Old City

Jerusalem Getting Back to Normal

Sharon A

People are slowly coming back onto the Jerusalem streets, like bears emerging slowly from hibernation, lumbering up from deep in their caves.

Recognizing friends you have not seen in over a year (or was it two?) whose faces are hidden behind a mask is not so easy. But what a pleasure it is to reunite and speak to people in real life, rather than via a computer screen.

Weddings with bubbles and brides! What could be better this week? Albeit with caution and held outside, but celebrations are back, better than last year and with anticipation and enthusiasm.

Organized tour groups have returned to the Jerusalem streets.

The Kotel (Western Wall) train is back in business.

Not your usual train tunnel

or usual train track,

but the Kotel train, love it or hate it, is back on the Jerusalem streets.

Inside and even outside the walls of the Old City, photoshoots for bar mitzvahs and other celebrations are common again.

Shopping at Mamilla Mall? Masks are needed inside stores, but not outside.

The cats are not back, they never left the Jerusalem streets. Need at least one cat photo, here in the new parking lot in the Armenian Quarter.

Parking in Jerusalem has never been easy, but these workers found a convenient spot on the sidewalk near the construction area at the Paris Fountain.

Remember the parking lot at Shaare Zedek hospital that opened up and swallowed cars? Repair work has progressed, but the area is still not back to normal.

Construction outside the hospital parking area is only part of the story.

The work on the new Route 16 nearby is extensive.

Mountains of dirt are being moved, and

tunnels are emerging from underground.

On the other side of Shmuel Bait Street, there is more huge equipment.

Part of the mountain is gone to make room for new lanes of traffic.

A whole new scene awaits when you return to these Jerusalem streets.

As mentioned last week the Jerusalem Marathon is back!

The Sports Expo returns for two days, October 26-28, at a new venue in the Jerusalem Cinema City, before the Friday marathon races.

Will the new children’s playground at Sacher Park be ready in time?

Participants will see new buildings in the city center as they run by.

The Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference is to be held at the new The Museum of Tolerance building. Last year it was held online.

Israeli President House lunch for German delegation in Jerusalem Israel

Andrea Merkel is back again. Three years ago this was the table set for the German Chancellor at a special lunch at Beit Hanasi, with then-President Reuven Rivlin and Israeli Nobel Prize winners. This time no media, private lunch for two, but I did see her motorcade leave.

The First Station parking lot has been full at night. People are back in large numbers. But, the winter igloos have popped up for those who still need more time in a cave and are not ready to party in crowds.

Here’s to celebrating, coming back, and enjoying life.

Hope to see you soon on the Jerusalem streets!

Tel Aviv and Jerusalem Under Attack

Sharon A

Oh, Jerusalem!

Jerusalem, the center of the world.

Jerusalem, Israel, the center of world attention.

Thanks to rockets from Gaza, more people heard of Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, this year – which was interrupted as multiple incoming rocket sirens blasted warning over the Holy City.

But I was in Tel Aviv near a quiet park this Yom Yerushalayim

where the flowers were blooming.

The Tel Aviv food delivery men rode bikes, not motorcycles.

The bus stop images and ads were not the same in Tel Aviv,

even the street libraries look different to those in Jerusalem.

But then…

The Tel Aviv street cafes filled the night before with diners enjoying the pleasant evening weather, under threat of rocket fire, were deserted on what should have been a busy night.

My pleasant loft rental had no bomb shelter, so this was the safest spot to take pillows and blankets for two nights of sirens and loud booms.

However, a favorite sight in Tel Aviv was the new shuk, as three window washers were at work cleaning the large panes of glass even as rockets were being aimed from Gaza.

Back in Jerusalem, after Hamas and PIJ fired over 4,000 rockets and internet sources stirred up masses, there were reports of riots on the Temple Mount. “The hudna (cease-fire) is only temporary and conditional,” was shouted over social media “and we are raising our head in this city and saying to everyone: you must always protect our holy places and our mosque.”

Finally, on Friday afternoon, I had a chance to go see what was really happening in the Old City of Jerusalem.

It was quiet. A few yeshiva students were arriving, no one else.

Security near the Jaffa Gate entrance to the Muslim Quarter and Arab shuk, was not as I expected – at times no one appeared to be watching.

An Arab woman was shopping as usual in Mamilla Mall.

The Jewish Quarter was very quiet, way too quiet.

It was not a good day for this vendor with his table set on the steps down to the Kotel, Western Wall, where the elevator construction has begun.

The Friday afternoon at the Kotel crowds were missing.

The newly resurfaced plaza area empty except for two security officers.

Corona divisions have been removed, so there was plenty of room in the men’s section, on the sunny, but not too hot afternoon.

Have we ever seen so few women at the Kotel on a Friday afternoon?

The remains of the tree set on fire by Muslim firecrackers was still visible

But a sorrier sight was the empty roads below at the gates of the Old City.

The Armenian way so often bustling with a stream of cars, had no traffic.

One vendor was open, but there was no business from passing tourists.

Reports of rioters and trouble, and the Old City streets were empty.

The safety door of this Armenian convent building is a physical reminder that Jerusalem has had many attackers over the millennia.

Like the dragons’ teeth used decades ago for security in previous eras.

The Walls of the Old City were built to keep invaders out of Jerusalem.

So folks, on Friday afternoon, I could not find those riots which scared people away. Israeli security was out and around, but appeared relaxed.

