After Yom Kippur War 40 Years in Jerusalem

The official memorial for those fallen in

the Yom Kippur War 40 years ago

is being broadcast live on the radio.

Memorial for dead

This photo was taken at a private ceremony,

the young man was speaking in honor of his grandfather.

I think it is fitting image to remember those fallen during the Yom Kippur War

even though the grandfather was not directly involved.

Also, on this 20th anniversary of Oslo Accord

to remember how many of Israel’s best have died.

But, there is little time for sadness,

 Sukkot is coming.

Sukkot preparations in Jerusalem.

All around Jerusalem, Israel, preparations have begun.

Sukah on porch

Look up on balconies, 

sukkah in Jerusalem

around in backyards,

Sukkot preparations in Jerusalem  photo

in front gardens, 

Sukkot in Jerusalem, Israel photo

and on top of cars;

 there are signs of the Sukkot holiday. 

After Yom Kippur, 

Jerusalem school is out.

it is a busy time getting ready for more holidays.

Schools are out,

 a good time for grandparents to give a helping hand. 

Yom HaZikaron: National Day to Remember

Many small towns around Israel hold a community tekes, ceremony,

making it is easy to decide where to go on Yom Hazikaron,

the Remembrance Day for Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror.

One of the most impressive ceremonies I attended was in Arad,

in 2001, during the intifada.

Unlike the US Memorial Day weekend,

Dark street Israel

this day is not one of great shopping and happy start to the summer.

Israeli flag photo

Israeli flags, large and small, start to appear soon after Passover.

In Jerusalem, Israel, there are dozens,

perhaps hundreds of memorial events held on Yom HaZikaron.

Last year  I went to the main military tekes at the Kotel, Western Wall

Kosel remembrance flame, Wailing wall photo

where the huge flame was lit and watched over by a military honor guard.

Every year thousands attend and watch on TV.

Peres car at night

Here was President Peres’s motorcade on Jaffa Street

on his way to speak at this year’s tekes.

Yad Le Banim covered for security

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke at a service at Yad LeBanim, 

so the site was covered over for security for days in advance. 

Israeli building with flags pciture

The Jewish Agency Building stage was ready for a morning program.

Flame for Yom hazikaron

Large memorial flames could be found in and on buildings,

Israel flag photo

as were signs publizing some community events.

Memorial for yom hazikaron

This Israeli flag, memorial candle and talit were the simple,

but meaningful display in the lobby of Heichel Shlomo.

So many choices;

but I wanted to see what was happening in Gan Sacher.

Night Yom Hazikaron Gan Sacher

Nothing.  

Other than an occasional jogger, the park was deserted.

While down the road, as usual,

Yom Hazikaron ceremony

hundreds attended the well planned program prepared by the Scouts.

Speakers slowly read the names of local fallen and the dates they fell.

25,578 people have been killed here since 1860.

92 lives were lost last year.

Everyone knows someone to mourn.

Israel at 65 sign

Yizkor, remember,

so many wars, so many more terror attacks,

but as soon as the sun sets,

it will be time to celebrate Yom Haatzmaut,

Israel at 65.

Am Yisrael Chai

Jerusalem Day – 45 Years United

The list of events that took place in Jerusalem

on Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, is too long to print.

"Har Hazesim photo","picture buses", "photo Yom Yerushalayim"

Thousands of people traveled by bus,

"photo bide ride","image bikes" , "picture Yom Yerushalayim"

hundreds rode bikes in from Gush Eztion

"photo flag parade","Image crowd flag parade","Picture Jerusalem"

and tens of thousands marched in the annual Flag Dance parade.

"picture Jerusalem streets", "photo Jerusalem", "image Jerusalem"

Jerusalem was a traffic nightmare with many sudden street closings.

"image Segway","photo jerusalems

 A Segway was one way to get through the sidewalk traffic.

With so many lectures, tours and varied activities available now,

people tend to forget that from 1948-1967, 

the Old City and the Kotel, the Western Wall, were under Jordanian rule.

 Jerusalem was a small, sleepy town divided by a wall and barbed wire,

a place where some Jews could not even see their former homes. 

"picture Old City walls", "photo soldiers", "Image Jerusalem"

  Jordanian snipers no longer shoot down over No Man’s-Land,

 now Israeli soldiers watch out from the walls of the Old City.

Distances are not so great,

"picture east Jerusalem","photo East Jerusalem", "Image east jerusalem"

and on a clear day Jordan is visible from the promenade of the Tayelet,

"image Al quds","photos Al Quds, "picture Al Quds"

located in an area once mostly agricultural and under British control,

"picture Al Quds", "photo Jerusaelm" "image Old City'

 but now famous for its view of the Old City Walls.

On Yom Yerushalayim I went on a walking tour of the area.

"photo UN building", "image UN Jerusalem" "picture Jerusalem"

We saw the United Nations headquarters 

'picture Jerusalem", "photo Tolerance monument","image Tolerance"

and a Monument of Tolerance.

How ironic that it was dedicated rather quietly,

around the time that 8 Mercaz Harav students were murdered.

To get to the center of Jerusalem, 

"picture Flags", "photo Flag dance","image Jerusalem"

where thousands of boys

"picture girls dancing", "image Jerusalem","photo flags"

and girls filled the streets singing and dancing,

I passed through the Liberty Bell Park.

"picture Arab girls", "photo Arab girls", "image Arab girls"

   Arab women and families who ignored PA-issued warnings 

were there as usual enjoying the pleasant weather.

"picture Jerusalem street", "photo Jerusalem", "image parade"

Tens of thousands of people filled the Jerusalem streets.

"picture Jerusalem flag", "photo large flag","image Jerusalem street"

Not all were religious, not all were teens, not all had Israeli flags,

and not one fired a weapon.

While I do not condone their bad behavior,

a statistically insignificant number of trouble-makers at Damascus Gate

 got the mainstream media attention.

 I would like to share with you a few scenes you may not have seen.

"picture Israeli soldiers","photo Israeli soldiers", "image Israeli soldiers"

 Mamilla Mall was packed with crowds coming and going to Jaffa Gate.

"picture Hurva" "photo Rova", "IMAGE old city"

Music and dancing filled the Rova, The Jewish Quarter plaza,

in front of the Hurva Synagogue, which in 1948 

was completely destroyed by the Jordanians and recently rebuilt.

"picture Kosel", "photo Al Quds","image Wailing Wall"

The Plaza near the Kotel, the Western Wall,

was full of people even before the Flag Parade arrived.

"picture Al Quds","image Wailing Wall", "photo sign"

Remember 

from 1948-1967

" photo Jaffa Gate", "image girls", "picture Old City Walls"

 the plaza outside Jaffa Gate was not a safe place.

"picture Jerusalem street", "Photo Jerusalem","image Yemin Moshe"

Families did not stroll in the Yemin Moshe neighborhood.

"picture flag","photo Jerusalem street", "image Israeli flag"

Walking around The Old City Walls was impossible.

"picture east Jerusalem","photo Jerusalem" ,"image Jerusalem"

Jordanian east Jerusalem was off-limits. 

"picture Israeli flag", "photo sunset", "image Jerusalem"

The sun was setting after a beautiful Jerusalem spring day.

Then the party moved to Gan Sacher, Sacher Park

where live music blared all night for a crowd of thousands,

oh…and what a Sleepless Night it was:

Jerusalem Day  #45

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