Friends of Zion Museum

The President of Paraguay Received Warm Welcome In Jerusalem

Sharon A

The Real Jerusalem Streets has published over 1,200 posts.

Along the way, RJS received over 1.2 million spam comments.

And a couple of viral posts – so many loved those Arab girls.

Each week the goal of RJS photo essays is to show what is happening in Jerusalem, Israel–

what legacy media does not share – there is much more happening than conflict and protests.

This week was a week to honor the Republic of Paraguay and its President Santiago Peña.

Knesset flags in blue and white were joined with blue and white with red – for the Republic of Paraguay.

Yards of red carpets were out and the Declaration of Independence moved to a new location

to officially welcome the President of the Republic of Paraguay Santiago Peña.

Anthems were played before the review of the honor guard.

The Paraguayan delegation entered the Knesset building led by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.

After cutting a ceremonial blue ribbon, Peña cut off a small piece of the blue ribbon to save.

The President signed the official guest book as Ohana stood and dignitaries sat to watch.

Audience members taking photos and videos with their cell phones has become common practice.

Even an army officer took his shot as the two leaders spoke briefly in the Chagall Hall.

Peña’s wife was escorted to a private reception after the official photos and led past the October 7 display. The hostages and war are not forgotten even at the most festive of events in Jerusalem.

The official motorcade waited outside to rush them away to the next event on a short, tight schedule.

The Kotel, Western Wall, Yad Vashem, and the official ceremony in Har Hotzvim where the Jerusalem Embassy of Paraguay is located lasted two days.

The umbrellas have been replaced with new lights over Yoel Salomon Street awaiting winter holiday visitors in Jerusalem near the Friends of Zion Museum, across from the Museum of Tolerance.

On Thursday night the Paraguayan delegation was hosted at the Friends of Zion Museum,

and the President was presented with the Friends of Zion Award.

The new Chief Sefardi Rabbi Dovid Yosef arrived wearing his new official Rishon Lezion attire.

The room was crowded and all stood as the Presidential couple entered,

Fleur Hassan Nahoum was the moderator, she spoke in English from the podium, but in Spanish to many of the guests.

Even at this event, the memory of those murdered was not forgotten.

Mayor Moshe Lion presented a gift and Rav Yosef blessed the President.

They left before the toast and the meal was served.

The meat came from Paraguay and the wine served was a special label “PARAGUAY,” bottled by Psagot Winery.

A hamsa for good luck was presented by Israeli Minister of Culture Miki Zohar.

However, the Friends of Zion Award was the main event of the evening which was co-sponsored by the Zionist Organization Kol Israel.

Knesset Speaker Ohana was all smiles during the singing of Hatikva at the end of the evening. He had gone to Paraguay to open an Israeli consulate and must have been relieved to see the results of his efforts. See who was there in more photos HERE.

So the Paraguay events were fun, but not real streets unless you saw the motorcades go by.

On International Humanitarian Day December 10th, a special session was held at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence, concerning the health and welfare of the 100 hostages still held in Gaza.

Freed hostage Noa Argamani spoke after the health experts presented data.

Several freed hostages attended and comforted each other.

But families, some wearing the faces and names of their loved ones on their shirts, are still waiting after 435 unimaginable days, more photos HERE

But then, new signs are up for fun next week, with the Doll Festival and More at the Train Theater.

The first night of Hanukkah is December 25th and I started planning and baking.

Stores have dreidels and Hanukiot on display – it’s time to prepare for Hanukkah. The holiday where they tried to kill us and failed – so we eat sufganiyot and latkes and spin the dreidel to see our fate.

As President Peña said ending his remarks to the media at the Knesset – “This year in Jerusalem!”

Book a photo walk to see the sights and lights for yourself.

Jerusalem Streets See the Colors of February

Sharon A

Where should I begin to share a week where moods change as quickly as the weather?

It seemed every time I went outside the sun disappeared behind the clouds.

Often it rained, and rained hard.

But at least one evening I was in the right place at the right time to capture the colors in the sky, and with no filters, nature’s beauty appeared before the onset of darkness.

And look at this cactus, a wonder of nature growing so high and with new fruit.

The stalls at First Station were empty in the evening without the regular tourists in Jerusalem, Israel.

The carousel was wrapped in protective plastic and the Ferris wheel was not turning.

One Muslim man took advantage to say his nighttime prayers with no customers around.

I was on my way to the Menachem Begin Center for a program with Elliot Abrams and Dennis Ross.

Barbara Diamond moderated the live discussion as the two US experts discussed growing antisemitism.

A video with Bill Maher concluded the evening. His method of inserting humor while presenting historical facts that counter fictional narratives was greatly appreciated.

One of too many reminders of deadly attacks in Jerusalem is this memorial plaque listing the 11 names of martyrs murdered by a suicide bus bomber on January 29, 2004.

A reminder that 20 years ago, there were also calls for an intifada. Do people have such short memories?

Car-rammings became a new method of terrorism. Bigger, higher, and better bollards are now placed at Jerusalem bus stops to protect people waiting to board a bus.

But the Jerusalem streets, even during this October 7 wartime, are not shut down and dark.

The annual Shaon Horef, Winter Noise Festival is scheduled for the next four Monday nights on various Jerusalem streets.

The runners are out training for the Jerusalem Marathon set for the morning of March 8, 2024.

This week, at the Friends of Zion Museum, the Government Press Office held an evening event. Maayan Hoffman moderated a panel that included international journalists based in Israel.

CBN’s Chris Mitchell listened to Israel spokesperson Eylon Levy, while I was more focused on his socks.

Thousands of journalists came from around the world after the October 7 Massacre. I decided not participate in those early trips to see the death and destruction.

The panel with family members of the hostages was a somber conclusion to the evening. It boggles the mind that so many around the world deny the proof from videos and testimonies of survivors.

Some of the families of hostages have traveled the world to give testimony to get their stories told.

In the same place where the protest tents for the release of Gilad Shalit were, new are ones calling for the return of today’s hostages.

Frustrated after four months of captivity, protesters have taken to the Jerusalem streets calling for release.

The lights on Rivlin Street on the way to the Friends of Zion were twinkling on Thursday night.

I started on a positive note with colors in nature and want to end with one particularly colorful event.

Back on Thursday night, I was again at the FoZ for the opening of the Indigenous Embassy in Jerusalem with the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The program began with a moment to remember those murdered in the horrors of October 7.

Then we heard about the love of Israel coming from around the world, from Hawaii to Tonga.

Traveling thousands of miles to stand with and pray for the people of Israel.

IEJ is to become a hub for indigenous peoples visiting Israel and a tangible expression of their support. IEJ will also support and promulgate the academic work being undertaken to respond to false narratives. 


However, IEJ does not purport to be an official representative of any of the governments that host nations of the respective indigenous peoples. It will engage in educational and cultural initiatives and mutually beneficial collaborative projects. 

The Solomon Brothers added musical highlights to the event. But, when many participants got up to dance to Hava Nagliah, I thought it was my time to go home.

It’s over ten years since Ryan Bellerose shared his enlightening essay on Indigenous peoples. I thought of him throughout the evening even though he was not there in person.

Closing with a video also from 10 years ago, the prayer for Israeli soldiers.

At that time IDF tanks were lined up along the Gaza border.

Then, international opinion forced a ceasefire.

Hoping for the return of all the hostages and less gloomy days ahead on the Jerusalem streets.