Sukkot holiday

Sukkot Surprise in Jerusalem

Sukkot Surprise in Jerusalem

Sharon A

The Bible Marathon was held October 6.

People raced from Rosh Ha’ayin to site of ancient Shilo,

a distance of 42 kilometers, a full marathon track.

I did not have time to go,

I was on a personal marathon,

racing through a packed holiday season.

So much happening in Jerusalem,

it is really hard to keep up.

For the first day of Sukkot lunch, we were 22 people,

from US, Mexico, USSR, Australia, France, South Africa

Table ready in sukkah for meal

and more, all gathered in our sukkah for a meal.

Amazing if you take time stop and think about it.

President Rivlin honored a long-time tradition

Beit Hanasi on sukkot ready for public

and opened the gates of Beit Hanasi,

the Israeli President’s official residence, to the public.

As usual the Presidential sukkah featured

Israeli grown agricultural products,

Sukka Beit hanasi on Sukkot 5778 map with flowers and fruit of Israel

this year a map of world was unusual and special.

From Beit Hanasi in the morning,

I had planned on walking into town to attend a bar mitzvah.

But also special on that day, was the weather.

Sure they had called for rain in the morning.

But first rain usually is a few drops of wet dirt.

But, surprise!

Thankfully, I made it to a bus stop,

before the heavens opened up.

Below is one of several videos,

in case you think I am overstating.

I made it to the bar mitzvah.

It had moved inside from the sukkah,

but cleared enough to come out again for dessert.

So much more, but for now here is

Happy Holiday sign at Israeli President's house on Sukkot 5778 - 70 years.

one special photo from Beit Hanasi Sukkah Open House

“Happy Holiday”

Check back next week for holiday highlights,

Jerusalem March, Kites at Israel Museum, sukkot, etc.

Now back to kitchen to prepare for end of holiday week.

חג שמח

Jerusalem More than Sukkot on Sukkot

rjstreets

Intense.

Exhausting.

 Sukkot are special,

Simple style natural sukka on moshav in fields

we even found one in the fields of a moshav.

However, in Jerusalem, Israel,

 there was much more happening.

Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing,

attracted tens of thousands as it does  every year.

Not just on Wednesday morning,

 but on other days of the holiday

People walking near Jaffa Gate on Friday sukkot

thousands walked to the Old City,

and to the Kotel, the Western Wall.

Muslim men going to pray in Old City Friday Sukkot

This way or that way,

Muslims going to pray on Friday sukkot

on Friday of Sukkot,

Muslims and Jews going to Jaffa Gate on Friday sukkot

thousands of Jews and Muslims

were walking toward the Old City together.

The annual Jerusalem Parade again

attracted thousands of international participants

with thousands of Israeli spectators.

Gan Sacher ready for Jerusalem parade on Sukkot

The feel-good event started in Gan Sacher,

Sacher Park. where flags and flowers lined the street.

Israeli Museum kite festival on Sukkot

The Israeli Museum held its annual Kite Festival,

Israel Museum kite festival

but you had to provide your own wind most of day,

so we did not get to see the huge kites in the air this time.

The musical events seemed endless,

with way too many to list.

However, a few of them

we wished we could have attended include:

Chabad had Yishai Lapidot at the Great Synagogue,

and at the Yellow Submarine were

our friends Moshe Hendel and Zusha.

Every night of chol hamoed

a large show was staged at the Sultan’s Pool.

Also, those Simchot Beit Hashoeva with music and more

at homes, yeshivas and places too many to recount.

Then there were the fairs!

A street fair on Derech Beit Lechem,

unusual dance street fair sukkot Jerusalem

had this unusual dancer/s.

Jerusalem street fair carved vegetables

The only carved pumpkin I saw this week was at the fair.

There was everything from carved vegetables

Jerusalem street fair music sukkot Israel

to live musicians and more.

Thousands turned out for the evening fun.

Another new fair was held at Mamilla Mall,

Sukkot special fair at Mamilla Mall

where the young and not-so-young could purchase

Israeli products at a Mini-Market set up in the mall.

Sukkot in Jerusalem Israel Tachana Rishona stalls

First Station had its stalls ready to sell goods.

For holiday tourists,

Tachana Rishona Octoberfest

Octoberfest beer and food were also ready.

A parade of very different type,

Women Walking for Peace also ended

Jerusalem protest women who walked for peace

in Jerusalem, Israel, near the Prime Minister’s house.

Here four women are carrying a banner from the march.

Sukkot comes to an end with Hoshana Rabba.

sing for list of all night classes hashana raba

Signs were up all week for classes

and all-night study programs

of all types and locations.

For those more into sport than study,

the Harlem Globetrotters were at the Sports Center.

Sign for Harlem Globetrotters in Jerusalem Israel Sukkot

I wanted to be sure that I had a photo of that sign

towering near the walls of the Old City.

And more sports,

new oleh and former NBA basketball star,

Basketball star Amar'e Stoudemire Hapoel Jerusalem basketball star at Inbal Hotel for fund raiser

Amar’e Stoudemire came out to support charities

for his new Hapoel Jerusalem basketball team.

What next?

Hebrew sign Jerusalem

AniNation, an international celebration

of animation meets in Jerusalem, Israel.

I have no idea what that will be,

but first we have Simhat Torah.

Tonight the streets will be filled with thousands

celebrating, singing and dancing with the Torah.

Soon it will be after the chagim,

universities will begin their classes,

and children will go back to school and “normal.”

But first, for the last time for a while,

bus sign Jerusalem holiday

 chag sameach.