Mamilla Mall – Page 5 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem, Israel, Rain or Shine is Home

January 3, 2018Sharon A

The year 2018 got off to a wet start.

Prayers for rain in Jerusalem, Israel,

were answered.

Rain poured down, the streets flooded,

and the cold and wet winter arrived.

Wet sidewalks outside Ramada Hotel as man walks away without coat.

It was a good to be in and not outside.

Oh and the fog!

Fog covering Jerusalem buildings.

When fog sets in it can be so thick

Sunset, lights go on and fog clears Jerusalem Israel rainy day

you cannot see large buildings nearby.

I know we need rain desperately,

but I prefer to be out when the sun is shining.

Mincha minyin in Mamilla Mall street

I like to see those impromptu prayer services,

anytime of the afternoon, anywhere,

in parks and here in Mamilla Mall.

People walking in Jerusalem Israel Mamilla Mall past Arab women sitting in cafe

I like to watch people walking in Mamilla Mall,

Jerusalem Israel two nuns walking along street near Kikar Safra

or on any Jerusalem, Israel street.

One can see a bit of every fashion,

Man smoking on Ben Yehuda wearing red Santa helper hat

though I am not sure what fashion statement

this man sitting and smoking on Ben Yehuda

was making by wearing a red Santa helper hat.

Street graffiti in Jerusalem Israel near city center

I like to find new street graffiti.

Jerusalem WeWork building construction

And I like to see work progressing

on the future home of Jerusalem WeWork.

Entrance to major Jerusalem construction at city entrance

We will have to wait to see how much we like

the massive construction project near the entrance to Jerusalem.

You can see here how far it is going down

before the buildings start to go up and up.

This week across the highway, the Ramada Hotel hosted the

WZO’s International Conference for Rabbis and Communal leaders.

There were dozens of speakers

and representatives from 40 countries.

With unrest all around the Middle East

Rabbis and community leaders at Ramada Hotel for WZO conference in Jerusalem Israel

it is easy to overlook the wonder that

this conference was held in Hebrew.

So many are learning Torah in Hebrew in Israel today.

The population is approaching 9 million.

Walk on along Jerusalem streets you will hear

English, French, Russian and Spanish along with Hebrew.

With corruption and strikes and strife,

incredible things have developed in 70 years.

With all those negative headlines around the world,

Israel is growing.

This past week I saw this traditional blessing for a home,

Traditional blessing for new home in Hebrew and English

“May this home be a place of happiness and health,

of contentment, generosity, and hope. A home of

creativity and kindness. May those who visit and

those who live here know only blessing and peace.”

It was hanging near the front door on a new home

for female lone soldiers in Jerusalem.

7,000 young people, from around the world,

are in Israel, serving in the defense forces,

30% of them young women.

Female lone soldiers in special residence in Jerusalem group hug "Mom" counselor in charge

After the opening day dedication program,

six of the young soldiers surrounded

and hugged their “Mom.”

Rachel, the counselor is on duty 24/7 to help and advise

these young women without parents around to support them.

Head of the Lone Soldier Center in memory of Michael Levin,

Josh Flaster looks on with pride.

Sign of Home, love, memories, friends and laughter

Jerusalem, Israel, rain or shine is home.

Hanukkah Highlights From Jerusalem

December 20, 2017Sharon A

Hanukkah highlights.

It is both easy and hard to write this post every year.

Finding something new?

That is easy.

Look up and see a lit hanukia, Hanukkah menorah,

in a new and unusual location.

This year there were flags

flying high above the hanukia outside Beit Hanasi,

the Israeli President’s Residence.

US flags were hung along with the hanukia street decorations,

ready for the visit of US Vice-President Pence.

The visit was postponed until next month,

and those extra flags were removed.

Dozens of these blue signs remained.

Plus, there is a full-size bus covered with this message,

but I’m sorry, it went by so fast I missed the photo.

Trump’s speech on Jerusalem was a distraction for some,

but for most, the eight days of Hanukkah

involved lighting a personal hanukia at home.

On the last night of Hanukkah,

tens of thousands arrived in the Old City

to see performers with torches on fire

and special lights at Jaffa Gate.

Spinning dreydels were a favorite new decoration.

Hundreds of tour groups worked their way slowly through

the narrow alleyways of the Old City.

