middle east current events – Page 42 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

From Jerusalem, Education Uniting and Empowering

June 13, 2018June 13, 2018Sharon A

Another incredible week in Jerusalem, Israel, as tens of thousands filled hotels and their buses made their way through the Jerusalem streets.

The Unity Prizes were awarded at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence. With the Gesher Foundation and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, the Fraenkel, Ifrach and Shaar families initiated these awards four years ago.

The families of the three murdered teens Eyal, Yifrach, and Naftali z”l wanted to find a meaningful way to express their appreciation for the unity and support they felt during those difficult days.

$Unity Prize founders three families Fraenkel, Ifrach and Shaar at Beit Hanasi for Unity Awards Ceremony$

The program was held in the main hall and included music and entertainment, with the families and prize winners filling the room.

Boca Florida won a prize for Jewish Engagement, unity in Jewish education. Representatives from Florida came to Jerusalem to receive their award.

Other winners were Runners without Borders, TEC Center, Koolulam, and a special Global life achievement went to Birthright.

Three video clips were included in last week’s Shabbat Shalom greeting. They can be seen HERE.

Soon after I left Beit Hanasi, there was another event in the gardens of OneFamily.

Photo ops with former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani were popular that night.

Giuliani was mayor at the time of September 11 terror attack. He spoke of dealing with victims of terror in the aftermath and emphasized the good and important work of OneFamily helping victims of terror in Israel.

Not all of his remarks would be considered politically correct, but here is one short clip on Arafat and the PLO.

Beit Hanasi, as usual, was a busy place all week. The presidential gardens were ready for numerous international guests.

The leadership of American Jewish Committee (AJC) lined up so politely to enter. Should I confess that I smiled and went in the other door to bypass the line?

At AJC closing plenary, one of the many faces of Israel, Ahlam Alsana, stressed the importance of education in her remarks.

For locals, it was the annual Shavuah Hasefer, Hebrew Book Week, again held in First Station. As every year, thousands of volumes were for sale, attracting young and old.

A volunteer student theater group performed as families gathered before the entry gate opened.

After their performance, confetti covered the ground and the actor/painter was back at his easel at work.

Another “you never know what you will find” scene for sure.

You never know what you will find at those end of school year performances filling schedules in June. Mega events, with professional staging and lights, lasting well into the night – for elementary school. Interesting, as college graduations in Israel are so low key compared to US.

The new Orient Hotel was the scene of a gala dinner celebrating the 80th year of Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz and Steinsaltz Center contribution to education.

What other dinner gala featured a wall of impressive books, under the authorship of one person?

Rabbi Steinsaltz was escorted into the full banquet hall by his son and grandson.

Popular singer Avraham Fried gave a powerful performance.

The key note speaker was Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, who spoke about power and knowledge.

To end with some inspiration, take two minutes and listen to a brief clip from his insightful remarks.

So much is happening in Jerusalem.

Israel Festival has ended. Jerusalem Design Week has begun.

Then on June 27, begins another week of the annual Light Festival in the Old City.

But for this week if there was one overshadowing theme, it was that education is the key.

Education should be everyone’s birthright, not only the privileged.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Shomron Tour: 7 Stops Over Green Line

May 30, 2018July 12, 2018Sharon A

Once in while it is good to leave Jerusalem, Israel, and see what is happening in other parts of the country.

An opportunity for a trip to the Shomron was hard to pass up. Three times previously, I joined various groups going over the green line to Judea and Samaria, to the Shomron. I was interested to see how things have changed. Often those who travel a regular route do not notice change as much as one who only goes by occasionally.

Leaving Jerusalem, one sees how much construction is happening, how built up some areas are today. Above are a few of new Arab houses along the road.

Neighborhoods stretch out with new dwellings. In the distance, however, is one undeveloped area.

There it is up on the hill, still the same as it was decades ago. The shell of the King of Jordan’s planned summer palace. No one seems to want to touch those dunams of land.

But new Jewish neighborhoods are also under construction, Leshem is a planned and growing community.

