Jerusalem photos

Jerusalem Streets finding Balance after 414 Days of War

Sharon A

The Jerusalem, Israel, streets are constantly changing. The buildings are rising higher.

The stresses of over a year of prolonged Operation Iron Swords are growing more serious.

Sharing the events of one week in a short photo essay is a constant challenge.

On Jaffa Road, the new skyline is difficult to capture with a simple lens.

The old Ticho House is hard to see with the new surrounding construction.

Yoel Solomon Street is missing the tourists who browsed the shops, though volunteer tourism is high.

But the Machane Yehuda Market – the shuk – is popular on Thursday afternoons and at night.

Jaffa Road has new signs for hotels with the old Jerusalem buildings.

These Arab women going past Zion Square were shopping on Jaffa Road.

I still feel safer walking on the Jerusalem streets late at night, than almost anywhere else in the world.

Years of constant construction during years of ongoing threat, the Jerusalem-TLV train is still a wonder.

The new entrance to the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens can be easily seen from the road.

It is located near a future light rail train station. I wonder which will be completed first.

When it is Muslim prayer time, there are prayer rugs on the Jerusalem streets.

To make room for the buildings and roads, mountains have been moved.

But along the Jerusalem streets, there are constant reminders of the young who have fallen this past year.

Over 800 lives – each one a world – have been lost in this war.

The Jerusalem municipality has supplied tents to the mourning families. Hundreds of people come to pay a condolence call to the families of the fallen.

A note from this past week asks visitors to see photos from happier times.

After Shabbat, a Torah was dedicated in memory of fallen lone soldier Rose Ida Lubin hy”d. The procession made its way through the Jerusalem downtown streets to a small synagogue off of Jaffa Road.

There was music food and dancing, some found it difficult to participate, but the Lubin family attended, proud of their daughter and pleased so many contributed to keeping Rose’s name alive.

There are thousands of lone soldiers serving now, and falling, but also couples are coming together.

The OU Israel location on Keren Hayesod is closing down and new locations are to fill in the gap. The Women’s Hub had a grand opening on Monday night.

There have been protests, large and small, new and long-standing, against the government, and for the war to continue to victory on the Jerusalem streets.

However, life goes on, but not like before. The 3rd Jerusalem Business Conference began with a United Hatzalah presentation of the terrible day of October 7, 2023.

But as keynote opening speaker Izhar Shay, whose son was killed on October 7, emphasized,” “we are here to build.” His ‘Next October’ NGO is to support startups to grow. PHOTOS and more PHOTOS.

Time to give thanks, as the Michael Levin Base is preparing for Thanksgiving dinner again for lone soldiers and bnei and bnot sherut.

We give thanks for what we do have and hope to see you soon on the too-quiet Jerusalem streets.

Take a walk and see what’s new on the Jerusalem streets

Sharon A

How is it already June?

Where has the time gone, it is a blur.

However, even in these difficult, somewhat sad, days, there are good things to report and some “normal” life has returned to the Jerusalem streets.

Immediately after Lag B’Omer, Jerusalem parks were filled with celebrations and birthday parties.

And the time quickly becomes wedding season as the Jerusalem hills are filled with music.

The community garden in Baka has developed since it began in 2017.

The community space has a book corner I passed on my way to an event honoring writers.

Eylon Levy delivered the keynote address at the 32nd annual Bnai Brith World Journalism Awards at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center.

Walking through First Station with the rows of empty market stalls the absence of tourists is obvious.

Yellow chairs, yellow ribbons, and blue and white flags are seen on the Jerusalem streets.

The KumKum Tea House is adorned with purple flowers and a British flag.

The play areas of this Jerusalem nursery school have cheerful designs on the protective fence coverings.

Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence hosted the Michal Sela Hackathon where innovative ideas were presented for safety at home. Sela’s sister founded the Forum after in 2019 Michal’s husband killed her in their home.

Thursday’s Jerusalem Pride Parade was smaller this year and featured families of hostages.

As usual, the Jerusalem streets in the area were closed for many hours with thousands of security officers.

Yellow flags lined the Jerusalem streets along with rainbow-colored ones this year.

The Liberty Bell Park was cleaned up shortly after the crowd marched to Independence Park.

Impressively cleaned – I could only find one poster on the ground as I walked through the park.

No photos from Independence Park, Gan Haatzmaut, however, security would not let me enter.

I would have made a fuss, but I did not want to be late for a special lecture by Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz.

Then, on Friday morning Jerusalem streets were closed for hundreds of riders in the large biking event.

Jerusalem streets will again be closed this week for Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day with thousands more Israel flags and multiple events marking 57 years of reunification of Yerushalayim.

This flag down the Citadel Hotel wall should be one of the longest for the Flag Parade on Wednesday.

