Ready for Hanukkah or Chanukah in Jerusalem

What a week this has been.

From as far away as Sydney, Australia,

we hear that an armed man “claiming political motivations”

took hostages,

sometimes

image clouds

 something as simple as the cloud formations

against a blue sky can be appreciated.

Last Friday, coming from the Gush to Jerusalem, Israel,

we stopped for a traffic light.

The same as we have done many times.

That signal was installed after many traffic accidents.

image security

We saw this police vehicle blocking our view,

and we heard a man scream, then he was down on the road.

Israeli soldiers

As the security forces arrived in force,

it was clear this was no simple accident.

Acid (yes, vinegar is an acid!) was splashed on Israelis

by a terrorist and he had run to this spot.

I had been looking for cars involved,

but it was stopped a few meters away.

We got through quickly,

as the traffic in the other direcion stopped and backed up.

 I sit here now,

watching a live news feed of a cafe in Australia,

under threat by a person with an ISIS flag.

We cannot be sure when or what will happen next!

Meanwhile,

חנוכה

menorah

Hanukkah is coming.

After finally deciding to spell it as spell check goes,

the Government Press Office is using Chanukah this year.

Oh well, people are getting their chanukiot, menorahs

ready to light.

Chanukaih, street lights Jeryusalem

As always I love the streets lights,

and signs filling the streets.

banner in Hebrew for Hanukkah

“A Great miracle happened here.”

The school holiday is shortened this year,

but the school extravaganza productions

are bigger and better and longer than ever.

donuts

Suffganiot, millions of all types of donuts and

fried foods will be consumed over the eight nights.

strawberries

But also strawberry season has begun

and the markets are filled with the sweet red berries.

Happy Hanukkah,

image hanukah semach on bus, picture Hanukkah in Israel, , photo egged bus sign for holiday

Chanukah sameach

however you spell it,

the first candle is tomorrow night.

Best of Hanukkah in Jerusalem

Hanukkah in Jerusalem, Israel, is celebrated in a big way,

picture sign for Chanukah, image Chanukkah activities, photo Chanukah in Jerusalem

actually, Hanukkah is celebrated in a huge way.

image preparing for hanuka, picture large chanukiah, photo Jaffa Gate hanuka

This giant chanukiah, Hanukkah menorah, covered in small electric lights,

 is put up each year outside Jaffa Gate.

image unusual donut, Israel suffganiah, photo donuts

Each year there are new kinds of sufaganiot

photo donuts for Chanukah, image Chanukah in Israel, picture suffganiiot jerusalem

and lots of them, as huge quantities are consumed.

image street decorations, photo streets on Hanukkah, Jerusalem photo streets decorations

Electric street lights light up the sky at night at this entrance to Begin Highway,

image Hanukkah, picture Chanukah, photo Channukah in Israel

while others line city streets.

image lots of chanukiot, photo menorahs, picture hanukah

The Israel Museum is always a popular destination, especially this Hanukkah display.

Of course, 

image chanukah, picture hanukah candls, image hanuka

colorful candles can be found burning inside homes, 

image Chaukah, picture of chaukiah in store, Chanukah in Jerusalem photo

and in stores

image chanukah candles, photo candle lighting in hotel lobby, picture lighting candles

and  hotel lobbies. 

image chanukah, picture large menorah, photo Hanukah celebration Israel

Chanukiot can be found inside office buildings,

image lighting cahnukah candles, photo lighting candles outside, picture candle lighting outside

and outside the front doors of homes.

image Chanukah celebrations, photo Huankkah, picture celebration Hanukah

Candle lighting is often accompanied by live music and dancing,

as here with the new Chabad chanukiah at First Station.

image hanukah semach on bus, picture Hanukkah in Israel, , photo egged bus sign for holiday

Lights from the chanukiah on the street corner are reflected in this photo

of an Egged bus with a Hanukkah sameach sign.

Huge crowds and tour groups filled the streets of the Old City,

picture Hanukah Israel, photo Hanukah in Old City, image chaukah candles

as people came from all over to see the candles burning in windows, 

image chanukah, picture chanukah candles, image Chanukah in Old City

and scenes such as this man sitting and watching the flames.

To see and to learn and to remember, 

image Hanukah in Israel, picture banner Chanukah, photo sign Nes gadol hara po.

that a great miracle happened here.