Sukkot celebrations

Exciting times in Jerusalem on Chol Hamoed Sukkot

Sharon A

The Sukkot holiday is always a busy time of year, with many activities and events held not only on the Jerusalem streets, but all over Israel.

This year was almost back to normal with international visitors arriving to celebrate.

Adding to the excitement on Chol Hamoed, the intermediate days of Sukkot marked the announcement of the ceasefire and end of war. The Chord Bridge was lit with US and Israeli flags.

The Knesset was also lit in red, white, and blue to honor the US.

My week started with a special event at the Alyn Hospital for the Gilat Foundation with Yishay Ribo!

The audience appreciated the music, and so did the Dutch family’s organization, which provides entertainment to children who are in hospitals for treatment.

Flags for the United States were raised over the Jerusalem streets to welcome US President Trump tomorrow morning, who is to speak at the Knesset.

Sukkot is a school vacation time each year, and families are looking for activities.

In Jerusalem, Gan Sacher, Sacher Park had entertainers on Thursday for families.

The Jerusalem Municipality also provided colorful activities for free.

However, many Israelis found the International Jerusalem March to be the best entertainment.

Starting in the afternoon, people from over 70 countries walked around the park, some in costumes.

All were smiling and interacting with the spectators under colorful international flags.

Children received small flags from the marchers. Not sure who enjoyed the interactions more.

Security was relaxed, and a good time was had by all involved.

Brazil was near the end of the march, with a smaller group than in past years, but as always, enthusiastic.

The positive interactions between locals and the love displayed for Israel from the visitors were impressive. In a time when the international media was so negative, the march was full of music and song, and positive vibes were felt by all.

At the entrance to Gan Sacher, there is a piano with a “You are not alone” yellow sign on top. The hostages are impossible to forget – even in the best of times and celebrations.

Optimism for their return was a theme of the annual Sukkot United Hatazalah Gala after Shabbat at the Jerusalem International Conference Center.

Lights, music, special guests, and MC Elon Gold filled the auditorium stage

Backstage before the show began, UH President Eli Beer met with influencer Lizzy Savetsky, who has been working overtime to promote Israel and is here from New York for the holidays.

Popular singer Avraham Fried was a main attraction as usual.

However, it was the US Ambassadors to Israel who got a standing ovation when introduced.

David Friedman was a UH supporter long before he became ambassador. Current Ambassador Mike Huckabee was not only present but also up dancing with Eli Beer to Avraham Fried’s niggun.

The highlight of this UH event was near the end when the Ambassadors got on stage to perform.

Joined by Avraham Fried at the end, the full-house crowd rose in appreciation.

It was an impressive and amazing evening, glad I was able to attend.

There were fewer people on Sunday morning at the Kotel, Western Wall, for Birkat Cohanim.

The large broadcasted Priestly Blessing was done twice this year, the first time on Thursday morning drew a huge crowd.

The tens of thousands included the Ethiopian leaders, Kezim, under their colorful umbrellas.

I did not go this year; however, the Blessing is the same as last year and the years before.

The sukkot lit at night were found on and off Jerusalem streets as every year.

Now, we prepare for the end of the holiday week and Simhat Torah.

All are hoping for a day filled with joy for the holiday.

But first tonight, many will stay up learning Torah all night on Hashanna Raba.

חג שמח

Chag sameach!

15 Simchat Torah Highlights in Jerusalem

Sharon A

Sukkot. Simchat Torah.

The autumn holiday season has ended.

Certainly not the same as years past, but no question better than the last Simchat Torah.

There were celebrations on the Jerusalem streets, and this photo essay will focus on the highights.

The Rova, Jewish Quarter, had a large sukkah and people took advantage of the holiday atmosphere.

The crowds at the Kotel, Western Wall, filled the Western Wall Plaza, day after day.

The sukkot in the Mamilla Mall had people waiting in line to have a meal, inside it was easy to get a seat.

In the Cardo was a large sukkah this year. Who would have imagined that years ago?

The guy protesting internet was back with a sign, as people went on their way to Jaffa Gate.

Stop men with a luluv and etrog to take their photo, and they ask you to make the blessing first.

