flowers – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Southern Israel Red Alerts in Alumim

March 31, 2019Sharon A

Sometimes you have to get out of Jerusalem, Israel, to appreciate the view.

All this rain we have been having may dampen our spirits, but it is fabulous for making the countryside green.

From the roads leading out of Jerusalem the valley is at its best.

Once on the road south, you see flat land and wires stretched across it.

Farmers working between the rain storms along the way.

February and March, and southern Israel is famous for its red flower festival.

However, once again southern Israel has red alerts, not flowers.

The sign at Kibbutz Alumim was the same as on our previous visit in December 2012.

The electric security fence was opened carefully for our arrival.

The green fields of the agricultural kibbutz stretched into the distance.

But it you turned around, another sign warned of the Gaza border ahead.

From the fields of Kibbutz Alumim, the Gaza border and buildings beyond are clearly in view.

Because of missiles and rockets fired from Gaza at southern Israel, these bomb shelters are situated next to the factory. Workers have seconds to get inside to safety when a red alert warns of an oncoming projectile.

Alumim has two Iron Domes positioned for protection from Hamas and its rockets.

Why live in southern Israel? It’s beautiful. Israelis have made the desert bloom.

When Hamas is not firing these missiles, it is a wonderful place.

Long time resident Esther took time to share with us a bit of her story.

Rafi’s house, and every home, has a bomb shelter bedroom. Sealed rooms have again become a necessity with nightly rockets from Gaza.

Twenty years living under fire from Gaza. Esther and others try to keep a positive attitude, to make music chimes from missiles.

Kibbutz Alumim had no red alerts when we were there last week, after a night of terror when a house in Sderot was hit. However, the newest round of red alerts included Alumim. The residents of southern Israel are weary, tired of red alerts, and want to go back to being known for their red flowers.

Jerusalem: Aventures to the Moon and Back to Earth

February 27, 2019February 27, 2019Sharon A

The Israeli Prime Minister is on his way to Moscow.

The Israeli President hosts visitors from Greece and Cyprus.

The Israeli spacecraft Beresheet is on its seven-week journey to the moon.

Beresheet capsule ready for launch to moon — SpaceIL

The privately-funded Israeli space capsule was launched from Florida.

If successful, Israel will be the fourth country to land on moon.

Back here on earth, in Jerusalem, in Israel, life is a balancing act.

On the one hand, new modern roads stretch for miles over former donkey paths and barren sand.

New lodgings in Jerusalem are too many to list now.

But on the first really cold night in awhile, this homeless man was sleeping in the underground passageway to the new Navon fast train station and Jerusalem Central Bus Station.

At the same time, on the fourth floor of the bus station, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion was speaking at the launch of Urban Place, a new co-sharing work space for nearly 100 businesses.

Also this week, Lion hosted mayors from around the world at a conference which opened in Kikar Safra, Jerusalem’s City Council Chambers.

Around Jerusalem, construction fences surround building projects, which descend many stories down into the ground, and are covered with graffiti.

It is always exciting to see when these projects finally reach street level.

Nearby a market on Agrippas Street is busy when weather permits.

But rain or shine people come to the city center to shop.

I was on my way to hear about Arab voting patterns in the upcoming elections.

My only comment on elections, these two men from Abraham Initiatives were well prepared and extremely impressive in their presentation in English.

Also that afternoon, Elan Carr, gave his first major address after being appointed the US Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism in Jerusalem.

The Jewish Agency Board of Directors also met in Jerusalem this week.

New head Isaac Herzog also spoke on countering antisemitism.

Meanwhile, a new synagogue building nearby is approaching completion.

When the sun came out after rain, so did the wild flowers in fields of green.

Around Jerusalem, the nature areas are lovely.

But I am not sure these petals will outlast the hard winds blowing up now.

At night for the Shaon Horef I was not sure what this was.

The many new street art installations are better appreciated by day.

Mamilla Mall has some new out-of-the-box, out of this world, art on display.

At least the sculpture figures are still reading books.

Real people seem to interact more with their phones these days.

The world, politics, and weather seem so uncertain one minute to next.

But, on a clear day from Jerusalem, you can see still Jordan not so far away.

I liked this poster at the end of hall of offices at Urban Place.

“Adventure begins at the end of the road you know.”

Beresheet may or not get to the moon.

But it is still a wonder.

With all the problems, from near and far, amazing what tiny Israel has been able accomplish.

Elan Carr gave such a powerful speech, I thought I would share a few minutes of it.

And to end on a high note, these young Israeli dancers with so much energy are hope for good things in the adventures ahead.

Hard to believe, but much more was happening on the Jerusalem streets this week.

Jerusalem Oh What You Can See

February 6, 2019Sharon A

In Jerusalem, Israel, it is hard to predict what will happen next during the winter.

One day it’s rainy and grey. Then the next day, skies clear and the sun warms up the streets.

Inside is another story, even with heat my feet are cold wearing boots or furry slippers.

But if you get out and walk on the Jerusalem streets, oh the colors you can see.

In the morning a shopkeeper gets ready for the day in his little alleyway.

You can see the public toilet in the park is clean.

You can see graffiti and a clear blue sky in an old building under renovation.

You can see the blue sky through white clouds, and building cranes reaching toward them.

You can see the construction for new light rail stations, this view from Har Hotzvim.

It is winter, look up and see the lemons are yellow on the tree.

Look down you can see yellow flowers on the ground.

Here pink flowers are peaking out on top of a wall.

Those orange aloe flowers abound.

In Hansen Garden the aloe plants are huge and green.

This old brown palm tree needs to be propped up, but the ground is covered in green.

In the park across the road, after winter rains it is also green.

And the blossoms can be seen on trees all around.

Winter and delicate roses are in bloom.

White or pale pink, I love the ones that bloom in winter.

As much of the northern hemisphere is frigid and covered with snow, here in Jerusalem flowers flourish outdoors in winter.

These flower pots at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence, are hard to see from the street.

But once inside, even the 28 visiting UN Ambassadors stopped to have a look and pose for a photo.

Oh the colors of flags you can see in Jerusalem!

The President of Austria received a red carpet welcome along with his red and white flags.

For official diplomatic visits you can see and hear the police band,

and see the colors of an IDF honor guard.

President Alexander Van der Bellen spoke on serious issues, of the Holocaust and antisemitism.

But you could see a smile on President Rivlin’s face when he mentioned schnitzel.

There were many blue and white flag lapel pins, for Israel and for EU.

If you looked hard you could see this tiny, red and white lapel pin.

It made me think of candy canes.

The presidents met so long not many stayed around to see the pen did not work when signing the guest book – Oops, quick get a new pen.

Across the street at the Islamic Museum there is a new exhibit.

These large photos are printed on special wallpaper like panels. Taken with special camera equipment, you can see fine details.

However, at the entrance to Jerusalem you can see even larger photos.

It’s election time again. The Likud Party had its primary elections yesterday.

Winners and losers and predictions flow from pundits over the air waves.

But no matter who wins, when the weather clears, and one gets out to walk on the Jerusalem streets, chances are you can see a black cat staring back.