Jerusalem Cinema City Open

Hezbollah is escalating its activity near Syrian border.

The Israeli navy stopped an Iranian rocket shipment headed for Gaza,

from Syria around to Sudan, under a Panamanian flag!

Spending so much time and effort on terror makes sense to them?

Government foreign service workers are striking.

Hundreds of thousands of haredi protesters went home.

The Sandstorm from Egypt is finally over.

image Jerusalem cinema city, photo Jerusalem Cinema new, picutre Jerusalem Cinema City

And the new Jerusalem Cinema City is open.

photo Cinema City Jerusalem, image Jerusalem Cinema City, picture Cinema City Jerusalem

The area outside is landscaped with trees, flowers and signs.

Wish I knew why they used so many tall thin cypress trees?

image Jerusalem cinema city, photo Cinema City Jerusalem

Inside the fountain is flowing,

image movie theater, picture Jerusalem movies, photo films in Jerusalem

and huge chandeliers and bright floors shine.

picture cinema city Jerusalem, photo inside cinema city, picture Jerusalem movie place

The theaters are down, down under the ground.

image Jerusalem building, photo Jerusalem, picture cinema city

The foot bridge is closed off for now,

image Jerusalem cinema city, photo cinema city Jerusalem

but some shops are open.

cinema city Jerusalem image, photo Jerusalem cinema city, picture new theater

There are plenty of ticket sellers with little to do,

and freezer case in the ice cream store is empty.

There seems to be something for everyone,

image Uncle Sam, photo Cinema city Jerusalem, picture inside cinema city

Uncle Sam wants you,

image Elvis, Elvis photo, picture of Elvis

even Elvis wearing brown shoes, but with a blue guitar.

We used to use the expression “Bigger than Ben-Hur.”

But while I did not see him,

image Moses, photo Moses with ten commandments. picture inside Cinema city

 Moses is here with all Ten Commandments.

image Noah's ark, photo large ark with animals, picture Cinema city

Outside on the roof is Noah with his ark and animals,

image Smurfs, photo cartoon, picture Jerusalem unusual

and colorful Smurfs too.

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The Zipora Express restaurant was quite full and busy.

Unfortunately, not all the escalators were working.

I did a lot of walking up and down these steps,

image disabled walking, photo woman with walker, picture woman walking in cinema city

but one woman was there with a walker.

photo Jerusalem cinema, new cinema photo, picture cinema city

So many lights, colors and busy stuff,

anyone with a seizure disorder should beware.

Actually, you could probably develop one if you walk around long enough.

image cinema city, Jerusalem new photo, picture cinema city

Jerusalem, Israel, ‘city of lions’ has a new attraction.

Lights, action, camera, but for now, the theaters are closed on Shabbat.

Jerusalem International Arts and Crafts Festival

Once again at the end of summer,

there are lots of festivals on the streets of Jerusalem, Israel.

One of the most impressive is 

חוצות היוצר ירושלים

Khutsot Hayotser, the International Arts and Crafts Festival,

which may be hard to transliterate from Hebrew,

but it is hard to miss, right across from the walls of the Old City.

image Artist Colony Jerusalme

This event has grown for the last 40 years.

At least once a year the Arts & Crafts Lane comes alive.

There is an Israeli Pavilion with 200 Israeli artists and exhibits,

Hutsot Hayotser

Thousands fill the festival grounds

photo three clowns, image clowns

and some entertainers really stand out.

photo Nir Barkat

Mayor Nir Barkat was there on opening night and posed with potential voters.

mayor at arts festival, image Mayor Jerusalem

Making the rounds, he stopped by Hadassah College’s Neverland booth.

Each night of the festival a major Israeli musical performer stars,

 and last night Barkat introduced Shlomi Shabat to the Sultan’s Pool audience.

חוצות היוצר ירושלים

No Israeli event would be complete without food.

It was hard to push your way through the crowded main food court.

image Jerusalem crowd

Families found places to sit, eat, rest and listen to music.

The International Pavilion had booths from Asia,

DSC_4550b

South and Central America, Europe, Africa and United States.

arts & crafts fair Jerusalem

Bulgaria had a prime location, but their stuff still was still stuck in customs.

image Turkish Muslim in Jerusalem

India was well represented.

image vendor at international arts fair

The nice lady of South Korea had a variety of fans.

Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Guatemala,Turkmenistan and Madagascar,

Angola to Zimbabwe and more: so why not Canada?

image African dress

Popular African musicians were among the many international entertainers.

iamge Khutsot hayotser

This huge event will host tens of thousands of Israelis from August 5-17.

image clowns, picture news broadcaster, live news from festival

The Israeli news Channel 10 was there live for opening night.

But as usual,

no matter how large or how many people are out on the Jerusalem streets,

if there is no violence,

it’s not worthy of the mainstream media’s attention.

August Summer Festival Time in Jerusalem

During August in Jerusalem, Israel, the weather gets hot during the day,

 and lots of people travel north or leave the country. 

But there is so much to do in the capital:

image Beer Festival in Hebrew

the annual Beer Festival,

 the International Puppet Festival and Jerusalem Klezmer just to name a few.

School is out.  

Summer camps are over.

Keeping children happy and safe occupies most everyone,

and that includes parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and the office staff.

image Israel Museum

Free admission and special activities for kids at the Israel Museum in August

image Israel Museum for children

 brought out thousands of families.

image actor dressed half man and half woman

This optical illusion was so much more impressive from the front.

Israel Museum special day

These performers at first looked like a statue, 

image of performers in mime

but this really needs a video to do it justice;

Israel Museum special activities

they were impressive no matter how you looked at them.

image Israel Museum crowd

Keeping track of who you came in with was a problem with the large crowds.

Israel Museum special show

This percussionist was working hard.

image Israel Museum special summer program

His loud music and great rhythms kept everyone’s attention,

two little boys on shoulders to see music at Israel Museum,

 and some had a better view than others.

Israel Museum special show

Not all acts were loud, this mime didn’t make a sound,

and had his audience quietly participating, but with lots of oohs and aahs.

Israel Museum special exhibit outside

Mirrored reflection was also quiet and a great photo op.

little girl looking at Dome at Israel Museum

Any day at the Israel Museum,

the distinctive dome of the Shrine of the Book is impressive to see.

But at least one night this week the kids will be left at home,

as the museum hosts its popular Wine Festival.

image sign Hebrew sports

I got to the Maccabiah Opening, but this year missed the street ball in Kikar Safra.

sign for Trains at First station

There is still plenty of time for the miniature trains, as they did not open on schedule.

If all this is not cultural enough for you, 

image actors in medieval costumes,, Bloomfield Park

how about Shakespeare in the Park?

image actors in costume

Richard III will be presented in English in Bloomfield Park, (near the Windmill).

Who has time to go out of town

when there are so many events happening in Jerusalem?