Jerusalem in June: Tourists, Books, Sports, and Much More

It’s the middle of June in Jerusalem, Israel.

Too many events and conferences and good things to keep up!

Jerusalem’s Rivlin Street was brightened with new decorations for summer.

The colorful umbrellas were back. But did anyone really expect it to rain?

Near the newly opened Museum of Tolerance, there were tourists from Africa

and another large group from Japan arrived in their buses.

This is the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem illuminated at night – the sign says Treasures of the Ancient Near East – the Lands of the Bible.

People of the Book.

It’s the annual Hebrew Book Week. Shauvah HaSefer was held in Liberty Bell Park and is now going strong in First Station.

The National Library published data from 2022, three of the items were:

  • 6,971 books were published in Israel in 2022
  • A record number of 2,004 prose and poetry books were published
  • Women writers comprised 60% of all authors

June is the season for universities to give out degrees and for their Boards of Governors to meet. At Hebrew University the closing event was the groundbreaking after the long-planned Einstein House.

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 In 1923, Albert Einstein attended the inaugural ceremony of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and was one of the original founders. He donated his archival materials to the Israeli university upon his death in 1955, and an estimated 80,000 documents have been stored in a Jerusalem warehouse.

Prof. Hanoch Gutfreund, President from 1992-1997, attended with his wife.

For the groundbreaking ceremony, President and Mrs. Herzog arrived and greeted donor Jose Mugrabi.

The space near the entrance to the Givat Ram Campus was prepared.

The ceremonial hard hats were in place on the heads of the honored donors, and the architect Daniel Libeskind who stood between HU’s present and immediate past presidents.

And shovels of dirt were dumped.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion spoke at the ceremony.

The ground was broken for the cornerstone. Now how long until it opens?

Near the entrance, outside the university gate

and inside, a few students grabbed photos.

A favorite photo from the night, when at first I didn’t recognize Ido Aharoni.

The man who talked about Israel, Einstein, and branding, in 2007, at the GA in Jerusalem, where the woman next to me said “hasbara – hizballah sounds the same” and was an influence to begin doing The Real Jerusalem Streets.

Presidents and Mugrabi speeches, gala dinner – then there was Einstein.

A shortened version of the brilliant Einstein performance needed a video.

While Einstein House is to go up on the Givat Ram Campus, the National Library is set to leave. On Wednesday there is a day planned for farewells.

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The new Israel National Library has been under construction for years.

Roof of National Library under constructioini

I have been fascinated by the roof construction, with so many layers.

At least I found out what those strange-looking things on the new campus are, the changing positions of the sun form the shapes of Hebrew letters.

Jerusalem church property where HU library was located

How many remember the Hebrew University Library at 44 Jabotinsky Street? The day workers took down the sign and smashed it was the day I started carrying a camera in my pocket, and not in my backpack.

It was a week of books – with a special book launch at the Kosovo Embassy.

“Flower of Vlora” by Anna Kohen on how her Jewish family was saved from the Nazis by Muslims in Albania. I have heard other fascinating stories of how the Muslims in Albania saved Jewish families.

Beit Avi Chai has a cute sign for Hebrew Book Week and a family festival.

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The Knesset was the scene of activity for international media focus.

However, as always much more was happening off the Jerusalem streets.

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The 12th Temech Conference was held at the Jerusalem International Conference Center. Hundreds of Jewish women, hundreds of Haredi entrepreneurial businesswomen, meet each year to network and expand their financial potential.

In the past, when I was their conference photographer and under contract, I could not share the amazing photos I took each year. Invited as media, I feel it’s a positive event more people should know about.

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Sports? The Weight Lifting finals are next week in Jerusalem.

But the big sports news – signs are posted for the arrival of the Under 20 Soccer Players who came in third place in the world competition.

They will get a lot more media attention than the Jerusalem Youth Orchestra who recently came in first in the European competition.

Another busy week ahead as the school year comes to an end, and many more good things happening in Jerusalem.

Hope to see you here soon on the Jerusalem streets!

Jerusalem Lightricks, Unicorns and Israel Innovation

Jerusalem Lightricks, Unicorns and Israel Innovation

Israeli startups raised over $650m in July

Three of the financing rounds in July created unicorns –

startups with a valuation of more than $1 billion

was the headline in Globes Business News English online edition on August 1, 2019, for Lightricks.

Lightricks at Hebrew University Givat Ram Jerusalem Israel hi tech

I visited Lightricks, located on the Hebrew University Givat Ram campus, in the spring.

I got a great paper notepad. However, now I regret not taking better notes and more photos.

Jerusalem Israel Lightricks on Givat Ram at Hebrew University

In the old HU university dorm buildings, Lightricks has grown quickly.

Lightricks Jerusalem Israel

The outdoor locations were bursting with colorful flowers.

Being located on the HU campus, it has become one of Jerusalem’s entrepreneurial hubs attracting the best and brightest.

View from conference room of Lightricks in Givat Ram Hebrew University campus

From the conference room window, you can see one of the outside paths. This is not your typical big-city working space.

I had gone to Lightricks as one of the tour options of Forbes Women Under 30.

JVP Forbes under 30 Women entrepreneurs at JVP in Jerusalem Israel

The diversity of the international groups of young entrepreneurs Forbes brings to Jerusalem at JVP has always been impressive.

