August Highlights from the Jerusalem Streets

On the Jerusalem streets, life goes on.

Despite being under constant rocket fire from Lebanon and the psychological threat from Iran, things have been happening on the Jerusalem streets.

Surprisingly even at late night, the Kotel, Western Wall, plaza was full of people.

So many people, that I didn’t realize until the next day that I had family in the crowd.

Venturing outside from home, things were happening, a few highlights.

Literally, around Jerusalem, one must move mountains to build new roads.

Now that the new tunnels are finally open to Gush Etzion, Route #60 is being expanded to accommodate the traffic flow. Such a short distance to drive can take a long time, especially in rush hours.

The campus of Har Etzion Yeshiva was where I was headed to start the week.

The annual Yom Iyun Bible study sessions were held as usual during the week before Tisha B’Av. In the past, I tried to run around to capture many of the important rabbis and lecturers. However, this time I stayed in the auditorium for the day in Herzog Global dedicated to international educators.

The panel discussion after lunch was “Beyond the Text: Can We Effect Change Inside the Classroom.”

“Effect” and “affect” were the topics of the day, with examples of educational styles shown.

The last session late afternoon was with Dr. Tovah Lichtenstein and her daughter Rabbanit Esti Rosenberg. Their discussion on Biblical figures was engaging enough to fill the auditorium, even at the late hour after a long day. The Herzog Global sessions are available in English online. More photos HERE

The Yeshiva has lost many valued students to terror and war, and the fallen are remembered.

The Knesset plenum is in recess until after the fall holidays, but the building is far from empty. Twice recently I have seen young families arriving at the same time I am headed to a session.

The Knesset attendance board was lit with who was in the building Wednesday morning.

The session I went for was on “settler violence” and the US sanctions issued on February 1, 2024. US President Biden’s Executive Order 14115, has been copied by other countries.

The room was filled when the session started with people outside clamoring to get in. MK Simcha Rothman chaired the Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee session which went on for 4 1/2 hours.

The conclusions of Michael Wolfowicz, a criminologist from the Hebrew University’s School of Law, data-driven testimony was informative. The extensive use of UN-inflated figures and the negative impact were much greater than I had realized.

Lawyers Mark Zell and Avi Bell were there with a copy of the 100-page legal complaint filed in the United States.   Eugene Kontorovich, another of the plaintiffs’ legal advisers, wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed published the same day, stating sanctions like this have never been used to silence policy.

Members of the Knesset attended and spoke raising various points as Tali Gotlib did about Israeli banks.

Not often I get a photo of me taking a photo. She knows how to get attention as she speaks loud and early and leaves. Other MKs came and stayed for hours as the discussions continued.

So what’s happening on the Jerusalem streets you might have missed?

Our local public shelter got a new door.

In Mamilla Mall, stores come and go, as well as the people

Always photo-worthy, the Tower of David walls were lit at night.

People walked through the Arab shuk in the Old City at night.

Not everything is black and white, but Muslim women walk alone in the Old City.

Tisha B’Av begins Monday night, August 8, 2024, with a long list of options for Aicha, the annual reading of Lamentations at night, and many programs on Tuesday during the fast day.

New options for those at home and not in Jerusalem, include a movie produced by AISH.

Several of the people in the film attended the preview on Wednesday night. Living by values, needing a meaningful life, building homes in Israel, taking pain to rebuild, and building stronger and better – are highlighted. “Nothing is stronger than a broken heart.” If you need some inspiration, it is available for free online all Tisha B’Av.

The annual International Puppet Festival is at the Train Theater from August 18 to 22.

A new exhibit is at the Islamic Museum – but even as life moves on, there is a yellow ribbon until the hostages return.

Moving on, the signs are up for the new school year to begin next month.

The sun was setting as I walked to the Old City, the reflections on the stones – Jerusalem of Gold.

Friday was Indigenous Peoples Day.

For millennia Jews have been buried on the Mount of Olives, except from 1948-1967, when Jordan divided and occupied Jerusalem. In 1948, Jewish life in the Old City was destroyed.

Today the Tiferet Israel, the largest and last synagogue to be rebuilt is seen with its dome rising above the Old City. That is one tour I am anxiously waiting to take.

Meanwhile, public tours of the Knesset are available. The Israeli flags are blowing in the evening breeze.

It’s August. It’s hot. But people are out and about on the real Jerusalem streets.

After Tisha B’Av the Jerusalem streets are to fill with people, events, and music again.

The International Jerusalem Klezmer Festival has performances from August 18-23, starting in First Station at 8:30 pm and Cinema City the next night. Friday before Shabbat at the Dan Jerusalem Hotel they have a special show for the people from north and south who have had to leave home due to the constant rocket barrages from Lebanon.

Not enough?

There’s Infinity – next week at the Jerusalem Pais Arena!

Hope to see you all here soon.

Next year in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem Remembers but Looks to Better Future in 2024

On my social media feed, Israeli friends are posting, “For the rest of the world it’s New Year’s Eve,

but here in Israel – it’s October 85.” Today is the 86th day since Hamas invaded on the Shabbat of Simhat Torah, October 7, destroyed thousands of lives, and hundreds of Israelis were taken hostage in Gaza.

The Jerusalem streets are filled with refugees from the south of Israel and the north, as the war rages on. Life also goes on, though at a different pace.

This past week, there was another full moon over Jerusalem, as the seasons began to change from long dark nights to longer brighter days.

The lively sound of piyut music was coming from downstairs at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center.

