Jerusalem photos

Attire to Inspire for Purim in Jerusalem

rjstreets

As 3 potential US presidential candidates ended their visits in Jerusalem,

  the Conference of Presidents of  Major American Jewish Organizations 

arrived for their annual meeting, but with increased security precautions,

there are often no public displays announcing such visitors.

However, the president of East Timor has flags lining his route.

In a week with every kind of weather,

the flags add color on a drab, cold rainy day,

 President Ramos-Horta’s visits Beit Hanasi,

the official residence of President Shimon Peres.

Official visitors do not affect most people , they are much more concerned

about the price of gasoline,

and, of course, the situation in Egypt, Iran, and the rest of the  Middle East.

With all the political unrest, the IDF has a new leader, 

Lt-General Benny Gantz,

and his first stop as the 20th chief officer was at the Kotel, Western Wall.

Thousands of others visited the Kotel the same day,

and some of their outfits might help solve the dilemma…

what to wear on Purim?

Mordechai

and Shushan are names found all year around in Jerusalem.

This being a leap year,

there is an extra month of Adar, more time to prepare for the holiday.

From the amazingly diverse Jerusalem streets,

some ‘everyday’ attire to inspire.

  There are female visitors

and male visitors in colorful clothes.

There are those dressed in all white,

or of course, in basic black.

These men on their way to Beit Hanasi, walking near

the Jerusalem Theater, prefer black and white.

Colorful hats are now on display.

 

Wigs are always popular.

Can’t wait to see what people will look like

when they actually dress up in Purim costumes next month!

Back from the Cold

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 New York City and Jerusalem are both very popular tourist destinations.

In New York this week the fountain is frozen,

while the fountain in Paris Square is surrounded by flowers.

 A dog wears a sweater to go outside in Manhattan,

while a man wears shorts to the the Kotel, the Western Wall.

The horse and rider statue in Central Park is covered with snow,

but not the bull in Mamilla Mall.

Workers at Lincoln Square clean away the snow,

but if the temperature is 16 degrees Fahrenheit ( – 9 C) people will not be sitting outside,

 like the groups in the Old City where the temperature is 16 degrees Centigrade (61 F).

In January heavy blankets of white snow fell in the New York area,

but  in Jerusalem even with so little rain the green is starting to show.

Compared to the ice and salt on the steps and streets in New York City,

the Jerusalem stone steps

and streets

seem a good choice for tourists.

Glad to return to from the cold and be back on the Jerusalem streets!

Jerusalem: Signs of Progress

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Progress…The Jerusalem light rail system now has power for the entire length of its track.

It’s much easier to cross the intersection of Jaffa and Strauss Streets in the center of town.

A short walk from that intersection is the Bikur Cholim Hospital,

which has provided medical care in Jerusalem for over 140 years.

The privately owned buildings are threatened with closure.

There is a serious shortage of hospital beds and neonatal units in Jerusalem, 6000 babies are born here every year; where will the mothers go?

 Bikur Cholim Hospital was critical in saving many lives when suicide bombers targeted the city center, now 30 million shekel is needed to keep the hospital running.

Signs to rally residents’ support are plastered along the street.

Doctors and staff who are faced with losing their jobs and pensions have recently organized protests.

Knesset Member Ahmed Tibi, who trained as a obstetrician, did part of his residency at Bikur Cholim, publicly supports keeping it open, as do many residents and patients.

There will be a four-hour strike,  and non-essential  personnel will be on the streets in a protest.

All around hospital buildings there is new construction.     Signs of  progress?

The old stone buildings next door have been razed and

the area between the hospital and

and  Ticho House on Rav Kook Street is being excavated for development.

Last week, if one took a short walk along Jaffa Street to the walls of the Old City,

Jaffa Gate Square was once again the place where the city is distributing free Christmas trees.

 Last year these bins were quickly emptied.

Again this year Santa was available to pose with a tree for photographers.

 

The free trees provided by the Municipality and the Jewish National Fund were given to those who showed proper identification.

Organized distribution…a sign of progress!

While we think of those in the northeastern United States dealing with too much snow.

 No snow or much-needed rain here, just sunshine and warm temperatures perfect for jogging,

walking or sitting in the park,

and for thousands of holiday visitors. As 2010, comes to an end, there are no visible signs of progress on the release of Gilad Shalit,

 each morning the numbers on the sign change as the days of captivity increase.