Old and New in Jerusalem before Passover

The tourists are arriving!

Finally, after two years of corona closings, the spring holiday season is starting to feel normal again. However, there are some people who, after a few days, realize they are not suffering from allergies but go into isolation after testing positive for corona. The virus is still a part of life on the Jerusalem streets as is the annual spring pollen count.

Oh, what a day in the Old City it should be! Sunday, April 17, 2022, Passover, Ramadan, Easter, and Orthodox Palm Sunday are to be celebrated.

In this busy time preparing for Passover, I decided to share some of what’s new with the old on the Jerusalem streets with you.

The Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives goes back thousands of years but was not accessible from 1948 to 1967 because of Jordanian occupation.

Har Hamenuchot opened in 1951 instead as the main Jerusalem Jewish cemetery. It was visible on the right side of the road as one drove up to Jerusalem on the old winding Route One. Today there are new modern highways to arrive in Jerusalem.

Rising above the expanded Route One, are those new “buildings” on the hilltop. New apartments under construction below near the highway, and burial sites rising high above cover more of the mountain top.

With land scarce all over Israel, other cemeteries have also built new above-ground burial structures.

This was a regular Sunday morning at Damascus Gate, before the start of Ramadan. Did you hear of trouble there at night as thousands of Muslims come out after breaking their daytime fasting?

A regular Sunday morning at the Kotel, Western Wall, men’s section.

A regular Sunday morning at Kotel, Western Wall, women’s section.

On a regular Sunday morning at Kotel, this is the Western Wall egalitarian section in the distance. They started working on the section where the Second Temple stones were left at the bottom of the western wall of the Temple Mount.

This view of the work being done next to the women’s section shows why the sections were not connected and expanded in the past.

New is the excavation of the Kotel Plaza exploring what is above ground.

At the Givati parking lot nearby, the excavation has gone down exposing centuries of history just outside of the Old City walls.

Coming soon, there will be a new restaurant on top of the current visitor’s center at Ir David, the City of David.

Work has progressed under the Jerusalem streets, on the Pilgrim’s Path.

The route is being prepared for visitors to Jerusalem.

Remember the story from a visit in 2017?

Now one can go up the steps up from the Shiloah spring without wading through the water.

Along the new/old route taken by visitors to Jerusalem is a shop, a model of the shops that were available for the pilgrims who went up to the Temple Mount.

View of Jerusalem Gateway construction from above

There is more old and new in Jerusalem for you to see than in the Old City beside the new tunnel tours.

France Square’s dedication was in last week’s Tips for Touring in Jerusalem.

A new dedication stone was placed near the previous location,

with the former mayors’ names in Hebrew and French and the 2008 date.

Not all vacant lots in Jerusalem are building sites; some are prepared for much-needed parking spaces.

There are so many more cars and trucks on the Jerusalem streets!

The new tunnel from Gush Etzion is open and the old one is being repaired.

The new Pesach, Passover festivals, and activities are beginning soon.

New signs are posted to welcome visitors to Jerusalem for the holidays.

The last old wrecked house in Yemin Moshe along my photo walk route is being renovated, with the new roof resembling the old Templer tiles.

Visitors will be surprised to see so much new with the old.

Also, they should be pleased that behind those old post boxes in the Yemin Moshe parking lot, is one of the new public toilets. An important new and welcomed addition to those spending time on the Jerusalem streets.

Jewish wedding venue

Many challenges this past week, but also many good events to celebrate.

Hope to see you soon!

Jerusalem in June

June in Jerusalem…the days are hot,

"picture boy", "image bike helmet", "photo child helmet"

 everyone seems to be moving a little slower

and taking a break for an ice cream or a cold drink.

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School crossing guards are being trained for the next school year. 

 Before school lets out for the summer and the kids are home,

"picture conference", "Photo women", "image Kishor"

the Kishor Women’s Business Networking conference 

"picture women", "image ladies conference", "photo Kishor conference"

attracted 350 business women from all over Israel to the Ramada Hotel.

Making the summer plans for children is a big headache this time of year.

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While the abundance of summer fruit in season is a pleasure.

The Jerusalem Light Festival has been a big success this year,

if you missed it,

"picture Damascus Gate", "photo Damascus Gate", "image Damascus Gate"

 Damascus Gate as a giant pinball machine was a popular attraction.

Gan haPa’amon, the Liberty Bell Park, was full every evening

  for the annual Shavua Ha’sefer  HaIvri, the Hebrew Book Week.

