For this Jewish High Holiday season, there is no place like Jerusalem, Israel.
Thousands of people converge from around the world at the Kotel, Western Wall, this photo of those gathered after midnight for the late-night Selihot.
For the past weeks, the sounds of Selihot have filled the Jerusalem streets.
Wednesday night after Rosh Hashana at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence, President Isaac Herzog spoke prior to the musical Selihot.
The chairs were set in the back garden next to the Beit Hanasi Beit Knesset, the Synagogue in the corner of the President’s residence grounds.
The music was beautiful and well done, and broadcast live on the President’s Facebook page, plus social media posts in English and Hebrew.
For the more traditional part of the evening, a chazan was at the podium.
Rav Benny Lau and his 929 Bible Study organization organized the event hosted by the President and went into the synagogue to open the ark.
The audience included the 929 participants, the regular morning minyan members, IDF soldiers, plus student groups.
The chazan had a powerful voice and passionate delivery.
I had to share a few minutes with a bit of the beautiful sounds.
When circling the grounds to stay out of the video cameras to get a close-up,
I had time to stop and noticed this stone and sign,
along with the new dramatic blue lighting placed in the garden.
The basalt lintel (4-7 CE) found in Tiberias with relief of menorah, shofar, lulav, and etrog – perfect for this week between the shofar of Rosh Hashana and holiday of Sukkot.
The Herzogs seem to enjoy staying around at the end of events
and posing for photographs. Want more Selihot photos? HERE
The musical Selihot has grown and changed since President Rivlin had Yisrael Meir at Beit Hanasi 7 years ago.
Now there are special Selihot, by women for women.
At the Tower of David, a musical Selihot event filled the outdoor seating.
And the Sultan’s Pool huge stage had a long list of singers for a major musical Selihot also on Thursday night.
And more this week with an evening at Kikar Safra, on October 3, 2022.
Sounds of landscaping power tools needed video, cleaning the overgrowth from shemita. Jerusalem is to plant 340,000 flowers and 10,000 trees.
Sukkot have been popping up already for the Sukkot holiday which starts on Sunday night October 9, 2022.
Colorful lights are on and flashing over the Jerusalem streets.
The Kite Festival is back at the Israel Museum on October 11.
On October 13, the public is invited to the annual President’s Open Sukkah at Beit Hanasi. The Jerusalem Parade is back again at Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, and family events are planned for the day before the 4:00 pm start time of the walking participants.
So much is happening on the Jerusalem streets to start the New Year.
Bonus – major tourist venues announced free admission for children.
Hope to see you here enjoying the holiday season.