StandWithUs

In Jerusalem many ways of giving and giving thanks

Sharon A

As we approach two months into Operation Swords of Iron, Jerusalem is slowly emerging from protected shelters to the streets, as the sirens warning of incoming rockets from Gaza have ceased.

Jerusalem of the City of Lions is roaring back to life.

New posters proclaim the City of Lions offers thanks to those who gave blood and offered assistance.

Schools have reopened with more blue and white and signs for the return of hostages.

Jerusalem also has given shelter to tens of thousands from the south and north who had to leave home.

People in Jerusalem have been giving mountains of clothes to those in need. Some families lost everything when forced to leave burning homes, lucky to escape and save their lives.

Here at one center set up by Chabad of Talbiyah upstairs in the Social Space, gives to those who need for free, more than clothes, most anything they need until they can go home.

From another Chabad house, a truck was waiting for donated food to take to soldiers serving in the Gaza border. The number of initiatives giving food would fill pages, including the Jerusalem Baking Batallion.

Also, the number of pop-up Farmers’ Markets in Jerusalem grows by the week.

Jerusalemites tend to buy more than they need to support the farmers and then have to figure out what to do with it all. We have enough avocado for every meal this week, but it is so good, no complaints.

Standing in lines waiting to pay, giving a little to help the struggling agricultural communities.

Also, too many fresh figs meant guess what cake for dinner?

And then another day and another location and another market near the public shelter.

The Tower of David Museum of Jerusalem is to hold a fair of artists from Jerusalem and from the communities of the conflict line from the north and the south who are hosted in the city.

The fair will be held before Hanukkah, on Friday, December 1st between the hours of 9:30 and 15:00.

Giving thanks, “Thankful & Grateful” was the theme of a special Thanksgiving dinner in Jerusalem.

Thursday night at the StandWithUs Center near the King David Hotel there was a meal hosted for lone soldiers and lone b’nei sherut (volunteers) who came from around the world to volunteer to serve in Israel.

Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and all the trimmings was served by volunteers from The Michael Levin Base.

The Solomon Brothers were back again playing American oldies to the greatly reduced number of Thanksgiving dinner participants, as so many lone soldiers were on active duty. But a Thanksgiving dinner-in-a-box was prepared for those on the front lines.

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan Nahoum and Stand With Us director Michael Dickson were smiling at the successful event. With them, was a dentist who came from the US, volunteering and giving dental care to those who need it. One did not have to be from the US to attend of enjoy the food and company.

A highlight of the program was a surprise guest from the US. James David Maslow has millions of followers on social media. However, when the musician/actor posted a pro-Israel comment after October 7 he received an astonishing number of antisemitic replies. With a few days free on his schedule, he took the time to come to Israel to give support.

The young people surrounded Maslow after he spoke. He took time to speak to them and take dozens of selfies. His Instagram posts were of the usual Israeli food and salads. But he also went to the south to report the situation from the standpoint of one who could have been on the stage at Nova where the massacre outside Kibbutz Reim occurred on the morning of October 7.

For dessert, there were donuts instead of pumpkin pie. Herby’s Bakery donated dinner rolls in the past, and this year gave boxes of donuts. Here a father who had arrived in the morning by plane from the US on Operation Hug agreed to pose with his lone soldier sons and a donut.

Hanukah is less than two weeks away with its sweet donuts, and it’s time to give thanks for what we do have, appreciate the miracles, and also, remember the fallen, captive, and injured.

There is a campaign in memory of fallen soldier Roey Weiser to post a photo on social media eating a donut with #donutsforroey. People and organizations have been posting photos on Facebook.

Sorry, I ate one too fast, so I shared the photo of the box before taking one of the plain glazed donuts.

Another sweet memory for educator and fallen soldier Yosef Chaim Hershkowitz, whose mother gave out chocolates after completing the shiva for her son.

Hershkowitz wrote to his students from the front, “There is no left, there is no right, there is no Haredi. There is a Jew!!!

Together we will prevail!”

Good must prevail over evil.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Hope to see you too soon on the Jerusalem streets!

Jerusalem: Days, Nights, and more Knights

Sharon A

After the last two years, Jerusalem appears to be getting back to life as we knew it. Crowds are filling the Old City in spite of the summer sun and heat.

The large number of visitors during vacation time means that getting a bus back to the city from outside the Kotel Plaza can be a challenge. People waiting (as seen here on the bottom right) have been known to pack on the city buses leaving the timid tourist behind.

Yes, this entrance to the Kotel plaza really was closed, temporarily to enter from the Jewish Quarter. I tried to warn people not to head down the stairs.

This was the main entrance to the Kotel, Western Wall the afternoon I went last week along with hundreds of others.

In spite of the number of visitors, the egalitarian section which is shaded from the blazing sun was nearly empty, as usual.

The main reason I went during the day was to check out the free shuttle from First Station to the Kotel. This stop near Dung Gate is where it was located before the vans stopped running during the pandemic.

The bus stop in the First Station parking lot was not marked but is in the same location.

The new vans do not look like the ones in the past, but run on the same schedule, every 20 minutes on the hour. Arrive one minute late and you will have to wait for the next one, as I did. They run on time.

They also stop at the Ir David nature activity, on the way to the Old City.

The Tower of David has an event with Knights. Only in Jerusalem can a period of persecution become a family fun activity, I was reminded of the Jerusalem Knights Festival – 12 years ago. Where has the time gone?

At night, there are the new little cars to drive for site seeing.

But also a special bus runs at night to see Jerusalem’s iconic buildings lit.

The water at Teddy Park across from Old City walls is still popular.

I was on my way to the Artists Colony, for a lecture by Irvin Ungar at the Kol HaOt gallery on the artist Arthur Szyk.

