Purim in Jerusalem – Page 2 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

11 Firsts the Week before Purim in Jerusalem

March 13, 2022March 13, 2022Sharon A

The time before Purim in Jerusalem, Israel, is usually filled with surprises, like seeing teens going to school in pajamas, children with painted faces, or adults dressed in costumes walking down the street.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met in the Kremlin with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week on Shabbat, which was certainly a first.

Firsts. Also, highs and lows filled the emotional rollercoaster week as we watched reports from Ukraine.

The official welcome for Israeli President Isaac Herzog on a state visit to the Republic of Turkey at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the official complex in Ankara was a significant first.

The Herzogs were hosted by the Jewish community on Thursday morning at the Neve Shalom Synagogue in Istanbul.

While at the Presidential Library in Turkey, accompanied by the First Lady of the Republic of Turkey, Emine Erdoğan, Michal Herzog gifted a number of Hebrew books to the library during the visit.

Certainly, there were other firsts in Turkey and the international scene, but now back to Jerusalem the week before Purim.

This was not the first visit of Mike and Karen Pence to Jerusalem. Three years ago as US VicePresident they received royal treatment. This time their visit to Hebron got more attention than to the Kotel, Western Wall. Former US Vice President Pence received an award from the Friends of Zion at the beginning of the week.

Pence with leaders of Western Wall Heritage Foundation

I never found out what video they were shown last time at the Kotel.

Karen Pence at Western Wall on visit to Jerusalem

But the photos of Keren Pence I took that day are still a favorite of mine.

For the first time, I got a good view of the Jerusalem Gateway Project from above with a look at how they are working around the old cemetery. The housing projects in the distance have expanded considerably.

2. First time I got a tour of the Jerusalem Report, courtesy of editor Steve Linde and the Jerusalem Post, and saw editor-in-chief, Yaakov Katz, at work in his office.

3. First time seeing the new art displays are back in Mamilla Mall.

4. The new Paris Fountain at French Square was revealed. It is not the same fountain, similar and larger.

The area will look very different than before, larger and with seating and landscaping. They started planting flowers today.

Twenty years ago, at this spot was the Moment Cafe, where a suicide bomber blew up himself, killing 11 people. Today a new residential building has been completed and the cafes have closed. Families have come every year to remember their murdered relatives and friends, with posters, flags, and memorial candles.

5. For the first time this year, a special box with spaces to hold 11 candles was in place. I have not seen that elsewhere and there are way too many of these memorial plaques at other terror sites.

Not a first, but unusual, to have thunder and lightning storms over the Jerusalem streets. Thanks to Facebook memories I saw in March, the weather extremes changing by the hour are an annual occurrence.

6. The lightning flashes are too fast to capture. However, this storm went on long enough for me to get a few shorts to make a stormy night video.

And from the video to get an image of one of the lightning flashes to share.

After the storm, Mamilla Pool was half-filled. Lovely photo, though a few minutes later I had to run home in heavy rain, not such a pretty picture.

7. I have seen several tourist buses, but this was the first welcome back sign in a very, very long time. Today I stopped to talk to a couple from Luxembourg with a tour guide and a group from New York City who had been here all week. The women were shopping before going home tonight.

8. Love signs are up along the walking/biking path at First Station

and this heart-shaped sculpture is now in First Station, moved from near the Jerusalem Old City Walls at Tzahal Square.

9. Who does not love those first buds and signs of spring?

Ok. Perhaps those suffering from seasonal allergies are not that excited. At least all the rain is washing away the pollen.

But oh the variety and colors lining the Jerusalem streets.

Even sprouting up from the ancient rocks, a favorite sign that winter is waning.

These purple ones are very common to see on many Jerusalem streets.

10. But this was the first time I saw a sign for ‘Purple in the Armon’. The south has the Darom Adom, Red South for fields of red wildflowers. The Jerusalem event is to promote the local hill filled with purple lupines.

But Purim? Not new, the Hansen House has hosted continuous events and plans for Purim, and on Shushan Purim, it sounds like a place to stop and see.

These new signs at first I thought were for Purim but later realized are for an educational conference in Jerusalem after Purim.

