Highs and Lows Felt in Jerusalem

Last week was a week of good and bad news,

now it looks like this is one of highs and lows.

Real Jerusalem Streets is not just about the good stuff,

but what is really happening.

On days like this it is hard to know where to start

and what to post, there is so much to say.

Arab media has been inciting with scare headlines

like “Settlers are Storming Al-Aqsa” for months.

First of all no one is “storming”

if anything a few are walking slowly and under threat.

 Jews have to be careful how they move their lips,

as no Jewish prayer is allowed.

image MK Shul Mualem

MK Shuli Mualem went on the Temple Mount and was assaulted.

Today there was a deadly attack against people waiting for the light rail.

The border police officer murdered in the terror attack in Jerusalem

was named Chief Inspector Jidaan Asad,

he was 38 years old and had a young son.

The terrorist who drove the van into the crowd had published posts

glorifying previous attacks against Jews on his Facebook page.

There was to be a day of rage on Friday,

but the heavy rain this week has kept many inside.

On Shabbat afternoon a huge rainbow arched over the Old City.

Stone-throwing children have been a problem for months,

maybe now police will try and put and end to it.

image protest Israel

There were new protest signs this week.

But the Mayor would rather you hear about

sign for cultural event

the many artistic and cultural events,

iamge Azza street

including another Einstein on AZZA this Friday.

Streets will be shut for university lecturers to hold forth to the public – for free.

But my  high of the week was the Masa Israel Journey Mega-event,

in the Jerusalem Convention Center’s main auditorium.

image Israeli Prime Ministeri on stage

Certainly it also was a high for the Prime Minister.

Thousands of young people from around the world,

image crowd of young people

 some dancing in the aisles,

image people happy to be in israel

excited and happy

image crowd of young people

 to be in Israel for a year volunteering.

image Jerusalem crowd

School trips to Jerusalem from around Israel have been canceled,

but if you want to end on a high note,

check out this post from Israellycool

earlier in the week and watch the short video at the end,

עם ישראל חי

Am Yisrael Chai

Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem

I am on an overcrowded El Al plane.

People are standing in the aisles.

The man next to me asks me to change my aisle seat

with his male friend to middle one in next row.

I laugh and say no way.

We leave two hours late,

no ultra-Orthodox Jews involved.

End of story.

image unusual sunset

From 37,000 feet, we could see clouds and sunset,

 now back in Jerusalem, Israel,

more clouds and rain before Shabbat.

שבת שלום

Good News – Bad News from Jerusalem

  Good news first.

I was in the US for birth of a grandchild,

baby photo

his name is Yisroel Tzvi,

and he already is trying to figure out this world.

In the last two weeks I’ve had no computer time,

no down time and little sleep.

I hope you missed the updates from RJS these past two weeks?

image of sky from El Al plane

As always it is an adventure to fly El Al

and arrive back to Jerusalem, Israel.

But as I arrived home I heard terrible news:

Rabbi Yehuda Glick had been shot

and seriously injured

in an assassination attempt.

I posted on Israellycool  asap,

and you can see the background story and updates

HERE

DSC_7125fb

In June at the Begin Center,

Yehuda Glick sponsored his first LIBA conference,

where I was shocked to learn that Jews are allowed

only 20 hours a week on the Temple Mount,

while Muslims have almost free access.

Today access to the Muslim masses was limited,

though tomorrow restrictions are to be lifted.

Helicopters are flying overhead,

and in Jerusalem that usually means trouble.

Much has been written about “Price Tag” attacks,

today there was graffiti painted near a church.

price tag in Jerusalem

 Months ago this photo was taken across from the Begin Center.

It did not fit the media spin of “Price Tag”

so it was never reported.

On my next photo walk in the area

I saw that it was whitewashed.

Abu Mazen is spinning the story of one of his followers

shooting a man in cold blood

into “Israel is bad,”

 another thread in his narrative;

while Yehuda Glick, a great guy with wonderful sense of humor,

is hanging on to life by a thread.

Join in praying for the recovery of

יהודה יהושע בן רבקה איטה ברנדה

Will this world be easier to understand when Yisroel Tzvi is older?