culture – Page 69 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Yom HaShoah at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem

April 29, 2014rjstreets

Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day,

began with an official ceremony at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, Israel.

Traffic on the way to Har Herzl to get to the ceremony

was backed up for blocks,

it was faster to get out and walk to the shuttle buses,

rather than to sit in the line of cars.

Those watching the opening ceremony at home on TV,

did not have to come hours early and go through layers of security.

But this year I did go and we were lucky,

as it was warmer than usual.

The Holocaust survivor to light the first of six memorial torches was Asher Aud.

His son Tziki Aud leads one of my favorite organizations,

the Lone Soldier Center in memory of Michael Levin.

As with many other survivors,

without proper food during their growing years,

the children tower over their parents.

Photographers were ready with powerful lenses.

Every beret had to be perfect,

for the honor guard on stage,

standing at attention for most of the program.

One advantage of attending a TV broadcast

is that you know it will start on time.

Even dignitaries had to arrive early, so there was time to chat.

Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau lit the large memorial torch to open the program

and passed the lighter to a soldier who saluted before leaving the stage.

Sanya Kroitor played during the first of the musical interludes.

A large screen on each side of the stage projected

a huge image of the speakers to thousands seated in the plaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke after President Peres.

The lights and colors were great for photos,

but I wondered how the view was for two people watching from on top?

Each survivor honored to light a memorial torch stood

as a video with Hebrew and English subtitles retold their story.

The audience was silent,

listening to their incredible stories of survival.

Six grandchildren stood ready to help each grandparent.

At the end of the ceremony, President Shimon Peres went to shake their hands.

Then thousands had to get out of Yad Vashem and to find their way home.

On Yom HaShoah, there were way too many other programs

in community centers, synagogues and schools to mention here.

Israeli flags were flying at Har Herzl cemetery parking lot.

The season “the Yoms” has started,

Israeli flags are popping up everywhere,

first Yom HaShoah,

next week Yom Hazikaron, followed by Yom Ha’atzmaut.

Signs are up announcing the celebration of Israel 66 on May 6.

#NeverAgain #WeAreHere

UPDATE:

How could I?

I forget one of “the Yoms!”

As soon as I approached the Montefiore Windmill,

my mistake was obvious.

Busloads of children on school trips are on the streets,

Yom Yerushalyim is May 28.

Passover Scenes in Jerusalem

April 23, 2014rjstreets

Passover in Jerusalem, Israel, as always, was like nowhere else.

10 rockets rained in from Gaza to the south and Sderot.

In Jerusalem, it rained dirt for a short while; what a mess for the cars!

But it cleaned the air and with much less traffic,

everyone was breathing easier.

This 24/6 store was closed for seven days,

and bread bakeries were shut tight.

One restaurant was selling used books instead of food.

Passover matzah meals were enjoyed on the streets,

as families paraded in their matching holiday outfits.

A banner welcomed all to the National park that surrounds the walls of the Old City.

A small, peaceful protest about the Temple Mount

at Jaffa Gate was not newsworthy.

Arab protesters and rock throwers got all the media attention,

but I was impressed with this police officer,

armed for serious crowd control – with a bull horn.

I was not the only one this year to come to the Jewish Quarter after the big

Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing at the Kotel, the Western Wall.

Last year was such a mob scene.

Popcorn and fresh juice were for sale on the route through the Old City.

Bagel shops were closed,

but the shwarma bar was open, with its tables covered.

The image of the new Hurva Synagogue

against a blue sky is always impressive.

People were dressed in so many ways for the holiday,

as they offered holiday greetings to one another.

Many Ethiopians gathered around their leaders,

who stood under their colorful umbrellas.

But theirs were not the only umbrellas on the Kotel plaza.

With so many people converging in a small area,

the streets outside of the Old City were blocked to cars.

While inside the Old City roads were also blocked,

these young Arab men making a delivery had no trouble getting by,

and this Arab woman also walked freely.

However, I was not allowed to use my regular exit.

We had to walk all the way around.

Look at the nice view of Jordan in the distance,

for nothing is very far away in Israel.

These people stopped to enjoy the view.

Another barrier,

but this time ice cream trucks were ready for tired tourists.

And all day every day, tourists kept coming.

Then another closed road at Zion Gate,

but this car got through.

Finally outside the walls, a picture perfect time,

that rock throwers did not ruin for the hundreds of thousands

of visitors who came from around the world.

There was as always too much to do and too little time,

and too much to eat.

And this year some major supermarkets ran out of eggs.

Big news,

that the new Waldorf-Astoria Hotel opened its doors to the public,

but that will have to wait for next time…

must go bake some cookies now before all the kids go home.

Shabbat Shalom

April 18, 2014rjstreets

An old favorite is the Jerusalem, Israel buses

with their special greetings for Passover,

“Happy and Kosher Passover.”

This bus is passing what will be a new favorite.

The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel is finally open,

more on that soon,

but for now only time to wish all a

Great holiday

and

Shabbat Shalom!