7 New Signs in Jerusalem

My father was born in the USA and served in the army during World War II.

  He would not let even a small item made in Germany into our house.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and her delegation of 16 German government ministers

just visited Jerusalem, Israel.

 Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed her with the words 

“Israel and Germany have a unique bond forged of tragedy and hope,

and a great friendship and cooperation.”

Then she was awarded Israel’s Presidential Medal,

a sign of how much things have changed.

2. Anyone who knows a 6-year old, kita aleph  first grader,

image table with food, photo food for party, picture decorated table

knows that countless tables with piles of food,

like this one in Heichal Shlomo,

are the reward for sitting through hours of presentations.

image sidur party, photo mesibat siddur, picture decorated cake

This artistic creation is a sign of a siddur party,

only one of this week’s many extravaganzas,

where new readers receive their first prayer-book.

image new bus line, photo bus Jerusalem, picture Israel bus sign

3. New bus signs were up on Friday.

Time will tell whether all the route and number changes are improvements.

But new #15 bus took us straight to bus station in minutes!

 There was another new sign near the bus stop.

image British defense , photo security in Palestine, picture  Jerusalem

4. The “pillbox” got a new sign.

picture riots 1936, Palestine photo, image palestine, picture Palestine

Please read it carefully.

In Palestine, in 1936, Arabs were rioting against Jews.

Long before the State of Israel was established,

the British built these to protect and defend themselves against Arab attacks.

The new Cinema City had its grand opening this week.

There was a small protest because it is to be closed on Shabbat.

image poster in Hebrew, picture of activites in Jerusalem, photo of Hebrew poster

5. But also, this sign with many new Shabbat activities was posted.

imag Jerusalem marathon, photo Jerusalem marathon, Picture Jerusalem marathon

6. New signs for the Jerusalem Marathon seem to be popping up everywhere,

especially along the route of the March 21st race.

7. And to end with my favorite sign of spring,

image red flowers, picture anemoes, photo re flowers

the spring flowers blooming in the Valley of the Cross.

All photos available for purchase.

9 Signs of Spring in Jerusalem

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili was here on an official visit.

This was a regular Prime Ministerial visit,

unlike the one of Stephen Harper of Canada,

so most people in Jerusalem, Israel, did not even notice.

It seems for Israeli media Yair Netanyahu’s girl friend

is the hottest topic this week.

image chanukah menorah, picture menorah in public, photo chanukah

This Chabad chanukiah, across from the Central Bus Station,

says ‘Happy Hanukkah’, but it is long past Hanukkah.

This year is a Jewish leap year, with an extra month,

but a month with no holidays,

so what to write about?

image bridge unusual, photo string bridge, picture Jerusalem bridge

The Jerusalem Bridge of Strings rises harp-shaped high above the street.

image lone runner, photo man running, picture getting ready marathon

Runners have started their training on the streets

for the Jerusalem Marathon on Friday, March 21,

still I was surprised to see this man running across the bridge.

image man on swing, photo man on playground, picture adult on swing

Running or swinging,

image disabled bikes, photo riding near Windmill. picture disabled riders

or riding, the days are starting to feel like spring.

image outdoor cafe, photo cafe outside, picture Jerusalemcafe

The sign posted is for a series of February winter events,

but today people were eating outside in the sun in short sleeves.

image flowers, picture Bloomfield Park, photo Jerusalem park

Blooming flowers line the street along Bloomfield Park.

Oh, and a real sign of spring: the scammers are back.

image scammer

Last year this man told me it was his first time in Jerusalem,

he was lost and could not find his way to a nursing home.

That time was near Gan Sacher, Sacher Park,

and there are nursing homes in the area.

Maybe I was mistaken?

When he started to tear up and cry,

I knew it was same routine, and I told him so and walked away.

Any wonder he was camera-shy?

image unusual lemons, picture fruit on tree, photo lemons on tree

The lemons are ripening on our tree,

only I have no idea why

the only two misshapen lemons are hanging next to each other.

image MT of Olives, photo east Jerusalem, picture cemetery Mount of OLives

From the ancient Mount of Olives,

image Hurva, photo Churva Shul, picture Hurva Synagogue

to the restored Hurva Synagogue in the Old City,

photo cheap cofffee, picture Ben Yehuda, photo Cofizz 5 shekel coffee

to new 5 shekel coffee shop on Ben Yehuda Mall,

image ambucycle, photo lots of amybucycles, picture riders special motorcycles

to a parade of new Hatzalah Ambucycles,

it’s wonderful to walk and see what’s happening when the weather gets nice.

Love the spring-like weather,

but we really do need more rain.