tourism – Page 49 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem Summer Nights

August 25, 2015rjstreets

During summer evenings in Jerusalem, Israel,

I could wander the streets of Yemin Moshe every day

and never be bored, as there is always something new.

Often in the evenings, young brides come for photos,

but only recently did I see

a woman elegantly dressed in wine color and gold.

Ah, wine.

The Jerusalem Wine Festival at the Israel Museum

has become a popular August tradition.

Thousands crowd into the Museum Gardens each night,

with a sell-out crowd on Thursday night

for wine-tasting, live music and more.

Thursday night events have been hard to keep up with,

as there are so many new ones this summer.

The Jerusalem Night Market on Jaffa Street

was full of vendor stalls at Zion Square.

While closer to Kikar Safra, Government Square,

the new street installation provided a

misty shower to those who got close.

One vendor seemed to open up shop without need of an official stall.

Crowds have come back to the Jerusalem City Center,

leisurely strolling on Jaffa and Ben Yehuda Streets,

with musicians performing along the way.

Another free August musical event is held on

Thursday nights in the Hansen House Gardens.

A brightly-lit path led to the entrance

of the renovated old hospital building.

Oh so different from a few years ago,

it is open to the public, with colorful lights and music.

Now it is possible to listen, enjoy, and relax in a swing.

Music from parks and First Station are some of the wonderful

sounds filling the Jerusalem, Israel streets.

While a cool night and humid, grey morning clouds

were the first signs of end of summer,

there is still time for Mini-Luna Park, Children’s Park in First Station,

and Dinosaurs at Botanical Gardens before all schools start.

The annual Beer Festival and Sacred Music Festival

will end the summer festival season.

Always much happening in Jerusalem, Israel,

not news, but new good stuff mixing with the old.

Jerusalem This Summer

August 13, 2015rjstreets

It is August, in Jerusalem, Israel,

and it gets hot.

Sure we are in the midst of summer in the Middle East,

but during this past week’s heat wave,

this cat photo sums up how I felt much of the time.

Many Israelis are away.

Overseas visitors have arrived for their Israeli holiday time.

Rush hour like traffic can be any time of day or place.

Not many people noticed,

but four new ambassadors to Israel presented their credentials

to President Rivlin at Beit Hanasi,

the official residence of the Israeli President.

Some will notice that this Katamon street was paved,

but only after the workers checked their messages.

With daytime temperatures so high,

most people come out in the evening,

going to malls,

and parks all over the Jerusalem area.

Especially on Thursday nights,

there are too many things to do.

I hope to get to the month-long events soon.

Contact Point at the Israel Museum

last Thursday was unique in so many ways,

besides being from 8:00 pm to 3:00 am.

In the Pop Culture gallery, pillows were placed on the floor,

and a microphone was positioned in the center of the room.

On the wall was a projection of a man

who was elsewhere in the museum.

The Man on the Wall talked with the audience,

as people got up to ask him questions at the microphone.

I still cannot get over what a small world it is here.

I saw a woman and her daughters whom I had met a few years ago.

As we spoke near the microphone,

another woman got up and came over to say hello to her.

They had known each other years ago.

People coming together from so many places around the world.

I almost deleted this photo because of the blue lights.

Later I saw visitors to the Museum standing in line

to have colored lights wrapped around them.

They became one of the unusual exhibits for the evening,

“randomly” lighting up the galleries.

This is one of three 3-D copiers that were on display.

It took me a third look to realize that this one was making a small statue.

Outside there was live music and

the sculpture garden was lit up with colorful lighting.

Even the Shrine of Book was a canvas that night,

as strobes lit up the sky.

The diversity of summer events

can be seen in these signs for big summer festivals,

with festivals as diverse as International Puppets and Wine.

There are more new signs for Hansen House at night,

the City Center for shopping and a new movie theater complex.

So different are the streets to last summer and bombs from Gaza.

Last summer First Station at night was dark, sad and empty.

Last night cars circled and stalked for a parking spot,

it was full of people and music.

Not far away at the Kotel, Western Wall,

an overflow crowd of thousands gathered,

for a special dedication of Torah scrolls,

75 of them,

one for each fallen soldier and civilian killed last summer,

in Operation Protective Edge.

So much more is happening in Jerusalem, Israel,

but, it will have to wait for next time.

For many the first day of school

is what they are really looking forward to,

and the “Shalom Kita Aleph” posters are up and ready.

Nice to be able to leave you with Torah and education

as important features of this past week.

Jerusalem: Gay Parade Photos You Did Not See

August 3, 2015rjstreets

It is hot outside.

It is so very hot that the cold water from the tap needs ice to cool off.

Wild forest fires were burning.

The smell of burnt wood filled the air last night.

Shira Banki, the girl stabbed at the

Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance died of her wounds.

SIGH.

Justin, Roths and now Laura have been writing,

many more friends are posting on Facebook.

I posted on the parade on Israellycool last week.

However,

I did not do a RJS Shabbat Shalom greeting.

But not to say something, to ignore events turning Jerusalem,

Israel, and Israelis inside out?

Enough.

That fateful Thursday afternoon,

I went to see what was happening,

and I want to share some photos of scenes you did not see.

Gan Ha’atzmaut, Independence Park

had a nice size crowd gathered for the start of march,

rainbow colors were even on cars.

The crowd seemed larger than previous years.

The route was different from last year,

as always the police horses were worthy of a look.

I was on Lincoln Street minutes before the stabber.

There was a car decorated for a Tu B’Av wedding,

this is wedding season, heat or no heat wave.

City buses blocked traffic for the parade,

and some people were held up for two hours.

Walking was best way to get around.

But, there were so many other things happening too.

Made in Jerusalem was celebrating

Jerusalem’s ranking as one of the top 50 start-up cities.

People were also gathering near them at First Station

for a Klezmer band to start performing,

part of Klezmer Festival taking place in many venues.

Muslim families were picnicking in this park,

while at Kraft Stadium the annual Woodstock Revival was rocking on.

The new tourist train to Old City was running.

The new elevator at the Cinematheque is coming along,

to provide better access for the disabled.

Isrotel Hotel across from First Station is going up.

At least one women on Emek Refaim was using her head,

while others at this cafe were looking down.

Really big news,

a 5 shekel cafe has opened in the German Colony.

Around the corner,

the Christian Embassy lights go on as it gets dark,

always a beautiful scene.

There are all kinds of jokes and myths about full moons,

but that night was also a ‘Blue Moon’.

Blue moons are not blue,

they just happen once in awhile.

That night the full, blue moon rose over the Kidron Valley.

As traffic was stopped for emergency crews and police,

just a few minutes and meters away,

all was so peaceful looking.

Today it was so very hot,

as these women were waiting for a bus,

at the stop along the march route,

another day on the Jerusalem, Israel streets.