Israel – Page 51 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem Riding the Waves of August

August 9, 2020Sharon A

From Jerusalem, there is good news and bad news.

Rollercoaster days with ups and downs.

Highs and lows with COVID-19.

Beautiful, happy weddings and sad, sad funerals.

Crazy times with closings and openings.

Yet 140 new Olim arrived from France. We know that others are arriving daily without a big reception, to go into a two-week quarantine, before starting their new lives in their new home.

The seasonal international tourists are missing from the Jerusalem streets.

The Pianos Festival went online this year.

However, the seasons and nature are consistent.

The days are growing shorter with the end of August rapidly approaching.

The well-watered grass in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park is ready for guests.

The Jerusalem Mayor’s office announced the removal of public telephones. But Jerusalem has added food trucks in various park locations. Friday morning, pizza was available in Gan Sacher.

Drive-in movies are being shown at the First Station parking lot. Regular theaters are still closed to Corona restrictions.

Shaon Horef, the Winter Noise Festival held on Jerusalem streets on Monday nights in February, got lost in the news of approaching novel coronavirus. Now Jerusalem is trying for Shaon Horef on August summer nights with music and performances on various streets.

The parks are sponsoring Sport and Fitness for retired folks.

Among the other options are biking, flower arranging, yoga and Pilates, and Segway tours.

Not sure who was having more fun here, the father controlling the flying toy or the kids who sat to watch.

Parties for the youth are planned in the Jerusalem parks.

And Jerusalem parks are, as always, perfect for a first date, another sign of this season.

The Jerusalem municipality has offered to host weddings at various scenic locations:

the Promenade at Armon Hanatziv,

the Bloomfield Gardens near the Montefiore Windmill,

and the Liberty Bell Park. They are also some of my favorite Jerusalem locations.

Protesters sitting on Jerusalem street near the Prime Minister's Residence — Photo credit: Shifra G

Those noisy protests near the Prime Minister’s Residence continue.

The Israel Museum was closed for months but there is some good news there.

Museum galleries are scheduled to open this Thursday. The employees protesting last week are to return to work.

From a distance I noticed the all-black covering put on the back of city promotional signs along Hazaz Street, part of the black shirt anti-government protest.

However, looking closer to the new landscaping along the street, there are new flowers emerging.

This pink sign is one of the Jerusalem promoting tourism which were covered in black. But I took this photo to share a sign of normalcy. Friday morning flowers were being sold for Shabbat.

The sun has risen and set.

The limes on the tree are growing and almost ready to pick.

I thought I had found a perfect rose for a closeup.

Only when I got home a saw there was an insect crawling on it.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon announced,”Following the global tourism crisis, we decided to advance the upgrade work and infrastructure related to tourist areas throughout the city. Upgrading King David Street is a complex upgrade project that affects transportation throughout central Jerusalem.”

The Israel National Library on Givat Ram announced, including their online sessions, will be closed for lack of funding.

But, construction on the new National Library is going strong. This is how the roof looked today.

So there you have it, not all good, part of what’s happening on the Jerusalem streets this week.

I miss attending events at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence. The very restricted number of programs now are limited to the Government Press Office only, not open to those of us with GPO cards.

Israeli President on phone — Photo credit: Mark Neyman

Today President Rivlin spoke on the telephone with people who have requested help via the coronavirus hotline opened by Beit HaNasi.

Let’s hope we can all ride these waves safely.

Jerusalem Heats Up for Summer

July 19, 2020Sharon A

It had to happen here in Jerusalem, Israel.

The hot weather had to arrive.

We are well into summertime in the Middle East.

This past week was still cool in the evening and pleasant.

But, today it’s hot outside.

July 14th was Bastille Day, celebrated in France with an official ceremony including a military marching band – “Liberty, Equality, and Brotherhood.”

Protest Rally in Jerusalem Israel near Prime Minister's residence — Photo credit: Shifra G

In Jerusalem, the 14th was marked by a huge protest rally under the banner of “Siege of Balfour.” Protests are allowed under Israeli law, even when COVID-19 restrictions are the most severe stages. Most other gatherings, on the other hand, have been limited in numbers to try to control the spread during this coronavirus pandemic.

Protesters late at night at Jerusalem Israel Paris Square set fire to a paper recycling container — Photo credit: Shifra G

After the main protest rally with its noise and drums and shouts, it quieted a bit near midnight. We could hear the noises a mile away.

There have been protesters near Paris Square for a month, close to the Prime Minister’s Residence.

Gilad Shalit’s family was there for years until he was released from Gaza.

Most weeks since, someone has a protest there. I have taken photos, but not always shared them.

However, this was more than the regular noisy protest.

Jerusalem Israel recycle container set on fire by protesters — Photo credit: Micky Rosenfeld Israel Polie

A paper recycling bin was set on fire, and enough protesters to fill a bus were taken away by police after being sprayed by water.

The truck was a little late getting to the protest scene. After making a wrong turn, the driver had to back the oversized vehicle out of our small, one-way street VERY carefully.

These protests have made headlines. The social workers are still on strike, but they’re not violent, making them less newsworthy.

Nurses are ready to strike also?

