Beit Hanasi – Page 23 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Rio 2016 Israeli Olympic Champions

July 20, 2016rjstreets

This summer

Jerusalem streets in the city center are covered

with displays from various countries,

with this Brazilian flag being one of the most popular.

Prince of de Ligne of Belgium,

Tourist of the Week,

told RJS that his wife is from Brazil.

Brazil seemed to be everywhere last week.

The 2016 Olympics are to be held in Rio, Brazil,

from August 5-21.

Reuven Rivlin hosted a Presidential send off

at Beit Hanasi, the official residence.

The Ambassador from Brazil attended along with

members of the Israeli Olympic Teams.

The participants in the 2016 Paralympic Games

to be held in Rio from September 7-18

were also honored at the event.

Dignitaries posed and smiled around

Sports Minister Miri Regev.

The largest teams in Israel’s history are heading to Rio.

Each athlete has an impressive story to tell

of dedication and training to reach their goal.

Audience members rise when the President enters,

but not the Paralympic athletes confined to wheelchairs.

One woman had a special smile,

her look was beautiful, thoughtful, determined.

I wondered what her story was.

After the event I found out.

Pascale Bercovitch, at age 17, was living in France.

She slipped on ice rushing to school to take an exam

and a train ran over her, severing both her legs.

However, she made aliyah,

volunteered in the army,

married and started a family.

48 Israeli Olympic athletes are competing

in various sports in Rio 2016.

Pascale Bercovitch,

is competing in her third Paralympic games,

in her third sport, kayaking.

If that is not enough for a double amputee,

she was 40 years old at her first Paralympics Games.

Each athlete has an impressive story.

Each Para-athlete has a story.

I had wondered about the woman,

with a radiant face and huge smile,

but never could I have imagined such a story.

Her positive attitude shows us how one

can succeed in Olympic proportions.

All the best to to Pascale,

and all the other athletes off to Brazil.

Follow Team Israel

US Vice-President Biden Returns to Jerusalem

March 10, 2016rjstreets

US Vice-President Joe Biden was in town this week.

When he visited five years ago,

it was a blog-worthy occasion, a very no-frills visit,

as compared to a US Presidential visit to Jerusalem, Israel.

But this visit was not like last time.

The big red no-parking signs were not warnings for the

upcoming Jerusalem Marathon street closings,

but for Vice-President Biden’s visit to

President Reuven Rivlin at Beit Hanasi,

the official residence of the Israeli President.

The red carpet was unfurled,

and for an extra layer of security, this blue tarp was erected.

Flags, flowers and podiums were arranged.

Hamentashen were among the sweets served to munch.

There was a long delay and wait,

because the VP stayed longer than planned

with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Finally, it was show time.

Key players were in their positions.

The motorcade arrived.

A huge US vehicle with DC license plates

and adorned with US and Israeli flags

pulled up along the carpet with swarms of security,

and the United States Vice-President.

International press lined the way ready to report.

Such coordination,

even their ties matched.

I was late for a meeting and left after the speeches,

right after the official hand shake.

The waiting cars of the motorcade filled the driveway,

while security shades blocked the view.

This was a full scale production,

everyone knew that Joe Biden was here this time.

And don’t you know it,

as soon as I turned around to leave there she was–

another one of those Arab girls!

Crazy layers of security, a street lined with police cars,

bomb squads whose photos I cannot share,

and there was an Arab girl having a driving lesson.

After Hail on Passover, What Next?

April 15, 2015rjstreets

Hail in April,

in Jerusalem, Israel?

Not only was there a hail storm as the holidays ended,

but this was the scene the next day also.

It looked and felt like winter, not spring.

The city looked black and white,

as 4 mm hail stones fell.

But now,

the Passover things are put away,

and visitors have returned home.

The Happy Passover signs on buses have changed,

to wish Jerusalem riders “have a good trip.”

The skies have cleared

and people have returned to the streets,

some of which are lined with flowers.

Two hundred and fifty invited guests associated with OneFamily

filled the main room

at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Home,

with President Reuven and First Lady Nechama Rivlin,

to launch a new cookbook.

“Tastes of Life” features foods that mothers made for their

children who were victims of terror.

Each mother shares not only a recipe,

but memories of their loved ones that are gone.

Very different,

but still another way to remember a lost loved one,

a new Healing Garden was dedicated by a New York family

in the Hosptial Saint Louis Francais.

In the sunshine, supporters of Kashouvot,

an organization advancing Pastoral Care,

heard the story of Randie Malinsky z”l

who passed away in October

after losing a battle with cancer.

Now hospice patients and families can sit in the garden,

to talk or watch the light rail and the rest of the world go by.

The “French Hospital” was built in the mid-19th century

and stands next to the Notre Dame,

across from the Old City Walls, near New Gate.

It boasts the only strictly kosher nunnery in world.

Also this week for all to see,

the first Israeli flags are flying from car windows.

And the large trucks have gone around hanging Jerusalem,

and large Israeli flags over the Jerusalem, Israel streets.

The radio is playing sad, slow music,

as soon it will be Yom Hashoah,

Holocaust Remembrance Day,

and the beginning of another busy holiday season.