Selichos

Jerusalem After Yom Kippur Getting Ready for Sukkot

Sharon A

Over the years “Yom Kippur is coming” has been an annual post for The Real Jerusalem Streets.

How was this year different?

I didn’t even remember to do a piece on the holiday approaching.

The umbrellas still stretch over Yoel Solomon Street, but fewer tourists walk under them.

This year the Yizkor, or remembrance of October 7 victims and hostages filled the Jerusalem streets.

Even on the poster for the various Selihot, there was one placed in the center.

On October 7, 2024, I walked into Jerusalem by the tent near the Prime Minister’s residence.

It was quiet on Day 367, but at night the area was filled with people.

Needing a bit of nature I found the new map of Geology of the Jerusalem Mountains.

You could see the large Israeli flag over the Knesset at half-mast from that vantage point.

In the outdoor garden at the National Library of Israel, the letters were impressive under the clouds.

Inside people were working as if it was a regular Monday.

But my goal was to see this video projection near the upper entrance of the new library.

To remember the murdered and fallen soldiers from October 7, too many faces.

At the lower entrance, those faces on posters on chairs with favorite books waiting for hostages to return. If you have not been – tours in English will run during Sukkot on Sunday-Tuesday (October 20-22).

  • Tour duration: approximately an hour and a half.
  • The group tour is suitable for ages 16 and up.
  • Price: NIS 50 per person over 5 years of age. Discounts are available for seniors, soldiers, reservists, and displaced families (identification required).
  • For more information about group tours in English and to buy tickets: https://www.nli.org.il/en/visit/tours/sukkot-tours

The restaurant will be open. A sukkah has been erected in the library garden for visitors.

For Sukkot “Poof Sipur” (“Bean Bag Stories”) for children ages 5 to 11 and accompanying adults is back.

Walking home on the path under the Israel Museum was a bit of hope for renewal – green growth under the trees and bushes in the seriously burnt area.

A Muslim woman walked alone along a Jerusalem street on October 7, and no one else seemed to notice.

Before Yom Kippur, the Israeli President hosted a Selihot program by the Beit Hanasi Synagogue with the musical ensemble of Yagel Haroush back again this year, coordinated by 929 organization.

In the Israeli President’s Residence back garden, the white chairs were lined up as in the past. Only the seats were filled with students and bereaved families instead of the many IDF uniforms in past years.

A bit of the powerful melodies of the Chazan during Selihot prayers.

I took a photo for you inside the Beit Hanasi Synagogue, which is not open to the public often.

However, at least one of the books on a small table looked well used.

This year the lead-up to Yom Kippur was filled with various October 7 memorial programs.

One event for fallen Israeli Police was held at the Friends of Zion Museum. In the first 50 hours of Operation Iron Swords, 59 police officers were killed.

Program moderator Dean Elsdunne, Spokesperson for Israel Police, supported and translated for the bereaved mother of Dan Ganot z”l, as she explained her new role to speak to school children about her son and the honor of police personnel.

The panel moderated by Avi Mayer with dedicated police who worked on and after October 7 was impressive. More to come on that soon, inspired by the stories they shared!

Walking home a new sign was up for Ushpizin – Sukkot begins Wednesday night October 16 – ready or not.

The Kings Hotel’s sukkah was ready for guests,

while the restaurant next door had the frame of their sukkah up before Yom Kippur.

On the Jerusalem streets, the few alert sirens of missiles approaching have not stopped the constant building projects.

The maze of construction for the light rail continues to confuse both drivers and pedestrians.

These Jerusalem street signs wish Shana Tova Jerusalem 5785.

May all have a better year!

As the Yom Kippur prayers ended – “Next year in Jerusalem”

And now – time to get ready for Sukkot and Simhat Torah.

In Jerusalem September Ends with the Sounds of Selihot

Sharon A

What a week this was in Jerusalem, Israel!

The Jerusalem streets are usually full of tourists this time of year as Rosh Hashana, the New Year, and the High Holiday season begins at the end of Elul into the Hebrew month of Tishrei.

People are arriving. But, only ElAl is flying and they are booked solid.

Cannot tell what will happen next.

But check out what happened on Jerusalem streets this week.

The view from the Tayelet shows Old Jerusalem, Mount Zion, and Mount Scopus in the distance.

But the view of the growth of Jerusalem is also evident, as the population of Israel grows to 10,000,000.

Where else do people arrive to visit and live as housing prices go up – during prolonged wars?

Since the outbreak of the war, around 853,000 tourists have entered mainly from (in descending order): the United States, France, the UK, Russia, and the Philippines.

The olive trees are full as the season changes and Jerusalem nights are cooler.

With war raging around, daily life and building in Jerusalem, there are new roads and tunnels.

Renovation on the old Knesset site for the new Knesset Museum is finally visible.

New outdoor lighting illuminates the Great Synagogue and Heichal Shlomo next door.

‘Uniting for the future’ was the theme of the Keren Kayemet – Jewish National Fund solidarity mission which opened on Sunday night at the Jerusalem International Conference Center.

Its themes are working for the future in education, rebuilding, and honoring heroes and heroines of the Iron Swords War which is ongoing.

I arrived early as did Dani Dayan, the chairman of Yad Vashem, one of many institutions affected by war.

Three hundred people came from around the world on this solidarity mission dedicated to rebuilding.

Involved in the program were victims of terror and loss. The siblings of fallen soldier Cpt. (res.) Shaul Greenglick, who was an aspiring singer, sang in the program.

It was a powerful program that hopefully inspired major givers to give even more.

Ending with a child from a southern community saying ‘Thank You’ for helping us re-light our hope’.