In these upside down times, it is hard to know what to believe or think.

Of over 4,000 rockets from Gaza aimed at Israel, hundreds landed in Gaza.

How many caused damage and death to their own we will never know.

You will see the sad emotional photos of cement terror tunnels and military buildings destroyed in Gaza by big bad Israel.

But also know the Gaza that you don’t see that my friend shares on Twitter.

The latest “mini-war” is over. Though does anyone assume there won’t be another one in the future as Hamas rearms with the humanitarian materials once again sent to rebuild?

Hamas spokesperson Bassem Naim claimed to Sky News that international law does not apply to them – they can fire rockets from civilian areas & target Israeli civilians.

In the past 15 years, we have had Summer Rains, Cast Lead, Pillar of Defense, Protective Edge, Black Belt and Guardian of the Walls. What name will the computer generate next time? (They do sound better in Hebrew.)

Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem, with corona slowly becoming a memory, let’s hope the Israel Festival is the first of many Jerusalem events to return.

Time to go back to complaining that Jerusalem is one big construction site.

Which streets will be closed next, after they finish King David Street?

Oh and will there be a new government or 5th election?

The only thing that seems certain now – President Reuven Rivlin’s term is over very soon. Either Yitzhak Herzog or Miriam Perez are in the running for the position to be voted on by the Israeli Knesset.

Stay well out there.

Hope to see you all soon on the Jerusalem streets.

How Many Jerusalem Sights Do You Recognize?

Sharon A

If you have not been to Jerusalem, Israel, for the past year, you are in for big surprises when you return to the Jerusalem streets!

Jerusalem on Rosh Chodesh Nisan 5781, is not as you remember it. You will not recognize many of the Jerusalem streets as they emerge from coronavirus lockdowns and closings

Today a new initiative was announced by the Mayor’s Office,  “ברוטינה” or ‘Be’rutina” as in return to routine. Hundreds of thousands of shekels will be invested to help revive the local cultural and creative scene and promote internal tourism by Israelis, as the airport is still closed to foreign nationals.

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It’s spring and feels like it today. Beginning on Rosh Chodesh Nisan there is a special blessing to say when seeing the budding fruit trees.

Last week, Jaffa Gate was open as COVID-19 restrictions lessened on Sunday.

People were at the Orient Hotel this week.

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The doorman was back at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. He would not let me inside, but was happy to pose for a photograph.

Banks are closing and moving online, and here on Palmach Street, a new supermarket is on its way. However, it remains to be see seen just how cheap it will be.

The carousel was turning again at Takhana Rishona, First Station.

The kiddie train was on the track with people and bikers on the path.

Sports and Culture Minister Chili Tropper spoke at the Run 4 Afikim start before runners left from First Station on the charity run to Eilat.

Benjamin Netanyahu hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. The Czech Embassy opened an office in Jerusalem and they discussed vaccine distribution.

The Ivory Coast property is still available if any country is interested.

Cafes in Mamilla Mall had lines of customers again on Monday.

Even the tourist train was running again as the Old City opened up.

School groups were touring and learning about the Jewish Quarter.

By the Kotel, Western Wall, dividers kept the still-limited numbers of worshippers allowed for prayer services apart. Thousands were coming during the whole day on Monday.

This is one of the new water fountains for washing hands. There was also a new row of taps for drinking water installed near the restrooms,

Restoration work on the stones of the Western Wall is still underway. I keep watching that scaffolding as it moves from one location to another.

On Monday, there was one bar mitzvah celebration after another, all day long with music and balloons and festivities. It felt like the good ol’ days.

Workers on the major building project in the Armenian Quarter should send more customers to this small shop nearby. The Old City shops were shuttered for so long, it will take time to recover.

Jaffa Road cafes were busy, with chairs lining the Light Rail tracks.

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The Light Rail stops were filled with passengers waiting for the next train, as people converged upon Jerusalem’s central shopping area.

When tourists return to Jaffa Road they will not recognize the area. Look up, and tall buildings tower over the Machane Yehuda Market , the shuk.

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At least the piles of ripe strawberries look familiar in the shuk.

It was announced that Paris Fountain in France Square is getting a major makeover.

This is the simulation published by the Mayor’s Office last week.

Near the Jerusalem Theater, Chopin Street is open to traffic at last. It will take a while for drivers to get used to the major changes.

And after all these years, the Ohel Nechama synagogue on Chopin Street finally got an elevator up in time for Disability Month in March.

The Hansen House has reopened with signs for ‘Spring in Jerusalem’. The gardens inside the gates welcome visitors, with masks and social distance.

More signs for the outdoor nature event are along the Jerusalem streets.

Multiple new children playgrounds have been developed over lockdowns.

Building and construction continued over the past year.

For the first time in a very long time, someone I did not know on a Jerusalem street asked me to take a photo.

It’s been quite an unusual year for sure!

Too many have been sick and died.

Certainly, not everyone is happy with the construction, as building new projects often involves the loss of smaller older buildings, like this Sephardi synagogue.

There was a lot happening on the Jerusalem streets and though some are getting a slow start preparing, excitement is building with anticipation of families together this year for Passover.

And oh yes, another election! Number four in two years on March 23rd.

Outside the Knesset Building they are preparing to count votes – again.

it would be nice if the next Knesset would finally pass a budget.

That’s it for now, though more was happening on Jerusalem streets.

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