9 Favorites of Israel Independence Day

Yom Haatzmaut 5775, Israel Independence Day 2015

will be remembered for its wild weather.

It was stormy and windy, rainy and cold in Jerusalem, Israel.

But the favorite flyovers starting

helicopter

with large helicopters flew in spite of the dark clouds,

flyover

while these planes found a time with some blue sky.

smoke from grill

Before noon, smoke rose from the mangals (grills).

blue and white for Israel independence day

A few adventurous families arrived at Gan Sacher, Sacher Park,

prepared with large blue and white plastic hammers and more.

volunteers on Yom Haatzmaut

One family came all the way from New Jersey to

help out with a mangal for the

Lone Soldier Center in memory of Michael Levin.

independence day Israel

With fewer people in the park this year,

these sellers of foam spray had to use it up themselves.

blue and white for Yom Haazmaut

Dark clouds were not going to keep these girls away,

gan sacher yom haatzmaut

nor those with the lone soldiers group.

Yom Haatzmaut 5775 100b

Their Israeli flag was easy to find,

lone soldier mangal

along with lots of good food.

What a little rain?

There was no questionn but to go ahead and celebrate.

air show

The afternoon flyovers added to the fun.

Gans sacher on Independence day

There were tall people with kites,

yom haatzmaut

little people with bubbles and flags,

couple in blue and white

and lots of blue and white.

And if not that was enough,

Nachman truck on streets

these vans going around with music blasting

would stop and share their music and dance.

But then,

just as people were groaning that they ate too much,

and getting around to cleaning up,

a rocket was launched from Gaza landing in southern Israel

and exploded.

 Friday morning in Jerusalem,

the lines in supermarkets are long

and supplies of chicken are short.

They keep trying to kill us.

They fail,

We eat.

שבת שלום

Shabbat Shalom.

Jerusalem Funeral of Murdered Frenchmen: Photos and Flags

Today the large French and Israeli flags were coming down.

flags FRance

They had been hung for a show of unity with France,

as Israeli leaders,

along with French Ecology Minister Segolene Royal,

joined thousands of mourners in attending the funeral yesterday

at Givat Shaul Cemetery in Jerusalem, Israel.

closed Highway

The road leading to the cemetery was closed

 and traffic was backing up with unhappy drivers.

police motorcycle

But the special free shuttle buses had a police escort

and went around the stopped vehicles.

female solders

Security lined the roads

cemetery

and much of the cemetery.

water

Free water bottles were piled high in several locations.

photo media

International media and TV cameras were set.

crowd at funeral

Crowds tried to get past guards to enter,

but only those with invitations were allowed to pass.

talit for funeral

Here a family member was carrying a talit,

which is used to cover the body before burial.

French signs

There were a few signs

image funeral crowd

in the crowd,

I am signs

one with the faces and names of four men murdered,

because they were Jews,

Yohan Cohen,

Yoav Hattab,

Philippe Braham,

Francois-Michel Saada,

Israeli flag at funeral

and Israeli flags.

people inside funeral

Immediate mourners and dignitaries were behind barriers,

Frenchmen funeral

inside other barriers.

Sephardi rabbi kiss hand

Everyone rose when the Chief Rabbi entered,

and many stopped him to kiss his hand.

scene of Funeral

One by one Zaka members carried in the men,

murdered in terror attack in Paris, France on  erev Shabbat.

funeral speaking

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat escorted a family member,

who lit a flame and spoke.

The Chief Rabbis,

Israel President Reuven Rivlin

Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin,

funeral French security

French Minister Segolene Royal,

Benjamin Netanyahu speaking behind bullet proof glass

and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

spoke in a protected area where only a special photographer

could get a photo without distorted reflections.

funeral French crowd

It was a sad day,

funeral

for all involved.

Inside the main area it did not seem like so many people came,

crowd at Givat Shaul cemetery

but upon leaving it was obvious that thousands could not get in.

They filled the streets as they filed out slowly.

I am Charles

Waiting shuttle buses returned us to town,

where more signs lined the Jerusalem, Israel streets.

Sadly, Jerusalem has had large funerals before

and has learned how to prepare for the huge crowds.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this was the last one

for innocent people murdered by terrorists?

Shabat Shalom: Bitter and Sweet

Recently on Fridays,

there has been a simple Shabat Shalom poster,

but this was not a simple week,

this was a difficult week.

Har Nof

The walls in Har Nof were plastered with mourning posters.

On Thursday the streets were mostly empty and quiet,

the air was so clean, but it felt heavy.

image Har Nof

Cars filled the street in front of the synagogue,

where five men were murdered.

The shiva houses were overflowing, with standing room only.

Those paying sympathy could only walk by the mourners,

and some who knew the families said a word or two.

Many who came did not know either victim or their family personally.

I could not look at the couch filled with young boys

who had just lost their father in such a horrific way.

Instead of revenge one widow told me,

“we cannot change the Arabs,

but we have to change ourselves.”

They want unity of the Jewish people

and an end of sinat chinum.

Then,

Sigd 018b

as we drove home past Gan Sacher, Sacher Park,

image Jerusalem Park

we saw a large group of young people who were enjoying a sports day.

image Jerusalem part

The weather was perfect for a family outing.

New security in Jerusalem, Israel after Arab murders

A balloon hovered above the Begin Center,

where Yehudah Glick was recently shot,

as segway riders went by on their tour,

image segway

and the next tour was getting ready in First Station.

image Hebrew sign

  A new sign announced an organic food market to open in the tourist location,

image First Station

but First Station was deserted at lunch time,

a sad sign of the events of this week.

But,

banner of Sigd celebration on Tayelet

at the same time on Haas Promenade in Armon Hanaziv

tens of thousands of Ethiopians gathered for

their Sigd Holiday celebration.

Sigd 102b

Old

image man with Old City in background

and young

Ethiopian girls in IDF unifroms

and many more each year wearing IDF uniforms.

tayelet for Sigd

They enjoyed the weather and the day on the Tayelet.

 A beautiful day

image Sigd

for many family reunions,

Ethiopian family at Sigd

food and photos.

image Israel flag

Thousands celebrated just being in Jerusalem, Israel.

To end this crazy week,

we were at a simhat bat brunch today,

to celebrate birth of a new baby girl.

Besorot tovot were everyone’s parting words.

שבת שלום

Shabbat shalom.