Jerusalem street photos

Check out Colors and Contrasts in Jerusalem after Passover

Sharon A

As soon as Passover is over, the Israeli flags start flying over the Jerusalem streets.

This year the roller coaster of emotion should be even sharper than usual.

More blue and white flags are seen over the Jerusalem streets than in the past.

All the Pesach, Passover food is gone.

One day the table was set for a holiday meal.

The next everything was upside down.

And the next day, everything was stored away until next year.

The Jerusalem cafes were filled and people were again sitting on the streets enjoying the weather and freshly baked cakes and breads.

Construction workers were back, blocking and hopefully one day soon fixing the Jerusalem streets.

The signs of summer and no rain with dried weeds,

add contrast to the colorful spring flowers.

However, the weather this time of year can and does change day by day with rain in the forecast.

Compared to what is seen in the media, life in Jerusalem is often a contrast.

Western Wall on Passover 2024 for Priestly Blessing

Over the week of Pesach, 500,000 people were reported to have visited the Kotel, Western Wall.

Today is Orthodox Easter and Christians are celebrating in the Old City.

A young Muslim couple finished their meal at the cafe where our business group met this week.

One sight at night in Tel Aviv was impressive, the building lit with not only an Israeli flag and “Together we will win” but also a yellow ribbon indicating the wait for the return of hostages.

New to the Jerusalem streets, posters with faces of fallen soldiers. Their families want Israel to not stop until Hamas is defeated so that their children’s lives were not sacrificed in vain. This group’s protest after Shabbat received much less coverage in contrast to a protest in Tel Aviv.

New signs are up over the Jerusalem streets for Yom Haaztmaut, Israel Independence Day.

“Our Independence is with our Unity” is a new slogan for year 76.

However, first is Yom HaShaoah, Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day, observed this year beginning on Sunday evening, May 5, 2024. At 8:00 pm a siren will sound.

Tomorrow at 10 am, there will be a two-minute siren in memory of the victims, not the same sound as an air raid siren, but one constant tone. Air raid sirens have a tone that goes up and down.

No one knows what will happen next.

However, if you walk along the Jerusalem streets and look, not down at your phone, you will see the beauty in nature. The contrast of new growth and colors as summer approaches after a winter of war.

It’s a good time to remember the traditional ending of the Pesach seder, “Next year in Jerusalem!”

How is this Passover Different than all others?

Sharon A

Passover, Pesach how is this Passover holiday 5784/2024 different from all others?

The new National Library of Israel was open and offered organized tours. This room is filled with unique volumes and ancient works in a modern technological setting.

There is an old colorful illuminated Haggadah used for Passover in the past.

This is the only surviving copy of the first Haggadah printed, in Spain in 1482.

There are also on display two printed in 1952 for the IDF. After 10,000 copies were printed, this secular version which removed Divine deliverance was suppressed at the last minute. Prime Minister Ben Gurion had them collected and destroyed, with only 20 copies surviving.

The National Library was not the only busy place over the holiday time, Mamilla Mall had new art pieces.

Extra security was visible in Mamilla Mall and at other popular tourist locations.

The sign near Jaffa Gate welcomed all with greetings for a Happy Passover.

Once again dozens of museums throughout Israel were open, including the Tower of David Jerusalem.

The Burnt House Museum in the Old City was also one open without an entrance fee.

It was good to be inside on the extremely hot intermediate days of Passover this year.

Despite the intense heat and security concerns, tens of thousands of people arrived Thursday morning for the Birkat Cohanim, Priestly Blessing at the Kotel, Western Wall.

The Kessim, Ethiopian religious leaders were easily spotted standing under their colorful umbrellas with a crowd of followers around them near the live cameramen and the stand for emergency medical care.

The women’s section was especially crowded in the few shaded areas.

However, people were standing in the sun on the rooftops all around the Western Wall plaza for the view.

One man found a quiet spot from the Aish building for a few minutes of private introspection and prayer.

The Chief Rabbis and dignitaries had their vantage point above the crowd.

This year at the end of the morning service with the Birkat Cohanim, special prayers were added for the safe return of the hostages and security in all of Israel.

