Jaffa Gate

Jerusalem Night Run

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 December 12, 2011 was the first run of the Jerusalem Night Run.

A sign in Mamilla Mall showed the way to the race starting point.

Maps of the route were posted,

as the run was not around the walls of the Old City, but on city streets.

Runners signed up and received an official yellow race shirt

in a special tent in the plaza outside Jaffa Gate.

A dry, but cold night, cups of complimentary hot tea were really appreciated.

An aerobic warm up to loud music for runners before the race,

got even more attention from the press when a Santa decided to loosen up.

As the last taxi left the Old City and the road was closed to traffic,

a blue carpet was laid to the official starting line.

Mayor Nir Barkat and his wife Beverly were front and center,

 but he was not smiling as he looked at his watch.

The 10 kilometer race was to start at 8:00pm “sharp”.

The runners were ready at the starting line on time,

but had to wait another ten minutes for the race to begin.

Over a 1000 runners ran to the starting line

and down the road on the Jerusalem Night Run.

The plaza area was mostly empty during the run,

 the tent with runners’  backpacks was full.

Most spectators did not hang around in the dark and cold

to watch for the runners to return.

The Jerusalem Night Run was advertised to be a warm up

to the Jerusalem Marathon in March.

Warm up…  now that sounds really nice.

More pictures from the Night Run can be found at this Facebook link:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.288863494489796.67021.152997821409698&type=1

Tour de Jerusalem

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The first ever Tour de Jerusalem bicycle race was held on December 6, 2011

featuring both Tour de France winner Alberto Contador

and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat as riders.

Some bicycle enthusiasts arrived through Mamilla Mall

and then climbed the steps toward the Old City.

Time to call home and let Mom know, “I am riding with Alberto.”

Crowds gathered by Jaffa Gate

where the race was to begin.

Some of the cyclists came up the hill toward the Jaffa Gate

and others waited by the gate for their entrance.

When the race did not begin at the announced 4:30pm start time,

this was the scene inside of Jaffa Gate.

The race finally did begin and

the expert cyclists came off the mark quickly.

Of the thousands of spectators,

 these girls from Denmark, here to volunteer in a local soup kitchen,

were some of the most vocal when they spotted a rider they knew from home.

The riders were not the only ones who had to be careful on their hilly route.

Even with years of  infrastructure work the plaza needs more, so watch your step.

As the moon rose,

the first lap of the race was ending.

The walls of the Old City were a beautiful sight at sunset.

 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador won the first ever Tour de Jerusalem.

No surprise there and only one reported rider injury…

 this cycling event was a success.

Additional photos on The Real Jerusalem Streets Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.285448974831248.66555.152997821409698&type=1

Looking To September

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While Hurricane Irene soaked the eastern United States last weekend,

it will be some time before there is a threat of rain in Jerusalem.

Seems the only ‘rain’ here are the missiles, grads and rockets from Gaza,

which continue to fall in southern Israel in spite of a Hamas call for a truce.

All was quiet this morning, but last night

  loud music and the sounds of teenagers laughing ended near midnight,

possibly neighborhood complaints of noise were all that dampened

 the end of summer party for a Jerusalem Israeli scout troop.

It was quite a contrast to the terror attack the night before in Tel Aviv.

A man from Nablus carjacked a taxi at knife point, cutting the driver,

 then rammed the stolen vehicle into a police barrier that

 was erected to protect a dance club teenage end of summer party.

Eight people were stabbed as the terrorist yelled “Allah is Great”

August coincided with the Muslim Ramadan holiday this year.

The Eid Al-Fitr, end of month celebrations silence the jack hammers in Jerusalem

and the construction cranes stop flying, while in Syria more people were killed.

In the Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan

the colored lights at night were bright

as were the ones in the Old City.

Colored lights were strung at Jaffa Gate,

 Damascus Gate,

and Herod’s Gate.

Late at night, young men came to sell food and merchandise

and women sat to enjoy the cool night air.

Even young children would be out late at night during the month of celebration.

As the sun set, smoke

and more smoke from the food being cooked to break the day’s fasting

 filled Gan Ha’pa’amon, the Liberty Bell Park .

There is often a rise in violence after this month devoted to Koran study.

A molotov cocktail was thrown at an Israeli ambulance this week,

no one thought to bother this PA ambulance.

As we look to September, security is again heightened near Eilat

and security precautions are in the news.

Hype about a PA statehood vote in September at the UN  is gaining steam,

while the PA and Hamas cannot even agree on one time zone.

As for the real streets, everyone is looking anxiously to September,

  September 1 is the first day of school.

The last week of August there is no regular day care,

  every grandparent, friend and neighbor is called on to help out hassled parents.

Who is the most excited for the first day of school?

The sound of the shofar this morning announced the Hebrew month of Elul,

 Chodesh  tov…

here’s hoping and praying for a good month 

and

looking to a peaceful September!