Beit Hanasi

See Jerusalem December Nights with Stars and Lights

Sharon A

December has begun in Jerusalem with new lights on the Jerusalem, Israel, streets.

Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence was lit up with purple lights on Wednesday night for the 2024 International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The Tower of David Museum citadel was also illuminated purple that night.

The first days of December also were the beginning of the month of Kislev. The new moon aligned with the planet Venus as night fell and seasons changed.

In December, the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens opened its ‘Winter Dreams’ light festival.

The pond reflects small lights above and around the still water as visitors arrive.

Animals were the theme this year, 30 lights displays lined the path in the garden.

I try to go early to get the lights without the crowds, like here where an arch was over the path.

Red hearts are used in several designs along the route.

I never saw a live squirrel in Israel, but this giant squirrel was on display,

also a multicolored unicorn,

and the lion, the symbol of Jerusalem near the end of the route.

Animals and lights – all neutral – no Hanuka themes – unlike a giant menorah in past years.

The Nefesh BeNefesh Bonei Zion Prize ceremony for 2023/2024 was held at Beit Ha’am honoring 12 outstanding accomplished Anglo-Olim who have contributed to Israel, Israelis, and the world.

I knew Eylon Levy before he became a media star, long enough to ask him to pose in the lobby. MORE

I was running out to the Museum of Tolerance, dramatically illuminated at night.

Inside, the theater/auditorium was filled for the premiere of “The Children of October 7” and a panel discussion with three of the teen survivors of October 7 who bravely shared their testimonies.

Montana Tucker has used her star social media status to produce a 35-minute power documentary.

Back in Israel multiple times this past year, she shared her experiences on social media with the world.

Across from the Museum of Tolerance, the Friends of Zion was lit – Bring them home NOW.

The video ends with blue and white lights, alongside their Israeli flag.

The lights went on at the official opening of the Rose Garden – in Talbiyeh, not the one near the Knesset.

The sun was setting as a man carrying a child looked at the new pond at the opposite end of the completely renovated park area.

Mayor Moshe Lion arrived to speak and families gathered to hear the dignitaries.

But for me, these two women were the stars in their costumes.

Going home I passed the new buildings near the Jerusalem Theater with their lights on.

Holiday lights are turned on over Mamilla Mall Avenue.

The YMCA has new and more elaborate holiday lights this year.

Ending with long-time favorite lights from Jerusalem Jaffa Gate – Hanukka 5776.

Now it’s time to prepare for Chanukkah 5785, however, you spell חנוכה.

Hope to see you soon on the Jerusalem streets!

3 New Presidential Events Trigger Memories in Jerusalem

Sharon A

In Jerusalem, Israel, this past week, Presidents were in the news – in Israel and in the United States.

Some events made headlines more than others, and as usual, more happened on the Jerusalem streets than you might have heard about.

Twenty-seven world leaders were hosted in private meetings at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence, before and after the Fifth World Holocaust Forum (WHF).

Close to fifty world leaders converged on the Jerusalem streets for the WHF, which met for the first time in Jerusalem, to mark the 75th year since the liberation of Auschwitz and the 5th WHF.

In January 2020, the world was focused on Jerusalem to discuss antisemitism.

In Gan Sacher, preparations for the dedication of the Leningrad Memorial, in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Jerusalem and Israeli leaders, were rushing to completion.

Those memories returned as I walked through Sacher Park in the evening and noticed the lights in the monument with the Israeli Supreme Court Building in the background.

Oh, how things have changed in the past five years.

The lights were also on at Beit Hanasi in the evening for the installation ceremony of Israel’s two new Chief Rabbis.

Sephardi Chief Rabbi Dovid Yosef and Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber sat next to President Isaac Herzog with Members of Knesset and other honored guests in the front of the audience.

I saw Rabbi Yosef before the ceremony, and noticed he looked similar to his father and brother who were previous Chief Rabbis,

however, he didn’t wear the same attire.

This is a favorite photo of mine, at the installation of the previous chief rabbis eleven years ago, with President Shimon Peres and Rabbis Lau, father and son. Israeli Presidents have a 7-year term, the Chief Rabbis serve for 10 years

This week’s event was not in the small diplomatic room, but in Beit Hanasi‘s main hall, with families and guests looking on.

The rabbis spoke of unity and working together, as Rav Yosef concluded his remarks in English, with “Let’s make the rabbanut great again,” a day before the US election day.

The formal diplomatic room has been remodeled recently, with a yellow chair in the corner.

Only the carpet, menorah, and state symbol look the same as when the room was yellow -as in 2017, when the room was readied for the President of the United States.

US President Donald Trump’s visit to Jerusalem on Jerusalem Day was welcomed by President Rivlin.

A favorite photo from the day at Beit Hanasi was of the audience with Ivanka and Jared Kushner.

I followed the Presidents and their wives outside to the Beit Hanasi back garden to see the “Trump Tree.”

The weather changed from hot to cold at night, but the tree now seems to have grown tall, losing its leaves in the autumn weather.

There is more than Presidents on the Jerusalem streets. It took me several minutes to understand the Hebrew in this ad for the Jerusalem Opera performance at the Jerusalem Theater – for Madame Butterfly.

