Past, Present, and Future Come Together on the Jerusalem Streets!

Summer days in Jerusalem, Israel: when the sun bears down so strong it is too hot to wander around on the Jerusalem streets to see what’s happening.

But the nights usually cool off enough to get out.

A stroll to the Botanical Gardens with the sights and sounds of the lily pond is refreshing after being inside for too long.

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Was it the full moon, the upsetting, inverted news coverage from Jenin, or the fast day to start of the Three Weeks before Tisha B’Av, that made finding positive stories to share harder than usual?

However, getting out before dark is always a good idea, as some things were happening you should know about.

Jerusalem Machane Yehudah Market after renovation

Machane Yehuda Market, the Shuk, celebrated 100 years with big events on Sunday night, street actors, activities, and musical performances.

The actual year the Market opened was 1922, but the events were held off due to the limited travel last year after the pandemic.

Shutters with graffiti in shuk, Jerusalem Machane Yehuda Market

The days of market stalls shuttered at night have been replaced with new eating spots, bars, music, and people partying late into the night.

On Monday at the Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion opened an International Markets Conference, interviewed by Talia Friedman.

The Mayor spoke of his efforts to keep the outdoor market open during the Covid closures and its importance for Jerusalem.

Rami Levi, wearing a plain white tee shirt, stood to give the Mayor a hug after he spoke. Rami Levi started his business as a small shop in Machane Yehuda Market and participated in the conference connected to the 100-year celebrations.

Signing an international agreement was part of the program. Markets are working on ways to make themselves relevant in a changing world.

Friedman, elected chair of the Mahaneh Yehuda Merchants’ Association at the end of 2020, has the difficult job of balancing between the old-style vegetable seller and the new nightlife scene.

As with most everything else these days, there is a difference of opinion.

But there is one constant, the Liberty Bell in Liberty Bell Park still has its crack. The replica was organized when Teddy Kollek was Mayor of Jerusalem for the US Bicentennial in 1976.

Near the Liberty Bell is the Yonatan Netanyahu Garden, created in memory of Yonatan Netanyahu who fell in the Entebbe Mission on July 4th, 1976.

Also nearby, next to the Montefiore Windmill, is a small plaza, a popular tourist spot, which hosts musical performances, and even engagements.

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On the right, I included in one photo, the memorial to soldiers who fell liberating Jerusalem. There is an annual official ceremony in their memory.

In the center, a tourist group on segways arrived wearing yellow safety helmets for the guide to share the view and history of the site.

And on the left, a wedding ceremony was being prepared with a musical rehearsal.

The past, present, and future coming together on the Jerusalem streets!

I missed the wedding ceremony but stopped later for a few minutes to watch as a tour bus emptied out, and the people went to watch the dancing and to take photos and videos of the celebration.

I was on my way to the B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem Awards for Journalism Recognizing Excellence in Diaspora Reportage for 2023.

My favorite photo of the night was of new Jerusalem Post Editor Avi Mayer with the world’s oldest working journalist, Walter Bingham, who is 99 years young. He should be nominated for lifetime achievement next year.

During the question and answer period with Alan Schneider, Director of the B’nai B’rith World Center, I noticed Mayer’s unusually muted socks for the occasion. On previous panels, his socks drew the audience’s attention.

While I am not a fan of the hot summer days in Jerusalem, they are good for wildflowers that line the Jerusalem streets.

It was too hot outside to walk, but in Jerusalem Cinema City, any day is good for a scoop or two of ice cream.

What do you think of on July 4th in Jerusalem?

The smell of freshly cut grass is not one associated with Jerusalem, Israel.

But as I entered Jerusalem’s Liberty Bell Park from the shade of the Hubert Humphrey Arbor and descended the steps toward the Liberty Bell on July 4th morning, the familiar clean and fresh aroma of grass filled the air.

The Liberty Bell Park was dedicated 45 years ago to coincide with the 1976 Bicentennial celebration in the United States.

However, for Israelis, the same date July 4, 1976, was the Entebbe mission where Yoni Netanyahu fell in action saving the hijacked passengers.

In Liberty Bell Park there is a memorial garden in his name.

