international women’s day

First week of March in Jerusalem: 3 Highlights

Sharon A

With the beginning of the Hebrew month of Adar, the Jerusalem streets begin to feel like spring and are often full of surprises as the holiday of Purim approaches. School children have special programming.

This is the National Library of Israel as seen from the Hebrew University campus, and the land in between is being landscaped for a new children’s play area.

The 14th Jerusalem Marathon was launched from the Hebrew University Givat Ram Stadium on Tuesday.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion revealed the new shirt with his number 10 ready to join in the tens of thousands of runners on Friday morning April 4, 2025, filling the Jerusalem streets.

The MIXiii Health-Tech conference was back in the International Conference Center in Jerusalem.

Dr. Peter Kash from Florida was a key presenter – he opened his remarks with “Boker Or” instead of “Boker tov” with an ancient olive oil lamp in his hand.

He predicts great growth for Israeli economy in many areas, from Robotics to Food Technology.

Hadassah Medical Organization’s Prof. Yoram Weiss spoke on fostering clinical innovation, but also made mention of the many lives lost and injured in the ongoing war.

It was International Women’s Day and World Emunah held a conference at Nefesh BeNefesh featuring a list of impressive Jewish Israeli women. One panel was moderated by Jamie Geller with women who found a need and filled it the non-profit world.

Sapir Bluzer started a social initiative, founding and chairing the Reservists’ Wives Forum. She recognized early in the war that women at home while husbands were in reserve duty would need support in multiple ways.

The room was filled with women from a variety of countries and generations. Three friends who have supported my work over the years posed for a photo.

Maayan Hoffman moderated the second panel with female lawyers and in the business world.

The closing Keynote speaker was Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel.

Appropriate timing as we approach Purim this week to celebrate Queen Esther and acknowledge women working in leadership positions, while celebrating 90 years of World Emunah and Emunah Women.

Purim signs are up over the Jerusalem streets. The elongated spelling of the Hebrew word PURIM could be because Purim is indeed elongated this year.

Starting on Thursday night with reading the Megillah, and ending with the festive meal and giving of Mishloah Manot gifts of food on Sunday afternoon in Jerusalem.

The street lights have been changed to hamentashen and gragers, noisemakers, for the holiday.

Purim the holiday where we celebrate the survival of Jews from evil of Haman so many centuries ago.

פורים שמח

Purim sameach.

Photos of Special Israeli Women for International Women’s Day

Sharon A

In 2011, the RJS post for International Women’s Day titled Israeli Apartheid? went viral.

I was such a novice I had no idea what was happening, as I watched the numbers of views skyrocket on the hotel lobby computer in Eilat.

The next year was 15 Real Photos of Arab Girls. It is still getting views after more than a decade.

This year, however, I decided it was time to highlight special Jewish Israel women!

Not in any special order, and there are certainly many more wonderful women that could be included. All of the photos below were taken since the beginning of January 2024.

A favorite image is of Fleur Hassan Nahoum in Weizmann Hall with all those men in the iconic photo behind her at the end of her term as Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem and start of new leadership roles.

At the Conference of Presidents’s opening evening, there were three new Presidents: Hadassah, Naamat, and the American Zionist Federation led by women.

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Tova Dorfman Deputy Chairwoman of the World Zionist Organization at the Jewish People Challenges.

Back at the Jerusalem International Conference Center this week with leaders in Health-Tech.

Women in Science and business with multi-lingual language solutions.

And women who are patent lawyers who assist those health start-ups.

Women who help other women, One Family together.

Women leaders who get things done and done right,

Women with style who get things done.

Women who get the news out.

Love how women hug when they find their friends.

When women put their heads together – wow.

This woman was a child in the Kindertransport who left Germany for England without family.

This woman, the mother of a daughter murdered on October 7, started speaking to groups.

The mother of a kidnapped son also speaks to keep her son’s story known.

The sister of those who cannot speak for themselves, speaks below those images we cannot forget.

Her father and brother were killed on October 7 and talking about their good deeds keeps her going.

