israel festival – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem after Shavuot – Festival Season

June 12, 2019Sharon A

Oh, time seems to fly in Jerusalem, Israel.

One holiday and major event goes into another on the Jerusalem streets.

Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, with its multiple events, is over.

Only a few leftover signs and flying flags remain.

Italians were here for an international travel bloggers summit and posed in First Station.

They did not realize the colorful shades were for the Jerusalem Pride Parade.

Before the parade began, near the Liberty Bell Park starting point, I saw this group of security personnel gather for afternoon prayers.

The American Center is still lit with rainbow-colored lights at night.

There were tens of thousands of visitors in Jerusalem for Shavuot. Synagogues and streets were filled day and night. In this photo, you can see a few of the hundreds of lectures and classes offered.

Though it’s called the Israel Festival, the decades-old festival is held in Jerusalem, in various venues. This year it runs from May 30 to June 15, with enough programs to fill a newspaper supplement.

I want to share one production by the Elad Theatre held at the Museum of Natural History.

This was the main entrance, back in days of the protests to save the Nature Museum.

Coming up the stairs from the parking lot near Emek Refaim as the sun was setting, lights were on at the Jerusalem Museum of Natural History.

Was there always a pond on the grounds? For sure there wasn’t special catering.

The Nature Museum was best known for its large live snakes and tortoises.

But on the grounds this night there was a table set for a banquet dinner. Dining, dancing with live music, and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was on the menu for this Israel Festival event.

Here was Juliet on the balcony of the Nature Museum for the Masquerade Ball.

At the opening scene, the audience donned masks and mingled with the actors. After drinks, the party was getting going with enthused production extras.

Romeo and Juliet met at the ball, but the main scenes were held as the audience dined on the catered food and more wine.

The actors used the entire area, including on the tables. There were no bad or back row seats. There was interaction with the audience throughout this Hebrew language adaptation of the Bard.

Shakespeare is not routinely taught in Israeli schools. So in case, you do not know the conclusion of this famous story, I will end with one photo of the fight scene.

The location and weather were fabulous. It was a great production, even if I did not try the food or drink. I hope this is not the last production of this type.

But as soon as the Israel Festival is over, Tzamid Festival, Arts without Boundaries, begins.

Design Week at Hansen House looks to be bigger than ever.

And the annual Shavuah Hasefer, Hebrew Book Week starts tonight at First Station.

I tried to get a photo of the new signs on the other side near the entrance from the parking lot. But an overly conscientious security guard would not let me get close enough after I walked all the way around.

Graduations and end of year performances, an International Freedom of Press Conference at the Jerusalem Press Club and a Camera event on antisemitism in the mainstream media were all happening last night, along with a concert at the Tower of David for the Israel Festival.

And the annual Jerusalem Light Festival is coming soon.

Amazing and diverse things happening on these Jerusalem streets!

More Romeo & Juliet – The Last Supper – photos HERE

Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, What Next?

June 5, 2019Sharon A

Yom Yerushalayim. Jerusalem Day.

Another fabulous day of celebrations has passed, celebrating 52 years of reunification in Jerusalem, Israel.

Remembering the divided city and nineteen years under Jordanian occupation is more important than ever as anti-Israel groups spread their narratives.

Celebrating Jerusalem 52 signs lined Jerusalem streets.

On Yom Yerushalayim a large morning prayer service was held at the Kotel, Western Wall, and another with music on the Tayelet Promenade, with the Temple Mount in view.

The official memorial ceremony for Ethiopian Jews who perished on their way to Israel is held in the morning at Har Herzl Military Cemetery.

A government minister and a representative of the bereaved families spoke at the event along with President Rivlin near the memorial for those who died during the treacherous journey from Ethiopia to the promised land.

Then there was another Har Herzl official memorial ceremony for the fallen of the Six-Day War and the War of Attrition.

The list of municipality events is too long to mention, and it was certainly impossible to attend them all. There were free tours, including the reopening of the sifting project, plus musical events and parades.

The long-established parade dancing with flags went through the Old City. While a family-friendly parade begun four years ago was held elsewhere.

Roads were closed. Cyclists rode in from Gush Etzion.

To end the day, there was an official ceremony marking the 52nd anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, with the President, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion in attendance, at Ammunition Hill. At the Kotel, the singing and dancing went on until well after dark.

Flags lined major routes, such as Jaffa Road along the light rail line. The trains did not run Yom Yerushalayim in the afternoon as thousands walked this way to Jaffa Gate and the Kotel.

Construction somewhere in Jerusalem is a given, as here on Yoel Salomon Street.

Repairs and painting were slower as this has been the month of Ramadan.

Muslims fast by day and break their fast at sunset meal called Iftar.

President Rivlin hosted an annual Iftar meal in the gardens of Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s residence, for 200 guests, including the Ambassadors of Egypt and Jordan and Muslim leaders.

There is less shopping in Jerusalem by Muslim women during the heat of the day on Ramadan. However, these women were out on Ben Yehudah Street.

Jews were allowed on Temple Mount in the early morning Yom Yerushalayim. Police had to control the Arabs who rioted, screaming and throwing chairs.

However, this past week Sheikh Ashraf Al Jabari from Hebron joined Avi Zimmerman from Ariel at Media Central for a press conference to discuss the Judea-Shomron Chamber of Commerce, economic cooperation and plans to go to Bahrain.

Also this week, US Rep Eliot Engel was at the Israel Democracy Institute to discuss his views on US and Israeli relations.

