Jerusalem Photography – Page 26 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

International Women’s Day in Jerusalem

March 10, 2020Sharon A

Oh, how some things have changed over the years.

When did you first hear of International Women’s Day?

Back in 2011, International Women’s Day coincided with Israel Apartheid Week.

Israeli Apartheid? was the blog posted in honor of women in Jerusalem.

In spite of coronavirus – COVID-19, this year I have been to multiple events featuring Israeli women doing amazing things.

Signs for International Women’s Day (IWD) appeared. In Jerusalem, not only March 8, 2020, is to be celebrated, but events are planned for the entire month of March.

The Jerusalem Marathon 2020 finish line was up near Gan Sacher, Sacher Park.

The construction in the park was nearing completion.

However, the March 20 marathon races have been postponed until October.

IWD events did not involve a large number of international participants and were held, though perhaps with fewer attendees than would have been expected.

United Hatzalah of Israel inaugurated Israel’s first pink ambulance with a specific mission to treat women.

Inside of United Hatzalah pink ambulance — Photo credit: United Hatzalah

The ambulance will be operated by a crew of female volunteer EMTs and paramedics. It will respond to any type of medical emergency but will prioritize responding to incidents in which there are female patients.

Women volunteers of United Hatzalah pose for group photograpn — Photo credit: United Hatzalah

Female volunteers of United Hatzalah posed recently for a photograph.

At the Herzl Conference held at Har Herzl, I had a chance to speak with the United Hatzalah volunteers on duty watching for any sign of trouble.

Educator and Author Dr. Aliza Lavie, who served in the Knesset from 2013-2019, now heads the Herzl Center.

At the Herzl Conference on Zionism, President Reuven Rivlin participated, as did former US Senator Joe Liberman. A Theodor Herzl impersonator was on hand for photographs.

At Har Herzl on Wednesday night at sunset, we heard stories of women who fell in the establishment in the modern state of Israel as we toured the cemetery.

However, the main event was inside the education center to hear from seven women about their strong Zionistic visions and accomplishments, each with a unique story, Women. Leadership. Zionism.

Standing (r to l) Dr. Lavie, Shoshana Keats-Jaskoll, Olga Israel, Deputy Jerusalem Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoun; Seated Bat-El Papura, Emily Winkler, and Naava Shafner.

Each of the speakers could be more than one story, but there were other IWD events.

At the Jerusalem Cinematheque posters of women lined the walls.

March 3-5, in honor of IWD, lawyer, producer Paula Kweskin Weiss hosted a film festival at the Cinematheque featuring women. Founding The 49% media production company with the intent to feature women, this festival’s theme – women’s storytelling as an act of courage.

The last night of The 49% Film Festival Kiverstein Institute sponsored a documentary film on Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom. After the film, the director, as well as Fleur Hassan-Nahoun, participated in a panel discussion of women in politics led by Peta Pellach.

Female agriculture students working in fields before establishment of Israel — screenshot

Women were trained to work in agriculture, as seen in a screenshot from a 1934 archival film.

Today in Jerusalem women are involved in startups and hitech. At the old Beit Alliance Building, with a new sign announcing future housing towers, there was another IWD event on Sunday morning.

International Women’s Day: Fundraising as a female founder was the topic of the MassChallenge Israel sponsored program. Miriam Schwab (on the left) shared her experiences of the founding of her WordPress startup Strattic to a mostly female audience. Yonit Golub Serkin, Managing Director of MassChallenge Israel, moderated.

In the startup world, organizations like MassChallenge provide mentors at its incubator, as well as necessary advice and support to both men and women.

Research shows women in the early days of the establishment of Israel had more equality in numbers. Eleven women served in the First and Second Knesset, and in the 1950s, that was considered advanced.

On the local level, women are involved in politics, and ten percent of municipalities are led by women. On a national level, the numbers of women in Knesset are down. One thing women are lacking is political mentors. It is much more difficult for Arab and Haredi women to get involved in politics, and the new Women’s Party started too late for Knesset 23.

Not wanting to leave you with a political story, I took a walk around to see what was happening on the Jerusalem streets with COVID-19 filling the news feed.

People were out, young and old, shopping and eating, and preparing for Purim.

And after all the winter rain, below the Israel Museum, the vegetation in the Valley of the Cross was picture perfect.

Jerusalem Style March Madness Pictures

March 4, 2020Sharon A

On Jerusalem, Israel streets, a general sigh of relief can be heard at the end of a year of campaigning madness and frozen government.

On Monday, March 2nd, the third Israeli election in a year was held.

The Jerusalem street outside our polling place was not a pretty sight,

nor easy to access. Memories of Knesset 19 voting at our location were recalled.

Inside there were fewer parties this time around and fewer letters to pick from for Knesset 23.

The votes were cast. Calculations are being made.

The magic number of 61 is not yet achieved.

The Knesset has 120 members, to form a government a majority is needed.

News sites and others sat glued to their monitors.

But I decided it was time to go for a walk and see the trees in bloom.

New flowers were popping out of old stone formations.

I was not the only one walking when the sun finally peaked out from between the winter clouds.

The grounds below the Israel Museum were lush green after this winter of rain.

Many drove south to see the fields of anemones for the Red Darom Festival.

I was content to walk the paths right here in Jerusalem to see the red wildflowers.

