Jerusalem photos – Page 79 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Aliyah: 10 Years, 7 Years, and Today in Israel

November 9, 2016Sharon A

Ten years ago we made aliyah

and moved to Jerusalem, Israel.

Seven years ago I started taking photos of

what I saw on Jerusalem streets and posting them,

photos of everyday scenes,

the ones the mainstream media never seemed to share.

Jerusalem Israel winter scene at park with white flowers blooming

I am still amazed to see white roses blooming in November.

While a few trees do turn colors,

most winter vegetation will now turn green.

Oud Festival sign in Jerusalem Israel

I am getting used to the Oud Festival signs,

as Arab music is growing in popularity,

these festivals are growing each year.

I could do a post each week about Arab girls

Muslim women shopping on Yaffo in Jerusalem Israel

and Arab women shopping on Jaffa Road.

Construction sites are another regular sight.

Old Mashbir building construction for We Work space

Work is progressing slowly at WeWork at the old Mashbir building.

The Hebrew language is another story.

I guess I am not alone,

Sign about learning to speak Hebrew

as this poster went viral

twice when posted on Facebook.

Why the sudden nostalgia?

Because yesterday was Aliyah Day,

the first national celebration of immigrants to Israel.

Binunei Hauma main hall on Aliyah Day

The Jerusalem International Conference Center

was filled with thousands of olim.

One of my favorites was

Russian man wearing medals on Aliyah Day in Jerusalem Israel

this man proudly displaying his Russian medals,

and on the other lapel, a white Aliyah Day sticker.

Jerusalem ICC Ethiopian Israelis in main hall

Many Ethiopian-Israelis attended.

Three men posing for photos with Israeli flag on aliyah Day

Men posed waving Israeli flags.

Teens arriving to fill upper level at Jerusalem International Conference Center

Soldiers and young people came to fill the upper level

Performance at binunei Hauma for Aliyah Day

and listen to the performances on the main stage,

attended by the Prime Minister and his wife and a list of dignitaries.

But I left early

to attend a special Kristallnacht program.

Aliyah Day is to be celebrated every year on the 7th of Heshvan,

marking the week when the Biblical portion

describing Abraham’s journey to the the Promised Land

is read in the synagogue,

and this year it fell out on November 8.

November 9 is the traditional commemoration

of the “night of shattered glass.”

In Berlin, 78 years ago,

it marked the end of Jewish life in Germany,

as Jewish hopes, homes and lives were destroyed.

Miriam was sent by her parents on a Kindertransport to England,

Miriam Litke speaking at OU Israel Center for Kristalnacht

and she and her brother were the only family members who survived.

Miriam retold her remembrances of that horrible night,

the morning after and its destruction.

It is important for witnesses to retell their stories.

Meanwhile, thousands of olim from around the world

were listening, singing and dancing to music

in celebration of Aliyah Day.

Another day in Jerusalem, Israel,

with highs and lows,

celebrating and remembering.

Back to "Normal" in Jerusalem

November 2, 2016rjstreets

It is after the chagim,

the holidays are over.

Our prayers for rain were answered quickly.

“Don’t you love walking in the rain?”

asked an elegantly-dressed British woman

I passed walking Thursday night.

No, not really, since my umbrella was at home.

But we all know rain is good and needed.

After a few days of this wet weather,

the Valley of Cross will have green covering the ground,

and olives on those trees will be over-ripe to pick.

Winter comes and Jerusalem, Israel,

turns colors, mostly turns to green.

On my way to Knesset yesterday,

a small demonstration was going on,

in a regular protest location.

Today thousands of bus drivers were protesting.

I sure hope they work out a deal before November 7,

which is the date set for general bus drivers strike.

With the holidays over,

the universities, except for the Hebrew University,

are finally back in session.

Youth organizations are back to “normal”

and as always I love to see

what the Israeli Scouts are building.

The winter session of Knesset began,

and on the second day,

you can see for yourself how many MKs were in the building.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to the Board of Governors

of the Jewish Agency on his usual topics, such as BDS.

“Israel is home to all Jews.”

“Jews never quarrel among themselves, ask Moses,”

quipped the Prime Minister who stressed patience and tolerance,

and woke up this morning to some of those same delegates protesting

at the Kotel, the Western Wall, carrying Torah scrolls.

When I walked to the Knesset,

it was hot,

but when I left a short time later,

it had poured and was still raining.

Good for the grass at Gan Sacher, Sacher Park,

but not so great for people who want to play or picnic.

These new butterfly shaped floral planters

appreciate the sudden downpours

much more than I do.

This time, however, I had my umbrella,

now to go find my boots also.

After perfect weather for holiday tourists,

it feels like winter has arrived in Jerusalem.

With changed clocks and clouds,

3:00 pm,

and street lights were on.

Cars are to have their headlights on, even during the day,

until end of February,

getting dark early, the new “normal.”

Jerusalem More than Sukkot on Sukkot

October 23, 2016rjstreets

Intense.

Exhausting.

Sukkot are special,

we even found one in the fields of a moshav.

However, in Jerusalem, Israel,

there was much more happening.

Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing,

attracted tens of thousands as it does every year.

Not just on Wednesday morning,

but on other days of the holiday

thousands walked to the Old City,

and to the Kotel, the Western Wall.

This way or that way,

on Friday of Sukkot,

thousands of Jews and Muslims

were walking toward the Old City together.

The annual Jerusalem Parade again

attracted thousands of international participants

with thousands of Israeli spectators.

The feel-good event started in Gan Sacher,

Sacher Park. where flags and flowers lined the street.

The Israeli Museum held its annual Kite Festival,

but you had to provide your own wind most of day,

so we did not get to see the huge kites in the air this time.

The musical events seemed endless,

with way too many to list.

However, a few of them

we wished we could have attended include:

Chabad had Yishai Lapidot at the Great Synagogue,

and at the Yellow Submarine were

our friends Moshe Hendel and Zusha.

Every night of chol hamoed

a large show was staged at the Sultan’s Pool.

Also, those Simchot Beit Hashoeva with music and more

at homes, yeshivas and places too many to recount.

Then there were the fairs!

A street fair on Derech Beit Lechem,

had this unusual dancer/s.

The only carved pumpkin I saw this week was at the fair.

There was everything from carved vegetables

to live musicians and more.

Thousands turned out for the evening fun.

Another new fair was held at Mamilla Mall,

where the young and not-so-young could purchase

Israeli products at a Mini-Market set up in the mall.

First Station had its stalls ready to sell goods.

For holiday tourists,

Octoberfest beer and food were also ready.

A parade of very different type,

Women Walking for Peace also ended

in Jerusalem, Israel, near the Prime Minister’s house.

Here four women are carrying a banner from the march.

Sukkot comes to an end with Hoshana Rabba.

Signs were up all week for classes

and all-night study programs

of all types and locations.

For those more into sport than study,

the Harlem Globetrotters were at the Sports Center.

I wanted to be sure that I had a photo of that sign

towering near the walls of the Old City.

And more sports,

new oleh and former NBA basketball star,

Amar’e Stoudemire came out to support charities

for his new Hapoel Jerusalem basketball team.

What next?

AniNation, an international celebration

of animation meets in Jerusalem, Israel.

I have no idea what that will be,

but first we have Simhat Torah.

Tonight the streets will be filled with thousands

celebrating, singing and dancing with the Torah.

Soon it will be after the chagim,

universities will begin their classes,

and children will go back to school and “normal.”

But first, for the last time for a while,

chag sameach.