Jerusalem, Israel – what is really happening
A whole week has gone by,
a week filled with an election that is seems very few were interested in,
even though the future of Jerusalem, Israel might be a stake.
So instead of another blog post no one will read,
here are some photos that sum it all up.
There is so much to share on art & cultural events
and the colors of this season,
but for now
Shabbat Shalom!
Israel’s universities finally started today “after the chagim.”
I am wondering how long I will be trying to catch up on things,
now that the holiday season is officially over?
The bins in front of Beit Hanassi, the Israeli President’s house were full
after Sukkot, after the sukkah was taken down until next year.
I wrote an entire blog post on Sukkot favorites,
and I left out one of the most important items.
The new-old Jerusalem train station, First Station,
has already become an important tourist stop.
The Jerusalem March began as usual at Gan Sacher, Sacher Park,
but this year for the first time it ended at First Station.
It has become popular with most everyone.
Tour groups are starting or ending at First Station.
It took awhile, but most eating places are up and going.
Not only is Fresh kosher, but special kosher,
under the new Chief Rabbi David Lau.
(After many years, there still in no chief rabbi for Jerusalem, Israel)
Supply and demand,
and in Jerusalem, mehadrin kosher,
is what many tourists want and seek out,
in addition to shade from the mid-day sun.
Large trees have been planted, there are new shaded areas.
Bikers and pedestrians make use of the special track,
but one still has to watch out for cars!
Seems everyone and
everything is trying to get to First Station.
A new sculpting exhibit is on the way.
Every Rosh Chodesh that I have gone to the Kotel, The Western Wall,
has been a unique experience.
After my first Women of the Wall experience, WoW,
the stench (of the refuse thrown on me) stayed with me for days.
But nevertheless I went back to see for myself what was happening,
and each month has been different.
This time, walking through the Old City,
there were
security people,
stationed at every
single stop
on the way to the plaza,
and also watching from above.
The plaza was filled with thousands of people.
Inside the women’s section in the back were WoW,
with more security around them.
Like last month,
a loud-speaker system made the men’s prayers loud enough for all to hear.
The Women for the Wall, W4W, had a good turn out.
In the crowd of thousands, many who were saying tehilim for Rav Yosef,
and many were clearly married, not just seminary girls.
WOW wore varied head coverings
and several wore tefillin.
As before, they used a microphone, and when they sang loudly
there was noise from some of the girls trying to drown them out.
At this Rosh Chodesh prayer service,
the men stood behind the partition.
While tehilim were being said, WoW were quiet.
After their service they sang hatikvah.
which brought shouts from some of the girls and the boys watching near by,
but they were quickly stopped by security.
It was an emotional experience for some.
As the The Women for the Wall left, a police line kept the groups apart.
Then WoW left the area the same way as they did the last month.
Reporting that this time they had to “sneak out,” is just another example
of a news source getting it wrong.
After WoW and W4W had already left,
this couple on the right walked through the plaza.
A small group of “religious” looking young men,
started shouting at them.
One was taken away by security.
There have been headlines that Women of the Wall
accepted a compromise offered by Natan Sharansky.
Most people would love that to be true,
to keep The Kotel a peaceful place,
and not to be a battle ground.
Now it is clearly used as a backdrop for a political agenda
and a power struggle.
Anat Hoffman says they are not leaving
and next month is WoW’s 25th anniversary,
so I guess there will be at least one more chapter to this story.
More photos from Rosh Chodesh Marchesvan on
The Real Jerusalem Streets Facebook Page.