The slides presented of Szyk’s vast artwork were fascinating.

UN Security Council, 1948

(To the greatest mockery of them all, the Security Council of June 1948)

“We agree with you on every point, except your stubborn insistence on surviving…”

Note China, Syria, and Belgium sitting at the table facing an Israeli in chains in Szyk’s political cartoon from 1948.

Also later that night was the opening of the International Puppet Festival.

Smoke and skaters entertained the public as the audience was allowed to enter the Skating Park at Jerusalem’s Liberty Bell Park for free.

Mime actors and lights enthralled the young families up close.

There was action all around the skateboard peaks and valleys,

and spaces for the audience to sit and watch.

The new Train Theater hosted varied theatrical and puppet performances inside and out all week.

And by day, the Teddy Park water fountain was filled again with families at the end of the summer holiday time.

Perhaps the oldest and most Israeli festival Hutzot Hayozer is back again next to the Artists Colony and Teddy Park.

Israeli products, arts, and crafts were again featured in various booths. I went early to surprise one businesswoman setting up her space.

The big stands in the middle area held international booths in the past.

But this time, the booths from various countries were replaced with international food offerings.

I suppose Israelis who did not travel overseas this summer, consider this their end-of-summer splurge. First, you pay to get in. Then you pay again for your food. There is a different musical performance every night.

You can go for the golden seats set up in Sultan Pool, as thousands come each night for the shows. They come year after year, except during the corona time.

Besides the dozens of young security staff on guard, a fire engine waits inside ready for an emergency.

But not far away is something new, very new.

The new StandwithUs sign is on King David Street by the King David Hotel.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is StandwithUS-059-2-1024x613.jpg

Stand With Us has opened its new educational center with a program designed for groups to explain – What is Zionism.

Breaking down the Jewish story into sound bites to keep it simple.

The Israel story in its simplest form, indigenous roots, exile, and liberation, SWU is trying to reach the new instant information generation.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is StandwithUS-077-3-1024x659.jpg

The Jerusalem, Israel story is not short and goes back thousands of years.

The infamous “green line” is barely green, but I passed over it this week

to get to the New Gate of the Old City for a new Jerusalem street festival.

Inside New Gate, music and more entices tourists back to the Old City.

I was sad to see too many shops shuttered in the Christian Quarter as I walked thru to Jaffa Gate.

Oh there, was much more, but this is getting too long.

Docotext festival was back at National Library and the Outline Festival is to extend on to Jaffa Road from August 17-23.

Shalom Kitah Aleph signs went up to welcome first-grade students to the start of school. When that will be will depend on the outcome of the negotiations to see if there is another teachers’ strike.

Plenty of signs are back on the Jerusalem streets–see if you can explain this sign.

Ah, the Israel Festival returns to Jerusalem streets on September 15-22, 2022.

So there you have a bit of what was happening this week, days and nights, on and off the Jerusalem streets.

Hope to see you here soon!

Jerusalem Day 55 – Yom Yerushalayim

Sharon A

Jerusalem Day, Yom Yerushalayim 50 was a big year with extravagant programs including a drone show, which was new and exciting at the time.

Last year I was in Tel Aviv for Yom Yerushalayim. Not so much fun having to sleep on pillows on the floor as bombs fell near the loft Airbnb I had rented – with no bomb shelter.

Jerusalem Day Israeli flags dancing in street

This year I am again missing the chance to march in the Flag Parade and show you the families celebrating and dancing in the Jerusalem streets.

After Shabbat thousands of young people were dancing and singing with a huge Israeli flag, and many smaller ones.

Yom Yerushalayim has been celebrated for more than one day this year.

The music was blasting from Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, ALL Thursday night. Huge stages were erected, as usual for the WhiteNight, all night long partying, but this year sounded and felt much louder. Other locations also had major live music productions but without as many complaints.

However, even earlier in the week, there were celebrations!

On King George Street, StandWithUs opened its new expanded education center with a flashing video in the new theater space.

The gala reception and program were held outside, behind the YMCA.

But warm feelings inside for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at StandWithUs.

Gorgeous, but cool nights on the Jerusalem streets early in the week.

In the never know what next, I had no idea what this guy was doing,

or who these guys were that wanted their photo taken.

You could feel the energy, people were back on the Jerusalem streets.

Mamilla Mall was alive again, with international tourists and Israelis.

The banner for ‘Yom Yerushalaim 55 years’ was outside of Jaffa Gate.

And inside Jaffa Gate, beigelles were ready for the tourists to buy.

The police station was ready, draped with holiday flags.

Large groups of students on holiday trips filled the Old City lanes.

The Western Wall Plaza near the Kotel was filled with group activities.

From the rooftop of the Aish building, I like to check the progress of the dome rising over the Tiferet Israel synagogue construction.

And of course, from the rooftop, to take multiple photos of the scenes below.

Including Ir David where the new restaurant and cable car station are to be.

On a clear day, you can see over the Dead Sea into to Jordan.

I went to see the Charge d’Affaires of the Kosovo Embassy in Jerusalem Ines Demiri accept an award from the Israel Defence and Security Forum.

People with Israeli flags kept walking by while Ines posed with Jerusalem Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum near the Kotel, Western Wall.

We walked out of the Jaffa Gate toward Jaffa Road, so she could go home and I could get the photo of the giant Jerusalem flag near Tzahal Square.

Oh, what a lovely time of year to walk on the Jerusalem streets!

Especially seeing friends finally able to return to Jerusalem again and join us to celebrate Yom Yerushalayim in 5782.

Jerusalem Old City Walls

Remember for 19 years 1948-1967, Jews were unable to walk in or live in the Old City, the closest was a view was from Notre Dame.

Yom Yerushalayim Sameach!