"picture shavuah hasefer", "photo shavuah hasefer", "image Shavuah hasefer"

Families came to look at children’s books

"pictrure shavuah hasefer,", 'photo shavuah Hasefer", Image book week"

and sat on the grass enjoying the entertainment.

"picture shavuah hasefer", "photo buying books", "image book week"

Religious books,

"picture book fair", "image book week", "photo books sellers"

university publications,

"picture shavuah hasefer", "photo book week", Image shavuah hasafer"

and all kinds of books are on sale in the park until June 16.

"image security", "photo book sale", "picture shavuah hasefer"

Security was obvious, perhaps more so than in the past.

Protesters getting ready for more rallies for social justice

are getting headlines,

but there is so much more happening in Jerusalem.

Once again the annual and popular

Season of Culture and the Israel Festival

will offer dozens of cultural events

to thousands of people from all over the world.

And one thing everyone hopes for…

 it will stay cool in the evenings.


Light in Jerusalem 2012

Thousands of people attended the opening of the

Jerusalem Festival of Light in the Old City last night.

It is one of my favorite events to photograph

"PHOTO Jerusalem", "picture Jerusalem","image Jerusalem"

so I arrived at Jaffa Gate early, before sunset .

There were three colored trails to follow,

I started with the “Orange Trail”

"picture Tower of David", "photo Migdal David", "image Jerusalem"

 which went past The Tower of David and through

 the Armenian Quarter along the Armenian Patriarch Street.

"picture Jerusalem light festival", "image face", "photo Jerusalem"

Workers were finishing up the large art piece “Faces of Jerusalem.” 

"picture Jerusalem", "photo light festival", "image lights"

A series of lights called the “Light Line” lined Misgav Ladach Street

"picture light festival", "photo harp", "image Jerusalem"

and ended at the harp-shaped, “The Visual Piano.”

It was hard to photograph, but impressive to hear and see.

"picture kosel", "image kossel", "photo wailing wall"

At sunset, both the lights at the Kotel, the Western Wall, 

"picture Silwan", "photo Silwan","image Silwan"

and the views of the area are a favorite even without art light displays.

In the Rova,  the plaza of the Jewish Quarter,

"picture light art", "photo Jerusalem", "image art"

 there was a fascinating piece called “Meeting Composition.”

"picture light" , "photo Jerusalem", "image light festival"

  It changed with the motion of people under it.

"light photo", "picture Moslem Quarter", "image Al-Guds"

From the Jewish Quarter I picked up the “Blue Trail.”

"picture fire", "photo fire torches", "image fire"

Last year I was so impressed with performers using  fire torches 

that I watched for a long time and took dozens of  photos.

Last year they were on a small side street,  

but this year they were a main attraction in Muristan Square.

Determined to see all the routes, I did not stay to watch, 

but started on the “Green Trail.”

"Mosque of Omar photo","picture Mosgue entrance', "image Omar Mosgue'

There was a light coming from the Mosque of Omar,

but the sign says “For Prayers Only”.

"picture Old city", "image Arab market", "photo Jerusalem"

The “Green Trail” went through areas of the Old City

where  I usually do not go, certainly not alone at night.

"picture Arab women", "image market" , "photos old market"

So when the green lights stopped here, I stopped…

until an Israeli woman passed me and said to keep going to Damascus Gate.

Really good advice!

"picture Damascus Gate", "photo Damascus Gate", "image Shar Secham"

While recently the Damascus Gate has been in the news as a site of protests,

"picture Damascus Gate", "pinball photo", "image of Damascus Gate"

tonight it was lit up as a giant pinball machine.

"picture walls" "art photo" "image light benches"

Along the walls on the way back to Jaffa Gate were “Light Benches”

"picture Jerusalem", "image light", "photo old city"

and this piece which can only appreciated in video. 

"image Jerusalem", "photo light festival", "picture art"

At the Jaffa Gate the “Cupola” was bright inside and out.

"picture Israeli apartheid", "photo Arabs", "image Jerusalem"

Inside there was a couple dancing to the music,

"arab women photo", "picture jerusalem", "image Jerusalem"

while people were looking up

"picture Jerusalem", "image aparheid", "photo Arab woman"

and many were taking photos.

"photo Jerusalem", "image sign jerusalem","Picture Jerusalem"

Jerusalem, the light of the world.

These are just a few of my favorites from “Light in Jerusalem.”

I have to leave you some surprises, as the event runs until June 14.

If you cannot make it to Jerusalem, Israel this year…

more photos posted on

The Real Jerusalem Streets Facebook page