Israel

See How Jerusalem is Changing From Above and Below

Sharon A

Oh, Jerusalem.

Besides Jerusalem of Gold, Jerusalem is said to have another 69 names.

Now maybe it’s time to add a new one Jerusalem of Change.

Oh, how the Jerusalem skyline is changing.

Those cranes seen above the Jerusalem streets rotate by day as they change structures to new heights.

Then there are the new stones constantly changed that provide employment.

And the flower beds constantly changing. Who financially benefits from all those millions of flowers?

The new pedestrian bridge over the Hinnom Valey has proved a popular end-of-summer attraction.

Not all change in Jerusalem is easily visible, such as with the new Shaare Zedek Oncology Buil

The lobby is clean and bright and new, but notice the sign is for 5 floors.

Most of the building is underground, with a green atrium space in the center of the building.

The changes in the former President Hotel on Ahad Ha’am Street are apparent.

The first floor of the Social Space with fascinating old and new miscellaneous items is changing daily.

Liberty Bell Park has been the scene of multiple nighttime events, besides regular public sports.

Loud live music at night can be heard on surrounding Jerusalem streets, plus the Skatepark has had a “facelift’ and is well used daily.

On August 22nd, the Mystorin Theatre took over sections of the Skatepark with RAAMSKATE.

I confess it took me a while to figure out what was happening, all their work is out of the box.

But this time “out of the park’ – the skatepark that is, was more accurate. RAAM = Ramesses!

The dancers, actors, and skaters merged with music and lights from many directions.

Loud and colorful with plenty of smoke and extras to entertain the public.

People came to the free event and watched from around the “stage” and were invited to join the dancing.

First Station in Jerusalem has changed over the decades, and certainly in the past ten years.

The old carousel is one visitor attraction for the younger crowd.

The market stalls and restaurants are busy, sometimes more than other times.

In this too-hot August weather, the Ice Rink at First Station was a place to cool off. Though many Israelis are less than agile on the ice, one man dressed in Haredi fashion went by too fast to capture in a photograph. I wondered where he was from originally – perhaps Canada?

The Hutzot Hayotzer Arts Festival has ended, but the live concerts in Sultan Pool change every night.

Going by in the early evening you can get a glimpse of the stars and bands rehearsing to get a preview.

In nature, the season is slowly starting to change, as the pomegranates reveal.

Finally, the August heat wave is giving way to cooler nights.

The crowds at the Kotel, Western Wall for Selihot on August 24, as seen in photos published by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation seem not to be changing until Yom Kippur.

Threats from without and within as the new year of 5784 is rapidly approaching.

But the Jerusalem streets are ready for the start of the new school year – asking, “On the way to class?”

RJS joins in wishing all a safe and good new year, to go in peace.

From Jerusalem: The Best and Worst of Times

Sharon A

Another week in Jerusalem, Israel with the question of where to begin.

President and Michal Herzog departed for a state visit to the Federal Republic of Germany today, at the invitation of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. 

On December 6, 2015, President Reuven Rivlin and Nechama Rivlin greeted the President of Germany Joachim Gauck and Mrs. Daniela Schadt marking 50 years of diplomatic relations. It was an impressive positive event.

However, September 5, 2022, marks another 50-year remembrance. The 1972 Olympic Games held in Munich were publicized to be the “Peace Games” but turned out to be anything but peaceful.

Black September, the PLO group formed within Fatah led by Yasir Arafat, turned the Munich Olympics into “the worst of times” as ABC announcer Jim McKay intoned of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes.

The first-ever live broadcast of the summer Olympics started out colorful and exciting to watch on television for millions around the world.

Then two Israeli athletes were butchered in their dorm room, and the others held by the 8 terrorists were killed in a “botched rescue” mission. At an airstrip away from the athletic village, a terrorist threw a grenade into the helicopter as the Israelis were held tied hand and foot.

Even now international media uses “fighter” and “militant” to describe them, starting half a century of deadly international terrorism.

Ankie Spitzer, the widow of the murdered fencer Andre Spitzer has spent the past 50 years trying to get answers to how and what happened in Munich.

December 1974, Black September was dissolved. Most of its membership was reassigned to other PLO groups. Wonder where they went?

Over the course of four years, Canadian Francine Zuckerman documented the stories of four women in the film “After Munich” which was screened at the Jerusalem Cinematheque. The timely showing of the film based on the lives of four women directly involved with the Olympic tragedy left me with more questions than answers about the Munich Massacre.

However, in the next few days, the President of Israel will deliver an address at the Bundestag and will participate in the official ceremony marking the 50-year anniversary of the Munich Massacre, with family members of the murdered athletes in attendance.