As October 7 approaches, multiple organizations, programs, and videos are appearing to tell the story.

Michael Dickson of Stand With Us spoke at the opening of the Faces of October 7 on Tuesday night.

Portraits by talented artist Benzi Brofman are on display in Jerusalem until the end of October.

Each life-like face is a person kidnapped or killed since October 7, 2023.

The entire Siman-Tov family was brutally murdered on October 7 by Hamas terrorists in their home.

The photos are exhibited with the family’s cooperation. IDF soldier Reef Harush’s parents were there, his father was one of the speakers. For Reef’s mother, it was too painful for her to look at the portrait by Brofman. Look into the bright eyes, in the photo in his IDF uniform in the center, and see her world lost.

With each image is the personal story of the person. What is overwhelming to me – this photo of Loris z”l was drawn in one hour during the afternoon before the opening by the talented Brofman.

Too much loss. Too many new graves this past year,

especially in the military cemeteries throughout Israel.

However – more is happening on the Jerusalem streets that is not sad.

The Jerusalem Design Week “The Ark” ended on Thursday night at Hansen House.

With lectures and talks along with the out-of-sight designs.

After Shabbat the Jerusalem streets were almost as busy as ever.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Selihot-5784-Erev-Rosh-Hashana-201-1024x461.jpg

As Rosh Hashana approaches in only a few days, there are fairs galore to support Israeli businesses.

It’s been a rough year for not only business but personal loss and longing on many levels.

Rachel Sharansky Danziger spoke at a book launch for “Az Nashir – We Will Sing Again: Women’s Prayers for Our Time of Need,” an anthology of prayers written by Jewish women in Israel addressing the unique experiences of living in Israel today in a post-October 7th world. 

Before Rosh Hashana in Jerusalem, the streets are filled with sounds of Selihot, and late-night prayers. At Yemin Moshe you can see the Old City Walls illuminated in the distance. One of many possible sights for popular Selihot tours each year.

The Solomon Brothers returned to do a musical Selihot with people standing all around.

At the Jerusalem Great Synagogue, Cantor Tzvi Weiss was singing in a very different style.

The men’s section was full this year to hear him accompanied by the choir directed by Elli Jaffe.

Thousands were at the Kotel, Western Wall, filling the plaza, as many past nights.

While thousands more at the Jerusalem International Conference Center to hear Yitzhak Meir again and at hundreds of other Selihot services as every year.

Colored holiday lights have appeared this week over the Jerusalem streets before Rosh Hashana.

I thought it would be nice to end with some of the sounds of the Solomon Brothers’ Selihot,

and share a few minutes of the Great Synagogue choir and chazan.

Shana Tov Jerusalem 5785

May all be inscribed for a good year.

Jerusalem Streets Emotional Roller Coaster of Prayer and Unity

Sharon A

Another week of rollercoaster emotions and war on the Jerusalem streets.

Sunday morning September 1, 2024, was the first day of school after long summer break.

You may have seen photos of protesters that the media loves to share.

But did you also see the tens of thousands of people each night after midnight for Selihot? The Sephardi tradition is to start late-night prayers from Rosh Chodesh Elul.

You can see how many people came to the Kotel, the Western Wall.

At night, the Prime Minister took to English social media to show a map of Israel in the Middle East.

As the night before in a Hebrew version, he highlighted the Gaza Strip and Philadelphi Corridor.

While Sunday morning was the first day of school, the usual excitement and photos were overshadowed by the dreadful news of the murder of six Israeli hostages in Gaza by Hamas terrorists.

Then on Monday afternoon, tens of thousands lined the Jerusalem streets with Israeli flags.

Flags large and small, on both sides of the road, along the route,

arriving from afar to line the way,

as the funeral procession for Hersh Goldberg-Polin went to Har Hamenuhot Cemetery.

Red shirts of his favorite sports team, many with his profile were seen along the way and at the cemetery.

Oh, what a contrast to the red flowers and bridal photoshoot minutes away.

Three brides dressed in white with families and photographers were in the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens.

Going for some quiet beauty in nature, and seeing wedding parties was a bonus on a dark day.

At night, the signs seliha asked for forgiveness for the hostages that were not brought back alive.

Interesting timing, I noticed also a poster for Avraham “Avera” Mengistu an Ethiopian-born Israeli crossed into Gaza on September 7, 2014. Ten years a hostage in Gaza!

With the start of Elul and the Sephardi Selihot, the Kesher Yehudi organization held an opening event.

Sivan Rahav Meir was on hand to support families of hostages still in Gaza.

Musicians Akiva and Yonatan Razel performed for the event before proceeding to the Kotel for selihot.

Rabbanit Yaffa Deri was also there to inspire and encourage the participants.

On Wednesday I took some time off the Jerusalem streets with the constant construction and noise and went south. The old Shmita signs are still up on some fields.

However, this pile of dried hay was interestingly piled up.

It was a quiet day when we were in Sderot with its decorated shelters, but in the north, there were 100 missiles/rockets at the same time. Without shelters, tens of thousands of Israelis are still forced from their homes and schools since October 8.

After decades under attack from Gaza, Sderot has new construction to keep up with the demand.

People arrive in Israel to volunteer and immigrate during a war, and people want to live in Sderot.

I finally got a better photo of the watermelon in front of the library.

Ironic, that the watermelon was there long before its use in a social media campaign against Israel began.

There are bomb shelters by the bus stops along the road to Sderot.

But also, kilometers lined with the Sabra Cactus plants.

On leaving Sderot is the AMDOCS building with a large blue and white banner.

Under the blue and white flag in Hebrew is – “Strong together.”

The week past saw Israelis united in mourning, now to maintain that unity to victory.