art exhibitions – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem Colors and Hopes

January 9, 2022January 9, 2022Sharon A

Oh my goodness, we are off to an interesting start for the new year 2022!

Red countries are now green, as rules and regulations changed overnight.

Oh what an upside-down world. Children out during what should be a school day buying ice creams, as their classrooms return to online instruction. Testing positive is bad. Test negative–all is good. The lines for testing are long and longer and the variants seem endless.

A big balloon for 2022 was displayed in Jerusalem’s Takana Rishona, First Station at one eatery.

The winter igloos for restaurant guests to isolate were ready.

But the crowds of tourists were noticeably missing.

At least there was no snow, and the sun came out for a few hours this week.

But the big news to cloud the week was not the weather, but Omicron.

The highly contagious coronavirus variant has the government issuing the go-ahead for the 4th injection for those over 60 years of age and health workers. Free test kits are to be supplied to every child in Israel – in pre-schools and primary schools, as well as teaching staff.

At least our health center was well run and, without the news cameras, the halls were quiet and orderly as people arrived for their appointed times.

Again this week the scene at Jaffa Gate was too quiet without tourists.

The birds resting on the Tower of David above Jaffa Gate seemed to be more than I had ever noticed in the past.

While some areas were lovely scenes not appreciated by visitors,

the food places at Mamilla Mall below were busy with lunchtime crowds.

At Kikar Safra a few people were enjoying the sunny weather and blue sky.

But what caught my interest was the new art on display at Jerusalem’s municipal square, posters by 13 illustrators curated by Dov Abramson.

The artists each portrayed one of the 39 types of work not allowed on Shabbat to create a clever poster.

The colorful posters lined the main Safra Square area

and brightened the way and day for those who stopped to look.

The Jerusalem Theater also had new and different art on display.

Prize-winning quilts lined the wall in the Jerusalem Theater main lobby.

The colorful and clever fabric designs are spread out on various levels throughout the building.

Here is the display outside one of the auditoriums above

and another below the main theater lobby. As you can see I had the entire space to myself on the afternoon I ventured in. Wearing a mask was required, but I saw no other people except staff.

Jerusalem Theater hosts the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. These past weeks of closings the JSO has performed and also posted regularly online. From the Hallelujah Festival – Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms | לאונרד ברנשטיין – מזמורי צ׳יצ׳סטר was the video shown last night. Check it out.

I had never noticed this sign at the Montefiore Windmill in the past -“Guy’s Hope,” but thought it amusing that there was one guy sitting alone on the overlook.

I was on my way to check the new art on the walls at the Mishkanot Sha’ananim gallery by Ilan Baruch, “A Painter Facing the Land.” With so many events canceled and going online, I hope this guy’s exhibition is seen.

With a week with too much not-good news, how good on my way home to see a bride having her photos taken on the stairs at Yemin Moshe.

The old British post boxes were freshly painted. And wonders, since I was last in the area – new public restrooms have been installed!

Jerusalem billboards have been updated announcing upcoming arts and culture, music, and song. Everyone I know is hoping events will be able to go ahead as planned, though many things are going back online this week.

When the sun shines and one can get out to walk about, even stop and talk to a friend or two, along with the gorgeous views, you can almost forget the news.

In spite of the latest health scene, nature can be a source of hope. So good to see the almond blossoms will be ready in time for Tu BeShevat.

Some weeks are harder to find, but good and colorful things on and off the Jerusalem streets await those who take the time to stop and look.

10 Things to Love About Jerusalem

December 19, 2021December 19, 2021Sharon A

The sense of uncertainty about what will happen next is ubiquitous.

Israel’s borders are closing again and isolations are becoming mandatory. Will the US be the next to be declared a red country?

Tourists were coming back to Jerusalem and tour buses were seen on the Jerusalem streets. But how many trips have again been canceled? Long-planned meetings put on hold.

In our neighborhood, a school is back on Zoom classroom sessions with so many students sick with corona.

However, there are positive things to share from this week in Jerusalem.

I love that no matter how many times you walk down the same streets, there is always something new to see or a new angle to notice, as you can see here at the entrance to Mamilla Mall.

At Mamilla Mall, I stopped for a moment to take a photo of the men at the mincha minyan, praying outside in the middle of the day. I loved that friends who walked by also noticed and commented.

Amazing how a short walk becomes longer when you stop to talk with friends you have not seen in too long a time.

The construction is just everywhere, as the buildings go up and up.

The noise is often deafening as the digging goes on and on.

Most of King David Street is completed. But the next phase here at Mamilla Junction is beginning. Watch out, this week the extension to King Solomon Street is to be closed as the new water lines are installed.

Won’t we all love it when the roadwork is done?

At last, reconstruction work on the old Knesset Building, slated to become the new Knesset Museum, appears to finally be moving along.