She is still reluctant to speak but is lucky to have survived the October 7 massacre in Ofakim.

Oh, the all too familiar faces of the young women held in Gaza after over 150 days.

Then there are the smiling faces of those who have organized special solidarity missions to Israel.

Women who came and sponsored a bat mitzvah celebration for 20 girls who lost a close relative to terror.

There are those organizational leaders who seem to be everywhere working to support Israel.

A woman who led WIZO for decades and is ready for her next challenge.

New young Israeli leadership in the realm of social media.

Israeli Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel was in one of my first media photos years ago, is still going strong.

Another Israeli Member of Knesset Idit Silman has stayed active over the years.

Women runners with a story.

Women from Sderot doing their laundry at the Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem.

Back in Sderot after 5 months, school started, and another rocket was fired at them from Gaza.

So many women fell and broke their hips while running to shelters in the south over the years, ADI’s rehabilitation center near Ofakim has a special department for them.

Mothers, daughters, and sisters support each other one day at a time working for a better future.

On the wall, seen through a window, in a destroyed home in a southern Israel kibbutz – Viva ISRAEL.

A special shout-out to all the Israeli women who have kept their homes and the home front going over the years, especially over the past 5 months with tens of thousands evacuated and serving in reserves.

And thank you to the women who have come on solidarity missions in support of Israel.

Heroines one and all!

Am Yisrael Chai!

The Best of Purim in Jerusalem

Sharon A

Purim in Jerusalem, Israel, is so very strange every year.

Purim is celebrated the day after the rest of the world- on what is called Shushan Purim. The street sign for Queen Esther is not really upside down.

Shushan Street sign in Jerusalem, Israel

There is also a street called Shushan Street – it’s near Safra Square.

Things feel different as the rest of the world has moved on and in Jerusalem, we are just finally getting started with the upside down.

Clowning around and colorful clowns abound.

The demise of Haman was announced but not mourned on this sign posted on a message board at a local community center.

After weeks of preparation, Shushan Purim went by with too much happening to capture it all. Nachlaot and many Jerusalem streets were bursting with costumed crowds, but here are a few favorites…

Best little guy costume

and an even cuter littlest one!

Not only little dinos, but space men were popular this year.

NASA better watch out for these future astronauts.

Best big hair,

Best big blue mask,

the very best big ears,

and the best underwear for a hat.

Jerusalem synagogues were filled for the readings of Megilat Esther.

Beer, wine, and booze were found inside and outside on the streets.

Chabad again sponsored multiple Megillah readings at night and all day long on King George Street and around.

But also in Jerusalem community parks hundreds assembled to hear the story of Esther repeated at night.

And there were musical events before and after the Megillah was read. How nice to see that on the Jerusalem streets where protesters usually shout against the Prime Minister, people sat quietly together to celebrate Purim.

The Megillah is read by night and by day,

Photo credit: Heddy Breuer Abramowitz

and more young women have undertaken the reading of the Megillah at special readings for women.

This year Jerusalem’s Shushan Purim day of celebration coincided with March 8 and International Women’s Day, so no new piece this time.

Therefore, I thought I’d share a women’s event held on March 9th at Shalva.

A Playback Theater experience with workshops especially for women.

Led by Toby Klein Greenwald and her expert drama and therapist cohosts, right after Purim, 100 women impressively participated in performance and movement and powerful improv workshops.

Plus, the Shalva building has many inspirational sayings lining its walls.

Where else on Purim would you enjoy such a lovely view while delivering a Mishloah Manot dinner to a friend, when stopped at a traffic light?

Purim is finally finished on Jerusalem streets.

Now the Jerusalem Marathon signs for Jerusalem street closings are up.

Tens of thousands of runners are registered to fill the Jerusalem streets on Friday, March 17, 2023. One of the finish lines is ready and the full marathon finish in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, is being built.

My Purim hair/costume is put away until next year.

Pesach prep has begun.

Always something positive happening on the Jerusalem streets, when are you coming to see it?