Shimon Peres: World Leaders in Jerusalem, Israel

Usually the streets are busy on Friday mornings,

especially before an approaching holiday,

but in Jerusalem, Israel, this was no regular Friday morning.

streets blocked

Main streets were closed to traffic,

even some schools had to close,

as the main Route #1 into Jerusalem

was reserved for the personal motorcade of

US President Barak Obama.

The funeral for former President Shimon Peres

was not to be a usual funeral either.

The state funeral at Har Herzl

crowd at funeral

brought together an array of international leaders,

like Jerusalem or the world has ever seen.

Barak Obama at funeral

President Obama flew in and out of Israel

for the funeral in Har Herzl cemetery.

Funeral Shimon Peres

President Reuven Rivlin spoke

funeral Peres Benjamin Netanyahu

as did Prime Minister Netanyahu,

Bill Clinton Benjamin Netanyahu

 former US President Bill Clinton,

and current US President Barak Obama.

funeral Shimon Peres

The entire funeral event was live-streamed around the world.

kippa on heads of president Rivlin and Obama

Imagine all those world leaders wearing kippot on their heads,

Prince Charles and John Kerry

Prince Charles even had a special one,

not like John Kerry’s plain black style.

What will happen next as the old year 5776 ends?

Yes, it was not your usual Friday in Jerusalem.

so I had to share more than a simple Shabbat Shalom,

Mahahumd Abbas at funeral in Jeusalem

Was that Mahmoud Abbas shaking hands in the front row

in Jerusalem, Israel, today?

One thing for sure,

Shimon Peres proved that most anything is possible.

If you hang in there long enough,

you can become a president.

During Operation Protective Edge in 2014,

while Peres was still in office,

young children from the south were invited for

a fun day camp at Beit Hanasi,

the Israeli President’s house.

This clown put a dove on the President’s head,

Performers at Beit Hanasi put dove on hear of President Shimon Peres

those children should remember the moment forever.

Peres pursued peace, and for at least one moment

the bird of peace was truly upon his head.

A solemn day, but

I like to remember the great video recorded after his presidency.

Now it is time to prepare for Shabbat,

time to get back to “normal.”

שבת שלום

שנה טובה

Shabbat shalom

Happy New Year.

Israel’s President Shimon Peres

The day was sunny, clear and warm in Jerusalem, Israel.

image Knessest, sign in flowers

The flowers offered a colorful  ‘Welcome to the Knesset.”

The streets outside were unusually quiet.

But inside was a different story.

DSC_7212b Knessest building during voting for president

 With Israeli flags flying, there were three puffs of white clouds

over the Israeli Knesset building and

Reuven Rivlin was elected  Israel’s 10th president.

image Peres,

RJS was with outgoing President Shimon Peres

before his trip to Rome to see the Pope.

Pau Gasol and Shimon Peres meet.

Peres hosted basketball player Pau Gasol at Beit Hanasi,

the official Israeli President’s residence.

image Pau Gasol, photo Shimon Peres

The seven-foot tall Gasol plays for the LA Lakers,

but also was on the Spanish Olympic team

and presented Peres with this team shirt.

image Pau Gasol, photo Shimon Peres

Gasol signed the shirt as requested.

Though looking serious in this photo,

Shimon Peres made a few age and height jokes.

Then posed for an official photo

image Pau Gasol, photo Shimon Peres

with a mixed Arab-Jewish teen basketball team.

One thing for sure,

Peres’ staff had schedules which ran like clockwork.

Diplomats were leaving as the basketball players arrived,

and when we left another event was being set up.

image Peres

 RJS first close-up photo of Shimon Peres was on October 2009,

greeting the public at a Sukkah open house.

Shimon Peres and Jams Snyder at Israel Museum

Peres was in great form at the Israel Museum 50th celebration.

Receiving a photo of himself from the groundbreaking

50 years early had to be special moment.

At a conference in Jerusalem after leaving office,

Peres was talking about the human brain and its function,

and used the word “orgasm” instead of “organism.”

Any other politician would have made headlines,

only Peres could get away with such a slip-up.

image new bust of Shimon Peres in Presidential gardens

Shimon Peres is in the garden of Beit Hanasi, 

the Israeli presidential official residence,

the last in row of nine former Presidents of Israel.

No age jokes now.

Updated: September 27, 2016

after family called to hospital.

Pope Francis Preparations in Jerusalem

Pope Francis is on his way to the Middle East for a quick visit.

Before his arrival in Jerusalem, Israel,

image welcome sign Pope

signs have been posted in English

image pope

and Hebrew,

image pope visit.

lots of signs,

image Vaitican flags, photo Flags of Vatican

and lots of Vatican flags.

Tens of thousands of tourists are expected,

including hundreds of journalists and photographers.

image Skorka, photo Skarka

Rabbi Abraham Skorka from Argentina, is a close friend of Pope Francis

 going back more than 20 years.

They co-authored a book and anchored a TV show together

before Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio became Pope.

 Skorka was involved in planning this Papal visit

 to the Holy Land from its inception,

he said every detail has been carefully examined.

image Pope preparation, photo getting ready pope

The steps at Heichel Shlomo got a power wash,

while inside,

in the hall where the Chief Rabbis will greet the Pope,

image pope visit, getting ready for Pope in jerusalem

the current photo exhibit was carefully removed.

image pope visit, Heichel shlomo art

Special pieces from the Museum on the third floor were

 brought down just for the Pope’ s Monday visit.

On Monday parking will be limited.

Streets will be closed.

image president house Jerusalem

Security and barriers are already up at Beit Hanasi, the President’s residence.

Preparations are so extensive that one woman told me she was already,

all poped out.

But my favorite,

image preparation for Pope  visit

in preparation for the Pope,

Paris Fountain

image fountain

was having a bubble bath to get clean.

Last Papal visit in May of 2009,

pope in limo

I really wanted to see the Pope Mobile,

but Pope Benedict arrived in a regular limo.

Will be interesting to see what will happen this time.