Winter Noise in Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Israel has festivals:

Light Festivals, Sound Festivals, Knight Festivals,

and in February,  שאון חורף  or the Winter Noise festival.

It happens on four Mondays nights in February,

each time in a different location, and it lasts

until the wee hours of the morning.

This year the final event was on Azza Street.

Along the 20 stops of the route

there were hula hoops,

man juggling fire next to hat seller on Jerusalem streets

 a man selling hats next to a fire juggler,

street actors at Jerusalem festival

and these ‘what-ever they are’ characters.

festival crowd for lecture

Lectures were in the pizza shop,

lecture on herbs in Jerusalem drug store

and in the drug store too.

Azza Street at night

Each venue had people lined up to get inside.

people in book store during festival

The book store was open and people inside.

music on Jerusalem street festival

There was classical music

capoera at Jerusalem Israel festival

with Capoeira across the road,

Azza for festival

and more musicians down the way.

Around the corner on Ben Maimon Street

Jerusalem festival Winter Noise

was a stage for entertainment until almost dawn.

singer Zioin Golan

Singer Zion Golan had a stage and crowd in the small Azza Park,

crowd at festival Azza Shaon Horef

and the #9 bus had trouble getting by the crowd

Shaon Horef Jerusalem February festival

that was listening to piyutim on the corner of Metudela.

People were drinking, eating,

walking down azza

enjoying, and just strolling,

building with colored lights for fesival

next to buildings illuminated

with colorful lights.

I heard someone talking about the “Magic Carpet”

and I thought I had missed something.

shaon horef

Cute photo I thought, but what are they doing?

Winter Noise Festival Jerusalem

What selfie was he taking?

Only when I got home and saw all the photos

Jerusalem Festival

 did I realize that the man sitting on ground

in front of the green background screen

winter noise festival

was the same man whose image was projected

on the wall across the street, flying on the magic carpet.

Wow.

So clever.

Never know what you will find on

or flying over the Jerusalem, Israel streets.

Israeli Knesset – Hadassah Outside and What’s Inside

The Israeli Knesset is open to the public.

But getting a chance to join a tour

with the Jerusalem Press Club and get a behind the scenes look

 is hard to turn down,

especially when I can take my camera.

People behind bars?

image Hadassah strikers, photo people near fence, image hospital workers on strike

Yes-striking workers from Hadassah Hospital,

image protest, photo peaceful protest, picture Hadassah workers on strike

hundreds of them in the Wohl Rose Garden,

image Hadassah workers on strike, photo striking staff from Hadassah, picture workers in uniform on strike

demonstrating across from the Knesset.

Too bad PA leaders were not around

to see what a peaceful protest really looks like.

Image protest sign, Hadassah worker on strike photo, picture of striker holding sign

Problems have built up for years in the medical center,

and the complicated situation affects everyone.

The latest news – 90 day delay and staff is to get 90% of their salary.

image protest in Rose GArden, picture demonstration across from Knesset, photo Hadassah strikers.

Hadassah medical specialists are experts at saving lives,

not for organizing protest rallies that offer dramatic photo ops.

image Hadassah protest, photo Knesset, picture with Knesset symbol

The demonstration could easily be seen from the Knesset.

Hopefully a resolution will be worked out soon.

Hadassah is essential to everyone in the Jerusalem, Israel area and beyond.

With security it always takes awhile to get inside the building.

A year ago after elections, a paper poster with the members of the Knesset

with their photos was posted by the entrance doors.

There were so many new faces,

that the guards needed photos to show who should be allowed in.

image Knesset members, photo sign in Knesset with who is there, picture Knesset attendance

Now there is a screen which shows which of the 120 members

are present in the building and which are not.

The modern-day legislature has 120 members,

similar to the number of members of the Knesset Gedolah of ancient times.

image small meeting room, photo Knesset , picutre Knesset room

We got to walk around and

see some of the small meeting rooms and many works of art.

iamge Israeli prime ministers., picture Rabin , Begin

In one of many photo galleries, this one of deceased Prime Ministers of Israel,

a spot is ready for Ariel Sharon’s photo.

image Knesset, photo inside Knesset, picture Israeli Knesset

The view inside the main plenary is familiar to all.

image Israeli flag, photos Israeli flag in Knesset, picture Israeli flag

The room was packed when Stephen Harper,

the Prime Minister of Canada, spoke here recently.

