Jaffa Gate

May in Jerusalem back to normal seesaw of life

Sharon A

Are we really back to “normal” or just a lull until the next round of fighting?

The sounds of planes flying over have become a norm.

The weather was pleasant, and people returned to the streets of Jerusalem, Israel.

It was time to be back again in Jerusalem’s Old City to see what’s happening.

Entering through the Jaffa Gate, it was good to see people walking into the Old City.

Flags are still flying between Yom Hazikaron, Memorial Day, Yom Haatzmaut, Independence Day, and Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day.

The Tower of David Citadel rises iconically above the walls.

However, the old entrance inside Jaffa Gate is also impressive.

The columns of the ancient Cardo, a Roman-era street, stand tall in the Jewish Quarter.

There was a new water fountain for anyone who needed a drink on their way.

I was going to a special ceremony at the Kotel, Western Wall Plaza.

New soldiers were inducted into the Israel Defense Force, with thousands of family and close friends in attendance.

From my vantage point with the Kotel in the distance, there was another, much smaller, brief ceremony.

Under the white tallit, young children were blessed as the new soldiers fell into formation.

It was hard to find family in the large crowd. I tried many times.

The ceremony opens with lighting a memorial flame.

A few short speeches and Biblical readings, and each unit swears allegiance.

The ceremony ends with a prayer for safety and Hatikvah.

Hours of standing, waiting for a short ceremony, with pride and concern at the same time.

As the ceremony ended, the weapons were secured and not taken home.

Young women were also volunteering for combat duty.

I go out of my way now not to show their young, beautiful faces

One face in the crowd I knew well over the years, Chazan Shai Abramson.

He was the chief Chazan in the IDF, and now, in reserve duty, sings at special events.

(I have no idea who this other man is; he was standing nearby.)

On the way home, out of the Rova, Jewish Quarter, I noticed the construction fencing of the Tiferet Israel Synagogue had been removed. The last of the Old City synagogues destroyed in 1948 was nearing completion.

Inside Tiferet Yisrael Synagogue as rebuilding begins

After years of watching the renovation, this was in 2019. I look forward to a tour inside.

Two white domes seen from the roof of Tower of David the Hurva Synagogue and the Tiferet Israel newly rebuilt

Its white dome is higher than the more well-known Hurva Synagogue on the right.

As we approach Jerusalem Day, this year on May 15, 2026, the Jerusalem decorative street lights are ready in blue and white.

Shai Abramson led the IDF choir in the prayer for the IDF at the Great Synagogue. It was years ago, at the memorial service for the three boys. Israeli teenagers abducted and murdered by Hamas terrorists in June 2014: Eyal Yifrach (19), Gilad Shaar (16), and Naftali Frenkel (16).

Hoping it does not take another tragedy for Israel to unite again.

Jerusalem celebrates Israel at 78

So back to normal. The regular seesaw of life

Please keep sharing what’s really happening.

Hope to see you soon on the Jerusalem streets.

Passover in Jerusalem

Sharon A

How is this Passover different than all other Passovers?

Passing people while walking on the Jerusalem streets, I think they look familiar. However, I am not certain if I know them from 20 years ago, 2 years ago, from online meetups, or if they look like their parents?

As the sun came out over the Jerusalem streets, people returned to Jerusalem’s Old City by Jaffa Gate – in spite of terrorist threats and rioters.

In every generation, they rise against us to annihilate us. שבכל דור ודור עומדים עלינו לכלותנו

But the Holy One, Blessed is He, rescues us from their hand. והקודש ברוך הוא מצילנו מידם

Not my words, but from the Passover Hagadah, from the paragraph that begins – והיא שעמדה – which we recite year after year at the Passover seder.

First, the different look at Jaffa Gate, lovely at night with new lighting.

For the first time, an international food festival was held outside the walls of the Old City the nights before Passover. The array of different kosher cuisine, beginning with the US and burgers near the Tower of David was impressive.

Tables and chairs were placed at the food venues for patrons to sit and eat. I was amused by the signs ‘not to sit on the rocks’ which were covered by the fabric.

Entertainers were out along the route of this new food festival.

I decided a short video would share the event better, with its music.

I was out on Palm Sunday, but I was late getting to the Old City. That’s why I was excited to see a man walking in the distance with a long green thing.

Only when I got home I realized it was a light bulb, not a palm branch.

However, later at Mamilla Mall, there were still a few of the faithful out on the streets with their palm branches in hand after dark as I headed home.

For Orthodox Palm Sunday, I arrived in the Old City in time to see people walking with long, short, and decorated palm branches.

What is different this year, is that Passover, Easter, and Ramadan all also fell on Sunday. It was good to see the Old City streets filling with visitors and international tourists again.

