Jerusalem Days of Topsy Turvy and Upside Down

I was stuck, trying hard to find new words for another roller-coaster, emotional week in Jerusalem, Israel.

How about upside down, or how topsy turvy?

The commotion was too much of a downer at the start of the week, so I went to the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens for a bit of fresh air and sunshine.

Stopping to watch a white swan swim across the pond,

appreciating the small wonders in nature,

and seeing the brilliant colors makes it’s also hard to remember it’s winter.

But to be real, not all is so pretty and pleasant on the Jerusalem streets.

Barriers abound and block sidewalks.

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As the weeks go on, the barriers are getting bigger.

And they seem to be multiplying, and blocking the pathways.

Barriers are set early on Friday, ready for the after-Shabbat protesters at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence.

Barriers have been placed around the fountain at French/Paris Square.

Then Wednesday, the street where the Netanyahus live, was closed.

The barriers in front of their home remind me of those in the park.

However, there was much more happening in Jerusalem this week.

My friend from the US noted there was no armed guard at the entrance to our synagogue in Jerusalem on Shabbat.

IDF soldier on guard at Tzomet HaGush

But security is on higher alert, as seen here in Gush Etzion last week.

New tunnels to Gush

However, road works, such as the second tunnel from Jerusalem to Gush Etzion, are finally reaching the final stages, after years of construction.

For the first time, the Speaker of the Senate of Canada was visiting the Knesset and flags were flying for the official welcome.

Sunday, Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger was in Jerusalem.

Buildings are going up and up all over Jerusalem. These towers tower above and off King George Street.

The center of Jerusalem off of Jaffa Road along the light rail tracks has come back to life again after pandemic closures.

New stores are opening in anticipation of returning tourists.

Old streets are being regentrified with new boutique hotels and shops.

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HaBoydem has opened a new larger space to sell its recycled clothing.

Shaon Horef – שאון חורף or Winter Noise was back Monday nights in February.

Winter Noise was on the street near where we lived and also in the 2014 Winter Noise. I used to go to all four Monday nights, but not this year.

This time I only got to the last one on the last Monday of February.

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These guys were my favorite as they walked into Harvey’s and sat down.

Oh, Jerusalem streets, where much of the year, one can often ask whether it’s Purim or not Purim.

The Shaon Horef of 2023 was well done, check out a few video highlights.

And it was held on Shushan Street, a perfect location before Purim.

The Purim holiday signs are up along the Jerusalem streets.

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Mishloach Manot baking and preparations have begun.

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Signs of Purim in the neighborhoods were up last week.

The streets were filled with schoolchildren dressed in costumes, however, some of the cutest did not want to be photographed.

So you will have to come back next week for Purim favorites.

There are too many Jerusalem Purim events to list, at the Israel Museum, the Tower of David, the Train Theater, Safra Square, and more,

but you can find Purim events in English on the Jerusalem website.

Purim week is always a time of upside-down, topsy-turvy.

Hoping this Purim will be celebrated in a good way, so check back next week to see.

פורים שמח

Purim sameach!

Jerusalem: Looking Back and Forward

Jerusalem: Looking Back and Forward

Jerusalem, Israel:

the autumn clouds are white,

and look like puffs of cotton in the blue sky.

Jerusalem, Israel blue sky, white clouds over the Western Wall in Old City Jerusalem Israel

It’s after the busy fall holiday season,

and the record crowds of visitors have returned home.

On a weekday afternoon,

Lone man praying in afternoon at Kossel Yerushalayim

it is possible to find a time at

 the Kotel, Western Wall, to pray in solitude.

This is in contrast to the main lightrail route,

along Jaffa Road.

At the start people complained.

Rechov Jafo in Yerushalayim people waiting for light rail

Who remembers the Saga of Light Rail?

Today crowds can be found along the route day and night.

Remember when George Mitchell was going to

work out a peace deal in the Middle East?

It did not go as Mitchell planned.