One thing has not changed, along the road one still see piles of junked cars in Arab neighborhoods.

By the Oslo Accords, Judea and Samaria was divided into three areas: Area A, B and C.

To make something extremely complicated simplified:

Area A is under PA control. B is under PA governance with Israeli security. C is under Israeli control.

First stop was Pedu’el. From המרפסת של המדינה, HaMirpeset Shel HaMedina, loosely translated as Israel’s Lookout, on a clear day one can see, well almost forever, to the sea. It is one of those spots where one realizes just how small Israel really is.

Ever wonder where those old stained clothes and seconds of wipes end up?

Second stop was at Ofertex manufacturing plant in Barkan Industrial Park.

I wrote about a visit to Barkan Industrial Park two years ago. While SodaStream got the media attention, dozens of companies are based in the region. This one recycles fabrics to make cleaning cloths, repackaged under private labels for Walmart, Dollar Stores and European clients too. Oftertex was started by Polish survivors who came to Israel in 1950. Fourth generation owners of this private company employ 120 people. Of the 100 Arab workers, some are third generation employees. Israeli companies pay over three times average PA salaries, plus have better working conditions and benefits.

Thousands of Arab workers are hurt if BDS boycott’s are effective, if production slows or a business is forced to close or relocate.

Back on the road, we passed a memorial to one of too many Israelis who were murdered by terrorists at this bus stop.

Third Stop was in Itamar, which I had passed on previous trips, but never entered. I had not realized how large and spread out it was.

A few of Itamar homes in the distance, as seen from Zimerman Farm where we heard the story of Zimerman Family’s pioneering in organic farming.

Looking out, one sees how getting into Itamar is not so easy, and requires planning. I could not help thinking of the Fogel family as I stood and stared out.

We passed Israeli soldiers standing guard on the road in a cement shelter for protection.

And those red warning signs, telling Israelis not to enter PA territory, were posted at the Arab villages of Area A.

The view on the way to Stop Four on Har Bracha, Blessed Mountain, is worth sharing, even if it was hazy that day.

Wine tasting with lunch at Har Bracha, demonstrated the quality wines coming from vineyards planted in the once barren land, now producing 50,000 bottles a year.

My first visit to Shehem, Nablus, inspired an Israellycool post. Finding Yosef’s Tomb from the safety of the lookout on Mount Gerizim was harder this time.

Stop Five showed “the refugee camp” which is still the same cramped, pathetic photo op, as the areas around have grown and sprawled outward in all directions.

A Tahini Factory near the overlook was Stop Six. The owner Yosef HaCohen shared his story of being a Samaritan businessman. Not Jewish. not Muslim. His children are in the school system under PA, and Har Bracha Tahini is trying to do business in Europe, not so easy for a company located in the “West Bank.”

A trip through the Shomron on Ramadan, when Muslims fast all day, and eat after dark, means food places are shut in the morning, but fires get going in late afternoon.

On our last stop before returning to Jerusalem, Michal Eshed shared her Eretz IL research. She has found sources for hundreds of locations with Arab names that were built on top of Jewish sites, where the Hebrew source names were used and translated to Arabic.

Near the Shomron Community Council building where Eshel shared her power point presentation, is this memorial plaza.

Our bus was stopped by police not far from Ramallah on our return to Jerusalem. Traffic was backed up the other way. We had heard a soldier had been critically wounded. The police were checking cars, looking for someone. Sadly the young soldier died from his head wound.

The Shomron’s “checkerboard of governance” is complicated. Seven stops on a day trip are like a drop in the bucket. One blog post only provides a small piece of the picture..

I thought to close with a bit of the view overlooking Itamar in the Shomron.

More photos from day can be seen HERE

Interested ro see for yourself? Let me know and I will introduce you to those who want to share the beauty of Eretz Yisrael.

Jerusalem One Week with Many Flags

May 21, 2018Sharon A

Flags.

It is hard to keep up with so many flags.

