With all the spring holidays coinciding this week time is short for everyone.
This short video of cleaning the notes from between the stones in the Kotel, the Western Wall, received dozens of shares on Facebook and thousands of views. I thought readers who are not on Facebook might appreciate seeing a bit of the spring cleaning. Listen to those birds! More on birds after the holidays. The Jerusalem Bird Observatory is to celebrate 25 years.
Very different musical sounds from this light projection near Jaffa Gate for the Jerusalem annual spring festival Sounds in the Night in the Old City.
School is out and children are indeed filling the streets of Jerusalem, Israel. The verse from Zechariah 8:4-5 reads: “Thus said the Lord of Hosts: There shall yet be old men and women in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. And the streets of the city shall be crowded with boys and girls playing in the streets.”
Much more to share, but time is short and my kitchen must be cleaned.
One day it feels like winter and then the next day feels like summer.
These are signs of spring, besides the birds chirping before dawn.
After unusually heavy rains, the spring weeds have reached new heights.
A favorite sign of spring was in a Gan Ha’atzmaut, Independence Park, of a group of young children playing and the sounds of their laughter.
New signs have been posted for tourists, as this one near Yoel Salomon Street.
Another new festival for spring at the old Hansen House.
On Jaffa Road, the sun came out. Temperatures warmed. People left their jackets and sweaters at home and were wearing short sleeves.
Good Deeds Day programs were held in several locations. Hundreds of volunteers and organizations were honored at Heichel Shlomo.
While thousands more volunteers participated in a program at First Station.
The Tower of David new exhibit for spring,”The Mount” has new street posters.
A favorite any time, but especially at night, the Tower of David was venue for the Forbes Women Under 30 Summit gala opening event in Jerusalem.
The following day felt like spring in JVP Media Center for the Forbes Under 30 participants. Entrepreneurs, mostly women, from around the world gathered in Jerusalem to learn, network, and initiate innovative ideas. Photos HERE
The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem BLMJ has new signs for new exhibit. New ancient sites are constantly being discovered.
There are new story hours for free in municipal libraries. Special art tours and tours of Kikar Safra are being offered, some at noon in English.
A list of 40 communities hosting communal seder meals has been published.
New signs for Kosher for Passover food popped up all over Jerusalem this week. This butcher shop had new sign for its new location.
Kikar Safra, Jerusalem Municipal Square, had large signs for its holiday matzah baking.
In a large tent, tables were set up for public to make their own matzah.
Dozens of poles were ready to move the dough to be baked.
Four ovens were set up to bake the matzah quickly.
A woman asked for one, and received a matzah to take home.
A group of young boys prepared enough matzah to fill a large bag.
Each piece was inspected carefully to make sure it was good for Passover use.
Oops, this one did not make it.
Another sign of spring in Jerusalem, the rental cars arriving.
Signs are up over Jerusalem streets for spring celebrations.
Passover, Easter, Orthodox Easter, Good Friday, Maundy, Ridvan Festival, Lailat al Bara’ah, Nabi Shu’eib, all these spring holiday fall in the same week this year.
Happy Spring Holiday in Jerusalem.
Looking forward to seeing thousands of spring holiday visitors on the Jerusalem streets.
For more, check out Fun in Jerusalem Passover Guide HERE
Sometimes you have to get out of Jerusalem, Israel, to appreciate the view.
All this rain we have been having may dampen our spirits, but it is fabulous for making the countryside green.
From the roads leading out of Jerusalem the valley is at its best.
Once on the road south, you see flat land and wires stretched across it.
Farmers working between the rain storms along the way.
February and March, and southern Israel is famous for its red flower festival.
However, once again southern Israel has red alerts, not flowers.
The sign at Kibbutz Alumim was the same as on our previous visit in December 2012.
The electric security fence was opened carefully for our arrival.
The green fields of the agricultural kibbutz stretched into the distance.
But it you turned around, another sign warned of the Gaza border ahead.
From the fields of Kibbutz Alumim, the Gaza border and buildings beyond are clearly in view.
Because of missiles and rockets fired from Gaza at southern Israel, these bomb shelters are situated next to the factory. Workers have seconds to get inside to safety when a red alert warns of an oncoming projectile.
Alumim has two Iron Domes positioned for protection from Hamas and its rockets.
Why live in southern Israel? It’s beautiful. Israelis have made the desert bloom.
When Hamas is not firing these missiles, it is a wonderful place.
Long time resident Esther took time to share with us a bit of her story.
Rafi’s house, and every home, has a bomb shelter bedroom. Sealed rooms have again become a necessity with nightly rockets from Gaza.
Twenty years living under fire from Gaza. Esther and others try to keep a positive attitude, to make music chimes from missiles.
Kibbutz Alumim had no red alerts when we were there last week, after a night of terror when a house in Sderot was hit. However, the newest round of red alerts included Alumim. The residents of southern Israel are weary, tired of red alerts, and want to go back to being known for their red flowers.
