Purim Old, New and Ignored in Jerusalem

Purim celebrations went on for days and days,

in Jerusalem, Israel.

bus sign Happy Purim

As usual, the bus signs said, “Purim sameach.”

Purim carnival

Families celebrated with carnivals and rides for the kids.

Purim Jerusalem, Israel

Groups like the scouts had loud parties.

ice skating Israel

For the first year in Cinema City an ice skating rink was open,

image woman with face painted as animal

and this woman had her face painted to purrfection.

image man in skeleton costume

People in costumes,

cinema city Jerusalem

and well, even this whatever it was.

There was a lot happening on the streets,

Purim fun Jerusalem

 with people in a good mood having lot’s of fun.

Celebrations and huge meals,

and yes, many people drank too much.

News film crews were out

and got videos of drunken men on the street.

But, not one international film crew came on Purim

to the Israeli Foreign Ministry Building,

first votes for Israeli elections

where for the first time, some Israelis working overseas

were able to vote in advance of the March 17 election.

Israel elections

A live feed from Tbilisi, Pretoria, New Delhi and Berlin,

showed some of the locations where diplomats were voting.

photo Salim Joubran

Israel Supreme Court Justice Salim Joubran,

chairman of the Central Elections Committee,

on Purim, Thursday, March 5, 2015,

visited the situation room in the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem

to observe the elections taking place at Israel’s diplomatic missions abroad.

A prominent Arab juridical figure overseeing Israeli elections,

discussed Israel’s being a democracy.

This topic may not fit the media narrative,

but it is what was happening in Jerusalem.

Protesting the Histadrut Protest

It is Israeli election season.

Again.

And way too soon for most of the people that I know.

Anglo Voters  are not being ignored for a change.

Among the numerous election banners,

political sign in Hebrew

 was this sign, “Us or Him”

opposing Bibi for Prime Minister

posted across from his house in Jerusalem, Israel.

Mostly I have tried to avoid sharing the unpleasantness.

street closed near PM house protest

But today a large Histadrut rally was taking place,

protest Jerusalem

in front of the Prime Minister’s official residence,

and streets were closed off for more than two hours.

protest near Israeli Prime Minister house

These men were blowing loudly on their whistles.

Pepe Alau

Jerusalem Council member Pepe Alalu

of Meretz political party

Histardut rally

was on his way to join the bus loads of protesters.

I was on my way back home from a meeting

after the protest rally ended,

protest sign by garbage

and I saw this sign by a trash can,

people leaving rally

as bus loads of people wearing white Histadrut hats left.

Freedom of speech.

Protest away, as loud as you want,

block traffic and inconvenience others,

garbage left after Histadrut rally

but how dare they leave our streets lined with liter!

At least one person got employment from today’s event.

Look who was cleaning up afterwards,

histadrut rally 016b

a Jewish man wearing zizit under his yellow safety vest.

Bibi was not even around for the event,

as he was on his way to the airport and his flight to the US.

His parting remarks:

“A few days before the Fast of Esther,

I am leaving for Washington on a fateful, even historic, mission.

I feel that I am the emissary of all Israelis,

even those who disagree with me, of the entire Jewish People.

I am deeply and genuinely concerned for the security of all Israelis,

for the fate of the nation, and for the fate of our people

and I will do my utmost to ensure our future.”

At least the Histadrut could clean up after themselves.

Good February Signs in Jerusalem

The sun is shining.

The sky is blue,

and it is warm enough to open the windows.

The snow has melted and it is history,

except for some ugly piles of plowed black stuff

and fallen branches that need to be removed.

February used to be the “quiet” time,

down time between holidays and peak tourism seasons,

but not this February,

and it was hard to keep up with all that is much happening.

Jewish Agency

This week the Jewish Agency for Israel had a meeting

of its Board of Governors, with delegates coming

from around the world to Jerusalem, Israel.

chess sign in Hebrew

The International chess championship may not be a great photo op,

but a tour with 500 tourism professionals from India certainly was.

image woman taking photo of Old City

Starting with the view from Hebrew University on Mt Scopus,

this tour went to The Old City.

Within a few minutes while standing outside

the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,

image foreign tourists.

 were other groups of Indian tourists,

image European tourists

a large orderly group of Estonians,

image black tourists

and these Christian pilgrims who left too fast to ask where they were from.

Another great view and new to me,

image Jerusalem marathon

was the Jerusalem Winner Marathon 2105  launch,

image Nir Barkat and Rami Levy

on the grounds of the St. Andrew’s Guest House.

image nir barkat

Mayor Nir Barkat, holding his official run shirt for the March 13 race,

was all smiles that morning.

Ilanit Melchior

But so was Ilanit Melchior,

Tourism  Director at the Jerusalem Development Authority.

Though many residents resent the street closings and inconvenience,

 this event has brought thousands of tourists

from all over the world each year.

There are signs for things as diverse as

App contest in Jerusalem

a contest for app developers,

children for Islamic Museum

and special programs for children at Islamic Museum.

But, Purim is a week away.

Inbal Hotel

Perhaps, this sign for Shavuot holiday is a joke.

sign for Purim

There is to be a Purim Spiel at the Train Theater,

purim sign in Hebrew

and a sign for reading the Megillah at First Station–

purim sign

Happy Purim.

Then,

time for that other “P” word – Passover!