From the Israel Museum
for special night event called Contact Point.
שבת שלום
attractive tourist destination
Jerusalem: Gay Parade Photos You Did Not See
It is hot outside.
It is so very hot that the cold water from the tap needs ice to cool off.
Wild forest fires were burning.
The smell of burnt wood filled the air last night.
Shira Banki, the girl stabbed at the
Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance died of her wounds.
SIGH.
Justin, Roths and now Laura have been writing,
many more friends are posting on Facebook.
I posted on the parade on Israellycool last week.
However,
I did not do a RJS Shabbat Shalom greeting.
But not to say something, to ignore events turning Jerusalem,
Israel, and Israelis inside out?
Enough.
That fateful Thursday afternoon,
I went to see what was happening,
and I want to share some photos of scenes you did not see.
Gan Ha’atzmaut, Independence Park
had a nice size crowd gathered for the start of march,
rainbow colors were even on cars.
The crowd seemed larger than previous years.
The route was different from last year,
as always the police horses were worthy of a look.
I was on Lincoln Street minutes before the stabber.
There was a car decorated for a Tu B’Av wedding,
this is wedding season, heat or no heat wave.
City buses blocked traffic for the parade,
and some people were held up for two hours.
Walking was best way to get around.
But, there were so many other things happening too.
Made in Jerusalem was celebrating
Jerusalem’s ranking as one of the top 50 start-up cities.
People were also gathering near them at First Station
for a Klezmer band to start performing,
part of Klezmer Festival taking place in many venues.
Muslim families were picnicking in this park,
while at Kraft Stadium the annual Woodstock Revival was rocking on.
The new tourist train to Old City was running.
The new elevator at the Cinematheque is coming along,
to provide better access for the disabled.
Isrotel Hotel across from First Station is going up.
At least one women on Emek Refaim was using her head,
while others at this cafe were looking down.
Really big news,
a 5 shekel cafe has opened in the German Colony.
Around the corner,
the Christian Embassy lights go on as it gets dark,
always a beautiful scene.
There are all kinds of jokes and myths about full moons,
but that night was also a ‘Blue Moon’.
Blue moons are not blue,
they just happen once in awhile.
That night the full, blue moon rose over the Kidron Valley.
As traffic was stopped for emergency crews and police,
just a few minutes and meters away,
all was so peaceful looking.
Today it was so very hot,
as these women were waiting for a bus,
at the stop along the march route,
another day on the Jerusalem, Israel streets.
Tisha B’Av Around Jerusalem
Tisha B’Av in Jerusalem, Israel, is unique.
On the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av,
for centuries, Jews around the world
sat on the ground as a sign of mourning for Jerusalem,
and read Eicha, the Book of Lamentations.
I went to ‘Walk Around the Walls’ again after Shabbat.
Last year Tisha B’Av coincided with Ramadan
and even at midnight there was a huge crowd
at Sha’ar Shechem, Damascus Gate.
This year all was quiet,
as the Israeli-flag waving crowd walked by,
with only a few Arabs in sight near police barriers.
Going past Herod’s Gate,
the atmosphere was very different
from Tisha B’Av of last year.
Although it was a few days ago,
I still want to share that night,
and the beautiful sites around the Old City Walls.
As Lion’s Gate and midnight approached
we passed this man walking with two young boys.
Spectacular views were of Har Hazetim, Mount of Olives,
across from the Old City Walls,
and the impressive major excavations.
But most impressive,
was the huge crowd at the Kotel, the Western Wall,
where tens of thousands came,
some to sit and sing sad songs,
others to pray, or to spend the night.
People were coming and going all night long
to the Old City of Jerusalem.
But nearby at Sha’ar Yaffo, Jaffa Gate,
Mamilla Mall was closed and quiet,
as were all entertainment and most food places.
Tisha B’Av in Jerusalem, Israel,
is not like anywhere else in the world.
More photos of Walk on Facebook, HERE.
But,
after the mourning of Tisha B’Av comes
and party time celebrations grow every year,
this one is to take place in the Jerusalem Forest.