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New beginnings in Jerusalem in September with Rosh Hashanah

Sharon A

The Jerusalem streets are filling with the usual traffic disruptions as September begins.

The construction cranes, rising buildings, and light rail track digging feel endless.

Changes that seemed slow to begin are now progressing.

One surprise was the hotel construction on Jerusalem’s Ahad Ha’am Street.

Jerusalem old President Hotel begin demolished

Keren Hayesod Street has been a mess with light rail construction, so I avoided Ahad Ha’am Street and missed the hotel’s progress.

When I stayed at the President Hotel in 1981, I gave it a one-star rating for its less-than-luxury condition.

Old sign from Jerusalem President Hotel

The old Jerusalem President Hotel had fallen into depths of disrepair in recent years.

Entrance to old President Hotel with new Social space

But has been reborn with Social Space into a popular site.

President Hotel renovation

Inside, spaces for culture, art, dance, and more.

With September, school has started for thousands of students, and the traffic that goes with it.

pomegranates

With Rosh Hashanah approaching, the pomegranates are appearing.

Only be warned: if you buy one too far in advance in a supermarket from a Muslim checkout girl, you could get charged for a Pink Lady Apple. The cost of an apple is more than that of a pomegranate.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation has been busy with Sefardi Selihot prayers each midnight for the month of Elul. Now the Ashkenazi custom of saying Selichot the week before Rosh Hashanah has begun. To clear the Kotel, Western Wall, space for the tens of thousands of people, tables and chairs are stored in the Wilson’s Arch space.

Large crowds for musical Selichot were at Binyanei HaUma, the Jerusalem International Conference Center, with Yisrael Meir and Yeshurn Synagogue for Shulem Lemmer, as well as many other Jerusalem synagogues after Shabbat.

Before Yom Kippur, more Selichot are planned. One at the National Library of Israel is to be for women only.

The year ends at sunset on September 11, 2026, and Rosh Hashanah 5787 begins.

May it be a good and healthy new year for all!

Hope to see you next year or better this year in Jerusalem!

When will you join the Jerusalem street traffic?

Sharon A

Twice in the past two weeks, for special family occasions, we went for a short ride off the Jerusalem streets.

As always, traffic makes a difference in the time it takes to get anywhere.

Jerusalem traffic has been lighter until school starts this coming week.

The 1st-century historian Flavius Josephus wrote about Herodium (also Herodion/Herodeion), the artificial cone-shaped palace-fortress built by Herod the Great in the Judean Desert (c. 23–15 BCE), about 12 km south of Jerusalem.

From the road, I noticed new trees were planted along the road leading up to the developing tourist site.

We were on our way to Sde Bar on Tuesday morning for a special occasion.

Jordan is approximately 10 miles away over the Dead Sea. Sde Bar (Sdeh Bar Farm / Havat Sdeh Bar) sits near the foothills of Herodium, south of Bethlehem, near Nokdim.

From Jerusalem, before entering Har Homa, Road 398 goes toward Tekoa / Nokdim, and the drive is 20-30 minutes, depending on traffic.

Having not taken this ride in a few years, it was surprising to see all the new buildings.

Arab construction along the road and yellow warning signs not to enter.

Along with the better-known red warning signs forbidding Israelis.

From the road, the Arab building was impressive.

Where Israelis build, archaeologists first survey to see what was at the site in the past.

It took years for construction to start on this site, near Ramat Rachel.

These days, finding a road in Jerusalem without construction delays is unusual.

There is a student driver in the cab of this long flat-bed truck.

Sitting and waiting for heavy trucks to pass is not unusual in Jerusalem.

Fifteen years after the first trains, the new light rail line has opened. We got to sit and wait for it to pass on its way to the Malha Station.

September 1st, schools will open. More traffic will fill the Jerusalem streets.

The welcome to Kitah Aleph signs and celebrations have begun. Parents are counting the hours.

I love how starting first grade is celebrated with more exuberance than graduating from university.

The pomegranates are ripening. The seasons are changing.

As Elul ends, the streets will be filled with traffic as tens of thousands arrive for the pre-Rosh Hashanah Selihot prayers at the Kotel, the Western Wall.

This year, due to high demand, 19 major Selihot gatherings will be held with a cantor, sound systems, and giant screens set up outside the Western Wall area to ease congestion and enable more people to take part in the Selihot for the High Holy Days.

Will you join us this year in Jerusalem and add to the holiday traffic?

Summer days in Jerusalem too hot to go out

Sharon A

Summer in Jerusalem, Israel.

The summer sun beats down over the Jerusalem streets during the day.

As afternoon wears on, I finally venture out to see what’s happening.

On Sunday, July 16, Binyunei Hauma, the Jerusalem International Conference Center, hosted two events.

The Hebrew date was ג’ אלול, the third day of Elul, the yahrzeit of Rav Kook, and a major commemorative event was held in the main halls, with a giant banner on the front of the building.

The Likud primary election was in the smaller area, beginning outside.

Upstairs, the media was posted to see voters and Likud politicians.

Those waiting to vote entered the room from there.

I did not go to vote.

I went to see how it was different than the last one held four years ago.

Zeev Elkin’s children were wearing campaign T-shirts. I thought it might be cute to get two of them together.

But I was busy eating a popsicle, dripping in my hand, and missed the shot.

The first time one was offered, I had refused, but it was hard to pass up when it was offered again.

Then, Amichai Chikli came in with the pink ice in his hand.

The area was filled with campaign ads plastered on a van,

and even on a fan.

The evening was not so warm to need the fan.

So comparison? Smaller than last time, and I knew fewer people.

But it’s Jerusalem, Israel; there was a protest outside the entrance to the Likud Primary.

Demonstrating for Haymanut Kasau, the young Ethiopian-Israeli girl who disappeared in Safed on February 25, 2024, and has not been found.

Meanwhile, people kept arriving at the main entrance for the Rav Kook programming.

If nothing else, from there, the view of the Chord Bridge as the sun sets is worth the trip.

It was another week of highs and lows, too-hot days, and busy nights.

A bit of this summer in Jerusalem.

The pomegranates are ripening on the tree outside the window.

Summer sunny days are getting shorter.

The seasons are changing.

Elul – time to share wishes for a good New Year.