What’s happened this week of Roaring Lion on Jerusalem streets?

Sharon A

As we enter the third week of Operation Roaring Lion, the red alerts keep coming.

Uncertainty and stress from these messages day and night, as often as every ten minutes.

Impossible to predict when and what’s next as Iran and Hezbollah rain destructive missiles at Israel.

All we can share is what happened on the real Jerusalem streets.

When the sun comes out, so do the people on the Jerusalem streets.

Thursday morning, I was on my way to Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s residence, when a warning sounded. I had just passed security and was led inside and told to go down a flight of stairs. There, the President, his wife, and staff also waited until the all clear was given.

Coming up another flight of stairs, I was the first to arrive in the official reception room.

No photo selfies in that shelter. It was too crowded to get a good photo anyway.

The event was a sad one. To acknowledge the death of the first casualty of this war.

The meeting brought together Bernie Galsim Lavarias, the widower of Mary Ann V. De Vera.

The Filipino caretaker died protecting the woman she was helping.

Aileen Mendiola, the Philippines’ ambassador to Israel, spoke of Filipinos’ support for Israel.

She mentioned there are 2.4 million Filipinos in the Middle East.

In Israel, there are over 30,000. They have been killed and held hostage after October 7, yet they support Israel on social media.

President Herzog was compassionate and empathic to the widower during the private session and escorted him out.

While on the Jerusalem streets, as I walked home from Beit Hanasi,

after the siren alert, people were out in the midday sun again, sitting, eating, and shopping.

Jerusalem streets are indeed ripped up, with construction in so many places.

Hopefully, one day construction will be finished, and we can walk freely.

Since October 7, 2023, there have been too many fallen soldiers. Memorial stickers are posted at many bus stops.

Families look for ways to honor their fallen sons.

The Jerusalem Theater is closed, but it has a unique new exhibit.

“Yakir’s Light” was to open on March 1 and run until the end of April.

A considerate security guard let me inside to see the photos and sketches on display, off the main lobby.

Notice the posters on the ground? Those were for the new quilting exhibition, not on the lobby walls.

Lining this area is an emotional testimonial of love and loss.

Yakir Hexter z”l was a 26-year-old architectural student, remembered by friends in these portraits.

Yakir’s drawings and sketches are featured in the exhibit.

Along with powerful photographic images, such as this close-up of “Brothers Last Goodbye.”

A photo by his mother, Chaya Hexter, using Yakir’s bar mitzvah invitation with his calligraphy is one example of emotion expressed through her images.

I hope that soon the public will be able to appreciate the art, the culture, and the life on the Jerusalem streets again without having to seek shelter from Iranian and Hezbollah missiles.

This year in Jerusalem, nothing is certain.

The decision whether to hold the Jerusalem Marathon on March 27 will be made on March 18.

However, life goes on without schedules and routine, seeking shelter from Iranian cluster munitions that spread deadly pieces of metal over Israel and Jerusalem streets.

Looking forward to next year in Jerusalem.

What has been happening on the Jerusalem streets?

Sharon A

Operation Roaring Lion has roared for over a week.

What has been happening on the Jerusalem streets?

International Women’s Day is March 8.

This year, there will be no in-person large conferences or live celebrations.

The Israeli security has limited groups to 50 people until at least tomorrow night.

Very glad I went to the Israel Museum last week, before it and the other museums closed.

At the Tower of David, all museum galleries are protected spaces, with an additional shelter in the entrance pavilion.

Therefore, the museum will operate Sunday–Thursday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Each year, I try to get out and find the best Purim costumes.

There were reports of large groups on Purim in Nachalot and the Machane Yehuda Market.

They are crowded with costumed and often inebriated celebrants each year on Purim.

This year, I did not go out to explore the Jerusalem streets, but saw one man coming in.

We went into a shelter during a siren.

Then he was on his way to deliver mishloach manot, food gifts, to a friend.

By Thursday afternoon, I had to get out. Where else to go and be safe but the community shelter?

