Jerusalem, Israel.
Sometimes it does not pay to try and find something new,
these photos tell the whole story.
The view from Mount Scopus,
as the sun was setting,
last night,
there are no better images for
שבת שלום
Shabbat Shalom.
Jerusalem photos
10 Photos of this Week in Jerusalem
I love a day when the weather is the top news.
Last night, as the sun set, cool winds came across the city.
I thought my camera lens was dirty,
but those were clouds over the Old City.
As it got darker, more clouds blew in over
the Montefiore Windmill and the King David Hotel.
By morning, the sky looked winter grey,
and certainly not like the first day of summer.
But by afternoon, most of the clouds were gone,
and it was back to sunny warm streets and a normal June day.
A great time to get out and appreciate the Judean hillside.
This view is just minutes from Malha Mall,
and was taken from these lovely gardens.
This week’s exciting event (for some people) was a visit by
18 US football “Hall of Famers.”
Willie Lanier of the Kansas City Chiefs
was wearing Jerusalem on his hat at the end of his visit.
It goes well with his Canton, OH, Hall of Fame shirt.
Thousands tried to meet and
photograph their favorite sports stars.
I was told that I missed Joe Montana by seconds.
Oh well.
It was better than standing in the heat outside
the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs waiting for security.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center and
the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Israel held a conference there
on digital terrorism and hate speech on the internet.
I am afraid you will be hearing lots more
on this EchoChamber in the future,
as cyber terrorists look for new ways to attack.
The next day was
the Eli Hurvitz Conference on Economy and Society,
of the Israel Democracy Institute,
where we heard that Israel, the ‘Start-Up Nation’,
is #52 in the world in the ease of opening a business.
Changes must be made in taxation, regulation and bureaucracy
in order to get Israel to the next level
to be known as the ‘Nation of Innovation’.
After two days inside, it was good to get out.
Our local pillbox got a much needed painting.
This new sign was posted for Beit Avi Chai.
Lists of children’s summer programs are planned,
but this informs us that July 6 will be Leila Lavan.
an all-night loud summer music party.
Mekudeshet, a festival working hard on integrating cultures,
is also planning a long list of events for this summer.
If you remember the photo I posted of the Mamilla Hotel,
there is now a fourth banner flag on the building.
The 2017 Macabbiah will be bringing tens of thousands
of international Jewish athletes to Jerusalem, Israel.
All of this is amazing.
Especially if you stop and reflect
that all of the above locations,
from the Pillbox to those hills,
were mostly empty and barren, except for rocks,
not so very many years ago.
And Mamilla Mall and Mishkanot-Shaananim,
were dangerous zones inhabited by the poorest of poor.
Jerusalem, Israel’s Children
June is full of graduations and end-of-year celebrations,
from nursery school children to honorary doctorates.
Plus, all the different festivals in Jerusalem,
and it is impossible to keep up with everything.
The Jerusalem Theater auditoriums were filled with
the 56th annual Israel Festival, an annual June event.
“Songs of Tirza,” a unique performance by Nathan Slor,
with music and readings of his mother Tirza Atar z”l,
was a memorable night for one full-house audience.
While outside all along Chopin Street
and down to the Hansen House,
music and lights from the
Jerusalem Design Week
were seen and heard by all.
Except these musicians, who could be heard only
by festival goers wearing special headsets.
The two major Jerusalem book fairs
were scheduled to overlap this year.
But the large signs for the Book Fairs posted at First Station
have already been replaced by the ones for the Light Festival.
Inside Takhana Rishona, First Station,
children’s books were displayed at the entrance,
and performances for children are scheduled daily.
The flags of the participants in the international fair
were flying outside Station Hall,
which was filled with displays,
with publishers’ booths and rows of books,
and authors coming in to autograph purchases.
So much to do, so much happening,
and so much attention to children.
But.
Also, in the center tent of First Station
last night was a very different type of event.
Hundreds of people showed up on short notice,
informed only by a few afternoon Facebook posts.
Parents of children with cancer held signs,
urging Israeli Health Minister Litzman,
to save their children.
A white, large air-conditioned tent was erected
in the Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, basketball court.
In the past, the park has been a scene of protest tents.
But this one is a make-shift hospital for children,
complete with medical clowns.
However, there is nothing funny about the situation.
As I understand the complicated issue,
Hadassah Hospital closed their children’s cancer division
to merge it with the adult division,
and the pediatric oncologists resigned en-masse.
Some parents have given up hope for suitable treatment
for their seriously ill children in Jerusalem
and are travelling to Tel HaShomer for medical services.
Other parents want Shaare Zedek Hospital to open
a children’s oncology unit.
Doctors, parents, and politicians are involved.
Hopefully this painful situation will be resolved soon,
and I can go back to posting about
Live Music in the art gardens of the Israel Museum,
Ramadan lights lining the streets,
and the record-breaking increase in tourism
that is filling once-empty hotel rooms and lobbies.
Meanwhile refuah shelama,
thoughts and prayers for a speedy and full recovery to all the children
and for a solution to the dilemma.