Purim in Jerusalem

Favorite Purim Photos in Jerusalem and More

Sharon A

The weeks feel as if they are whizzing by, and standing still at the same time.

How can that be?

Live goes on while too many lives are stuck on October 7.

Downtown Jerusalem streets looked “normal” today with the sun shining and people shopping.

On Shushan Purim, Monday last week, the light rail was not running, there was a special Purim parade.

Call it an ‘Ad lo ya do‘ or Purim United – tens of thousands of people came out for the holiday celebration.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion and his wife with hostage family members were first carrying a banner stating ‘redemption of captives is a great mitzvah’ in a giant balloon yellow ribbon.

The weather was threatening some of the time and the pace moved slower than a turtle,

But there were large puppets and people lining the Jerusalem streets to watch.

Interesting displays held by numerous people

and some spectators dressed more colorfully than the parade items.

Families in coordinated costumes waited for the parade to move along.

But street actors were on the sidelines as well to entertain.

In the media we read complaints, but the people I saw were happy to smile for the camera.

Some had their cameras ready to capture the moment.

All of Jaffa Street was crowded and waiting for what was coming next.

Not everyone walked the route, these two women had a special place to sit and ride.

This lion got a lot of pre-Purim publicity, but I had trouble getting a good photo as it moved along.

In this upside-down world, this clown was appreciated.

But I got distracted by a family, in the Purim spirit dressed in coordinated leopard spots.

At the beginning of the Purim Unity parade was a clock with the time of hostages captive in Gaza.

The donkey float, on which the Moshiach is to arrive, was surrounded by Chabad flags.

More photos of the Purim Unity parade on Facebook HERE.

This was seen in traffic on a Jerusalem street on the way home, Purim was celebrated this year, even though a somewhat subdued Purim.

Ramadan and Muslim prayers midday have attracted large crowds for the third Friday in a row. Tales of restrictions were not evident at Jaffa Gate. It was also Good Friday, and Sunday Easter was celebrated.

New art is on display at Mamilla Mall, the Beatles on a Yellow Submarine caught my attention- All you need is love. Ah if it was only so simple.

OPEN HOUSE JERUSALEM 2024 This year’s festival includes hundreds of tours and houses connecting the past, present, and future on consecutive weekends, April 4-6 and April 11-13, 2024. Fascinating tours and activities throughout the capital are free, but some need prior registration.

I was in Tel Aviv this past week for a Jerusalem Post – Women Leaders Summit.

As the sun was setting, this caught my attention – Together we will succeed!

Time marches on.

In Jerusalem and Tel Aviv,

Purim is over, Passover is a month away.

Wonder what will be happening next on the Jerusalem streets, check back next week to see.

The Best of Purim in Jerusalem

Sharon A

Purim in Jerusalem, Israel, is so very strange every year.

Purim is celebrated the day after the rest of the world- on what is called Shushan Purim. The street sign for Queen Esther is not really upside down.

Shushan Street sign in Jerusalem, Israel

There is also a street called Shushan Street – it’s near Safra Square.

Things feel different as the rest of the world has moved on and in Jerusalem, we are just finally getting started with the upside down.

Clowning around and colorful clowns abound.

The demise of Haman was announced but not mourned on this sign posted on a message board at a local community center.

After weeks of preparation, Shushan Purim went by with too much happening to capture it all. Nachlaot and many Jerusalem streets were bursting with costumed crowds, but here are a few favorites…

Best little guy costume

and an even cuter littlest one!

Not only little dinos, but space men were popular this year.

NASA better watch out for these future astronauts.

Best big hair,

Best big blue mask,

the very best big ears,

and the best underwear for a hat.

Jerusalem synagogues were filled for the readings of Megilat Esther.

Beer, wine, and booze were found inside and outside on the streets.

Chabad again sponsored multiple Megillah readings at night and all day long on King George Street and around.

But also in Jerusalem community parks hundreds assembled to hear the story of Esther repeated at night.

And there were musical events before and after the Megillah was read. How nice to see that on the Jerusalem streets where protesters usually shout against the Prime Minister, people sat quietly together to celebrate Purim.

