Favorites – Page 150 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem: More than Riots

May 21, 2013rjstreets

The Shavuot holiday as celebrated in Jerusalem, Israel,

is so different from anywhere else in the world.

Tens of thousands of people went to the Kotel, the Western Wall,

to pray at sunrise, after a night-long marathon

of classes, lectures and programs that were

truly amazing and mind-boggling.

These posted ads are for only a few such learning events.

There was one thing very different this year – it rained at 8:30 am!

There have been protests against the new budget,

and new taxes have made for some very angry citizens.

New social protest signs can still be found in the city center

after last weekend’s demonstrations.

The Israeli Prime Minister is back from China

and a very quick visit to Russia to meet with Mr. Putin.

And I assume that most people have no idea that

the Foreign Minister of Finland Erkki Tuomioja and

Foreign Minister of Lithuania Lianas Linkevicius are in Jerusalem.

Also, who heard that at the Hebrew University

there is a conference being held called

Canada and Israel in a Changing World, New Trends and Directions?

When the Shavuot holiday is over,

on the real streets, it is wedding season.

Brides posing in parks for photos and decorated rental cars

are normal sights, though it will be hard to come close

to the traffic-stopping Belz wedding with 50,000 guests.

Wonder if any of their international guests will go into town?

If they do, they would see,

there is a sign for traffic changes on King George Street.

One big surprise, I found a moment with no buses or taxis.

For years, this large mural on Jaffa Street showed

the light rail train of the future.

Well the future is now,

and the train is running and people are returning to the city center.

The media always reports Arab and Haredi riots in great detail.

But there was no sign of trouble today or any sign of Apartheid

as this Muslim woman and Haredi Israeli man crossed Jaffa street,

and these women were sitting off Ben Yehuda Street in the afternoon sun.

Summer is finally here,

and it is time to head outside and to the parks.

It is also the time for the month-long Israel Festival Jerusalem,

with so many cultural programs, some in new exciting venues,

enough to keep everyone busy.

And my favorite festival, Light in Jerusalem is coming soon.

Remember last year?

There is so much to see and do in Jerusalem,

but what did you hear about?

Shavuot Flowers

May 14, 2013rjstreets

It is most unusual to be having May showers in Israel!

But the rain is good for the Jerusalem flowers.

Have a wonderful Shavuot holiday!

WOW – What a Rosh Chodesh at the Wall

May 13, 2013rjstreets

Rosh Chodesh Sivan at the Kotel, the Western Wall,

was not just any old prayer time for the new month.

The Women of the Wall were coming to pray at the Kotel.

Until Friday, I had stayed away from this monthly event,

figuring that there was enough publicity without me.

This time I had to see for myself what was really happening.

Arriving at 6:30 am,

the size of the huge crowd and the press were overwhelming.

The press has covered the dreadful behavior of Haredi men.

Most were young boys, but there are no excuses for their acting like animals.

The shouting, pushing, and deafening whistles were so upsetting,

the experience is impossible to express adequately in words.

What in the world did they think they were accomplishing?

How could any rabbi condone this?

Throwing of a bag full of sewer water was most shocking,

its stench lasted all morning.

Police grabbed the suspect immediately, however.

I wonder if the two girls on the right

will ever forget being in the middle of such a distressing scene?

Here one woman is being pulled back by security.

There were several incidents of Women of Wall supporters

going over toward barriers to provoke the men.

The media that gathered around the Women of the Wall

at times outnumbered the number of women inside the police circle.

Security people certainly outnumbered the WOW supporters,

and were everywhere recording the events.

Were there any empty spaces for watching the scenes unfold?

Rabbi of the Kotel Shmuel Rabinovitch,

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Yitzchak Pindrus,

and other officials were present for some of the time.

Security did a great job to keep control of the mob-like crowd,

and kept them away from the Women of the Wall in the plaza.

I was able to fill an entire photo album called Bad Boys – Wall of Shame,

though of course, not all present were abusive or involved directly.

But as usual, there was more happening than the press showed.

There were those who were actually trying to pray at The Kotel

for the morning service for Rosh Chodesh.

And there were thousands and thousands of women and girls,

who came to support a new group called Women for the Wall.

That beautiful scene at the Kotel did not make the news,

even though their numbers were by far the greatest.

As we enter the Shavuot holiday, a time of beginnings,

a time to remember acts of goodness,

it is acts of goodness that will bring our salvation,

not acts of provocation or baseless hatred.

More photos from WOW and W4W

HERE