Bible Lands Museum – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Where to be End of August in Jerusalem

August 15, 2018August 15, 2018Sharon A

Amazing how morning rush hour traffic seems to have disappeared from many Jerusalem streets. Many families are away on holiday until the end of August.

These little girls in Mea Shearim were so cute lined up on their first day of school, which began the beginning of Jewish month of Elul for many religious schools.

“I love Jerusalem” was spelled out in flowers near the Montefiore Windmill.

Pomegranates are almost ready to pick from the trees lining Jerusalem’s streets.

No event signs were posted here near the Knesset.

Is there nothing new happening or are the workers away?

For those of us who did not go away, there are things to do beside hang out in the malls.

The Jerusalem Bible Land Museum has free entrance for children.

The Tower of David does as well, and so does the Israel Museum.

At the Israel Museum, the special summer exhibit “I to Eye” includes a craft area set up outside the Children’s Wing.

The Israel Museum is a popular summer day activity for families.

Inside are multi-sensory exhibits, including one with virtual reality googles.

The Israeli Fashion exhibit is still on, attracting mostly adults.

Years of Israeli fashion design are displayed with 150 outfits.

How cool? I downloaded the Israel Museum App. Now, using the app at home, I can listen again to the descriptions of both what I saw and did not see today in the various exhibits.

Across from the fashion exhibit is art of the Jewish life cycle, from this Moroccan bridal dress to a Hungarian funeral carriage.

In the background, you can see three of the dozens of Israeli soldiers who were in the museum on a tour.

Museums and malls are especially popular on extra hot summer days.

As evening approaches, a modern bride and her wedding party were taking photos.

This Jerusalem city park, Bloomfield Gardens, is in back of the King David Hotel.

On Jerusalem Photo Walks, I like to show the beautiful part of this hidden area to visitors.

But in August for a number of evenings, I take thee there for ‘Hamlet, in Motion.’

Shakespeare is not studied in Israeli schools.

So while the production of the Jerusalem Theater in the Rough is not quite Shakespeare in Central Park, “to be or not to be” is no longer their question.

This troupe of actors have been sharing the Bard with whomever comes to the park.

To watch Arab families sit and watch along with religious Jewish family groups is part of the unique Jerusalem experience.

Minutes away is the entrance to the 42nd annual International Arts and Crafts Festival.

The entrance next to the Artist Colony has the walls of the Old City in the background.

There is food, music, and 150 artists showing their work. Dozens of local and international artists have booths.

As night falls, the lights go on and people come out as the summer ebbs.

Special bus lines aim to get late-night party animals home safely.

Even with so many residents away, tourism is high, and there is plenty happening on the Jerusalem streets.

Plus, Wednesday morning, as the sun rose, 239 new olim arrived in Israel.

If mainstream media news and summer heat gets you down, check out the smiles and excitement.

Her shirt says, “Tell the world WE’RE COMING HOME!”

Facebook Photo album on NBN Charter Flight is HERE

Out of the Blue, Out of the Box, and Out on the Streets in Jerusalem, Israel

June 6, 2018Sharon A

Blue. Blue is the color of the week.

Blue is the color for good luck, and many doors and windows in Jerusalem, Israel, are painted blue.

Crayola announced it is looking to name its new special blue crayon.

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem (BLMJ) opened a new exhibit called “Out of the Blue.”

The Hebrew word for blue is not mentioned in the Bible. However, tekhelet, is mentioned in Biblical literature dozens of times.

At a special press event before the exhibit officially opened at BLMJ, there was a demonstration of dyeing tekhelet wool.

Exposure to sunlight and oxidation causes the wool which was dipped into the dye (which is made from the secretions of a gland in one particular snail, the murex trunculus) to become tekhelet.

This permanent blue dye and the royal purple, are the basics of a new exhibit in honor of Israeli 70th year. A variety of ancient pieces are on display.

Not bad looking, this blue necklace from South Mesopotamia, dated 2700- 2600 BCE, made of gold and lapis lazuli, a semi-precious blue stone used by ancient royalty.

Rounding out the exhibition is the Israeli flag, modeled on the blue stripes of the talit.

Yad Vashem also opened a new exhibit this week on theme of Israel 70 years. Not blue, but showing the longing for Zion and Jerusalem in letters and memorabilia from the 1930’s of Euroepean Jews yearning to go to Palestine.

“Thinking Out of the Box” was the theme of a special Science and Technology conference held in Jerusalem. Australian Ambassador Chris Cannan and I walked in at same time. For a photo to post on Twitter I told him not to pose so stiffly. Only later did we realize, that above the big, blue word BOX he was pointing to there was a typo which ran through the printed materials.

Inside the First Station hangar, once your eyes got used to the dark, was the entrance to a cocktail reception.

At the sit down dinner for hundreds of international guests, the first course was demonstrated and explained by its celebrity chef. No printed menus, so no typos.

The Ministerial level conference featured Israeli Nobel Prize winners, many who attended the gala opening.

This is table #1 as dinner was served.

It was fascinating speaking with science and technology officials from Belarus, Tokyo, and India.

In one of the video segments, I learned that Israel is ranked number four in world in uploading of videos on to YouTube.

Ovadiah Hamama, sang Ana BeKoach, so of course, I uploaded a video to YouTube.

The “Out of the Box” conference was held at the Orient Hotel and was very exclusive.

The Wolf Prize ceremony at the Knesset, without Sir Paul McCartney, was hardly noticed, photos HERE.

But out on the Jerusalem streets the annual Israel Festival was well under way for all.

Multiple dance, music and drama performances were held in Jerusalem venues for this cultural festival which is in its 57th year.

But one dance performance by Willi Domer, “Bodies in Urban Spaces” was not only out of the box, but out on the Jerusalem streets, and in phone booths,

and multiple unusual spaces for photo op stops along the way from the Ticho House to the YMCA.

Not all appreciated the creativity and uniqueness of the young Israeli dance troupe from Tel Aviv.

The choreographer has done performances in 100 other locations, but this was the first time in Jerusalem, Israel, on King David Street, for this pose.

More unbelievable poses and photos from “Bodies in Urban Spaces” HERE

The Jerusalem Theater, with a large blue poster for the Israel Festival, held multiple music and dance events as usual, which ran from May 23 to June 9.

Out of the box? Ping Pong was in the plaza in front of the theater.

Across the street, at the Islamic Museum a new exhibit opened. A big blue Khamsa or Hamsa, was outside on the wall, while hundreds are on display inside.

For the Muslim holiday month of Ramadan at the National Library, on display were rare copies of the Qu’ran and rare Islamic treasures.

Phew. Not enough yet? There was the international stamp exhibition last week too, and admission was free.

In Jerusalem, as soon as June comes around, it is time to worry about summer programs for children who will be out of school soon.

For older students, there is an all night end-of-school year Summer Rave party in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, with a huge stage, several bands and lots of beer. It means less sleep for many tonight.