Jerusalem More than Sukkot on Sukkot

Intense.

Exhausting.

 Sukkot are special,

we even found one in the fields of a moshav.

However, in Jerusalem, Israel,

 there was much more happening.

Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing,

attracted tens of thousands as it does  every year.

Not just on Wednesday morning,

 but on other days of the holiday

thousands walked to the Old City,

and to the Kotel, the Western Wall.

This way or that way,

on Friday of Sukkot,

thousands of Jews and Muslims

were walking toward the Old City together.

The annual Jerusalem Parade again

attracted thousands of international participants

with thousands of Israeli spectators.

The feel-good event started in Gan Sacher,

Sacher Park. where flags and flowers lined the street.

The Israeli Museum held its annual Kite Festival,

but you had to provide your own wind most of day,

so we did not get to see the huge kites in the air this time.

The musical events seemed endless,

with way too many to list.

However, a few of them

we wished we could have attended include:

Chabad had Yishai Lapidot at the Great Synagogue,

and at the Yellow Submarine were

our friends Moshe Hendel and Zusha.

Every night of chol hamoed

a large show was staged at the Sultan’s Pool.

Also, those Simchot Beit Hashoeva with music and more

at homes, yeshivas and places too many to recount.

Then there were the fairs!

A street fair on Derech Beit Lechem,

had this unusual dancer/s.

The only carved pumpkin I saw this week was at the fair.

There was everything from carved vegetables

to live musicians and more.

Thousands turned out for the evening fun.

Another new fair was held at Mamilla Mall,

where the young and not-so-young could purchase

Israeli products at a Mini-Market set up in the mall.

First Station had its stalls ready to sell goods.

For holiday tourists,

Octoberfest beer and food were also ready.

A parade of very different type,

Women Walking for Peace also ended

in Jerusalem, Israel, near the Prime Minister’s house.

Here four women are carrying a banner from the march.

Sukkot comes to an end with Hoshana Rabba.

Signs were up all week for classes

and all-night study programs

of all types and locations.

For those more into sport than study,

the Harlem Globetrotters were at the Sports Center.

I wanted to be sure that I had a photo of that sign

towering near the walls of the Old City.

And more sports,

new oleh and former NBA basketball star,

Amar’e Stoudemire came out to support charities

for his new Hapoel Jerusalem basketball team.

What next?

AniNation, an international celebration

of animation meets in Jerusalem, Israel.

I have no idea what that will be,

but first we have Simhat Torah.

Tonight the streets will be filled with thousands

celebrating, singing and dancing with the Torah.

Soon it will be after the chagim,

universities will begin their classes,

and children will go back to school and “normal.”

But first, for the last time for a while,

 chag sameach.