Best of Hanukkah in Jerusalem

Hanukkah in Jerusalem, Israel, is celebrated in a big way,

picture sign for Chanukah, image Chanukkah activities, photo Chanukah in Jerusalem

actually, Hanukkah is celebrated in a huge way.

image preparing for hanuka, picture large chanukiah, photo Jaffa Gate hanuka

This giant chanukiah, Hanukkah menorah, covered in small electric lights,

 is put up each year outside Jaffa Gate.

image unusual donut, Israel suffganiah, photo donuts

Each year there are new kinds of sufaganiot

photo donuts for Chanukah, image Chanukah in Israel, picture suffganiiot jerusalem

and lots of them, as huge quantities are consumed.

image street decorations, photo streets on Hanukkah, Jerusalem photo streets decorations

Electric street lights light up the sky at night at this entrance to Begin Highway,

image Hanukkah, picture Chanukah, photo Channukah in Israel

while others line city streets.

image lots of chanukiot, photo menorahs, picture hanukah

The Israel Museum is always a popular destination, especially this Hanukkah display.

Of course, 

image chanukah, picture hanukah candls, image hanuka

colorful candles can be found burning inside homes, 

image Chaukah, picture of chaukiah in store, Chanukah in Jerusalem photo

and in stores

image chanukah candles, photo candle lighting in hotel lobby, picture lighting candles

and  hotel lobbies. 

image chanukah, picture large menorah, photo Hanukah celebration Israel

Chanukiot can be found inside office buildings,

image lighting cahnukah candles, photo lighting candles outside, picture candle lighting outside

and outside the front doors of homes.

image Chanukah celebrations, photo Huankkah, picture celebration Hanukah

Candle lighting is often accompanied by live music and dancing,

as here with the new Chabad chanukiah at First Station.

image hanukah semach on bus, picture Hanukkah in Israel, , photo egged bus sign for holiday

Lights from the chanukiah on the street corner are reflected in this photo

of an Egged bus with a Hanukkah sameach sign.

Huge crowds and tour groups filled the streets of the Old City,

picture Hanukah Israel, photo Hanukah in Old City, image chaukah candles

as people came from all over to see the candles burning in windows, 

image chanukah, picture chanukah candles, image Chanukah in Old City

and scenes such as this man sitting and watching the flames.

To see and to learn and to remember, 

image Hanukah in Israel, picture banner Chanukah, photo sign Nes gadol hara po.

that a great miracle happened here.

In Jerusalem, Fulfilling the Zionist Dream

As usual, there is much happening in Jerusalem, Israel.

Jewish community leaders from around the world are gathering

 with four major conferences in one week,

including the Board of Governors of Jewish Agency 

and the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly.

There has been a “summit” on Jewish identity

and a talk about Ethiopian Jewry.

But what a shame

these world leaders were not around last week 

on the 29th of Heshvan to experience the annual Sigd holiday,

which falls 50 days after Yom Kippur.

image Sigd, Sigd photo, picture Sigd celebration

They would have seen the tens of thousands of Ethiopian

olim from all around Israel who came

image Sigd, photo Sigd, picutre Sigd on Tayelet

to the Tayelet, on the Sherover Promenade, to celebrate.

photo of Sigd, image Ehtiopian dancers. picture Sigd

There were young people doing traditional dances,

picture Ethiopian men, image Sigd, photo men at Sigd

elders sitting quietly, 

image Sigd, Sigd photo, Sigd holiday picture

and women in traditional white.

image Sigd, Sigd stage photo, picture Sigd stage

The main stage was filled with Kessim, the spiritual leaders, 

under their colorful umbrellas.

image Sigd with umbrella, photo Sigd, picture umbrella

 I am not sure why this one was not on stage.

image Sigd., Sigd photo crowd, picture crowd at Sigd

It was so crowded that only a few could actually see the stage,

and most did not even try.

image Ethiopian man at Sigd,, imge Sigd

Most people were walking and talking,

image food at Sigd, Sigd woman offering food, picture traditional food Sigd

some were fasting, while others offered food.

For centuries in their villages in Ethiopia,

  the Kes went to a hilltop to pray for the return to Zion,

and now their prayers were answered and they are here in Jerusalem.

From this spot with the best view of the Old City, 

 they can pray for the rebuilding of the Temple.

Ethiopian soldiers, Sigd celebration photo, image Sigd

Many faced poverty and discrimination,

image Sigd, photo Israeli soldiers, male and female soldiers

some walked through deserts from Ethiopia to get here,

and everyone had to learn about this new, strange culture and adjust to it.

However,

Sigd image, photo Sigd, Picture Ethiopians in

 some of my favorite scenes were of the young people in uniform,

image Sigd, Sigd photo, Ethoipians in

proud Israeli soldiers.

image Sigd, Sigd photo, Sigd holiday picture

Buses were lined up all around the area for most of the day.

image Arab woman, photo Arab woman walking, Israeli apartheid

Thousand of Israelis of Ethiopian origin filled the streets.

While Jewish world leaders talk,

these Ethiopians ‘just did it.’

They came to Israel

and are living their ancestors’ Zionist dream.