Tu B’Shevat in Jerusalem

Tu B’Shevat in Jerusalem

Tu B’Shevat,

the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat,

is often called the “New Year of Trees,”

and marks the beginning of spring in Israel

and the birthday of the Knesset.

Growing up in the United States,

 I remember receiving dried, hard, brown carob pods

 called buxor to chew on, or rather to try and chew.

How different is Tu B’Shevat celebrated in Jerusalem!

Buksor for Tu B'Shevat

Thousands of carob pods fall to the ground untouched.

Stores are filled with many varieties of dried fruit.

Every year I have tried a different spelling of Tu B’Shevat,

so I know language translations are not simple,

Prunes with nucleus instead of pit on label

but “Dried Plums without a nucleus”?

In honor of Tu B’Shevat,

almond blossoms, Jerusalem photo tour

along with almond trees bursting into bloom,

let us see a bit of what is new for this year.

President Reuven and Nechama Rivlin hosted

a Tu B’Shevat seder for agricultural growers

and representatives of OneFamily.

Orphans who had lost both parents to terror participated with

Reuven and Nechama Rivlin Tu B'Shevat sedar at BEit Hanasi for One Family and agriculture growers

 red and white wines, wheat, figs, pomegranate, almonds

and more, and in the blessings, readings and song.

But that was a small and private gathering,

as for the real streets,

 Liberty Bell Park, foliage has been cut back.

Sculpture painted yellow in Liberty Bell Park

This old sculpture was painted bright yellow,

image Bell Park

but I hope they used better quality paint than this blue.

The new walking trails along the old train tracks

Bike path and walking trail from Old Train station to Malha Mall

will be filled with pedestrians and bikers.

New neighborhood gardens are being planted,

Community garden in Baka, Jerusalem , Israel

similar to this new community garden in Baka.

Long awaited, this improved play ground

Boy playing in new Jerusalem, Israel park

is appreciated for its play and climbing features,

and also for its accessibility features,

New play equipment in Jerusalem, Israel park

such as this swing.

A new and important addition are these shade covers

Fitness equipment in Jerusalem, Israel park

 and the fitness equipment.

It took months,

Park in Baka Jerusalem, Israel

 but this improved park will be busy soon.

Gan Sacher on Lag B'Omer

For years, Gan Sacher, Sacher Park,

was the main green space,

 then Gazelle Park opening two years ago.

Gan Haatzmaut, Independence Park

has seen its share of picnics and protesters.

 Teddy Park became one of the most popular for its fountain,

Tower of David view from Teddy Park sculpture with boy taking photo of sky

but for photographers there is always a new angle.

Near by in Yemin Moshe,

Yemin Moshe tree replanted Jerusalem Israel park

 old olive trees were in dire need of re-potting.

And finally there is a serious effort trying to keep

these wonderful green spaces clean. 

There is much more happening, but for now,

Happy Tu B’Shevat from Jerusalem.

15 Real Photos of Arab Girls

15 Real Photos of Arab Girls

As southern Israel is being pounded with hundreds of rockets launched

by terrorists in Gaza, the world is silent.

A few anti-Israel photos have been circulating for years.

The photo of a man holding a dead girl,

tweeted by a UN media employee that received so much attention,

is the same photo that I saw in 2008 under the caption,

“Israelis kill a lot of Arab children.”

This was the Google search top result for images of “people who smile a lot.”

I was not smiling and later began to take pictures of real Arab girls.

First, on the hot topic of Israeli soldiers and Arab girls,

only in a Bahrain street theater photo will you see a girl lying under a boot.

Israeli apartheid supporters might find it shocking that in Jerusalem,

"Israeli soldier" "Arab girls" apartheid

 Israeli soldiers walk on the same streets as Arab girls,

"Palestinian school girls", " Israel soldier" , "Muslim girls"

  by the Walls of the Old City near the Jaffa Gate

Israeli apartheid, "Palestian woman" "Arab lady'

and in the city center. Often they seem to not even notice one another.

Arab girls can be found on the ground,

"Palestinian girls" "Arab girls"

sitting and enjoying public performances,

Arab girls "Palestinian girls"

or just relaxing

"Arab women" "Palestinian women"

in Jerusalem’s public parks.

"Palestinian boys' "Arab boys'

Of course…the same goes for boys too.

"Arab girl' , "girl alone with boys' "Palestinian girl"

Where else would a Muslim girl be seen alone in the park with boys?

"Palestinians" snowman picture,

And famlies enjoyed posing with this snowman last week.

"Muslim girl" "Arab women"

An Arab girl might be dragged along by her mother,

shopping in Mamilla Mall

but in Mamilla Mall, most girls can be found happily shopping, both day

Mamilla Mall at night ,"Palestinian at night'

and night with no sign of BDS, Boycott, Divest or Sanctions.

"Arab girls"

Sitting on the steps in Mamilla Mall while texting on their phones,

"eating alone" "Palestinian girl"

 or sitting at a table alone,

"Arab women shopping' "Palestinian women'

shopping late at night at the Rami Levi supermarket,

"Rav Kav" "light rail"

or selling Rav Kav cards for the Jerusalem light rail trains…

these are real photos of Arab girls and young women in Jerusalem.

The world is ready to accept faked captions,

how about the truth?

 

Summer is Over?

Most of the American visitors have returned to the cold, wet Northeast.

IMG_1995

The winter legislative session in the Knesset began last week, university students finally have returned to class, and we have a heat wave!

With no beach nearby, what do people in Jerusalem do to cool off if they cannot get out of town?

1. Since many of these old buildings have no air conditioning, people open their windows, put on a fan and try not to move.

2. If they are lucky enough to have a porch,

IMG_1985

no matter how small, Jerusalemites  sit on porches,  talking, eating, maybe reading.

3.  Or they go outside, try to find some shade and hope for a breeze.

One of the most popular of Jerusalem’s few open green spaces is Gan Sacher…

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pronounced “soccer” and sometimes people even do play the sport, but as with many places in Jerusalem, it is named for the family who donated the money to develop it.

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Gan Sacher is often crowded,IMG_0250

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but not always.

 Jerusalem’s parks are free and open to the public.  Family outings and “mangals”,  BBQ in the United  States,  “barbie” in  Australia, can be elaborate or extremely simple.

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Soon all the smoke will fade to a memory,  the weather will turn…and we will begin to complain how cold it is!

If there is snow this winter…. most of the country will try to get to Gan Sacher before it melts.