The Old City

‘Twas the Week Before and More

rjstreets

As in the past the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jewish National Fund distributed free trees to those residents celebrating Christmas. The advertised times were 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Jaffa Gate Square, but by 10:30 am this was the scene.

There seemed to be more photographers than trees or customers…certainly more beigelach.

Santa  got his tree and  media attention, but no snow for him or anyone else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the nearby Liberty Bell Park families were out in the sunshine all day.

 

 

The YMCA, located across the street from the King David Hotel,

had a very  modestly  decorated tree and carol service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thousands of visitors, some going to  Bethlehem, a few minutes drive away, were in Jerusalem for the holiday season.

Thousands of people came to celebrate Bar Mitzvahs at the Kotel,  boys from all over Israel and as far away as Australia and the United States.

 Most of Monday the celebrations kept coming…

But to get to these celebrations everyone had to endure progress.

Work has begun on the infrastructure and development project at Jaffa Gate Plaza. It is to include streamlining of pedestrian traffic alongside vehicular traffic, installation of street furniture,  and refurbishing of street lighting.

For the next year and a half, 24 hours a day…

drivers beware.

Everyone beware!

A quiet November afternoon                                                                                   and now

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This week also marks one year since Operation Cast Lead,

242 missiles landed in the Sderot area in 2009

down from more than 3,200 rockets and mortars in 2008.

Sharing Spaces in Jerusalem

rjstreets

Over and over I have been asked why I started doing this photo blog…it was this scene.

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The Bell Park in Jerusalem  April, 2009

After I took this photo from just outside the Bell Park, I walked the short distance to the Kotel, the Western Wall. I could not get near, as police security barriers were already set up in early afternoon to keep everyone away, even though the Remembrance Day ceremony was not to take place for hours.

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The photo I saw published in the newspapers was of one of men (Arabs?) behind yellow police tape.  It seems the papers, certainly in Israel, publish what supports their agenda. I decided instead of being angry, to take candid photos, real street scenes and share them.  My hope is that people will appreciate seeing the Real Jerusalem Streets, often the other side of the street from the media, and will share with their friends.

 

With President Peres in Brazil, IMG_2352

the Prime Minister in United States and France,

and many Israeli officials overseas,

the streets were a bit quieter this week.

The many U.S. congressmen, former President Bill Clinton

and Saban Forum delegates at the King David Hotel

seem to move around in big vans, but with a lot less noise.

The real Jerusalem streets are often traffic nightmares,  many of them with the space for donkeys or camels, not the large vehicles of today. Pray, you never have a medical emergency in Jerusalem, often even an ambulance cannot get the needed space to move.

 

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Space is always an issue, inside and out.  Coming from a ten-room house to a four-room apartment here was quite an adjustment, utilizing every bit of space is a must.   Putting a fish restaurant on top of a garage, what use of space!

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The Ethiopian community’s holiday,

Sigd is now a national holiday. Thousands of people and buses crowded into Jerusalem for Monday’s celebration.

Amazing event!

After the cold and wet weather, we had a few hot days.  People came out in droves, even the ants came back from their winter hiding places…and last night more much-needed rain.

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