Sadly, these signs are easy to understand–the frustration of over 400 days with hostages still in Gaza.

It’s much better to see, happy occasions, like new couples getting married and driving off in their decorated car.

The Piano Festival and Jerusalem Arts Festival are this month also.

Waiting to see what new flowers will go in the large flower bed near Bloomfield Park and the Montefiore Windmill as winter weather is coming in soon.

But these are appearing on the Jerusalem streets, small bits of color for you to see.

If not now, Next year in Jerusalem!

October in Jerusalem Ends with High and Lows

Sharon A

Oh, what week it was on the Jerusalem streets to end the months of October and Tishrei!

Many times this past year, RJS repeated it was a”roller coaster” and “up and down” week.

Exhausting and wearing are words that come to mind from the experience of getting up from the lows.

After a slow start to the last week in October, here are highlights from the Jerusalem streets.

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem hosted an academic symposium on October 29, 2024.

The ‘KUMA‘ exhibition that opened in May is closing soon. The legacy of the brilliant young artist Eitan Rosenzweig, hy”d, who fell in battle, should be shared worldwide.

The Jerusalem streets have been much quieter than the north and south of Israel, but the signs for shelters are posted in the museum.

A well-researched presentation by the impressive Dr. Izabella Tabarovsky at the Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem Academic Symposium focused on the Denial of Jewish Peoplehood and Jewish Connection to the Land of Israel in Late-Soviet Propaganda.

The former Soviet dissident who spent 9 years imprisoned by the Soviet authorities, Natan Sharansky was a keynote speaker.

He was highlighted along with Professor Gil Troy, who presented “The Promised Land versus “Settler Colonialism”: Land, Indigeneity, Identity and Creativity in Zionist Thought.” A study of how and by whom the term “settler-colonist” developed.

Maori Sheree Trotter, PhD in history from the University of Auckland, is a founder and co-director of the Indigenous Embassy of Jerusalem which had an impressive event in February.

Multiple speakers and delegates could not attend because of air travel cancelations.

Shadi Khalloul from Kfar Birem made his presentation on Zoom because of illness. An Israeli Aramaic Maronite born near the border of Lebanon who served in the IDF as the first Christian paratrooper in 1995, he founded the NGO – ICAA. Who knew that Aramaic is still being taught?

As the full-day program continued late in the afternoon, Dr Charles Asher Small spoke on “The Implications of Antisemites Defining the Jew: From Indigeneity to Colonial Settler.”

To close the day, co-convener Prof. Wayne Horowitz lectured on “Indigenous Narratives of Land and Sky-Modern and Ancient, Arctic Canada and the Land of Israel.” From this graphic of Abraham’s hometown of Ur, he developed the connection of Indigenous Peoples’ narratives to their land by song and dance.

Think of the Jewish agricultural holidays we recently celebrated and the words of “Hatikvah.”

It was a very thoughtfully presented program with much information and videos to be published.

On Wednesday night, at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence the first award ceremony for Civilian Heroes of October 7, 2023, was held.

A large screen and stage were constructed in the back garden. With the clock and season change, it was dark and colder than recent nights.

The President awarded cousins Ismail, D’Haish, Hamed, and Rafi Alkarnawi for their bravery in rescuing Israelis on October 7 under heavy fire from Hamas who had invaded Israel.

The set was elaborate and the program included musical interludes slow and solemn.

Most of the awards went to the relatives of deceased civilians who acted quickly on October 7 to save others, like Moshe and Eliyad Ohayon hy”d, from Ofakim.

The President wanted not only Jews, Druze, and Bedouin heroes honored, but children as well.

Former Supreme Court Justice Elyakim Rubenstein’s committee was tasked with investigating and selecting from 200 nominees down to 60 then 20 finalists.

One bright point of the evening were the young children present.

Their presence conveyed the feeling – Am Yisrael Chai – the People of Israel Live.

But always present is the yellow chair and the faces of the hostages still in Gaza for over a year.

On the Jerusalem streets, it is hard not to remember the 101 remaining hostages.

The Shiva of Rabbi Avi Goldberg hy”d concluded with thousands coming to pay condolences to the family of the latest Jerusalem resident fallen. They came all week and late into the night after Shabbat.

One woman who came to offer words of comfort to Rachel, the young widow, was Hadas Loewenstern, mother of six children under bar mitzvah age. Her husband Elisha Lowenstern hy”d was the 405th to fall in Gaza “fighting for our lives”. She has repeated her story in numerous recorded messages to give strength to others, especially those who have received the dreaded “knock on the door” from the IDF.

It’s a good day when “cleared for publication” is not the first item on the news, as the number of fallen rises toward 780.

A favorite sight this week on the Jerusalem streets was a young border policeman taking flowers home with his talit bag over his shoulder.

So as the sirens sound north and south, and Israelis run for shelter, in Jerusalem, Israel life moves along.

The new signs are posted for the end of November Jerusalem Oud Festival.

The oranges are full on the trees along the Jerusalem streets. And if you look closely you could even find Halloween decorations.

Oh, what a month October was!

Hoping November is a quieter, less rampageous month.