#jerusalem street photos

In Jerusalem October ended with protests

Sharon A

October ended on the Jerusalem streets with thousands of visitors arriving from around the world.

The World Zionist Congress meets every five years in Jerusalem, Israel, for the largest global Zionist gathering. As in the past, this year’s WZC, held in the Jerusalem International Conference Center. Included were 543 delegates representing political factions and an overall total of 755 delegates.

The power of a story is felt more and more; emotion over facts has become our reality. This WZC took place 128 years after Theodor Herzl convened the first Zionist Congress in Basel in 1897.

The United States sent the largest group in WZCs’s history, with 155 delegates and about 100 alternates.

Ahead of the opening, the American Zionist Movement (AZM)  hosted a luncheon for them to meet.

In the afternoon, a moment of silence was held in memory of the victims of the October 7 and fallen IDF soldiers as the plenary opened.

During the program, the parent of Omer Neutra spoke. The audience rose in support of them.

One of multiple speeches included Yaakov Hagoel, current chairman of the World Zionist Organization.

Sondra Sokal was one of the individuals given special recognition in the opening plenaries.

This jacket caught my attention.

Much of the action during the day was held in the halls. Those were the bags given to delegates.

People worked, mingled, and ate upstairs.

And downstairs.

For those not familiar with the building, these are the stairs.

For the evening opening event, the main auditorium, Ussishkin Hall, was again filled. President Isaac Herzog was seated with delegates and guests.

During his featured address in Hebrew, a short section was in English. “Zios” has become a new slang for Jews, but he commented with pride to those who come to Israel to build the homeland.

When I left at the end of the long first day, I planned to come back on Thursday.

But in Jerusalem, Israel, things do not always go as planned.

I had seen Miki Zohar on his phone. But only found out late Wednesday night that plans had changed, and on Wednesday, the WZC had their big meetings to vote, not on Thursday as originally planned. The controversy is too complicated for now, and others have written on it, but more photos from WZC – HERE.

Wednesday night, I went to a wedding officiated by Rabbi Shlomo Katz.

Guests from Australia and the US joined in the celebration.

What a wedding! With the desert as background as the sun was setting, a unique experience.

Oh, and the bride and groom rode away on the camel.

The camel and scene inspired the post for Lech Lecha Shabbat Shalom.

Too many Jerusalem streets are blocked and closed for light rail construction to count.

But on Thursday, the thousands arriving in Jerusalem for the anti-draft protest closed even more.

Since the WZC had moved their main events to Wednesday, Thursday, I was free to walk to Gan Sacher.

I had wanted to see if the piano was still yellow. The “You are not alone” is gone.

Alon Ohel is home, but the yellow remains.

New signs are up for new festivals in November, “TRACES” and “Autumn Cult.”

Always something new happening on the Jerusalem streets. With the Open Houses this weekend, tour groups were out discovering some local gems and their history.

The signs to prepare for winter are up. Only the weather for those thousands of visitors felt more like spring and summer.

It was a good week if you were not stuck in construction traffic or had your plans ruined due to closed roads and protests.

How to mark end of summer holidays in Jerusalem

Sharon A

The last day of August is the end of the long summer school holiday in Jerusalem, Israel.

Light rail train and people out in Jerusalem on Jaffa Street near Zion Square

The big excitement – the Jerusalem light rail is up and running again along Jaffa Street in time for school.

As the last days of the long summer holiday came to an end, families were looking for new activities.

The Jerusalem Theater had special performances for children in the afternoon. The audience was filled with parents and grandparents for the performances of the annual end-of-summer festival.

Outside the theater, long Israeli flags were hanging, and messages to bring home the hostages.

Across the street, the Museum of Islamic Art announced a new exhibit -“Love Stories.”

Signs are up for the new September events.

It’s Elul, and the Sultan’s Pool amphitheater still fills with musical performances nightly.

School buildings are getting ready to open their doors on the morning of September 1st.

The local bookstore displayed children’s workbooks to learn English.

The new Jerusalem signs and message for this “year of hope and love” are at the school entrance.

The new look of old buildings is impressive if you have not been by lately.

This one is across from the Prime Minister’s home on a street that is often blocked to traffic.

In Israel, there were weddings and celebrations all week. We were pleased to get to celebrate with a new couple in Jerusalem one night wth long-time friends – almost family.

With all the new beginnings and good things happening, there are also signs for fallen soldiers.

A reminder that Israel may be in the top ten happiest countries, but there is a war raging on many fronts. Those Houthi early morning ballistic missile wake-up sirens have been another reminder.

Good and bad, the days are shorter and cooler as the schools open and the holiday season approaches.

Am Yisrael Chai

Hope to see you on the Jerusalem streets soon!

In Jerusalem, how to keep children busy and safe

Sharon A

Where did the days go?

It’s the beginning of the Hebrew month of Elul.

One more week in August, and all the schools start again.

water park lit at night, Jerusalem photos, Jerusalem new tourist attraction

For many years, the fountain in Teddy Park has been a popular place in Jerusalem to cool off.

Each year, as the long summer holiday draws to a close, families look for safe activities.

In Jerusalem’s Liberty Bell Park, a water slide was one attraction to cool off from the hot summer sun.

The entrance for the Train Theatre’s X- Mix was near the Liberty Bell in the park.

The X-Mix included a large variety of stations and activities as the sun set.

Inside the enclosed area were various forms of entertainment.

Some areas were simple and colorful, like these long balloons to climb on or run around.

It took me many years to learn that the reason it’s called Train Theater is that it started in an old train.

Now, in the expanded complex next to the roller blade rink in the Bell Park, there are multiple auditoriums to host the end of summer 34th International Puppet Festival.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion arrived for the opening on Sunday night. He was greeted by Train Theater CEO Kobi Frig, who stated, “We are always happy to create for children. We love to set a personal example and offer hope—to be an island of sanity amidst everything happening around us.”

After the opening speeches and food, there were shows, but I decided to walk home on the cool night.

There are too many construction sites to list. All the Jerusalem light rail lines are to connect one day.

Jerusalem Botanical Gardens new opening space under construction

Across the road from where that excavator was digging for the light rail, one day, is to be the new entrance to the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens.

Meanwhile, this was the current entrance on Thursday night.

Each year, a theme is chosen to attract families on summer evenings.

This time, “Circus in the Forest” was on a big welcome sign near the pond.

My idea to sit near the pond turned out not to be a good one. The area was closed off.

Since so many asked me for directions to the entrance, I assumed new families were attracted this year.

I could still get close enough to see the pond full of lilies.

And even take a few close-up images of the real flowers in the pond.

But the crowds came for the circus. This woman dressed in red rising above the pond was one act to see.

Cinema City had a “Capital of Youth” large sign, but it was not busy when we went on Wednesday.

Jerusalem museums, the Tower of David, and the Jerusalem Theater offer special end-of-summer events.

The signs are up for the opening of school in Jerusalem.

Counting down the days.

Good and safe year wishes to all!