Sunday is a workday in Israel. So with schools, businesses, and offices off for Election Day, many families had a “Sunday” experience family day.

I decided to wander up the hill and go to the Israel Museum.

Near the Israel Museum archaeological section entrance is an interesting exhibit on hieroglyphs and emojis.

An example of ancient picture writing showed “offerings of wine” and beer.

Picture writing was very important in ancient Egypt.

This piece of stone caught my attention for the “heart” symbol, much more realistic than the shape most often used today in modern picture writing.

Are we going back to the days of symbols to communicate?

In the museum, one can view the new Rodin & Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit called “Expressive Genius.” The statues and drawings of the two French artists explored the human form, capturing the diverse population of Paris at the end of the 19th century.

Wandering through the vast halls and galleries are period rooms like this one dedicated by the Rothschild family. Also, displayed are reconstructed synagogues from around the world that fill entire rooms.

I found a familiar face, Golda Meir by Andy Warhol.

Did you know there were art pieces outside besides those in the main garden?

What I did not know was that the Israel Museum, though open on Election Day, closed an hour earlier at 4:00 pm.

The Hebrew Love is probably the most well-known sculpture in the Billy Rose Sculpture Garden.

I was looking for the special ‘Masks for Purim’ the museum is offering. That meant checking out what was happening in the Children’s Wing.

I did not find what I was looking for, as the program was ready yet.

But this little guy was so cute. They do start young to appreciate art and color.

Outside near the museum, this color will be gone very soon. Other graffiti nearby has been removed, like every year before the Jerusalem Marathon runs here.

The full Jerusalem Marathon runners will run into Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, to the finish line which will be constructed here. As you can see there is still much work to be done before the March 20, 2020 races. Tens of thousands of people are expected to assemble in the park, both runners and supporters.

Lines were painted on this newly paved road that leads to the finish line.

Jerusalem Marathon signs were posted along the route as well.

But first Purim! “Every day is Purim in Jerusalem” announced these signs.

Love Jerusalem where Purim madness is a 3-4 day holiday!

From March 10-13 this year, in Kikar Safra and the center of town, there will be celebrations.

Hopefully, the coronavirus scare will not hinder all these planned activities.

I thought that this description in the Israel Museum was interesting.

I don’t know anyone who believes that emojis can become real food and drink.

Pictures of food and drink.

Pictures and Purim.

However, my giant chocolate chip cookies are ready for Purim.

Next week planning to share the best of Purim in Jerusalem madness pictures.

The cookies, however, should be long gone by then.

February in Jerusalem – Presidents, Parks, Ponds and Purim Prep

February 19, 2020Sharon A

When we lived in Boston, what a surprise it was to learn that there was a holiday in February for Presidents’ Week. February was a time to go skiing. While five years ago, snow fell in Jerusalem in February, this year temperatures during the day have been warm, at least when the sun came out! So much rain this year, but there are signs of spring.

After the almond blossoms burst out, other fruit trees are now blooming – as are allergies from various pollens.

Flowers are appearing. The lilies in the pond at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens are starting to open.

Another sure sign of spring, the birds on a nice day chirp away, before dawn.

Those early wake-up calls at 4:14 am are not appreciated.

The annual spring OurCrowd Global Investor Summit has grown bigger and better.

International registration was reported at 23,000 people from 183 countries.

Get up and Ride, the UpnRide was one of many booths. I mentioned how I saw it used at OurCrowd first. It was so amazing to see a person bound to a wheelchair standing at the buffet table.

And there was Amir Gofer again explaining his amazing invention!

What a shame Christopher Reeves died too soon to benefit from this Israeli technology.

February in Jerusalem means the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations is back for its 46th Annual National Leadership mission. On opening night PM Netanyahu spoke in the Inbal Hotel ballroom.

Monday morning President Rivlin addressed the delegates and invited guests. He was presented with a piece of art as a gift by new CEO William Daroff, with Malcolm Hoenlein and Arthur Stark posing for the photo op.

President Rivlin took off soon after for a long-anticipated trip to Australia. First, he stopped in LA to get the key to the city, then on to Fiji on the way to the Land of Oz.

The Conference of Presidents used to have a printed schedule for their program. This year there is an app which is for delegates only. “We’re back” was all Hoenlein would say on the record about their trip to Saudia Arabia last week. Much of this week is filled with meetings with Israeli leaders, and some off the record, but a few more photos here.

But as for the real streets, the municipality wants to clean up not only the streets but the air too. Signs are up. Warnings are out. Fines and enforcement are to be increased. In the campaign to clean up Jerusalem, citations will be served for littering and not cleaning up after your dog.

As for the old dog park in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, finally, all the tents are gone and the Leningrad Memorial is visible. I will spare you dozens of photos from the construction mess in Gan Sacher, but they will have to work quickly before the Jerusalem Marathon next month.

The Leningrad Memorial in Gan Sacher is across the road from this memorial for fallen soldiers defending Jerusalem, which is located next to the Supreme Court.

Land is at a premium in Jerusalem. Every centimeter is scrutinized. Here a parking garage rises to the sky.

Small old buildings are being renovated and redone daily.

Oh and the streets! When they are completed these sidewalks should be nice. But now?

Some streets are parking lots part of the day as construction stops traffic. All traffic. Pedestrians are not sure where and how to cross to avoid all the equipment.