Also, signs are up for the sports EXPO held before the Jerusalem Marathon. It is back at Cinema City, similar to the EXPO before the races in October.

And, a nice winter view of the Knesset, which is now closed for a two months intercession, from the newly developed walking path.

11. And to close, another first. An RJS video recap of some of the sights and sounds on the Jerusalem streets of the last week before Purim.

More upcoming Purim events in Jerusalem – Purim in Disguise

Safra Square on Shushan Purim – Friday, March 18th this year.

Certain early events have already been postponed due to the changing weather. So check back next week for the real story of what happened on the Jerusalem streets for Purim.

You never know what you will find on the Jerusalem streets.

Jerusalem by Night and Day

March 6, 2022March 6, 2022Sharon A

How was your week?

I found following the news, this past week has been more challenging than usual. It is hard to figure out what is real and what is fake news. Old images from video games were posted as current events in Ukraine, plus not knowing what will happen next. It is just so unbelievable.

Last week RJS shared the photo of the former Putin Pub a few hours after the name Putin was removed from the popular Russian bar on Jaffa Road.

Today, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the third conversation between the two leaders in the past day. Bennett took a flight to Russia on Shabbat to meet with Putin and took Zeev Elkin along to translate.

No way I would dream to predict what will happen next, but I will share what happened last week in Jerusalem, Israel, that you probably missed due to the world situation taking over our hearts and minds.

The new lights on the Jerusalem Great Synagogue brighten it at night.

I was on my way to the Yeshurun Synagogue where a special service was being held in memory of Esther Pollard z”l.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion was one of a long list of speakers. The entire program was broadcast live and available on YouTube. It was in Hebrew, but Jonathan Pollard spoke at the end in English.

Jonathan Pollard rose from his seat to shake hands with the Mayor.

The synagogue main hall is one of the larger venues in Jerusalem.

The same night, also off of King George Street, was the second week of this year’s Shaon Horef.

The Winter Noise street festival was held on Shatz Street this week.

Again with video animations on buildings and live music, food and drink.

But what was special this winter night was the grand opening of the renovated Gerard Behar Centre and Beit Ha’Am.

There was a silver-studded doorman on the red carpet.

And a golden ballerina inside where invited guests were munching on fancy hors d’overves being passed around on platters in the lobby.

A very exciting event for Jerusalemites and visitors, there’s now a well lit parking lot on the adjacent Menora Street. How long was this street off of Ussishkin Street impassable as a construction site?

Also, this week at the Isrotel Orient Hotel, was the renewed regular meeting of

The Jewish Agency Board of Governors. In the past I had always attended at least one session. The Jewish Agency staff in Eastern Europe is working overtime with the Ukrainian/Russian crisis. This year the Jewish Agency governors were too busy to have meetings open to the media. They still have not selected a successor to Isaac Herzog to be the new Chairperson.

The visit of the new Chancellor in Germany to Jerusalem was a much more public event. Most of his short visit was spent at the King David Hotel on King David Street.

When Bennett met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the hotel for a press conference and lunch, security was very high.

After Scholz left, the German flags were still lining the Jerusalem streets, but the armed security personnel were no longer posted on the street corners along the route of the motorcade.

As I mentioned last week, it was good to see people out along the walls of the Old City and tourists back on the Jerusalem streets.

Paris Fountain came back this week, but construction is far from over.

The Jerusalem Marathon signs for the March 25, 2022 races are hard to miss. Runners can be seen training for the Friday morning run all over town. Should be interesting to see what happens as March 25 is also the day when the clocks change.

The weather is also up and down, cold and wet, hot and sunny. But a new Spring Festival in Jerusalem, Eat & Show, has been announced on Jerusalem street signs.

Of course, if it’s after Rosh Chodesh Adar, Purim preparations are well underway. Purim for families in Jerusalem is a list too long for now.

Celebrating Purim on Friday again is not my favorite thing.

However, I did put a few favorites together in a short video to share some of the highlights of this past week, from quiet parks by day and dynamic music and dance by night.

The skies are finally open again.

Take care and hope to see you soon on the Jerusalem streets.