The kitchen looked well-used, but clean enough. The two toilets were ok also.

Good timing? I stayed to talk with a university student trying to study.

He was alone when I arrived.

However, after a few minutes, a siren sounded for incoming missiles. The room filled up quietly and quickly.

After being given the all clear, the crowd left. One woman remained, and the chess game was ready for the next move.

In the community shelter are two signs – no nuts, but WIFI with code.

As I walked around the corner, people were already eating and back to work.

Some of the overnight Jerusalem street construction has proceeded with new pavement and bright white lines.

Reminders of the losses on October 7 and since continue with new stickers.

The purple recycling bin was moved to work on the sidewalk. The two holes reminded me of eyes peaking over the stone wall.

Here’s looking to better days and quiet nights, to get back to more happening on the Jerusalem streets.

Meanwhile, a look back at International Women’s Day in 2020.

Before COVID, it seems like so very long ago.

See Jerusalem before the Iranian missiles of Operation Roaring Lion

Sharon A

What a week this was!

The warnings and sirens of Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury rang out on Shabbat morning.

It’s almost hard to remember what happened in Jerusalem, Israel, before the alarms sounded, sending us to the shelter in our building multiple times.

But always, things were happening on and off the Jerusalem streets you should know about.

Before the cold weather and skies raining ballistic missiles from Iran, there were important events.

President Herzog hosted the annual Iftar meal at Beit Hanasi, the President’s official residence.

Important to note that the Abraham Accords Ambassadors to Israel attended, along with Arab leaders.

The Knesset was preparing all day for the afternoon arrival of the Prime Minister of India.

Flags and banners were outside the building

and inside the Knesset building, too.

I remember when the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, was in Israel from July 4- 7, 2017.

He received lots of warm hugs from President Rivlin and media attention.

This time, besides the warm welcome, Modi also spoke at the Knesset Plenary.

I went to attend the session where US Ambassador Mike Huckabee was speaking at the Knesset Caucus for Israel–U.S. Relations, initiated by the Ruderman Family Foundation. Chaired by Knesset Member Ohad Tal, it marked the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

“For a $7 trillion-a-year budget, the support that goes to Israel is a tiny blip,” he said.

He mentioned that Americans don’t think about it because Iran is 8,000 miles away. Emphasizing that for over 47 years, Iran has killed thousands of Americans and is working to build a global nuclear threat.

For the distinguished guests, there was a display of Israeli antiquities along a main hall.

The Israel Museum is closed today. Important works were moved to secure locations.

I was there on Thursday to see the new exhibits to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

It was very different than the 50th big birthday bash.

The iconic Shrine of the Book is where the Dead Sea Scrolls are safeguarded.

The Israel Museum preserves and displays invaluable antiquities.

For the first time, a behind-the-scenes preservation lab is visible, enabling museum visitors to watch the work being done.

The crown jewel of the celebration is “A Voice from the Desert: The Great Isaiah Scroll,” curated by Hagit Maoz.

The story began in 1947 when a young Bedouin shepherd entered a cave near Qumran.

He found a parchment in one of the clay pots.

The exhibit shares a video of the journey of the Isaiah Scroll from the desert to Jerusalem and its current home.

For the first time since 1968, the Great Isaiah Scroll has been unrolled to its full 24-foot length.

The public can book to see it for ten minutes in groups of 25.

Hopefully, the Israel Museum will be able to open again soon.

Because of preservation precautions, this exhibition was to be for only 4 months.

Leaving the room with the real deal, a copy is on the wall. Highlighted are quotes along the text.

“Comfort, Oh comfort My people” is one.

Oh, how timely, beating “their swords into plowshares” and “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb” are two others.

Cinema City is preparing for the Jerusalem Marathon on March 27, 2026.

Shops are preparing for Purim.

What will the celebrations be this year?

No one knows for sure.

The big signs and plans are for a Shushan Purim mega event near the National Library and Museums.

 “Shout for joy, you who dwell in Zion!” is another quote from Isaiah – as we take shelter from Iranian ballistic missiles – again.