Never know what we will see next on the Jerusalem streets.

Today I got a ride home because it was too hot to walk down past the Israel Museum. However, I got photos and videos of the fire raging where I would have been walking.

What Happened on Israel Independence Day 76 Celebrated in Jerusalem?

Sharon A

In Jerusalem this past week we celebrated Yom HaZikaron and Yom Haatzmaut, Israel’s 76th Independence Day immediately preceded the Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror.

However, Israel 76 was not like those in the past, with an ongoing war and hostages held in Gaza.

Every year, the official state Yom Hazikaron ceremony was held at the Kotel, Western Wall Plaza, and was again broadcast live on television with the Israeli President speaking.

One of the hardest battles for Jerusalem in 1967 took place at Givat Hatachmoshet, Ammunition Hill.

Today it is a museum and memorial for Israeli soldiers who fell in 1967, and it was the setting for a Yom Hazikaron ceremony hosted by the Michael Levin Base for lone soldiers and b’not sherut. This was one of many ceremonies throughout Jerusalem this year specially designed for English speakers.

Robin Lubin, mother of Rose Lubin h”yd, who was murdered while on guard duty in the Old City, spoke movingly of her daughter’s commitment and and service fighting in the south after October 7, before she returned returning to Jerusalem where she was murdered by a terrorist.

Not all the fallen soldiers were Jewish; Sufian, a Druze Israeli, was eulogized by Efraim Abrams, his partner in the Combat Engineering Corps. They were the first armored bulldozers to enter Gaza.

Rabbi Leo Dee said the Yizkor and Kaddish, then spoke of his wife and daughters, Lucy, Maia, and Rina h”yd, who were murdered last year as they drove to a holiday family get-together on Passover.

In the cold and wind, 900 people sat and appreciated the impact of the impressive memorial service broadcast live online for those who could not attend in person. More Yom HaZikaron photos HERE

Multiple large musical prayer services and transitions from Yom Hazikaron to Yom Haatzmaut ceremonies in Jerusalem made it hard to decide which one to attend. We opted for a smaller meaningful local Israeli one in Modiin, where the youthful flag dancers had practiced to perfection, or close enough.

The Hidon HaTanakh, International Bible Quiz, was held as in the past at the Jerusalem Theater on Yom Haatzmaut morning with the 16 international contestants down to the last eight finalists.

Then down to four, the final two teens tied for an exciting finish. Last year two girls tied. The big difference this year was that the President and Prime Minister did not attend, so there was no visible security, no metal detectors, and no standing in line outside in the sun. However, you needed a ticket to get into the auditorium, as every seat was filled by family and friends. Impressive was how the audience respected each participant with applause whether the answers were correct or not. More photos HERE

From the Jerusalem Theater, it was a race to get around the corner to Beit Hanasi, The Israeli President’s Residence for the annual Diplomatic Reception. I love those hats lined up on the table, this year placed so that Herzl could gaze at the display of the international military officers in attendance.

While the world media makes it sound like Israel is alone and isolated, it was uplifting to see so many different uniforms and countries represented.

International military attaches and their spouses in traditional dress were willing to pose for a photo.

Smiling ambassadors from far and wide were attending the reception.

Ok, not all were smiling all the time, but they accepted the President’s invitation.

The annual official posed photo for Israeli Independence Day 76 was taken as usual.

The President spoke and there was a carefully planned program to reflect the current situation.

Everyone entering the Beit Hanasi grounds passed this display of yellow tee shirts, one for each hostage.

The food served was outstanding, for more on Beit Hanasi for Diplomats see HERE

Did you know that May 15 is Declaration Day? Israel Forever Foundation and Elana Heidelman want to make sure the world knows and for the second year hosted a special event – on May 15, 2024.

The speeches from the Ambassadors to Israel from the Philippines, Guatemala, and Uraguay were warm and positive. More Declaration Day HERE

And finally, to close off another busy week of the ‘Yoms,’ there was a special opening at the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem of the “KUMA” exhibition, the work of Eitan Rosenzweig, hy”d, the gifted artist and poet, was only 21 when he was killed in battle in the Gaza Strip.

Yet, even at such a young age, he left behind a treasure trove of artistic creation. His talent and explosive creativity are evident in his works, with his masterpiece KUMA being an award winner in high school.

The material found in his sketchbooks was amazing! More photos from KUMA HERE

To close out a week of highs and extreme lows, the flowers and flags of the Jerusalem streets, displayed in front of the home of a fallen soldier, with the sign – AM YISRAEL CHAI!

Next week is Lag B’Omer. Time to cut the tall dry weeds and see if people will follow the instructions not to light fires. Here’s to hoping for a safe and quiet week on the Jerusalem streets.