Just one of the amazing things happening in Jerusalem, Israel, I wanted to share with you.

Jerusalem Israel Azrieli college Chinese delegations

International trade missions, as this one from China at Azrieli Engineering College at a JlmBioCity BioMed and Pharma pitch-night, now stop in Jerusalem on a regular basis.

But I want to share three diverse entrepreneurial Jerusalem groups you may not have heard about.

The IDF Intelligence Unit 8200 has gained attention though I do not know what they really do.

Soldiers leaving this elite army have gone on to establish impressive startups and innovative businesses.

Carmel 6000 entrance in Har Haztozfirm

A new addition to startup entrepreneurship with volunteer service is Carmel 6000.

A select group of young women has the option to do volunteer service combining hi-tech with social needs.

One of their projects was a collaboration with AYLN Children’s Hospital.

Wheel chair sensors by Carmel 6000 for Alyin children's hospital in Jerusalem Israel

What did the hospital need? A warning system for when a wheelchair was backing up. Here you see the sensors created by Carmel 6000!

Machon Tal hackathon in Jerusalem Israel

In June, Machon Tal of the Jerusalem College of Technology held its Hack@Tal. This educational program is geared to young religious women, with childcare support on campus.

Jerusalem Israel religious girls at Machon Tal hackathon

Another startup creative entrepreneurial competition to create applications for existing problems.

Nearly 200 young women worked day and night on their designated projects.

Machon Tal hackathon in Givat Shaul Jerusalem Israel

From ways to get ambulances through traffic efficiently to a wireless baby monitoring system, students collaborated with an approaching deadline.

Jerusalem Israel tech Machon Tal hackathon

With babies in tow and mentors to guide, the Hack@Tal was…I am at a loss for words of how impressive and positive. Women and STEM have come a long way in Jerusalem, Israel.

Jerusalem Israel MassChallenge Finale at beit Shmuel

The 4th MassChallenge Finale was held last week at Beit Shmuel.

Ten startups were selected from 44 businesses mentored and nurtured by staff members and 200 volunteers, and go on to the US to compete.

While at the end of June, Starting Up Together sponsored by MassChallenge, Rothschild Foundation and Peres Peace Center had a pitch night at First Station.

Jerusalem Israel First Station pitch night for Standing up together

PlayClean won the competition for its application for residents to report garbage to be cleaned up in a fun way to municipal governments.

Jerusalem Israel Bedouin pitch idea for Starting Up Together

Participants from Rahat worked on a website for local women to sell their crafts.

Group pose at Jerusalem First Station MassChallenge Stating up Together

Bedouins from the south, Muslims from the north, and Jews from all over in between, everyone is a winner on evenings like this one.

BioHouse, MadeInJlm, and now FemJlm are more names in startup Jerusalem.

Go north to find WeWork in south Tel Aviv – Hero Makers TOM out to change the world for the better. In Kfar Batya there is an amazing new high school space called Innovation Gogya.

Jerusalem street umbrellas

The umbrellas are up again over Yoel Salomon Street for summer.

But there is so much more happening than a colorful image for tourist season.

Watch out world, from these diverse Jerusalem streets great things are happening.

 

 

 

 

Good February Signs in Jerusalem

The sun is shining.

The sky is blue,

and it is warm enough to open the windows.

The snow has melted and it is history,

except for some ugly piles of plowed black stuff

and fallen branches that need to be removed.

February used to be the “quiet” time,

down time between holidays and peak tourism seasons,

but not this February,

and it was hard to keep up with all that is much happening.

Jewish Agency

This week the Jewish Agency for Israel had a meeting

of its Board of Governors, with delegates coming

from around the world to Jerusalem, Israel.

chess sign in Hebrew

The International chess championship may not be a great photo op,

but a tour with 500 tourism professionals from India certainly was.

image woman taking photo of Old City

Starting with the view from Hebrew University on Mt Scopus,

this tour went to The Old City.

Within a few minutes while standing outside

the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,

image foreign tourists.

 were other groups of Indian tourists,

image European tourists

a large orderly group of Estonians,

image black tourists

and these Christian pilgrims who left too fast to ask where they were from.

Another great view and new to me,

image Jerusalem marathon

was the Jerusalem Winner Marathon 2105  launch,

image Nir Barkat and Rami Levy

on the grounds of the St. Andrew’s Guest House.

image nir barkat

Mayor Nir Barkat, holding his official run shirt for the March 13 race,

was all smiles that morning.

Ilanit Melchior

But so was Ilanit Melchior,

Tourism  Director at the Jerusalem Development Authority.

Though many residents resent the street closings and inconvenience,

 this event has brought thousands of tourists

from all over the world each year.

There are signs for things as diverse as

App contest in Jerusalem

a contest for app developers,

children for Islamic Museum

and special programs for children at Islamic Museum.

But, Purim is a week away.

Inbal Hotel

Perhaps, this sign for Shavuot holiday is a joke.

sign for Purim

There is to be a Purim Spiel at the Train Theater,

purim sign in Hebrew

and a sign for reading the Megillah at First Station–

purim sign

Happy Purim.

Then,

time for that other “P” word – Passover!