Jerusalem, Israel – what is really happening
I am on an overcrowded El Al plane.
People are standing in the aisles.
The man next to me asks me to change my aisle seat
with his male friend to middle one in next row.
I laugh and say no way.
We leave two hours late,
no ultra-Orthodox Jews involved.
End of story.
From 37,000 feet, we could see clouds and sunset,
now back in Jerusalem, Israel,
more clouds and rain before Shabbat.
שבת שלום
Good news first.
I was in the US for birth of a grandchild,
his name is Yisroel Tzvi,
and he already is trying to figure out this world.
In the last two weeks I’ve had no computer time,
no down time and little sleep.
I hope you missed the updates from RJS these past two weeks?
As always it is an adventure to fly El Al
and arrive back to Jerusalem, Israel.
But as I arrived home I heard terrible news:
Rabbi Yehuda Glick had been shot
and seriously injured
in an assassination attempt.
I posted on Israellycool asap,
and you can see the background story and updates
In June at the Begin Center,
Yehuda Glick sponsored his first LIBA conference,
where I was shocked to learn that Jews are allowed
only 20 hours a week on the Temple Mount,
while Muslims have almost free access.
Today access to the Muslim masses was limited,
though tomorrow restrictions are to be lifted.
Helicopters are flying overhead,
and in Jerusalem that usually means trouble.
Much has been written about “Price Tag” attacks,
today there was graffiti painted near a church.
Months ago this photo was taken across from the Begin Center.
It did not fit the media spin of “Price Tag”
so it was never reported.
On my next photo walk in the area
I saw that it was whitewashed.
Abu Mazen is spinning the story of one of his followers
shooting a man in cold blood
into “Israel is bad,”
another thread in his narrative;
while Yehuda Glick, a great guy with wonderful sense of humor,
is hanging on to life by a thread.
Join in praying for the recovery of
יהודה יהושע בן רבקה איטה ברנדה
Will this world be easier to understand when Yisroel Tzvi is older?
Every year around the Sukkot holiday things are very hectic,
with thousands of visitors, lots of guests and crazy traffic.
More than once I saw a taxi or car on the road stop short,
and someone inside yells out greetings to old friend.
Then when the cars behind start honking too loudly they drive away.
One of the largest crowds every year is for the Birkat Kohanim,
the Priestly Blessing at the Kotel, the Western Wall.
This year, though it seemed less crowded,
it was still hard to get good photos of the prayers
as security would not allow anyone to stand on the steps in back.
Afterwards there was some singing and dancing,
and some blew the large shofar the man dressed in white was holding.
The Sukkah Open House at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence,
drew large crowds again.
Colorful exhibits lined the grounds,
with this “recycle elephant” really popular for photos.
The public could walk through the large sukkah
to the grounds for the entertainment.
At end of the day one man was taking a ‘selfie’ on the stage.
But one of my favorite sukkot this year,
was in a new gas station.
This one, privately owned, is closed on Shabbat and had a sukkah.
Many events that were postponed from the summer took place this week,
which meant that there were dozens of things happening.
Besides the Formula Cars,
there was the annual Israel Museum Kite Festival,
and street festivals.
The music has begun in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, for the Jerusalem March,
which is the colorful parade held every year
and many more things than I can mention.
Roads in and out of Jerusalem, Israel, are full of cars and buses,
I loved the long lines of cars parked on the road to Herodian!
People are trying to celebrate as much as possible in a few days,
in and around Jerusalem!
חג שמח