July 1st is Canada Day and next to the Yoni Netanyahu Garden is another memorial Canadians should appreciate.

The Terry Fox Memorial Garden was dedicated in 1985 to a special athlete who captured the imagination and respect of Canadians as he crossed the country on one leg after amputation because of cancer to raise money for cancer research.

As I reached the end of the park, classes of young students were arriving.

I wondered if they knew of the significance of climbing on the exact replica of the US Liberty Bell on July 4th, in a Jerusalem, Israel, park?

So glad it was cooler, following a very hot week of summer weather of last week.

A real conference, live and online, with programs and tags – and face masks.

Dozens of speakers on economy and education and more, but only one was wearing a watermelon shirt, a professor from Hebrew University.

With the rising corona numbers, I hope it’s not one of the last of large gatherings allowed inside.

Also exciting to be back to Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence for the arrival of the German President. Notice the equipment to do a live stream, and the antiviral gel on the wall, both new additions since former President Joachim Gauck came in December 2015 to mark the 50th year of Israel-German diplomatic relations.

After over a year of reduced ceremonies, the IDF band was back preparing.

The military honor guard inspected before President Steinmeier arrived.

The mingling and chatting of German and Israeli military officials, in the Jerusalem garden of Beit Hanasi, something I find incredulous.

Who could ever imagine 80 years ago, German media traveling with their President to Jerusalem, Israel, and sending back the breaking story from their laptop computer?

The Presidents spoke and planted an apple tree in the Beit Hanasi yard. One of President Rivlin’s last major events. On Wednesday, July 7, 2021, Israel is to have a new President and preparations are underway for the transition.

Remembering the past and planning for the future in Jerusalem, Israel.

The past and future are reflected in these Jerusalem street signs. The small blue sign is of the combatting antisemitism mega-events held at the end of January 2019 BC (Before Corona). Not sure which election cycle the yellow Shas campaign ad was for. But below are the new signs for Mekudeshet musical events and the night of Tisha B’Av “conversations.”

There was so much more, but enough.

You never know what will be happening next on the Jerusalem streets!

Jerusalem Festival Season in Full Swing

  The end of August, Tisha B’Av is over,

and Jerusalem festival season is in full swing.

While the Festival Ha’ira is still popular,

 there is an annual Klezemer Festival,

sign in Hebrew in Jerusalem

and this sign is for new arts festival.

Walking by the Liberty Bell Park,

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I was not only one scratching my head.

What was that thing in the park?

Train Theater has its annual Puppet Festival.

Jerusalem festival puppet festival

People were lined up to enter,

but something new lined the fence.

Inspired by the Prague Zoo,

man looks at poster Gan Paamon

posters by Michal Cihlar, a Czech Republic artist,

“Zoooo – You Wouldn’t have a clue?”

included a hoopoe, Israeli’s national bird.

While across the road in Bloomfield Gardens,

near the Montefiore Windmill,

Macbeth in motion Jerusalem

was “Macbeth in Motion.”

Over the next two weeks,

Macbeth in motion in Bloomfield Park Jerusalem Israel audience

audiences in the park can appreciate Shakespeare,

but be warned do not get too comfortable,

the audience changes locations 5 times.

Yemin Moshe view of Tower of David Jerusalem

Where else can you hear the Bard of Avon with this backdrop?

Nearby, also these last two weeks of August,

Khutsot Hayotser Jeusalem international arts and crafts festival

is Khutsot Hayotser,

the annual international arts and crafts fair,

international arts and crafts festival

with its concerts in Sultan’s Pool.

It is so huge,

 I will save those photos for another time.

Since it opened and all summer long.

fountain in Teddy Park sound and light show at night

families have come to Teddy Park.

Lights on at night near Old City Teddy Fountain

Children love to run in the fountain.

Light and music in fountain at night Jerusalem Teddy Park

Lights and music at night,

with the water pressure changing,

what a way to cool off and have fun, and its free.

people in water at Teddy Fountain

With the walls of the Old City in the background,

location is a bonus also.

The Beer and Wine Festivals are still to come.

But meanwhile with Tu B’Av parties and weddings,

it is hard to keep up with all the good things

happening on the Jerusalem, Israel streets.