Mamilla Mall – Page 8 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

BDS in Jerusalem

March 12, 2013rjstreets

Sorry I do not know any BDS, Boycott, Divest and Sanction folks,

so I can not ask them how boycotting Soda Stream

and putting hundreds of Palestinian workers out of a job

is good for anyone.

I can only assume that they are simply anti-Israel or ignorant,

as they would hurt those that BDSers are supposedly are out to help.

What I do see in Jerusalem, Israel, is that

Arab girls shop.

That is not new or news

and certainly everyone here knows that

Arab women shop.

But the biggest change in the last two years

that I have seen

is that now

Arab males shop.

Not just for cell phones,

or candy,

or food

in the supermarkets,

or in the shuk, Machane Yehuda Market,

or in a bakery.

They walk the Jerusalem streets while shopping with women

and girls,

and they carry those bags home too.

Especially in Mamilla Mall,

groups of young Arab men

can be found every day

and at night.

I have been asked what this means,

I am really not sure.

However, I do see that BDS in Jerusalem, Israel

is not boycott, divest and sanction,

but more like Boys Do Shop!

Time to add another pin on the BDS Fail Map

this time from the heart of Israel.

Purim, Purim and still Purim?

February 27, 2013rjstreets

I used to think that if Purim was more than one day, it would be easier,

as spreading out the celebration would make it less intense and less tiring.

Oh, was I wrong!

Purim holiday celebrations begin early in Jerusalem, Israel,

and continue well after others have ended.

While the rest of the world went back to work,

Jerusalem was still in full holiday mode.

Many synagogues and Megillat Esther readings were colorful events.

This year zombies and witches roamed the streets at night.

There were some really great shades of hair: blue, purple,

and fluorescent green.

These Israeli soldiers were wearing green too, as they sat in front of the

Hurva Synagogue listening to their tour guide, they were the real thing.

But who here is in a Purim costume?

Sometimes it was easy to tell the costumes,

but other times it was not so easy to decide

who in Jerusalem was dressing up for Purim.

I am pretty sure this was a mask.

Often a hat was enough

to share the festive mood.

Streets actors on stilts performed in Mamilla Mall,

but they were not the only big people in costumes.

For fancy dresses of all sizes,

Purim was a colorful time,

celebrated

in many ways.

Smurfs were popular – this one was a head turner,

as was this hair cut.

Purim, a time of costumes,

hair and smiles,

food and feasting and drinking.

And as every year on Purim, I am fascinated how many

Arab families are out

sharing the same streets.

Until next year,

Happy Purim.

Still not enough?

Then you can see more photos here.

In Jerusalem 10 Signs of Purim Season

February 12, 2013rjstreets

You can never tell what you will find on the streets of Jerusalem, Israel,

and that is especially true at this time of year.

The month of Adar has arrived,

and though the Purim holiday is still two weeks away,

here is a sign of the season, a great mask I passed on the street.

Across the street from the Prime Minister’s residence

blue balloons were hanging and blowing in the wind.

At first I thought they were some sort of reminder of a terrorist attack

that had killed 10 people at this spot in Adar of 2003.

But, the number 18 was not about years or the number of victims of terror,

when I looked more closely, they said:

18 ministers in the new government is enough!

End of season sale signs are up in Mamilla Mall, where

the humor themed art is perfect for this time of year.

The giant sign for February sport events and the Jerusalem Marathon

at Jaffa Gate cannot be missed.

Even with signs, the construction of new sidewalks

can be hard to figure out, and it took awhile to get around this mess.

For months on this corner, there was a protest against racism,

in the same spot where Gilad Shalit’s family spent so many years.

Today it was cleaned up and clear of all tents and banners.

You can now see the sign that says that it is prohibited to hang signs.

However, there are new signs being hung

across from Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence,

“Honored President, Save Pollard.”

There are many more signs of the Purim season,

but two of my favorites

are the street signs named for Mordechai the Jew,

and of course,

those full plates of hamentaschen being served where ever you go.