Lag B’Omer photos – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Life goes on in Jerusalem, for Lag B’Omer and Future

May 14, 2023May 21, 2023Sharon A

Another week in Jerusalem, Israel, where it’s hard to know where to start and what to share–so much was happening on the Jerusalem streets.

Yemin Moshe was as usual in the spring – picture-perfect.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is First-Station-Lag-Austin-046-2-1024x588.jpg

The International Writers’ Festival was again held across from the Old City Walls in Mishkenot Shaanamim.

The annual festival began on Sunday night with an introduction to an international writers’ group. PEN – Poets, Essayists, Novelists, which was founded in London in 1921.

It has spread to more than 100 countries, with a stated aim of supporting the unhampered transmission of thought within and between all nations.

Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Jennifer Egan, former PEN President, was one of the speakers at the opening event.

The 2014 Sapir Prize winner Rami (Reuven) Namdar led one discussion group. The Sapir Prize is the largest literary prize awarded in Israel.

The Writers’ Festival meetings in Jerusalem could not find a more historic or lovely location than Mishkenot Shaananim, next to Yemin Moshe.

Another special international guest in Jerusalem was the President of Kenya William Ruto. Kenyan flags were flying outside Beit Hanasi for his official arrival ceremony and state dinner with the President of Israel.

The past week included Lag B’Omer, the Israeli day associated with fire.

Some families started early with their fires on Monday night in the park.

As others were arriving, with every kind of wood to burn and food to cook.

The smoke rose from these bonfire sites before dark.

And more wood was on the way, to keep the fires going.

Over the years, I have repeated, there are those who love Lag B’Omer and those who go inside and close the windows. I went in again this year.

But Lag B’Omer is also a big family day of celebration for children, as it’s an Israeli school holiday.

Chabad Lag B’Omer parades were held in several Jerusalem locations.

Lag B’Omer in Meron is still the main Israel event.

But this year with the Meron site limited, a Lag B’Omer celebration was held in Jerusalem by an organization called the Rebbi Shimon Foundation.

As men continued singing and dancing, after men had poured oil to ignite the fire, it spread to the table holding the bonfire.

Water from a garden hose saved the day, and the party continued into the night inside the new party location.

While all this was happening, in the space above, we were enjoying a Lag B’Omer wedding. Lag B’Omer is also a day filled with weddings.

This one went as planned, however, many southern weddings had to scramble to find new locations with Gaza rockets being fired into Israel.

On Wednesday, in Kfar Batya, near Ranana, again questions of safety arose, for the groundbreaking ceremony of the new AMIT educational campus.

With a few changes, moving the event to be close to shelters in case of an alarm, the long-awaited and exciting program went ahead.

I heard the boom of an Iron Dome missile interception not too far away.

But it was on with the show – Dare to Dream.

An example of Israeli resilience, Nurit Davidi, principal of AMIT high school in Beer Sheva, the wife of the Mayor of Sderot, came and participated in the program while her town and family were under rocket fire.

Lag B’Omer is over, and signs are up for the new Jerusalem musical events.

But, notice the blue sign at the bottom with red for May 12th in Jerusalem.

On Friday hundreds of cyclists rode around Jerusalem, starting from First Station and along Jaffa Gate for rides of different distance routes.

Writing and weddings, fires, and riding not for you?

How about trying the newest tourist attraction in Jerusalem?

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is First-Station-Lag-Austin-044-2-1024x478.jpg

Look closely and see the brown line across the bottom third of the photo.

It’s the new suspension walking bridge across the valley from near the Mount Zion Hotel to the Mount of Olives.

Or you can walk and go at your own pace, and enjoy the old and new of Jerusalem on a Jerusalem Photo Walk.

Hope to see you on the Jerusalem streets soon.

A Day in Jerusalem: What you did not see

May 22, 2022May 22, 2022Sharon A

When sand fills the air it’s a good time to shut the windows and stay off the Jerusalem streets. It’s not a pretty picture as the dirt blows in and covers everything on any day, especially on Shabbat.

