Jerusalem Riding the Waves of August

Jerusalem Riding the Waves of August

From Jerusalem, there is good news and bad news.

Rollercoaster days with ups and downs.

Highs and lows with COVID-19.

Beautiful, happy weddings and sad, sad funerals.

Crazy times with closings and openings.

Yet 140 new Olim arrived from France.  We know that others are arriving daily without a big reception, to go into a two-week quarantine, before starting their new lives in their new home.

The seasonal international tourists are missing from the Jerusalem streets.

The Pianos Festival went online this year.

However, the seasons and nature are consistent.

Jerusalem Valley of the Cross

The days are growing shorter with the end of August rapidly approaching.

Gan Sacher in Jerusalem Israel

The well-watered grass in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park is ready for guests.

Jerusalem pizza truck in Gan Sacher

The Jerusalem Mayor’s office announced the removal of public telephones. But Jerusalem has added food trucks in various park locations. Friday morning, pizza was available in Gan Sacher.

Drive-in movies are being shown at the First Station parking lot. Regular theaters are still closed to Corona restrictions.

Shaon Horef, the Winter Noise Festival held on Jerusalem streets on Monday nights in February, got lost in the news of approaching novel coronavirus. Now Jerusalem is trying for Shaon Horef  on August summer nights with music and performances on various streets.

COVID-19 activity in Jerusalem Israel exercise in park

 

The parks are sponsoring Sport and Fitness for retired folks.

Among the other options are biking, flower arranging, yoga and Pilates, and Segway tours.

Family with a flying toy in Jerusalem park

Not sure who was having more fun here, the father controlling the flying toy or the kids who sat to watch.

Corona Hebrew advertisement for party for youth

Parties for the youth are planned in the Jerusalem parks.

Young couple meeting on a date in Jerusalem Israel park

And Jerusalem parks are, as always, perfect for a first date, another sign of this season.

The Jerusalem municipality has offered to host weddings at various scenic locations:

Tayelet Haas Promenade empty on Friday after terror attack

the Promenade at Armon Hanatziv,

I love Jerusalem in flowers.

the Bloomfield Gardens near the Montefiore Windmill,

Jerusalem Israel Bell Park in summer

and the Liberty Bell Park.  They are also some of my favorite Jerusalem locations.

Protesters sitting on Jerusalem street near the Prime Minister's Residence
Photo credit: Shifra G

Those noisy protests near the Prime Minister’s Residence continue.

View of Israel Museum Dome over Dead Sea Scrolls

The Israel Museum was closed for months but there is some good news there.

People standing outside the Israel Museum entrance in Jerusalem

 Museum galleries are scheduled to open this Thursday.  The employees protesting last week are to return to work.

Valley of the Cross in Jerusalem new landscaping

From a distance I noticed the all-black covering put on the back of city promotional signs along Hazaz Street, part of the black shirt anti-government protest.

Valley of the Cross new landscaping and flowers along exercise path

However, looking closer to the new landscaping along the street, there are new flowers emerging.

Friday afternoon in Jerusalem man selling flowers before Shabbat on street corner

This pink sign is one of the Jerusalem promoting tourism which were covered in black. But I took this photo to share a sign of normalcy. Friday morning flowers were being sold for Shabbat.

Jerusalem Israel sunset

The sun has risen and set.

Lime tree with fruit in Jerusalem Israel

The limes on the tree are growing and almost ready to pick.

Closeup on a rose in full bloom with small insect

I thought I had found a perfect rose for a closeup.

Only when I got home a saw there was an insect crawling on it.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon announced,”Following the global tourism crisis, we decided to advance the upgrade work and infrastructure related to tourist areas throughout the city. Upgrading King David Street is a complex upgrade project that affects transportation throughout central Jerusalem.”

The Israel National Library on Givat Ram announced, including their online sessions, will be closed for lack of funding.

Jerusalem Israel national Library building construction

But, construction on the new National Library is going strong. This is how the roof looked today.

Jerusalem Israel view from city center toward Old City

So there you have it, not all good, part of what’s happening on the Jerusalem streets this week.

I miss attending events at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence. The very restricted number of programs now are limited to the Government Press Office only, not open to those of us with GPO cards.

Israeli President on phone
Photo credit: Mark Neyman

Today President Rivlin spoke on the telephone with people who have requested help via the coronavirus hotline opened by Beit HaNasi.

Let’s hope we can all ride these waves safely.

Israel National Library Reveals Hidden Treasures

The National Library of Israel is located on the

Hebrew University Givat Ram campus,

Israel National Library

but how many have been inside,

gone up the stairs,

stained glass windows in Israel National Kibrary

 and seen its magnificent stained glass windows?

Until recently only a small select group of scholars,

 as few as 100 per year.

Last year, however, the number of visitors was up to 30,000.

inside National Library

How many went behind these closed doors?

On a recent press tour of the library, in the restoration room,

old paper needing repait

we saw an old page of text,

material to fix old books

and the materials used to repair delicate treasures,

image very old book in National Library

and old volumes from the past.

image digital screen with researcher reading

In the digital lab, modern technology is used to store

and analyze volume after volume.

We saw a few of the oldest hidden treasures:

very old illustrated megilah

this Megillat Esther, from 18th century Amsterdam;

very old text

Passover haggadah, 15th century Spain;

genizia item at National Library of IIsrael

a letter from the Afghan geniza, 11-12th century Persia;

letter by Martin Buber

Martin Buber’s original draft of “Ich und Du” “I and Thou;”

letter by Isaac Newton in Israel Library

a manuscript written by Isaac Newton;

image ancient manuscript

and this Kufic Quran from the 9th century.

While these invaluable treasures are locked up,

image people using library computers

the digital music room is open to the public and used daily.

The National Library is to have a new home,

where the public will be welcomed for free,

and the hidden treasures are to be displayed.

sign on site of new National Library of Israel

The location

New Israel National Library what will it look like

for the new building is not far away.

land where Israel National Library is to be built

It is to be across from the Knesset,

near the Israel Museum and Bloomfield Science Museum.

Construction will begin next year

on this site that was cleared of huge trees

which were replanted near the Jerusalem Zoo.

international book fair sign in Hebrew

Meanwhile, the Jerusalem International Book Fair 

is to be held from February 8- 12,

Books, books, and more books and more…