The family of hostage Eliya Cohen had attended the service at the Kotel and were leaving as more people arrived by way of Jaffa Gate.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Pesach-Aish-Kotel-141-1024x859.jpg

Thousands of people kept coming and going all day and most of the night to the Old City of Jerusalem.

What was different this year was that the crowds were somewhat smaller. Some families who usually come did not. However, other families were in Israel many times, but their first time for Pesach!

This year a cloud hung over the festivities, wanting the hostages to be returned to their families so they too could enjoy the holiday of Pesach, of freedom from bondage.

Everyone is concerned for the safety of soldiers and civilians both north and south and civilians, under constant rocket fire.

More images posted on Facebook HERE

The Haggadah reminds us each year, that enemies arise, but ends with “Next year in Jerusalem!”

Hoping next year to welcome you all to the Jerusalem streets.

See What’s Happening in Jerusalem – 6 months since October 7

Sharon A

April 7, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel.

Over the Jerusalem streets, the sun is shining. The weather is a bit cool.

Six months after the brutal murders of over 1,200 people in Israel by invaders from Gaza on the holiday Shabbat is still hard to comprehend.

However, while remembering that there are still 134 hostages captive in Gaza, we try to move forward. Under the constant shadow of war, with tens of thousands of people from the south and north unable to return home for the Passover holidays, with an uncertain future, struggling to be joyous in some fashion.

The new National Library of Israel (NLI) has become a popular site, especially impressive at night.

Included in the new video presentation for visitors with information is the quote, “If you have gone to the library a dozen times to look at the books, go once to look at the people.” – Martin Buber

I have not gone a dozen times yet, but even before it opened. and each time there is something new to see.

On Thursday night, I caught NLI Rector Shai Nitzan and CEO Oren Weinberg seated near the video having a conversation.

The Batim M’befnim, Open Houses Jerusalem, is an annual event, previously held at the end of October. As Mayor Moshe Lion welcomed guests at the NLI to the opening event, he mentioned the decision to move forward in the spring opening hundreds of locations to the public.

Open Houses Jerusalem used to be called Houses From Within.

I vividly remember one of my first experiences years ago when they opened the gates at Hansen House for the first time and had a tour inside. Oh, how Hansen House has changed!

The Mayor spoke briefly in Hebrew and English, for the benefit of leading Israeli architects and visiting international tourism professionals in the crowd.

The dairy food was presented inside in the lobby before the Mayor arrived,

and the dessert display outside was also photo-worthy and tasted as good as it looked.

An NLI tour was offered to various groups. I was in the white group, which was in English, and included international visitors from India, the US, and Italy.

The modern automated stacks of over 4 million books are impressive even when not in operation.

Across the small viewing room stands this relic, with a warning not to get close, a reminder of the library of days past, for my librarian and researcher friends.

Going out to the Jerusalem streets this week were lovely sights and signs of spring.

But the closed-off street near the Prime Minister’s home is making the headlines.

Closed hours before protesters, at least we could walk by Azza Street.

New large posters were calling for Unity Now.

And the better slogan, #LetThemGoNOW was on display over a major Jerusalem street.

This week I went on a press visit to Shefayim, in the hotel dining room where survivors of Kfar Aza are presently living, a table is set for their kidnapped members.

After months, some of the young families have been moved out of hotel rooms into small buildings made for them to have a little more space, as it will be a long time until they can return to Kfar Aza.

As we walked away from meeting the distraught family members of the kidnapped hostages, the fog was settling in, time for one more photo before heading back to Jerusalem.

I

n the National Library’s main reading room, the display for the Bibas family children draws attention.

But, after hearing Doron Steinbrecher’s mother’s anguished appeal to international media

and Gali and Ziv Berman’s brother speaking, I decided to share their photos displayed in the library again.

The world concern for Israelis held captive in Gaza must constantly be raised. It’s been 6 months too long.

April it’s spring!

The Jerusalem streets look to nature with music and workshops planned in parks.

Passover the holiday celebrating freedom is in two weeks.

Wondering how many visitors will fill the Jerusalem streets this year?