The Megillah is read by night and by day,

Photo credit: Heddy Breuer Abramowitz

and more young women have undertaken the reading of the Megillah at special readings for women.

This year Jerusalem’s Shushan Purim day of celebration coincided with March 8 and International Women’s Day, so no new piece this time.

Therefore, I thought I’d share a women’s event held on March 9th at Shalva.

A Playback Theater experience with workshops especially for women.

Led by Toby Klein Greenwald and her expert drama and therapist cohosts, right after Purim, 100 women impressively participated in performance and movement and powerful improv workshops.

Plus, the Shalva building has many inspirational sayings lining its walls.

Where else on Purim would you enjoy such a lovely view while delivering a Mishloah Manot dinner to a friend, when stopped at a traffic light?

Purim is finally finished on Jerusalem streets.

Now the Jerusalem Marathon signs for Jerusalem street closings are up.

Tens of thousands of runners are registered to fill the Jerusalem streets on Friday, March 17, 2023. One of the finish lines is ready and the full marathon finish in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, is being built.

My Purim hair/costume is put away until next year.

Pesach prep has begun.

Always something positive happening on the Jerusalem streets, when are you coming to see it?

Jerusalem Days of Topsy Turvy and Upside Down

Sharon A

I was stuck, trying hard to find new words for another roller-coaster, emotional week in Jerusalem, Israel.

How about upside down, or how topsy turvy?

The commotion was too much of a downer at the start of the week, so I went to the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens for a bit of fresh air and sunshine.

Stopping to watch a white swan swim across the pond,

appreciating the small wonders in nature,

and seeing the brilliant colors makes it’s also hard to remember it’s winter.

But to be real, not all is so pretty and pleasant on the Jerusalem streets.

Barriers abound and block sidewalks.

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As the weeks go on, the barriers are getting bigger.

And they seem to be multiplying, and blocking the pathways.

Barriers are set early on Friday, ready for the after-Shabbat protesters at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence.

Barriers have been placed around the fountain at French/Paris Square.

Then Wednesday, the street where the Netanyahus live, was closed.

The barriers in front of their home remind me of those in the park.

However, there was much more happening in Jerusalem this week.

My friend from the US noted there was no armed guard at the entrance to our synagogue in Jerusalem on Shabbat.

IDF soldier on guard at Tzomet HaGush

But security is on higher alert, as seen here in Gush Etzion last week.

New tunnels to Gush

However, road works, such as the second tunnel from Jerusalem to Gush Etzion, are finally reaching the final stages, after years of construction.

For the first time, the Speaker of the Senate of Canada was visiting the Knesset and flags were flying for the official welcome.

Sunday, Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger was in Jerusalem.

Buildings are going up and up all over Jerusalem. These towers tower above and off King George Street.

The center of Jerusalem off of Jaffa Road along the light rail tracks has come back to life again after pandemic closures.

New stores are opening in anticipation of returning tourists.

Old streets are being regentrified with new boutique hotels and shops.

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HaBoydem has opened a new larger space to sell its recycled clothing.

Shaon Horef – שאון חורף or Winter Noise was back Monday nights in February.

Winter Noise was on the street near where we lived and also in the 2014 Winter Noise. I used to go to all four Monday nights, but not this year.

This time I only got to the last one on the last Monday of February.

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These guys were my favorite as they walked into Harvey’s and sat down.

Oh, Jerusalem streets, where much of the year, one can often ask whether it’s Purim or not Purim.

The Shaon Horef of 2023 was well done, check out a few video highlights.

And it was held on Shushan Street, a perfect location before Purim.

The Purim holiday signs are up along the Jerusalem streets.

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Mishloach Manot baking and preparations have begun.

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Signs of Purim in the neighborhoods were up last week.

The streets were filled with schoolchildren dressed in costumes, however, some of the cutest did not want to be photographed.

So you will have to come back next week for Purim favorites.

There are too many Jerusalem Purim events to list, at the Israel Museum, the Tower of David, the Train Theater, Safra Square, and more,

but you can find Purim events in English on the Jerusalem website.

Purim week is always a time of upside-down, topsy-turvy.

Hoping this Purim will be celebrated in a good way, so check back next week to see.

פורים שמח

Purim sameach!