Noah, his ark, animals, and family are gone from the top of Jerusalem Cinema City.
However, this is still a timely photo to wish Shabbat Shalom.
שבת שלום
Jerusalem
Remembering Fallen ANZAC Soldiers
Leaving Jerusalem by Route 1, when traffic is moving, is a wonder.
So many cars, so much construction with new wider roads and multiple lanes.
Oh the contrast, remembering the early days of one lane winding up and down the mountain.
Alongside the highway, light rail construction is even more impressive.
Rising up and over the valley and stretching into the entrance to Jerusalem are new train tracks.
Driving south to Beer Sheva on Route 6 is also a sharp contrast to the old days of narrow roads.
Not only has SodaStream in the Negev grown in size,
but from barren sand, a new industrial park is growing next to the SodaStream complex.
The Beer Sheva ANZAC Museum opened two years ago in time for the 100 years commemorations.
Inside is a display of World War I military items, boots, hat, and a trumpet.
While our guide Colin explained the ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) role in the 1917 war in Palestine, I was fascinated by digital posters.
Why would these young, very young, Australian and New Zealanders travel halfway around the world to fight in a war so far away from home?
But they did enlist. And the Light Horsemen from Down Under came to assist the British army fight the Ottoman Empire.
Having toured Beer Sheva in the past, Allenby’s place in the story of Beer Sheva is well known.
However, the video in the ANZAC Museum was new.
Old black and white photos from World War I do not tell the story as effectively.
The war was not going well for the British army before the ANZACs arrived by boat with their magnificent horses.
Without water. In the desert heat with flies and sand and lice, the options were few and demanded immediate action.
They charged. Those crazy Aussies and Kiwis! Sorry, I could only get a blurry photo from the video, they were galloping too fast.
The Light Horsemen charged mounted on their prize horses to the surprise of Turkish soldiers – right at them, jumping over the shocked enemies heads and out of weapon range.
They made it to Beer Sheva, to the wells, which were found safe and intact.
The Australians lost 32 soldiers.
The New Zealanders lost 31 soldiers.
From the victory in Beer Sheva, the British forces went on to turn back the last of the Ottoman Empire, arriving in Jerusalem on December 9, 1917.
Each year on October 31, there is a memorial ceremony in Beer Sheva.
In 2017, there was a major 100-year ceremony and commemoration.
I thought it appropriate to take a minute to remember those young ANZAC soldiers who never made it back home.
Jerusalem Sukkot Highlights
The fall holiday season in Jerusalem, Israel, has come to a close.
Monday night, the Jerusalem streets from First Station to the Kotel, Western Wall, to the Gur Hassidic Center, and dozens of other locations were filled with live music and tens of thousands dancing with Torahs for Hakafot Shniot.
Tourists prepared to go back to their homes, as Jerusalem fall flowers were in full bloom.
In the first year of Reuven Rivlin’s presidency, there was no line on the street outside of Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence, for the annual Sukkah Open House.
This year 8,000 people came. For many, it was their first time inside the usually closed gates.
The theme in the President’s public sukkah was Israeli grapes.
Barrels of wine were in the sukkah this year, but no samples were offered. Artificial grapes hung from the top of the sukkah. A large wheelbarrow outside the sukkah was filled with a variety of grapes that were consumed before I thought to take a photo.
MK Zeev and Maria Elkin were at Beit Hanasi early for the intermediary days of Sukkot event.
Activities for children included making a Bar Kochba coin sponsored by the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem.
When President Rivlin made an appearance, he was surrounded by media.
Crowds were both outside and inside the main hall,
in the big sukkah,
and outside on the back lawn.
Crowds. Crowd control. Closed streets. All have becomes constants of Jerusalem holiday seasons.
Even late at night, tens of thousands of visitors walking to and from the Old City is a common Sukkot sight.
Families dressed in their best holiday clothing, day or night, head toward Jaffa Gate.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation announced that 2.5 million people visited the Kotel, Western Wall during the month.
Perhaps not the best, but surely the biggest etrog I saw, was the size of the man’s head.
The huge sukkah in Kikar Safra, Municipal Plaza, welcomed the public.
Free, live musical concerts attracted crowds to Kikar Safra on several nights.
The list of free and fundraising concerts and events in Jerusalem was long and diverse.
Day and night the sukkot lining the light rail tracks on Jaffa Road welcomed the tired and hungry .
One Jerusalem festival was set for holiday visitors.
The 11th Manofim Jerusalem Contemporary Art Festival opens soon,
followed in November by the Oud Festival for the 20th year.
The 4th Jerusalem Biennale which opened October 10 goes through November.
There are 14 locations, 200 artists and 500 works in this Jerusalem contemporary art event.
So I will end with another view of Rabbi Yitzchok Moully’s sukkah constructed of reflective plexiglass exterior panels at Heichal Shlomo.
So many photos from Jerusalem Biennale, it needs a post of its own. Coming soon.
So much happened over Sukkot holidays, so much more happening on Jerusalem streets.