Security was visible at critical junctions in the Old City.

The Rova, Jewish Quarter, was alive again after two years of corona closings. Tour guides were out again sharing their knowledge with family groups.

Passover matza was being given away outside of Jaffa Gate.

And freshly baked Arab beigele were for sale just inside Jaffa Gate.

The Passover rolls looked like real bread in Mamilla Mall.

Walking from Jaffa Gate toward the Kotel, the Western Wall, the new pizza shop is open for Passover.

Birkat Cohanim at Western Wall

The large Birkat Cohanim, Priestly Blessing at the Kotel, is again to be held twice to keep the size of crowds in the Old City down and is scheduled for Monday and Wednesday. Monday morning saw the plaza full for the online live broadcast. There’s still time for you to participate live on Wednesday.

However, already on Sunday, there were people arriving all day.

I wonder how many noticed the broken windows in the Al Aqsa mosque?

Trudging home in the heat, after spending hours walking and photographing in the Old City, how nice it was to be offered a bottle of water. Thank you Iriya, Jerusalem.

Four days before Passover is יו”ד ניסן Yud Nissan. For those not familiar, I decided to share a special trip in 2019.

Israel cleared the landmines, then a pandemic shut down the tourist site.

But as the holidays and tourists return to the Jerusalem streets, they will see the Jerusalem and Israeli flags flying over the streets.

Signs are up for a blue and white Yom Haatzmaut, Israel Independence Day.

But first, we have a week of Pesach, Passover to celebrate with thousands back on the Jerusalem streets and many more away in national park sites enjoying the warm weather and water spots filled after winter rain.

Much more on Passover next time!

Chag Pesach Sameach!

Jerusalem Security and Safety

Sharon A

When I worked in a biochemistry lab, I carefully did research dealing in fractions of a millimeter. However, my unscientific observation of the Jerusalem streets at present is that there are more people sick now than in the past two years.

A bit more scientific, the newest stats published for last week, we see in Israel 709 cases per day for 100,000 people, with a +467% increase, which is the highest in the world. Israel was also testing – a lot.

The borders are open. But the crowds of tourists are nowhere to be seen even near Jaffa Gate at the entrance to the Old City. Flights are still being canceled abruptly leaving passengers to scramble to make new travel plans.

The snow predicted did not last more than a few minutes one night. I love getting white snow pictures and ran to check outside often, but the best I could do was grey fog in the morning. Fog so thick the Vert Hotel was not to be seen.

Mostly we had a week of cold rain. Umbrellas were out in Mamilla Mall, but not crowds of returning tourists. Notice what else is missing?

The art and pedestals that lined Mamilla Mall last year have been removed.

It seems they wrote more numbers on the stones, so perhaps a renovation project is planned? In Jerusalem, every stone removed outside of a historical building is numbered and is replaced like a giant puzzle.

When the sun finally came out a few times this past week for a short while, I walked around trying to decide what to share. A military helicopter flew past as the clouds were breaking over Jerusalem’s changing skyline.

Thanks to the US Consulate installing new bollards – no photos allowed there! I got my inspiration, of course, what else, but security and safety!

The original security “Dragon Teeth” display is starting to grow green moss.

The new security bollards at Jerusalem bus stops have grown taller.

Remember the security at the entrance to Balfour Street last year? At least five levels were visible at times blocking the view to the Prime Minister’s residence with a black curtain and four rows of barricades blocking the gate on the public street side.

Now there is simpler security with bollards blocking cars, but people can walk thru again. I have done it a few times, just because I can and to see if there is anything happening there.

And this past week there was action! Two cats were up on the roof. Oh, the jokes I was thinking of as I walked by in the sunny warmth of the day.

However, security and safety on building sites is no joke,

Construction and building renovations are everywhere.

There was a danger warning,

but now people have moved into the renovated building.

How cool to paint new crosswalk lines that look like old ones.

And then there are the safety signs not to use the crosswalk,

but walk around the fenced-in holes in the pavement.

Getting tired of it all? These chairs are ready for you to sit and rock awhile.

This bench on a busy Jerusalem street near a new coffee shop has flowers secured to it in memory of a deceased relative.

This has to be one of my favorite discoveries in the ‘walking the Jerusalem streets and what will you find next category.’ I may even go out when it rains to see the water come out of this drain pipe mouth.

Some people are so clever!

And those masks, worn and not, and discarded near a bus stop, remind us of the newest tiny variant to beware of in order to stay safe and secure in our damp dwellings.

The sun did peek thru the clouds, and ‘I love Jerusalem’ was picture perfect.

Hopefully, the sign and plazas will be filled with people again, day and night, and soon.

Two years is too long, but take care and stay well.

Hope to see you soon, back again on the Jerusalem streets!