But European Parliament President Martin Schulz and

 David Cameron, Prime Minister of Great Britain,

are to speak also, but with much less hoopla.

UPDATE: Seems Schulz’s remarks did get noticed after all!

And Cameron had to cancel due to floods in England.

Every Knesset member had a copy of the State Comptroller’s report at their place.

image Knesset seat, photo Knesset, picture inside Knesset

But a few had other reading material on their desk.

image Knesset seat, photo desk in Knesset, picture Israeli Knesset

I was glad to find at least one person is interested in the laws of shemita.

 There was Rav Rimon’s book on the laws of planting in the seventh year,

 but I could not clearly read whose name was on that screen.

The year is coming soon, last time in the cycle was a challenge.

image special synagogue, picture of shul in Knesset building, photo Kensset beit Knesset

The Knesset synagogue was on our tour,

but next time I really want to get a photo of the Muslim prayer room too.

image MK i

 MK Nachman Shai of Labor Party shared some of his views.

He had to leave to prepare his remarks,

as is the custom,

every Monday afternoon at 4:00 pm,

the opposition tries to “bring down the government.”

image symbol of israel, photo Israel image, picture of official symbol Israel

I guess he did not get a majority vote.

The present coalition government stands.

We are still here.

But Opposition is waiting to “ambush” at the right time of course.”

What a country!

Inspiration for 2014 in Jerusalem

Inspiration for 2014 in Jerusalem

I was having trouble finding something positive to share,

as the clock ticked to the end of 2013 in Jerusalem, Israel.

Everyone has heard enough kvetching about the snow

and the massive clean up which is still going on.

image protest Jerusalem, Photo Israel protest, picture protest signs.

The protest against prisoner releases was sad enough,

picture protest at night, image Israel protets, photo protest banners.

but the “March with Umbrellasin the cold, wet dark night,

found many depressed by this “gesture of good will.”

The next morning the sun was shining,

image Bell Park , Jerusalem park photo, picture Jerusalem Bell Park

 and the fresh blue paint in the Liberty Bell Park looked good. 

It was interesting to see how 100 years after

 Rabbi Dr. Yitzchak Halevi Herzog z”l  wrote on his dissertation 

about Tekhelet, that maybe a “student of chemistry may be interested”

that a conference filled the auditorium at The Begin Heritage Center.

But it was still not what I wanted for an inspiring blog to end the year.

However, I was back at The Begin Center the next day,

for another conference with another long list of impressive speakers.

And then,

photo inspirtational speaker, picture Noam Gershony, image Olympic gold medal winner

 Noam Gershony stood at the podium and started to tell his story.

How he was so close to death the doctors held little hope for him.

How he lost his leg and almost his life in Second Lebanon War.

How his friend Dov next to him was killed.

How he slowly came back to life, 

to play tennis, 

image skiing one leg, photo Noam Grshony, picture disabled skier

 to ski on Mount Hermon,

image disables biker, Noam Gershony riding a bike, photo bike rider with one leg

and to ride a bike.

By the time he finished his story of winning a gold medal

at the 2012 Olympics in London with the music of Hatikvah  playing,

there was hardly a dry eye in the room.

image Noam Gershony, picture Noam Gershony, photo standing ovatiion

After he finished and received a standing ovation,

image Noam Gerhsony, photo man walking with one leg, photo Noam Gershony

Noam walked to the elevator surrounded by admirers.

That was it,

what I want to share,

what the world must see.

Certainly not everyone can win a gold medal in the Olympics,

but Noam Gershony exemplifies the Israeli spirit.

After what happened to him, 

he did not become a suicide bomber,

but he does blow people away.

He inspires them to get up and get going,

no more excuses, too tired, too busy.

Now let’s make 2014 a good and positive year for all.