A photo-op of a man sitting by his candles

or windows up above the streets,

caused the crowds to slow to a standstill.

In the Jewish Quarter, the Hurva Synagogue was lit up.

A constant flow of people came and went

to and from the Kotel,

the Western Wall Plaza, during holidays.

As every year the large hanukia,

is a photo highlight.

This was one photo I was not anticipating,

a re-enactment of the Jewish Temple priests lighting the Temple menorah.

At classic spots, it was hard to get a clear shot,

as cell phone cameras were in use by the thousands.

One wall had a projection of the Macabees in days of old.

The crowds at Mamilla Mall for lighting were impressive.

Hundreds came each night,

the recent warnings of danger did not affect enthusiasm.

Tourists from near and far gathered to celebrate

the last night of Hanukkah.

Only the warm weather seemed out of the ordinary.

These Habad vans were part of a convoy,

pulling large electric hanukiot.

Too bad I did not get a good position for a video,

they changed colors as the music blasted.

Habad has brought the lights of Hanukkah

out to main streets all around the world.

But in Jerusalem, and around Israel,

there is more than candles and oil lights.

Special suffganiot, those fried decorated donuts

filled store window displays,

and were consumed by the millions.

See that little hand reaching for one more?

For one last time until next year,

Happy Hanukkah.

9 New Holiday Scenes in Jerusalem

October 3, 2017Sharon A

Jerusalem, Israel,

is old and new and constantly changing.

These birds flying over the ancient walls of the Old City

Jerusalem migrating birds

are migrating as they have for centuries,

though those powerful lights are new.

Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem Israel new window display

The Waldorf-Astoria has new window displays.

Jerusalem Israel sunset view

New towers are being built,

the Jerusalem skyline is changing. Mamilla Mall view at sunset from near Jaffa Gate

At the David Citadel Hotel, those white things in the distance

are balconies being prepared for Sukkot holiday meals.

View of Jaffa Gate from outside Jerusalem Israel

I was at Jaffa Gate at sunset

and looked up at the Tower of David,

Tower of David, Jerusalem Israel Old City

to see something new on top.

That is a special cork sukka designed as part of the

3rd Jerusalem Jewish Contemporary Art Biennale,

by artist Avner Sher.

At the Jaffa Gate below there is nothing new,

Keporos at Old City with live bird

just this man performing the kapparot ritual

moving around a live chicken.

Man waving bird over head of two women for Keporos at Jaffa Gate Jerusalem

These women did not look as comfortable with

the ancient custom to absolve one’s sins before Yom Kippur.

Jerusalem Old City train for tourist to Western Wall

The new Old City Train was ready bright and ready to go.

Lights of new food places above Cardo in Old City Jerusalem Israel

Here are two new bright signs above the Old Cardo.

Jerusalem Israel new sound and light show City of David

The City of David has a new sound and light show.

Jewish second temple stone found in excavation under site of new police station

This decorative stone from the Second Temple is a new find

by archaeologists near the Kotel, the Western Wall.

I went to the Old City before Yom Kippur,

Western Wall selihos booklet for late night Selihot at the Kotel.

Synagogue Old City Sephardi

While the synagogues were quiet that night,

New police station and roof of building near Kotel for selihot

from the new observation spot above the

new police station building

Western Wall Plaza full of people for sehlhos after midnight

the crowd stretched further than my lens could capture.

Kotel for Selihot 5778 Jerusalem Old City Israel

Tens of thousands of people kept arriving

though it was well after midnight.

Women at Kotel for Selichot 5778

Would selfies at the Kotel be considered new?

Jerusalem Israel Old City view of Western Wall and dome of Rock at night

The dome and wall are certainly not new,

but always impressive sight lit up at night,

so late that no transportation was in sight.

For the last time this year,

Bus from Old City with sign Gmara Hatima Tova

here is a bus with the Yom Kippur greeting,

“Gmar Hatima tova”

“May you be sealed for a good year.”

Now that is old too.

As soon as Yom Kippur ended in Jerusalem,

Jerusalem Israel sukka on a balcony

sukkot started popping up.

If you would like to not only see the Kotel scene,

but hear a bit of the selihot prayer,

I am sharing this short video:

Now it is time to prepare for new holiday and guests.

חג שמח

Chag sameach.