Somaliland. Who knew where it was in 2025?
How many people had to look it up when hearing Israel had recognized it as a state?
Even in this fast news cycle world, this one was a winner of what’s next.
Over Shabbat, Venezuela became the latest topic on both the social and mainstream media.
The Prime Minister was in the US, and for a change, the streets of Jerusalem were quieter.
There was a full moon over the Jerusalem streets that was visible before dark.
Several days of hard rain kept me off the streets. But even with the sun shining, the cold wind keeps the usual cafe crowd away.
Tuesday was a fast day. But the days of fasting seem to go more slowly, not faster.
The tenth of Tevet is remembered as when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, began his attack to destroy Jerusalem.
At Jewish weddings, the destruction of Jerusalem is remembered by the breaking of a glass.
There have been many weddings each night despite the winter weather in Jerusalem.
My week began with a wedding, a time of joy and promise for the future. Doubly blessed, I did not need my umbrella.
As the young couple came together, so did the family and friends, bringing together people from the corners of the earth.
Besides Somaliland and Venezuela, Iran has been an important topic on the Jerusalem streets.
Over the years, many Israelis left their homeland in Iran for safety in Israel.
At Yad Vashem for Yom Hashoah in 2023, the arrival of Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former leader, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, aroused media attention. Here he posed with MK Gila Gamliel, who was Minister of Intelligence at the time.
Reuven Rivlin rose from his seat in the front row to greet Pahlavi. The former Israeli president, who had met the Shah, commented on how much he looked like his father.
The protests in Iran reminded me of the Sign from Iran exhibition. It was a show of 60 Iranian posters by 27 of Iran’s leading graphic artists held at the Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem in 2016.
One was the poster shown here, titled “Test of Democracy,” by Behrad Javanbakht.
Also, one of the red images here is “Sara’s Paradise” by Mandana Moghaddam. Red, symbolic of blood, we were told.
Watching the news unfold, never knowing what’s next, and planning for the future, new signs for open houses for prospective first graders.
It may have been a quiet week on the streets, but the good news is that visitors are returning for their vacations.
May 2026 be a good and healthy year for all.
What do you mean: “Here he posed with MK Gila Gamliel, who was Minister of Intelligence at the time.?
Gamliel held that position at the time and was escorting Reza Pahlavi on his visit to Jerusalem where he was warmly received.