Sukkot 5779 in Jerusalem, Israel.
Tens of thousands of visitors have arrived. Rental cars are booked and fill the streets.
Traffic can back up any time anywhere, especially in Old City when streets are closed.
Tens of thousands crowd into and around the Kotel, Western Wall Plaza for the annual Birchat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing.
This year was different with no helicopters circling over Jerusalem during the blessing.
The sidewalk along King George Street is filled with sukkot from nearby eateries. Here the frame of one sukkah is being assembled before the holiday.
Small signs and locations of places to buy and build a sukka appear all around Jerusalem before the holiday.
These huge signs were hard to miss on the side of the building.
A sukka could be found on empty corner spots,
on porch balconies on front of apartment buildings,
and tucked away on small porches in back of buildings.
There were too many Sukkot festivals for families to list them all here.
The weather during the day was perfect for parades, musical performances, and more held each day in Jerusalem.
The usually busy Derech Beit Lehem street was cleared of traffic for an evening street festival.
These were a few of the musicians rehearsing in the afternoon.
There is a sukka on top of the new Orient Hotel.
Across at First Station, kosher eateries have large sukkot.
But new and different this year, there is a WeWork sukka at First Station.
Where else but Jerusalem, will you find, free wifi, beer, coffee, and working spaces, with a lulav and etrog on the table?
From a private home sukka,
to a simple sukka in public park,
to a large elaborate sukka, as in the Inbal Hotel atrium– there is no place for Sukkot like Jerusalem.
On Thursday, at Beit Hanasi the President’s Residence will be open to public.
Here is a first peak of the large public sukka.
Check back next time for a full tour of exhibits for this year’s healthy theme.
Or go stand in line, Beit Hanasi is open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
And there is still much more of the holiday to come…and enjoy.
Moadim l’simcha.
Happy holidays to all.
