7 New Signs in Jerusalem

My father was born in the USA and served in the army during World War II.

  He would not let even a small item made in Germany into our house.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and her delegation of 16 German government ministers

just visited Jerusalem, Israel.

 Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed her with the words 

“Israel and Germany have a unique bond forged of tragedy and hope,

and a great friendship and cooperation.”

Then she was awarded Israel’s Presidential Medal,

a sign of how much things have changed.

2. Anyone who knows a 6-year old, kita aleph  first grader,

image table with food, photo food for party, picture decorated table

knows that countless tables with piles of food,

like this one in Heichal Shlomo,

are the reward for sitting through hours of presentations.

image sidur party, photo mesibat siddur, picture decorated cake

This artistic creation is a sign of a siddur party,

only one of this week’s many extravaganzas,

where new readers receive their first prayer-book.

image new bus line, photo bus Jerusalem, picture Israel bus sign

3. New bus signs were up on Friday.

Time will tell whether all the route and number changes are improvements.

But new #15 bus took us straight to bus station in minutes!

 There was another new sign near the bus stop.

image British defense , photo security in Palestine, picture  Jerusalem

4. The “pillbox” got a new sign.

picture riots 1936, Palestine photo, image palestine, picture Palestine

Please read it carefully.

In Palestine, in 1936, Arabs were rioting against Jews.

Long before the State of Israel was established,

the British built these to protect and defend themselves against Arab attacks.

The new Cinema City had its grand opening this week.

There was a small protest because it is to be closed on Shabbat.

image poster in Hebrew, picture of activites in Jerusalem, photo of Hebrew poster

5. But also, this sign with many new Shabbat activities was posted.

imag Jerusalem marathon, photo Jerusalem marathon, Picture Jerusalem marathon

6. New signs for the Jerusalem Marathon seem to be popping up everywhere,

especially along the route of the March 21st race.

7. And to end with my favorite sign of spring,

image red flowers, picture anemoes, photo re flowers

the spring flowers blooming in the Valley of the Cross.

All photos available for purchase.

Israeli Knesset – Hadassah Outside and What’s Inside

The Israeli Knesset is open to the public.

But getting a chance to join a tour

with the Jerusalem Press Club and get a behind the scenes look

 is hard to turn down,

especially when I can take my camera.

People behind bars?

image Hadassah strikers, photo people near fence, image hospital workers on strike

Yes-striking workers from Hadassah Hospital,

image protest, photo peaceful protest, picture Hadassah workers on strike

hundreds of them in the Wohl Rose Garden,

image Hadassah workers on strike, photo striking staff from Hadassah, picture workers in uniform on strike

demonstrating across from the Knesset.

Too bad PA leaders were not around

to see what a peaceful protest really looks like.

Image protest sign, Hadassah worker on strike photo, picture of striker holding sign

Problems have built up for years in the medical center,

and the complicated situation affects everyone.

The latest news – 90 day delay and staff is to get 90% of their salary.

image protest in Rose GArden, picture demonstration across from Knesset, photo Hadassah strikers.

Hadassah medical specialists are experts at saving lives,

not for organizing protest rallies that offer dramatic photo ops.

image Hadassah protest, photo Knesset, picture with Knesset symbol

The demonstration could easily be seen from the Knesset.

Hopefully a resolution will be worked out soon.

Hadassah is essential to everyone in the Jerusalem, Israel area and beyond.

With security it always takes awhile to get inside the building.

A year ago after elections, a paper poster with the members of the Knesset

with their photos was posted by the entrance doors.

There were so many new faces,

that the guards needed photos to show who should be allowed in.

image Knesset members, photo sign in Knesset with who is there, picture Knesset attendance

Now there is a screen which shows which of the 120 members

are present in the building and which are not.

The modern-day legislature has 120 members,

similar to the number of members of the Knesset Gedolah of ancient times.

image small meeting room, photo Knesset , picutre Knesset room

We got to walk around and

see some of the small meeting rooms and many works of art.

iamge Israeli prime ministers., picture Rabin , Begin

In one of many photo galleries, this one of deceased Prime Ministers of Israel,

a spot is ready for Ariel Sharon’s photo.

image Knesset, photo inside Knesset, picture Israeli Knesset

The view inside the main plenary is familiar to all.

image Israeli flag, photos Israeli flag in Knesset, picture Israeli flag

The room was packed when Stephen Harper,

the Prime Minister of Canada, spoke here recently.

But European Parliament President Martin Schulz and

 David Cameron, Prime Minister of Great Britain,

are to speak also, but with much less hoopla.

UPDATE: Seems Schulz’s remarks did get noticed after all!

