Jaffa Gate – Page 12 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Journeys to Jerusalem

March 21, 2012rjstreets

Spring is usually the perfect season for a trip to Israel.

However, this year 15,000 runners in the Jerusalem marathon events

ran in the cold and rain as they entered the Old City through the Jaffa Gate.

Marathon runners were not the only visitors to Jerusalem,

as tourists from all over the world have been coming in record numbers.

I met up with one tour group called The Land and Spirit Mission sponsored by

the Jewish Learning Institute, the educational arm of the Chabad movement.

Near Jaffa Gate, they were able to learn about the Tower of David

and cheer on the leaders of the 10 Kilometer race.

No matter the weather, visitors near the Kotel, Western Wall

want to pose and smile for photos.

As one of the rabbis with the tour group spoke,

some of the women climbed on chairs to see and hear.

From the United States and from around the world, 150 participants

came to experience and learn more about Judaism and Israel.

Rain, cold weather and grey skies could not dampen their spirits.

For some participants it was their first trip to Israel;

others had visited many times. Jerusalem is always changing,

every day there is something new to see and discover.

One stop on the tour of the Old City was Mamilla Mall,

once part of “no man’s land” during the years under Jordanian rule.

Now the new pedestrian shopping area has many restaurants

and is a popular destination for both tourists and locals.

It is quite a contrast to the old Arab shuk.

Going through the narrow streets of the Old City,

we found one of the most incredible views …and a bit of blue sky.

A few minutes later outside the entrance to the Hurva Synagogue,

while listening to the story of the restoration of the historic building,

it started to hail.

A perfect time to go inside to see the impressive sanctuary.

As women listened from above in the women’s section,

the Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch,

spoke to the group.

He began by praising the Chabad rabbis in the audience

and their organization for their important work around the world.

There is wisdom of the head, the rabbi told the group,

but the “Jewish people also have wisdom of the heart”.

In the cold rain and hail, it is heart, not the mind, that kept the runners going.

Throughout the centuries the longing for Jerusalem inspired many

to take the difficult journey to Jerusalem.

So how could a little bad weather possibly ruin a trip to Israel?

The Land and Spirit Mission was organized by Zev Jacobson

and his team at Israel Maven Tours.

Israel Maven, dedicated to providing a high-quality trip to Israel

for individuals, families, communities, and corporations,

ran a great program despite the lousy weather.

It was great fun to see some old friends and former neighbors,

even if it was hard to photograph them dressed for the weather conditons.

Hope to see you too in Jerusalem…soon.

Finds in The Old City

February 5, 2012April 8, 2018rjstreets

After weeks of record rain in Jerusalem,

the sun was shining again on Friday morning.

It was perfect weather to walk to the Old City

and take pictures.

The trees in the plaza by Jaffa Gate were still bare,

but inside the walls there was fresh bread

and cool drinks for sale,

and more photographers…as usual.

Tourists went by foot and by car through the Armenian Quarter.

Arab women were walking in the Rova, the Jewish Quarter.

Following the ceramic arrow,

I found the meeting place of my group of bloggers

and photographer… all ready for our Jerusalem Scavenger Hunt.

Our group read, listened and learned

about some of the locations in the Rova, the Jewish Quarter,

that were captured and destroyed in 1948 by the Jordanian Legion.

As we walked through the narrow rebuilt streets of the Rova,

and we found our “tree” … full of oranges, ready for Tu Beshvat.

But also we found large groups of tourists in the courtyards

and in the Cardo of the Old City.

We found beautiful children getting out of school,

but we never did find what was so interesting down there.

It seems we were not the only scavenger hunters on Friday in the Old City,

there was also a group of Israeli soldiers with a paper map and questions.

We found fun and new friends on the Jerusalem Scavenger Hunt.

Wondered what these young soldiers will find?

Security Walls

January 4, 2012rjstreets

Last week I went to Jaffa Gate hoping to get a great photo of

the mayor of Jerusalem repelling down the walls of the Old City.

The walls were built from 1535-1548 to protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

However, they did not stop the Jordanian Arab Legion from attacking in 1948,

destroying everything and forcing Jewish residents out of their homes.

This ruined synagogue is a reminder of that occupation from 1948-1967.

I did not see the mayor, but found this scene on the plaza by Jaffa Gate.

A group of Israeli soldiers paid no attention and walked by

as this woman who identified herself as a Palestinian journalist,

coached a sad-faced Arab vendor and tourist for the camera.

So much for the narrative of persecution under occupation

and no freedom of the press in Israel.

The Monastery of the Holy Cross was built during the 5th century

and was surrounded by high walls for protection.

Compare its walls to the new security fence as seen from Neve Yaakov.

In Jerusalem,

schools have high fences and guards at the door,

a new protective gate was put up near the Prime Minister’s official residence

and barbed wire surrounds some Jewish neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, this is part of the fence on the Israeli border looking into Syria.

Ten years ago the Karina A was stopped in the Red Sea carrying

50 tons of weapons meant to destroy life in Israel.

In 2011, 627 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza,

with a rise in the number of attempts in December 2011,

even as tons after tons of goods, gas and materials go in regularly.

New IDF information reports Jerusalem will be a target for missiles,

as terrorists no longer care about the number of Arabs or

holy sites that might be hit.

It is a shame that the security walls of the past cannot protect us

from advanced weapons of mass destruction, Saudi hackers

or the lies and libels spread on the Internet.