How is This Passover Different Than All Others?

It felt like spring last week,

at times it even got hot enough to dry clothes.

Passover is a only week away.

There will be extra sanitation service

and special bins for burning Chometz will be out.

Every last bit of bread will go up in smoke,

 so that the windows will have to be closed.

But first,

everything from large plasma TVs and refrigerators are on sale,

Jerusalem photo, image Jerusalem

and as usual, all kinds of housewares can be found on the streets.

Passover food on display, Jerusalem photo

Dates, nuts and other holiday foods are everywhere.

Jewish wedding , Jerusalem street scene

Now is the time to get married before the holidays,

Jewish wedding, Jerusalem photos

although not everyone seemed so excited at this outdoor chuppah.

The Mea Shearim (100 Gates) neighborhood was always on

our ‘must do shopping list’ when we came as tourists

so I decided to go to see what was new for Passover this year.

The area which used to have beautiful art work for sale,

photos of rebbes, Jerusalem street  scene

 now is big on photographs of rabbis,

picutre of rebbes, Jerusalem street scene

some very big ones indeed.

pashkevillim, posters in Mea Shaerim

As always there were pashkvilim, the red one announced a big fair.

pashkevilim., Jerusalem street photo

This man’s job is to put up the new announcements,

posting sings in Mea Shearim

impressive how quickly he works.

poster against IDF, Jerusalem street sign

The ultra-orthodox community is not too pleased with the 

 proposed changes in the laws on army service and it showed.

poster against Yoir Lapid

Which is worse for this generation: Yair Lapid or an iPhone?

Jerusalem street scene,

Everything from new bikes

Passover photo, image Jerusalem passover time

to a coat of fabric looking like a piece of matzah,

Passover covers, Matzah cover photo

and new designs of matzah covers were out on the street.

This is the busiest season for retailers.

Thousands of visitors arrive annually during the week before Passover.

Jerusalem streets are packed with rental cars and tourist buses.

But this year President Obama has decided to pay a visit to Israel.

Many streets will be blocked.

Hundreds of cars will not be allowed to park in their usual spots.

US flag, #ObamainIsrael

US flags are ready and flying along the Presidential route.

This year, the week before Passover should be like no other.

#ObamainIsrael

8 Things that Won’t Make Headlines

Everyone loves pictures of Jerusalem covered in white, 

but there was no snow today, even though

refrigerator thermometer

 it was cold enough to use a refrigerator thermometer inside.

When the sun shines…it is time to go outside and warm up.

While walking around Jerusalem today, I found 8 things 

that won’t make the headlines.

1. Bikur Cholim Hospital did not close as was threatened

and babies are delivered there by the thousands.

Mea Shearim Street, Jerusalem

2. On Mea Shearim Street,

there were puddles on the sidewalks, but buses were running in the streets.

3. Traffic backed up on this side street long enough

for people to stop honking and  get out of their cars to look.

The problem…a delivery of toilet paper around the corner.

Segway

Perhaps the guys on the Segway have a good idea?

Mea Shearim Street, Jerusalem

4. There was no sign of separate 

sidewalks,

for anyone,

but some signs were gone.

5. Pink laundry was hanging out to dry,

 demonstrating that not all Mea Shearim clothing is black.

However, long black clothing can be attention grabbing too.

Arab women

6. It’s sale time in Mamilla Mall

Arab Women shopping

and as always…Muslim women shop.

7. Small children still walk home from school alone.

birds

8. Flocks of birds enjoy Jerusalem everyday.

But one thing sure to make headlines…

new bus routes in Jerusalem

  the new bus routes that begin on Friday the 13th.

Terror Triumphs

Mea Shearim, an ultra-religious Jewish neighborhood over a hundred years old,

is a popular tourist stop and shopping center.

When you turn the corner

from Strauss Street,

you enter another world,

where Pashkavillim, not the internet provide the latest news.

On Mea Shearim Street discounted books can cause an instant crowd to gather.

For over a year the Or Chaim Bookstore on Mea Shearim Street

has been the target of repeated and increasing terror attacks.

This English modesty sign now hangs outside as a result of  those  assaults.

Metal doors, security, and police did not protect the owners from the thugs,

who vandalized the store and threatened the owners for over a year.

A group called Sikrikim,  extremists who want to control women’s dress and

 to decide which books are appropriate to sell and to read.

However, in store

after store,

after store,

after store,

after renovated store on Mea Shearim Street,

  no such modesty signs were posted today.

 Feldheim bookstore had the sign in Hebrew only.

Despite unending major building and renovation,

 and unwelcoming signs

 posted at the entrance to the neighborhood, the tourists still keep coming.

A few violent people caused The Or Chaim Bookstore’s shades to be closed,

so from the street no one can see they sell English books.

The damage caused by the Sikrikim was NIS 250.000 (over $65,000) ,

forcing them to give in.

Now they have the signs up.

They will not sell books the Sikrikim disapprove of.

Terror has triumphed in Mea Shearim…