Please Wait a Minute Mr. Postman

Now that the latest annual Flotilla is another

#FlotilllaFail,

we can get back to more mundane topics

like the mail delivery service in Jerusalem, Israel,

which has been a topic of discussion lately.

automated post office

Some sleek autopost marts are around,

image post office in Israel

but for awhile this was the Jerusalem post office.

 I have been collecting photos of

Jerusalem letter carriers for years.

postman with mail

The only way to spot them is the navy bag over their shoulder.

mailman

Some carriers are young,

Israeli mail man

some are losing their hair,

Jerusalem post man

while others have dreadlocks.

Jerusalem mail delivered by female

This woman wore a long skirt.

mailman Israel

Red tee shirts were the thing for a bit,

Israeli mailman

and then there are the baggy shorts.

Mail service Jerusalem

There used to be more trucks and postmen around,

inactive mail boxes

but in May, local letter boxes were sealed.

Delivery of the mail has slowed down.

But just yesterday I spotted

mailbox jerusalem

these signs of activity

mail boxes Yemin Moshe

on two old post boxes.

Amazing, now if you want to mail a letter,

go to the Montefiore Windmill in Yemin Moshe.

Look for these newly active post offices

from the British Mandate period.

How is that for the ultimate in recycling

from the start-up nation?

Jerusalem: Business, Brains, Beauty and Start-Ups

Oh, well, I have been doing everything wrong.

When I started posting,

it was assumed that RJS was done by a man.

Being anonymous,

 I used to receive emails forwarded

from laughing friends, “Oh my, you really know him!”

To stand out, one must tell a unique story,

and that was this year’s theme at the

6th Temech Conference for Women in Business.

The first year I attended Temech,

I did not know anyone.

This year it was different,

it was wonderful to see so many friends participating,

and as always so many accomplished women speakers.

Mayor Barkat and temech

Mayor Nir Barkat spoke first in Hebrew

 and then in English to over 600 religious women,

all Israeli business women and entrepreneurs.

I admit that lunch was a real treat.

photo food

 For women who prepare meals day after day,

a delicious buffet, without cutting and chopping,

 is itself a mini-holiday.

However,

this day was about growing business

with many speakers and sessions.

BIRG: Basking in Reflecting Glory,

Rabbi Issamat Ginzberg

was the first tip from Rabbi Issamar Ginzberg,

whose Hassidic background and dress enables him

to stand out as an unique business adviser.

Issamar Ginzberg sitting with Aryeh Deri

Ginzberg sat with MK Arye Deri

Issamar Ginzberg and Moshe Gafni

and then with MK Moshe Gafni,

both speakers at the conference plenary.

Only Ginzberg actually sat for less then 30 seconds each time.

He must have counted on the abilities of this great photographer

to capture the moment.

A wise business tip brilliantly exemplified.

Another popular session was with Haim Walder,

a Hebrew writer who had lines of women waiting

to buy his books and talk to him.

Nir Barkat with book by Haim WAdler

Walder presented his book to the Mayor,

yet another example of business savvy.

There were piles of business cards on a special table,

Temech

including my new postcard.

However, taking inspiration from these examples,

I will share that I studied Chemistry and worked in

Biochemical research at The Rockefeller University

after graduating university with honors.

So this being start-up Israel,

I went to hear about VLX bio-med start up funding.

Quill illustration

What brilliant ideas inspired by nature.

Maybe basking in glory.

image Peptides

 but I confess that I did not understand most of the peptide lecture.

Brilliant ideas and creativity and innovation,

Jerusalem Botanical Gardens at sunset

and the beauty of the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens as the sun set.

Hundreds of talented, hard-working Haredi women,

ingenious Jerusalem bio-med start ups,

so what did you hear about this week?