I often have said that since moving to Jerusalem, Israel, I have learned flags of the world.

The Israeli blue and white flags for the Jerusalem Day celebrations were up for the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem.

The red, white, and blue US flags were quickly replaced by the blue and white flags of Guatemala, as the official Guatemalan presidential motorcade moved through the Jerusalem streets.

Motorcycles noisily escorted the limousines carrying President Jimmy Morales and his delegation.

The opening of the Guatemalan embassy in Jerusalem was marked by a festive reception at the King David Hotel. Shouts of Viva Guatemala! rung out in the hall.

Jerusalem hotels are full, bustling and busy over this extended holiday season. How many meals? These crushed boxes outside the Jerusalem Waldorf, a few of how many?

There were sweet tables full of delicacies, with flowing red and white wine, at the various international celebrations.

Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes, with his official motorcade, stopped by Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s residence, on his way to the opening of the Paraguayan Embassy in Jerusalem.

Here the Paraguayan president is signing the official presidential guest book. The two presidents shared warm messages of friendship before the motorcade sped away to open the third Embassy in Jerusalem this week.

However, as usual, there is much more going on than gets media attention in Jerusalem, Israel.

The Forbes Under 30 Global Summit was held in Israel. It is the first ever Forbes Global Summit of young entrepreneurs, and it included a service day in an exhausting full schedule of speakers and touring.

Russell Lane, Chief Content Officer of Forbes Media, (left) and Erel Margalit, Founder and Chairman of Jerusalem Venture Partners, JVP, opened the service day event. The JVP site served as the mandate’s official mint under the British and was later abandoned.

Margalit renovated the old building complex, and sparked startup and technology development in Jerusalem. JVP was an ideal location for hundreds of international young entrepreneurs to meet, collaborate, and learn.

Most, but not all participants were first time visitors to Jerusalem. One German musician returned as an investor, after having been a participant in a regional Under 30 held in Israel last year.

Asked why Israel was chosen for the first Global Summit, Lane answered, “After two successful regional summits, the participants enjoyed the great venue. Israel is a crossroads with an historical perspective and a recognized status among nations. ” He added, a parallel session was being held in Rawabi and the goal was to “leave the region better than we found it.”

Forbes was not the only gathering of entrepreneurs. Made in Jerusalem hosted a special Happy Hour at Beit Alliance with WeWork Creative.

Previous winners of WeWork’s startup funding shared their experiences with the audience. A mega event is being planned for June 20, 2018, in Jerusalem.

Politics has hit the long running popular Israel Festival in Jerusalem. A week before opening, Portuguese playwright Tiago Rodrigues informed the Israel Festival Jerusalem’s management that he was canceling his performance at this year’s festival for “political reasons.” Rodrigues was scheduled to perform “By Heart” on June 4 and 5.

“The performance by Tiago Rodrigues is about memory as a tool to combat the restriction of freedom of expression,” said Festival CEO Eyal Sher, who expressed disappointment at the artist’s unilateral political stance on the complex conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. “The Israel Festival has a deep belief in the power of art to express new points of reference, to open up people to the recognition of the ‘other,’ and to promote understanding and tolerance.”

So far no such notices from the Jerusalem Design Week arts festival, set for June 7-14.

It was reported that 90,000 Muslims came to pray in Jerusalem on the first Friday of Ramadan.

Then on Saturday night, for Tikun Leil Shavuot, a night of Jewish study, tens of thousands of religious and secular Jews filled the Jerusalem streets, many going from one lecture to another. As the sun rose on Sunday morning, the crowds worked their way to the Kotel, the Western Wall, for holiday morning prayers.

Thousands of Christian pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost.

So much happening in Jerusalem in one week, it is hard to keep up.

Avera Mengistu is still held in Gaza. His family vigil near the Prime Minister’s residence was largely ignored this week as the situation at the Gaza border stole the headlines.

Vietnamese Governor of Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Thien Nhan, is due to arrive in Jerusalem, Israel, this week.

Another day, another night, time for strings of lights and a new flag.