However, remember when the

Nature Museum was to be closed?

work and music in garden museum in Jerusalem Israel

Well, the protesters prevailed over the developers,

and today new signs tell of new projects

that are happening on those Jerusalem grounds.

children in fountain

In Jerusalem new parks have been developed

and old playgrounds are being leveled and upgraded.

Looking back just a few years

we can see and feel the difference,

but there are too many examples to list now.

This week I was on the helicopter landing pad

at Hadassah Hospital in Ein Kerem,

to take photos – not as a patient – thanks.

You will hear about their plans soon,

View of Jerusalem Israel from top of helicopter landing at Hadassah Ein Kerem

but what a view there is from up there.

As we commented on all the new building going on,

Cab driver asked to take his picture

my taxi driver on the way home wanted me to take his photo.

All around there are new Jerusalem roads

 which are too often overloaded with traffic.

Wait until the next holiday season,

the suffganiot have been out for weeks,

Suffganiot in window of bakery in Jerusalem

and soon it will be Hanukkah.

With all the centennial events,

yet another big one is ahead.

Allenby 100 years entering Jerusalem

General Allenby made his way into the Old City

of Jerusalem on foot on December 11, 1917,

one hundred years ago.

It was also Hanukkah then,

but I would bet the window displays were not filled

with suffganiot weeks before the holiday.

Oh, Yerushalayim, 

Jerusalem looking back and to the future.

Walked Down Jerusalem’s Jaffa Road Recently?

Time to get out and walk

on a special Jerusalem, Israel street.

kids playing in water in Jerusalem

Children cool off in this water mist from an urban installation.

Remember when traffic pollution was so thick

it was hard to breathe?

Not any more, no cars allowed.

Walk further down Jaffa Road,

Kikar Zion changing new building

construction cranes rise above Ben Yehuda Street,

and off Kikar Tzion, Zion Square,

Mashbir and new hotel off Zion Square

  the new Mashbir has a new neighbor.

Its renovations completed,

the new Herbert Samuel Hotel has opened.

Near the site of the Sbarro bombing 15 years ago,

Jaffa Road near Sbarro bombing site

people have returned to city center.

After years of the Jerusalem light rail saga,

Light rail trains on Jaffa Road Jerusalem

trains are running regularly.

Walk Jaffa Road,

off Davidka Square you will see

Davika Square sign for Camera Man photo exhibit at Tower of David Museum

some of the photos from the

 Tower of David Museum great photo exhibit.

Wow, across the way,

Davidka Square in Jerusalem off Jaffa Road

look at those trees,

what a difference since the storms of January 2013

knocked out the new plantings.

A popular new night attraction at the shuk,

Machane Yehuda market,

are the shutters painted by Solomon Souza.

Machane Yehudah market shutter painted

Here one shop was closed during the day,

with the bright colors and Hebrew words visible.

Oh dear, and across Jaffa Road,

Urban Installation Warda a mess again on Jaffa Road

 was the sad looking וורדה.

I had a whole blog planned on this street installation,

called Varda, with its faded fabric, replaced multiple times,

tied for winter winds, and millions of shekels wasted since 2014.

This week one “flower” was so shredded,

it was removed – again.

Maybe more on that another time.

Jerusalem Israel Jaffa Street

The Jaffa Road area has changed drastically.

View of Jerusalem from top of Sharei Hair building Jaffa Road

Construction has begun on huge projects.

new construction from top of Jaffa Road Jerusalem

Hundreds of new apartments are going up.

The new fast train to Tel Aviv is coming–

imagine a half-an-hour from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.

It’s really coming.

Located across from the central bus station

on Jaffa Road,

Jaffa Road new train station being built on Jaffa Road

  is Jerusalem’s newest train station.

man reading book dressed in white robes and woman on cell phone

Old and new.

Jerusalem of contrasts.

Jaffa Road has changed over the years.

Always something new to see on the Jerusalem streets.