While across the street, the Jerusalem Theater was being readied for the two-week Israel Festival opening night musical event.

A huge stage was erected in the plaza for bands to play at night.

The Islamic Museum has a new exhibit on jewelry, where old pieces are given a new look by new artisans.

Not just art and design, but the music of Beat/Second filled the Jerusalem streets.

If that is not cultural enough, opera is coming back to Jerusalem.

Nabucco, “the beloved opera with the Hebrew slaves choir” is to be performed in the Sultan’s Pool, on June 20.

President Rivlin opened his Yom Yerushalayim evening remarks:

“My brothers and sisters, lovers of Jerusalem, 52 years ago this city was liberated, 52 years since the hearts of millions of Jews, Israel and the world heard the ‘Temple Mount in our hands’…52 years since we stood on the summit of Mount Scopus, touching a dream, a united Jerusalem.”

After dark, Yom Yerushalayim did not ebb away quietly. Near the Kotel, music, and dancing continued. as tens of thousands of people filled the plaza.

On the walls of the Old City, Facebook comments were projected.

White Night in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, with live loud music continued all night long. People as far away as Baka and Arnona said they were kept awake by the music.

But not to worry, no downtime in Jerusalem!

Another Jerusalem Design Week is coming.

But first, the holiday of Shavuot begins as soon as Shabbat is over.

Again people plan to stay up all night, this time learning Torah.

Out of the Blue, Out of the Box, and Out on the Streets in Jerusalem, Israel

June 6, 2018Sharon A

Blue. Blue is the color of the week.

Blue is the color for good luck, and many doors and windows in Jerusalem, Israel, are painted blue.

Crayola announced it is looking to name its new special blue crayon.

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem (BLMJ) opened a new exhibit called “Out of the Blue.”

The Hebrew word for blue is not mentioned in the Bible. However, tekhelet, is mentioned in Biblical literature dozens of times.

At a special press event before the exhibit officially opened at BLMJ, there was a demonstration of dyeing tekhelet wool.

Exposure to sunlight and oxidation causes the wool which was dipped into the dye (which is made from the secretions of a gland in one particular snail, the murex trunculus) to become tekhelet.

This permanent blue dye and the royal purple, are the basics of a new exhibit in honor of Israeli 70th year. A variety of ancient pieces are on display.

Not bad looking, this blue necklace from South Mesopotamia, dated 2700- 2600 BCE, made of gold and lapis lazuli, a semi-precious blue stone used by ancient royalty.

Rounding out the exhibition is the Israeli flag, modeled on the blue stripes of the talit.

Yad Vashem also opened a new exhibit this week on theme of Israel 70 years. Not blue, but showing the longing for Zion and Jerusalem in letters and memorabilia from the 1930’s of Euroepean Jews yearning to go to Palestine.

“Thinking Out of the Box” was the theme of a special Science and Technology conference held in Jerusalem. Australian Ambassador Chris Cannan and I walked in at same time. For a photo to post on Twitter I told him not to pose so stiffly. Only later did we realize, that above the big, blue word BOX he was pointing to there was a typo which ran through the printed materials.

Inside the First Station hangar, once your eyes got used to the dark, was the entrance to a cocktail reception.

At the sit down dinner for hundreds of international guests, the first course was demonstrated and explained by its celebrity chef. No printed menus, so no typos.

The Ministerial level conference featured Israeli Nobel Prize winners, many who attended the gala opening.

This is table #1 as dinner was served.

It was fascinating speaking with science and technology officials from Belarus, Tokyo, and India.

In one of the video segments, I learned that Israel is ranked number four in world in uploading of videos on to YouTube.

Ovadiah Hamama, sang Ana BeKoach, so of course, I uploaded a video to YouTube.

The “Out of the Box” conference was held at the Orient Hotel and was very exclusive.

The Wolf Prize ceremony at the Knesset, without Sir Paul McCartney, was hardly noticed, photos HERE.

But out on the Jerusalem streets the annual Israel Festival was well under way for all.

Multiple dance, music and drama performances were held in Jerusalem venues for this cultural festival which is in its 57th year.

But one dance performance by Willi Domer, “Bodies in Urban Spaces” was not only out of the box, but out on the Jerusalem streets, and in phone booths,

and multiple unusual spaces for photo op stops along the way from the Ticho House to the YMCA.

Not all appreciated the creativity and uniqueness of the young Israeli dance troupe from Tel Aviv.

The choreographer has done performances in 100 other locations, but this was the first time in Jerusalem, Israel, on King David Street, for this pose.

More unbelievable poses and photos from “Bodies in Urban Spaces” HERE

The Jerusalem Theater, with a large blue poster for the Israel Festival, held multiple music and dance events as usual, which ran from May 23 to June 9.

Out of the box? Ping Pong was in the plaza in front of the theater.

Across the street, at the Islamic Museum a new exhibit opened. A big blue Khamsa or Hamsa, was outside on the wall, while hundreds are on display inside.

For the Muslim holiday month of Ramadan at the National Library, on display were rare copies of the Qu’ran and rare Islamic treasures.

Phew. Not enough yet? There was the international stamp exhibition last week too, and admission was free.

In Jerusalem, as soon as June comes around, it is time to worry about summer programs for children who will be out of school soon.

For older students, there is an all night end-of-school year Summer Rave party in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, with a huge stage, several bands and lots of beer. It means less sleep for many tonight.

However, after a busy day there is nothing more pleasant than to attend a beautiful June wedding in Jerusalem as the sun sets.

Unless it is with a bottle of special blue label wine.

L’chaim!