However, earlier in the week, it was a very different story.

Monday morning, the sky was blue, the roses bright red, and the menorah across from the Knesset was surrounded by lush green foliage.

Even though I was in a hurry, I took the time to stop, appreciate the scene and take a quick photograph.

A Knesset security guard came over to question what I was doing. However, I was able to point and say how pretty, and he did not stop me.

The red carpet was out. Not for me, but for the President of the Austrian National Council. I could see the drums and tuba ready for an official musical band welcome, but I was on my way to a meeting inside.

First time back inside the Knesset in over two years, and getting permission to use my camera was an exciting way to start the day. The Knesset Israel Victory Caucus met to discuss the security situation of the past year.

Thanks to photographer Mike Katz for sharing his photo with me of the new style tee-shirt, which I missed when I stepped out for a few minutes.

Incitement to terror has increased, what to do to stop it is the question?

The official car of Austrian National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka was parked as I was leaving the meeting which went longer than expected.

I say moving to Jerusalem has been an education in international flags.

I passed a tour group at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory. The natural roof was not green this time as in a 2019 post.

Next to the Bird Observatory, the cemetery, across from the Israeli Supreme Court building has become a popular attraction with busloads of men and women coming to pray at the grave of the Zvhiller Rebbe.

However, at least one man was able to find a quiet moment to reflect.

I was rushing over to the new Nefesh BeNefesh Campus for the first annual Mental Health Expo, special for English speakers. Attended by 1600 people who took advantage to speak with dozens of participating organizations.

The lecture room was filled for Dr. David Pelcovitz’s talk. I had to push my way into the standing-room-only crowd which spilled into the hallway to take a photo. It was the most crowded room of people I have seen in over two years.

It was a beautiful day to be out and walk in Jerusalem. The new path in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, was lined with new colorful flowers.

The new sign was up for the Kraft Family Sports Campus.

And the Ninja section at the park was filled with religious girls in long skirts excitedly trying out the exercise equipment.

Amazing the Jerusalem of contrasts, the new park area, and the old buildings as they were decades ago in disrepair adjacent to each other.

I passed this dumpster and wondered how long those wooden pallets would remain?

With Lag B’Omer approaching, all the wood along Jerusalem streets was being collected for upcoming nighttime bonfires.

The Jerusalem Book Forum and International Writers’ Festival were back again with local and international writers and publishers attending the opening events at the Jerusalem YMCA.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion was present to award the Jerusalem Prize as he did in the last festival held in 2019 to Joyce Carol Oates.

This year’s winner British author Julian Barnes was not able to attend but appeared in a video.

It was fascinating to hear a speaker from Germany say how he felt safer now walking the Jerusalem streets than the streets in Europe.

One featured writer was Joshua Cohen, author of “The Netanyahus: An Account of a Minor and Ultimately Even Negligible Episode in the History of a Very Famous Family” which won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

All that was on a day the media focused only on conflict.

Wednesday night, Lag B’Omer fires burned well into the night.

The piles of wood were prepared and piled high by thousands who partied all night long in Jerusalem. Musical performances went on in many locations until the early morning hours.

I tried watching online, but wonder if Meron Lag BOmer celebrations will recover any time soon after last year’s tragedy?

While there is a government crisis (almost daily?) and troubles abound, this week I preferred to walk during the day when the sky was clear and the sun shone and admire the flowers along the Jerusalem streets.

The plans for Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, reunited for 55 years are well underway. From May 26 to June 2, 2022, Jerusalem is celebrating with 9000 flags and 42 km of flag chains hung along the Jerusalem streets.

Yes, there is much more happening in Jerusalem that does not attract headlines. What next? How about a parade for over 60-year-olds?

In the Jerusalem Cinema City where the Mental Health Fair was held, I saw these two women sitting, one Muslim and one Jewish. Not what you saw on your TV sets at night, but what was happening on the real Jerusalem streets.

It was May 16, 2022. Nakba Day in Jerusalem, Israel – what you did not see.