The big sukkah was back at Kikar Safra with a sign ‘Welcome to the Mayor’s Sukkah’.

There were musical events every night of chol hamoed and this one for children on Sunday afternoon.

Jaffa Street had the line of sukkot along the light rail tracks again.

On a smaller scale, a favorite private sukkah was back on the Jerusalem street.

The Israeli President’s sukkah in the back garden was a modest one as the large public sukkah was not built and open to the public this year.

Teens and youth groups from the North and South were invited instead of the big open event.

Olympic Judoku gold medal winner Peter Paltchik opened the program.

The teens met in discussion groups in the Beit Hanasi grounds, ate falafel, and

then went back to the main hall to meet the President Herzog and his wife Michal.

There was a Jerusalem March this year, but much smaller than in past years.

The route was greatly reduced as were the groups marching, but Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, was a popular holiday venue.

As the event was ending, two Muslim women were sitting in the park, enjoying the day.

And then there was Simchat Torah, how to celebrate after last year? With music and dance in many locations around Jerusalem from the Kotel to the Liberty Bell Park, I was at the Ramada Hotel.

At a Bar Mitzvah at the Great Synagogue on Friday morning, the guests from Florida were celebrating the Simchat Torah holiday, as the local Israelis were able to pull out their cell phones and capture the event.

From the Birkat Cohanim, Priestly Blessing at the Kotel, Western Wall, to the end of Shabbat,

thousands of people were on the Jerusalem streets,

the sounds of the shofar and “Next Year in Jerusalem” could be heard.

Today, the Israeli flag is flying at half-mast, marking the official national day of mourning for the fallen and murdered a year ago on October 7.

As we celebrate and remember the hostages, we are losing new heroes almost every day as war goes on in the north and south. We have personal connections to two funerals at Har Herzl tonight.

Jerusalem Colors and Crowds of Sukkot

Sharon A

With so much to do in Jerusalem on Chol Hamoed Sukkot, it is hard to find the time and energy to keep up.

There is certainly too much to share in one post today.

However, one of the main events in Jerusalem, Israel, is the Sukkot holiday Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel, the Priestly Blessing at the Western Wall.

A crowd with tens of thousands of people packed into the Kotel Plaza on Wednesday morning.

But to get to the Kotel this year was really aliyah l’regel. With streets in the Old City closed to cars and the shuttle from First Station only starting at 10:00 am – it was walk up or go home.

So people walked up the mountain path toward Zion Gate.

The view was quite impressive, the sky was bright blue, and it was a lovely time to walk in Jerusalem.

On the way, you pass a memorial stone for fallen soldier Shlomo Cohen.

Families were walking together, as were these two young women carrying lulavim.

One man was walking alone talking on his phone. So many people were coming and going on a road usually full of cars to the Old City.

And a few people stopped to rest along the way.

How do they count so many people walking in and out of the Old City?

It had been a few years since I was at the Kotel for Sukkot Birkat Kohanim.

But I wasn’t going to miss a chance to watch from the roof of the Aish HaTorah building.

People stood at every vantage point above the Kotel Plaza.

It was nice to see from above and not be packed into the crowd below.

Some people decided to listen from a shady location just outside the entrance and not come and stand in the sun-filled crowded Plaza.

Crowd control has greatly improved in the past 10 years, with marked exits.

What a crowd, so many people wanting to be in a small space!

Of course from my vantage point on the rooftop location, I took zoom shots.

‘Selfies’- on the Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock in the background.

A group of Jewish tourists walked above as the prayers were said below.

Sukkot prayer in front of a model of the Jewish Temple on the Aish roof.

A woman above on a roof in the Old City unfurled an Israeli flag.

Everywhere, all around, people and sukkot!

And at night the Kotel Plaza was packed again with tens of thousands for the Remember Hakel event, to mark the special Torah reading once every seven years at the end of the Shemita cycle.

Sukkot in Jerusalem was such a colorful time again this year in 5783.

The Israeli President’s Residence reception on Sukkot to the public had some colorful moments, but more on that later. Off now to more events before the holiday week is over, which I plan to share next time.

My video from the Birkat Kohanim on Wednesday.

What a colorful week, with so much happening on the Jerusalem streets!