The entrance to Balfour Street was open! It had been without a security guard, an exciting development for those of us who live in the area. We were forbidden to walk down the street, and now there is a sign to pull the pedestrian gate open.

A TV media crew was wandering around and taking a video. At one point in the recent past, there were five layers of security and a huge black curtain. Now, new security cameras have been installed instead.

I had to go back again to check if it was real. The last time I walked down this street was the summer Obama was running for US President (first time!) and Olmert was Prime Minister.

Here you can see what was blocked, under strict security and now is quiet.

Security officers dressed in black jackets on motorcycles were out along Jaffa Road. It was good to see them chatting rather than having serious work to do.

The annual Hanukkah decorations are gone and stowed away.

But Santa near Jaffa Gate in the Christian Quarter is still this month.

Reindeer have lit up the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens for the nighttime show since before Hanukkah.

The YMCA has more decorations and new lights this year.

At New Gate, a Christmas Market is open in the evenings until December 22nd, however, the sign says that it is limited to 500 people.

I am not sure I like it, but I am still amazed to see young children on the Jerusalem streets walking alone, like this little girl walking from New Gate,

or outside along the path by the Old City Walls going towards Jaffa Gate,

or little ones leading even younger ones in Nachlaot.

But for children, I just love the new lion in the Gan Sacher, Sacher Park play area.

This week the 11th Temech Conference was held at the Jerusalem Convention Center. Temech services Jewish businesswomen and entrepreneurs, and the conference is a popular annual networking event. I loved the various areas decorated for women to sit and talk.

The day-long programming was full of excellent speakers, so it was hard to catch up with friends you had not seen in too long. Plus recognizing new acquaintances from online meetings was a challenge. Did she seem so short or so tall, so thin?

When the Hebrew and the Anglo groups merged for a late lunch it was hard to get everyone in one photo, but safe to say most everyone was Energized.

In the Artist Colony across from the Old City walls is Kol HaOt, a studio for art with connections to Torah, and a venue for the Jerusalem Biennale.

During the corona lockdown last winter, 48 artists were able to use the space to create a piece based on one of the 48 ways Torah is acquired.

I loved many aspects of this 5th Jerusalem Biennale, but more another time.

Ready to walk home I heard music, the fountain was on at Teddy Park. The show went on and on – better to share a short video than a photo.

Winter music festivals are back! The 12th Hullegeb: Israeli-Ethiopian Arts Festival, Chaznut Performances, and more – I love the varied cultures.

Chagnival at HaMiffal is this week at The Miffal, however, not sure what it is.

I love what they did in the old abandoned building. Do people know about it?

I LOVE JLM, especially on a sunny winter day or a clear cool night.

I love to take a walk and see what’s happening on the Jerusalem streets.

Here’s hoping those millions of tourists that were expected before corona shut down the skies will be able to return –

and soon.

8 Things to See Now on Jerusalem Streets

October 29, 2013rjstreets

Israeli Apartheid?

got the most views in one day for a RJS post.

But, 15 Real Photos of Arab Girls is still going strong

and will soon go over 100,000 views.

Too bad all my numbers are not that impressive.

So what is there to see in Jerusalem, Israel, now that the holidays

and municipal elections are over,

and the campaign signs are slowly coming down?

1. Street art can be found in parking lots

and lines so many streets,

but contemporary art in Jerusalem has a new home.

2. The Jerusalem Biennale, which runs from September 15-October 31,

had its opening in the galleries of the renovated Templar houses on Emek Refaim Street.

3. For the week of October 17-24,

there was Manofim, multiple exhibitions of contemporary art in Jerusalem.

Art critic and art history expert, Gideon Efrat,

gave a talk at Mishkenot Sha’ananim as part of the annual Manofim events.

One woman was sketching during the program,

which was great to see at an art lecture.

Manofim took place in many neighborhoods around Jerusalem,

but I was surprised to find this sign left at the Jerusalem Bird Sanctuary.

Art, art and more art is not what you think of first in Jerusalem,

but I have written before about the galleries in the Jerusalem Theater.

4. Israeli artist Yitzhak Greenfield’s students opened a show at the theater.

People of all ages came to see their work.

Displays are constantly changing and open to public at no charge.

But there is more than art.

5. The Cinema City signs are up,

now everyone can see where the new theaters are located.

6. See and hear, another Oud Festival starts soon.

7. See and learn on Azza Street from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm,

Einstein on Azza is coming on November 1.

Professors from the Hebrew University will give free lectures, along with live performances.

There is so much more, but the last for today.

8. The Jerusalem Knights Festival will be held

on four consecutive Thursday nights starting October 31.

I saw the very first Knight night and wrote

who could imagine that the Crusades could be so much fun?

You may hear in the news about protests,

but how about these other events that are happening now?

There is a big problem though,

with so much to see and do,

how does one see a fraction of the things that are going on?

Now If I could just get people interested in seeing some of this good stuff

and not just looking for Arab girls….