Warm weather and rain,
and more cold rain today,
have been good for turning dry land green,
and early blooming of almond trees.
Getting ready for ט”ו בשבט on Wednesday.
Tu Bishvat is coming,
but first Shabbat shalom.
שבת שלום
attractive tourist destination
New Arab Girl Photos
Times are a changin’.
Women in Saudi Arabia are allowed to attend sport events.
In a few months, women in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to drive a car.
Photos of the new Saudi auto dealership for women only
show women covered in black from head-to-toe.
In Iran, Wednesdays have become protest days for women,
removing their white head coverings in protest to Islamic rulers.
And in Israel?
In Jerusalem, Israel, head coverings are important.
Without a red hijab,
how could we know this young woman in Aroma was an Arab girl?
World Champion gold-medal winner Anna Muzychuk
became news when she refused to wear an abaya
for the World Championship chess tournament held in Saudi Arabia.
Around the same time,
an interesting tourist group of women arrived
at the Western Wall Plaza.
Escorted by two men,
a group of young women in traditional Muslim dress
mingled with locals and other tourists.
I was on my way home, but I
stayed to watch the reaction to the women at the Kotel,
the Western Wall, on that sunny afternoon.
There was none.
As they went close to the Kotel and stood there
no one seemed to pay attention – but me!
They took the normal tourist photos.
As the women wandered through the crowd,
even their male escorts gave them space.
One woman waited outside the toilets for her friends.
Did anyone take notice?
From my vantage point above,
I noticed her taking the time to offer a prayer.
Her shoulder bag was from Milli Gorus,
which started in Turkey in 1969,
and is the most influential Islamist organization in Germany.
However, I am not sure where they live.
Arab tourism has increased,
and Muslim groups from Turkey and England are not unusual.
Next time I see a group of young Muslim women
I plan to ask them where they live and how their trip is.
Will these women go back home and tell the truth?
In their traditional dress,
no one bothered them as they walked freely.
Israeli Arab girls and women in malls
or older women alone on side streets
know they have nothing to fear.
As a friend noted about 15 Real Photos of Arab Girls,
“Because somehow the “nude” got attached,
it will remain viral.
It will outlive the mythical cockroaches in a nuclear war.”
Last year that post had almost 15,000 views,
my hope is some of those voyeurs
from every country in the world,
will see the truth about what is really happening
on these Jerusalem, Israel streets,
these real photos of Arab girls.
Jerusalem: Wet, Windy and Wonderful
In Jerusalem, Israel,
it was a wet and wild week.
On a clear day on a walk into town,
I found this interesting door, but did not enter.
A man was blowing a large shofar in front of
a gift shop on Ben Yehudah Street.
Nearby,
female border police officers were having a lunch break
as these two young women were shopping.
But the wet weather this past week
often made for dark and dreary photos.
Can you tell those are the walls of the Old City
through rain drops on the Begin Center’s windows?
After heavy rains
this unsightly puddle remained.
This IKEA umbrella could not withstand the Jerusalem weather.
IKEA is to open another Israeli store in Beer Sheva.
When it rains and the wind blows,
it’s best to forget using any umbrella.
Besides the weather,
trash piled up in bins during a brief strike.
which closed Agrippas Street with mountains of mess.
The only good part of it was that it was short and soon cleaned up.
However,
while the weather and strikes made news,
there were good things happening too.
International visitors gathered to celebrate weddings,
bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs, and more.
Off the Jerusalem streets,
in Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence,
another 929 Bible Study group was held.
The chapter of the day was
from Shir HaShirim, the Song of Songs,
read by actor and radio announcer Dan Caner.
He read beautifully.
Rabbi Benny Lau and President of the Israeli Supreme Court Esther Hayut
were at the head of table with President and Mrs. Rivlin.
This is the 16th time the Rivlins have hosted
the daily Bible study initiative.
The main hall was filled with guests as speakers
elaborated and studied the text.
Another closed event was held at the King David Hotel.
Ambassadors to Israel from the NATO countries.
had lunch with the Israeli Prime Minister.
Wet and wild weather
left the skies clear and clean and blue,
and it was hard to figure out what to wear.
Will it be hot or cold?
No one knows what will happen next .
But of one thing you can be sure,
the flowers in the King David Hotel lobby,
rain or shine, hot or cold outside,
will be impressive.