While upstairs Benny Begin son of Menachem Begin was giving a short history of Gaza.

Oh, how I dislike the photos that show those posters in the small hall.

But there was something about the way Ariel Sharon kept staring during Begin’s interesting presentation.

I knew of the mosaic from a 6th-century synagogue in Gaza, but his image is better than the one I had.

I did learn about the Margolin family who owned a hotel in Gaza. In the 1929 riots, the Jews living in Gaza were able to shelter in their hotel and escape without being killed.

On the way home the sign at the parking lot near First Station said “FULL” and it really was, as people are slowly coming back to the Jerusalem streets.

Jerusalem Municipality is promoting culture with multiple sponsored events.

Coming back, a new kosher restaurant at 1 Ben Maimon Street, at the site of the old Moment Cafe.

The extra-long Israeli flag is too short for the new buildings rising in Jerusalem.

It was a surprise to see work being done on the future Knesset Museum on King George Street.

A very good sign to see the tables out and a few people back in Kikar Hamusica, Music Square.

These decorations were put up before the summer but seemed to only get attention now.

While the holiday decorations are up the holiday crowds stayed away by the millions this year.

But the volunteers and solidarity missions keep coming to Israel. This group of 18 young adults from around the world came for a first-hand experience to take back to their countries to support Israel. This is so important as social media is filled with lies, distortions, and denial. They are part of a Young Leadership Academy sponsored by KKL-JNF and WZO, each one an outstanding individual, and hope for the future.

Their last stop on the brief mission was at the Kotel, Western Wall, before heading home.

These female soldiers caught our attention as they came to pray.

This case of candles is located at the Kotel Plaza, in memory of the murdered and fallen on October 7.

As the world moves on, after 3 months, the candles are a sign to also remember the hostages.

For the holiday season, the Old City was sadly too quiet, with early evening looking like the middle of the night.

Even at the Hurva Synagogue, I could get a photo with no one in the image.

Also sad, is the Arab shuk, where the Arab vendors have missed another big holiday season.

A lone Jerusalem cat at First Station is also suffering from a lack of tourists.

However, to leave you on a brighter note, the new Jerusalem swimming pool and fitness center is open.

The pool is not Olympic-sized, but large and open all year round, the only comparison to the old one is its location. There is a baby pool outside ready for the summer. The fitness center upstairs is impressive.

The “Israel loves Biden” sign has been replaced with “You are great Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.”

Dana & Yakir got married last week. Love the flowers and bows decorating the wedding party cars.

So along with the sadness, life moves along. One day at a time. We wish Dana and Yakir a big mazel tov.

And hope to see you all soon on the Jerusalem streets. That’s it for 2023.

Did you See What’s Happening in Jerusalem in July?

As July begins, the days in Jerusalem do not feel shorter but are warmer.

The seemingly endless end-of-school-year events, when every grandparent, cousin, and neighborhood friend is called on to help watch the siblings who are not allowed to attend the nighttime extravaganzas, are ending.

The streets are getting more crowded as international visitors arrive.

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Tour groups abound inside Jaffa Gate,

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and near Zion Gate.

Mamilla Mall has new artwork ready, here my friend was tipping his hat to the new Einstein piece. If you missed the story of Einstein coming to Jerusalem check out Einstein House here.

There is still work to do on the new entrance at the Tower of David.

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New shops opened in the Old City.

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And this “temporarily” closed entrance to the Kotel Plaza is still closed.

But with the thousands of bar mitzvahs and other celebrations,

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the main entrance can be very crowded, and to get there

can be quite the experience with the sidewalk dug up.

There were bar mitzvah parties,

and more bar mitzvah parties,

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all day long on Thursday, so busy from early morning.

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I could not find the two families I was looking for,

and I did not go down to the shaded egalitarian section.

Walking out I marveled at the new go-to cars, going nowhere.

The salesman at the Armenian tourist store agreed it has been a long time since we have seen so much traffic and so many people in Jerusalem.

What else was happening?

The Shavuah Hasfer, Hebrew Book Week extended into Reading Month.

Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence hosted a special event sponsored by Beit Avi Chai on the 150th birthday of Hebrew poet/writer Nachman Bialik.

President Isaac Herzog spoke as did Beit Avi Chai’s David Rozenman.

Beit Hanasi has invested in new barriers – as the protests continue.

The Menachem Begin Heritage Center was the site of the First Pulse of Israel Conference. Itamar Marcus gave his presentation by video, as he was in the US speaking to Congressional committees on the antisemitism and Holocaust denial found in Arab media.

One slide was of journalist Muhammad al Burni, from Jordan, “I want to note a very important point regarding the fabricated Holocaust, truly fabricated” was the quote.

The mostly older audience heard from a new generation of pro-Israel success on Tik Tok and other social media to reach young users with the truth about Israel.

Journalist Sara Haetzni-Cohen, with a child on each side, received an award for her leadership role after the protests and destruction in Lod.

Going home that night I walked thru the Hansen House to see Design Week.

As usual, I marvel at the creativity and use of tech in the old leper hospital.

The Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha was also last week, and thousands of families came to the Old City of Jerusalem to celebrate and pray.

In July the festivals do not end – the Jazz Festival and Film Festival, and more,

and a new exhibit on food at the Islamic Museum in July.

Night is coming at shuk, Machane Yehuda market

Plus, the Machane Yehudah Market, the Shuk is celebrating its 100th year – with music and food to fill the narrow streets in and around with people and parties – more than usual.

Time to come and see the Jerusalem streets, constantly changing.