President Herzog will also visit the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, accompanied by the President of Germany.

Perhaps now the sealed German records will be opened. Time to see how such an attack against Israeli athletes happened on German soil.

From the worst of times – back to the Jerusalem streets.

After over ten years of work, a new Jerusalem street opened up this week.

Until you experience it for yourself, here’s a ride on Ariel Sharon Highway:

Years of blasting out under mountains, Highway 16 circumvents the traffic at the entrance of Jerusalem and goes from Route One to the Shaare Zedek hospital area in minutes, instead of the much longer times we have endured.

Come and see what’s new, it is constantly hard to believe with so many troubles, that there is so much positive happening.

As the end of the year approaches, Beit Avi Chai has a list of Elul programs.

The new school year of 5783 started as the shmita year is ending.

The public flower beds are cleared and ready for planting after Shemita.

It was hotter this week than it was all summer, but a Jerusalem winter sign decorates a local bus stop.

Hope to see you here soon on the old and new Jerusalem streets.

Jerusalem Streets Busy Again

Sharon A

The Jerusalem streets are busy again–the traffic is unpredictable with backups and street closings. Ah, to be “normal” again.

An annual biking event was held for those up early enough to ride through the Jerusalem streets as the sun was rising on Friday morning.

This year it seems like people are trying to make up for lost ‘corona’ time by packing in events and programs and trips to Jerusalem.

With President Guillermo Lasso of the Republic of Ecuador and First Lady María de Lourdes Alcívar on their state visit to Israel, the sounds of official motorcade sirens returned to the streets.

Besides official meetings and a State dinner at Beit Hanasi, with the Israeli President and Michal Herzog, Ecuador opened an Innovation and Trade office in Jerusalem at Hebrew University, with a large delegation of ministers and business people.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz had a motorcade escort as she attended official events, such as going to Yad Vashem and meeting the Israeli Foreign Minister.

Though it was not on the official state list of events, she was accompanied by Israeli protocol and greeted warmly at the Kosovo Embassy in Jerusalem.

She was hosted at a reception held at the Jerusalem Embassy in Israel, where she spoke briefly to invited guests.

In her remarks, she called Charge d’affaires Ines Demiri ‘Ambassador,’ a title I believe she deserves for the work she has done this past year to promote Kosovo and joint business and travel prospects between the two countries.

Here we are in the middle of May and the week with Yom HaZikaron and Yom Haatzmaut is always a busy time, but there was more this year.

The Michael Levin Base for lone soldiers and Bnot Sherut received a Sefer Torah dedicated by the Michael Levin Foundation based in the United States. Former Ambassador Ron Dermer was the featured speaker.

I loved how the crowd builds, as people come out and follow the Torah as it is carried joyously around the Jerusalem streets.

On the same day was the Nefesh BeNefesh Bonei Awards, this year held at Beit Hanasi for the first time. Olim, immigrants, who have contributed to Israel and its growth in various categories were honored.

Not all the honorees were able to attend. Dr. Jonathan Rieck was home sick with Covid, so his two sons accepted his honor. Entertainer Josie Katz also was not able to attend.

I got stuck standing in one spot for the entire program and was not able to get different angles of the speakers or the event.

I remembered a previous time I was in that one spot unable to move because of a live broadcast, but that time I did not complain.

As President, Isaac Herzog seems to enjoy greeting attendees after the events.

No longer under a news embargo is the news of the new state-of-the-art MDA blood collection center in Ramle.

On a media tour before the dedication, we watched as they prepared the facility.

The massive facility is so impressive I did a short video with some of the clips I took as we descended deep underground to see the new storage vault and largest door in Israel and much more.

The 2022 Jerusalem International Book Forum and Mishkenot Sha’ananim Writers’ Festival is back from May 15 – 19. Opening events at the YMCA.

Every Thursday, the Israel Museum’s Illustration Library is offering stories from its collection of thousands of children’s books from all over the world. Ages 3–8 | 4:30 pm Special activity | 5 pm Story hour | Free

The Israeli Ministry of Education is hosting the inaugural Education Innovation Conference on behalf of the OECD and reps from 18 countries are expected to arrive in Israel at the end of this month.

Flags are up for Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day on May 29, 2022, and Jerusalem has prepared a long list of public events to celebrate 55 years.

But first, we have Lag B’Omer this week. With all the building and construction and park renovations, where will the kids make those huge bonfires?

After two years, much more is happening again on the Jerusalem streets!

Hope you can join us in the celebrations soon.