No idea what next, but can share what did happen:

Israeli Scouts in uniform and masks met on Tuesday for an outing.

A group of young children gathered in this shaded nature spot. I liked how their backpacks were hanging from a cord – carefully distanced. I was reminded of the days when parents thought that head lice was the worst possible of plagues.

President Rivlin watches Israeli football final from a box, as the only spectator — Photo credit Kobi Gideon, GPO

The Israeli Football (soccer) final had one spectator – President Reuven Rivlin.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin meets with IDF near Lebanon border — Photo credit: Kobi Gideon, GPO

Twenty years after the withdrawal from Lebanon, President Rivlin visited the northern border on Thursday, beginning his visit with the operations room at Camp Biranit. I thought the plates of healthy food on the table were interesting.

I have plenty of border photos from January. Seems so long ago, when I was near the Blue Line, on the Israeli border of Lebanon.

The Jerusalem Film Festival (JFF) announced the end of its plans to run a delayed physical edition at the end of August. Following a surge in COVID-19 cases, new restrictions on large-scale gatherings have been introduced.

Last year President Reuven Rivlin was the honored speaker as the event was dedicated in memory of the wife Nechama z’L. Dr. Ruth was a special guest.

In 2016, the Jerusalem Film Festival attracted even more photographers to the opening night in the Sultan’s Pool.

Director Quentin Tarantino received an award from Mayor Nir Barkat before the film.

Even as many restaurants, museums, and buildings are forced to close, construction

on the new Israel National Library,

and other Jerusalem building projects are proceeding.

Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, was empty in the morning as sprinklers water the grass.

The path in Valley of the Cross leading into the park was quiet.

Then a few minutes later – it was best to get out of the way!

How many times I have walked by this location and not noticed the beautiful green grapes growing?

Maybe because I did not look up over the garbage bin to see them?

Too many people walk looking down at their phones not seeing what is around them.

Wearing masks. Not wearing masks.

Another week under coronavirus pandemic.

Always something different happening on the Jerusalem streets.

While many people are suffering, nature is thriving.

Take care out there and stay well.

Sounds of Summer in Jerusalem

July 12, 2020Sharon A

The birds are chirping.

The sounds of moving traffic fill Jerusalem streets.

An emergency vehicle siren blaring passes by.

The happy voices of children at play can be heard.

Sounds of summer fill the Jerusalem streets.

The boisterous sounds from the Israeli Scouts returned to their Jerusalem base.

The sounds of prayer at the Kotel, the Western Wall have continued as numbers of prayer gatherings have changed.

The numbers inside the Wilson’s Arch area are limited but worshipers have returned.

Sadly the Jerusalem Great Synagogue has been silent for months.

Beit Hanasi new ambassadors meet Israeli President — Photo credit: Amos Ben Gershom (GPO)

The red carpet was out. Signing the guestbook was similar. For the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus, President Rivlin received diplomatic credentials from the new ambassadors of Colombia, Greece, Denmark, Romania, and Argentina to the State of Israel.

This could be the last time for Foreign Ministry Chief of Protocol Meron Rueben (far right) to present new diplomats, as he is to become Israel’s next consul-general in Boston.

Jerusalem Ambassadors at Beit Hanasi pass honor guard reduced because of COVID-19 — Photo credit: Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)

The honor guard, comprised of 8 people with flags, was standing where the band usually stood. The very downsized band to play anthems stood behind in the garden, shielded by bushes.

Here the police band played for one of the past presidential red carpet welcomes.

Jerusalem Philharmonic performed live and was streamed on Facebook.

Beautiful sounds with distance and masks on stage.

Also late at night, the lights were on at the Knesset, but for a change, the sounds were inside instead of outside from a protest.

Amazing that so close to the Knesset, below the Israel Museum is such a quiet spot.

March 1, 2020, I took this photo walking home from the museum.

This image was taken the very next day. Who would imagine the only photo I took on March 2nd, would be the last one for months? Sadly, the Israel Museum like the Great Synagogue has remained silent because of COVID-19.

But in the quiet of these coronavirus days, the lizards and geckos have become regular visitors to the Jerusalem nature paths.

Police on a motorcycle at the entrance of Gan Sacher, Sacher Park was a new sight this week.

Police are handing out 500 shekel tickets to those not wearing masks.

New signs. Protest signs. Sounds of protests are heard and seen.

Meanwhile, Mekudeshet is trying to provide Jerusalem with cultural events on the Sherover Promenade. Sounds from the big summer festivals are missing from the streets.

With tourists missing the usual sights and sounds and crowds of summer visitors in Jerusalem are missing.

The Orient Isrotel reopened on July 8 with an 85 % occupancy for Shabbat.

With the number of infected people rising, and restrictions changing, it is hard to keep up day to day, let alone week to week.

But one thing that the novel coronavirus pandemic has not affected – the vibrant colors found along the Jerusalem streets.

The colors in nature seem to be thriving, even as the economy dips to new lows.

So I will leave you with this image, and a wish for all to stay healthy and well, on or off the Jerusalem streets where ever you are.

And the sounds from last summer Old City Light Festival, when I wondered what would be next?

Never imagined there would be no festival and the sounds of silence.