And Cameron had to cancel due to floods in England.

Every Knesset member had a copy of the State Comptroller’s report at their place.

image Knesset seat, photo Knesset, picture inside Knesset

But a few had other reading material on their desk.

image Knesset seat, photo desk in Knesset, picture Israeli Knesset

I was glad to find at least one person is interested in the laws of shemita.

 There was Rav Rimon’s book on the laws of planting in the seventh year,

 but I could not clearly read whose name was on that screen.

The year is coming soon, last time in the cycle was a challenge.

image special synagogue, picture of shul in Knesset building, photo Kensset beit Knesset

The Knesset synagogue was on our tour,

but next time I really want to get a photo of the Muslim prayer room too.

image MK i

 MK Nachman Shai of Labor Party shared some of his views.

He had to leave to prepare his remarks,

as is the custom,

every Monday afternoon at 4:00 pm,

the opposition tries to “bring down the government.”

image symbol of israel, photo Israel image, picture of official symbol Israel

I guess he did not get a majority vote.

The present coalition government stands.

We are still here.

But Opposition is waiting to “ambush” at the right time of course.”

What a country!

Inspiration from Story of Esther Today

Yet another red alert in southern Israel!

Talk of SodaStream ads and photos of Scarlett Johansonn

have made headlines around the world.

But I want to share some photos of real women in Jerusalem, Israel,

 that did not make the headlines this week.

image prayer protest, photo prayer at Western wall, picture Al quds

Thousands gathered  on Thursday evening

image Kossel, photo Kosel, picture Al Quds

at the Kotel, the Western Wall,

image prayer at Western Wall, photo Western Wall, picture Kosel,

for a special service with silver trumpets,

with tehilim, psalms,  and prayers,

image man praying, photo man covering eyes. picture man praying

ending as the sun was setting with the Shema Yisrael.

image Uri Ariel, photo MK URi ARiel, picture Uri Ariel at western wall

Housing Minister Uri Ariel was one politician who showed his face.

But did you read anywhere

prayer photo, image women praying at western wall, picture women praying

that the women’s section at the Kotel was full?

image women praying, photo praying, picture women at Kossel

Thousands of women were

image kosel, photo Western Wall, picture Kosel

praying for the future of Israel.

Also, this week was the Jerusalem Conference.

Out of the ten Jerusalem prize winners awarded there,

Geulah Cohen was only woman to receive the honor.

image Jerusalem prize, photo Jerusalem prize, image Nafatali bennetnt, photo Naftali Bennet

  Avraham Duvdevani was presented a certificate by Naftali Bennett.

Interesting that younger attendees had never heard of Duvdevani

and his contribution to Zionism and aliyah.

Last year I thought the lively “discussions” were because it was pre-election season.

photo Israeli politicians, image Michael Ben Ari, picutre Avi Wurtzman

But, with Rav Yisrael Rozen in the middle,

 MK Avi Wurtzman and former MK Michael Ben-Ari had quite an exchange

over government funding for education and families.

image panel at Jerusalem Conference, picture Rabbi, photo Israeli politicians

The entire panel got involved,

image Ayelet Shaked, photo Ayelet Shaked speaking, image Ayelet Shaked

but when MK Ayelet Shaked got the microphone

image Ayelet Shaked, photo Israeli politicians, picture Ayelet Shaked,

 and started to speak, everyone quieted down.

We may have had the driest January in history,

but this week we had enough rain to make tires spin on wet streets.

image tent, protest sign, photo mother vigil

 The week- long Mothers say YES to Israeli Sovereignty vigil

  near the Prime Minister’s House started off on a gloomy, wet day.

photo Nadai Matar, picutre Arieh Eldad, image food at protest

But there were plenty of cookies and drinks as former MK Arieh Eldad spoke.

All week long there has been a schedule of speakers.

photo tent, image Shani Taragin class, picture women studying.

The sun was shining when Rabbanit Shani Taragin led a class.

image vigil, photo Mothers say Yes, picture vigal at Prime MInister's hOuse

Even a neighbor coming to complain of noise could not stop her.

In an amazing Torah class she talked of Esther and Vashti,

so timely as Purim is coming.

Every child has had a special day of fun this week in school.

 The story of Esther is one of taking action, not giving in to an evil decree,

of not obeying a monarch, and of our survival and hope for future.

And finally to end on a bright note, the strawberries that were piled high in 

the shuk, the Machane Yehuda market, were so red I had to stop and look.

photo shuk fruti, image strawberries, picture strawberries in market

Maybe John Kerry keeps coming back to get away from the snow in US

and because he loves the strawberries that are in season in Israel?

Yihyeh beseder.