’Haish, Hamed, and Rafi Alkarnawi for their bravery in rescuing Israelis on October 7 under heavy fire from Hamas who had invaded Israel.

The set was elaborate and the program included musical interludes slow and solemn.

Most of the awards went to the relatives of deceased civilians who acted quickly on October 7 to save others, like Moshe and Eliyad Ohayon hy”d, from Ofakim.

The President wanted not only Jews, Druze, and Bedouin heroes honored, but children as well.

Former Supreme Court Justice Elyakim Rubenstein’s committee was tasked with investigating and selecting from 200 nominees down to 60 then 20 finalists.

One bright point of the evening were the young children present.

Their presence conveyed the feeling – Am Yisrael Chai – the People of Israel Live.

But always present is the yellow chair and the faces of the hostages still in Gaza for over a year.

On the Jerusalem streets, it is hard not to remember the 101 remaining hostages.

The Shiva of Rabbi Avi Goldberg hy”d concluded with thousands coming to pay condolences to the family of the latest Jerusalem resident fallen. They came all week and late into the night after Shabbat.

One woman who came to offer words of comfort to Rachel, the young widow, was Hadas Loewenstern, mother of six children under bar mitzvah age. Her husband Elisha Lowenstern hy”d was the 405th to fall in Gaza “fighting for our lives”. She has repeated her story in numerous recorded messages to give strength to others, especially those who have received the dreaded “knock on the door” from the IDF.

It’s a good day when “cleared for publication” is not the first item on the news, as the number of fallen rises toward 780.

A favorite sight this week on the Jerusalem streets was a young border policeman taking flowers home with his talit bag over his shoulder.

So as the sirens sound north and south, and Israelis run for shelter, in Jerusalem, Israel life moves along.

The new signs are posted for the end of November Jerusalem Oud Festival.

The oranges are full on the trees along the Jerusalem streets. And if you look closely you could even find Halloween decorations.

Oh, what a month October was!

Hoping November is a quieter, less rampageous month.