Tower of David – Page 3 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem Past, Present and Future

May 20, 2020May 20, 2020Sharon A

Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, celebrates the reunification of Jerusalem, after the Six-Day War in June 1967. Under Jordanian occupation, from 1948-1967, there were no Jews living in or allowed to visit the Old City.

The story is told of a woman who lost her dentures when they fell from a window of the St. Louis Hospital on the border on May 22, 1956. One of the French nuns retrieved it, requiring the cooperation of both the Israeli and Jordanian forces. “Unfortunately three teeth had melted loose in the Jerusalem sun.”

The hospital is still active and seen here with freshly painted blue trim on its windows. Today, the light rail train tracks run where, for nineteen years, No Man’s Land divided Jerusalem.

This is the view from the hospital roof today. The walls of the Old City look the same, but No Man’s Land is much different today from 1948-1967.

Under Jordanian control, this was as close as a Jewish person could get to the Temple Mount, so the above photo was taken from a lookout at Notre Dame, which is next door to the hospital.

The inviting modern view approaching the Old City with Mamilla Mall on the left, a stark contrast to the days when the area was under threat by Jordanian snipers shooting.

Image from Tower of David before Mamilla Mall renovation — photo credit: C. Goldberg

Here’s an interesting view looking toward Mamilla after the wire and barriers that divided the city had been removed, but before the area was developed.

The ancient stones thrown from the Temple Mount remain at the base of the Western Wall as a reminder of the destruction of the Second Temple.

under the Kotel excavation — photo credit: IAA

Under the ground near the walls of the Temple Mount archaeologists have carefully continued to work and find layers of history.

Floor found under Western Wall Plaza — photo credit: IAA

A new discovery, an ancient mosaic floor was uncovered and is carefully being preserved.

Yom Yerushalayim is a day to celebrate old and new Yerushalayim.

Going back over previous years on Yom Yerushalayim.

Three years ago President Trump was in Jerusalem, it seems like a lifetime ago.

Remember two years ago the Giro d’Italia cyclists filled the Jerusalem streets?

The Tower of David in past years hosted huge crowds.

This year the Tower of David will reopen for Yom Yerushalayim to more modest numbers of guests and only outside venues will be open.

Tens of thousands young people singing and dancing with hundreds of Israel flags – not this year.

Those huge crowds filling King George Street are a scene from the past.

No marching through the streets of the Old City entering in the Damascus Gate.

The Kotel, Western Wall plaza overflowing with people will have very limited numbers this year for evening prayers on Yom Yerushalayim.

Last year with endless huge events who would have imagined this year?

The usual celebrations in Jerusalem are very limited this year due to COVID-19.

The big 50 year celebrations are nice to remember.

Fewer people are to be on the Jerusalem streets to celebrate.

But this year from around the world more can join and participate.

The Jerusalem Municipality, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, the Office for Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage, and the Jerusalem Development Authority for the Development of Jerusalem will hold a special festive broadcast on Thursday, 27 Iyar, 5780 (May 21, 2020) from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm in honor of 53 years since the reunification of Jerusalem.

A virtual two hour live broadcast from special sites in Jerusalem, alongside stories of heritage and interviews with those who fought in the Six-Day War of June 1967, will be broadcast on the Facebook Pages and YouTube of the World Zionist Organization and B’nai B’rith International on Thursday, May 21, 2020, between 2 pm and 4 pm Israel time.

There are many other Yom Yerushalayim programs offered online.

From wherever you are in the world, the Jerusalem streets are only a quick click away.

Crowds in the past for major holidays will not be on the Jerusalem streets this year.

Hoping next year we can all be out on the Jerusalem streets together.

Purim in Jerusalem תש”פ

March 12, 2020March 12, 2020Sharon A

Purim. Part of the Purim celebration is a theme of upside down.

Haman vs Mordechai and Esther. Evil vs. Good.

Good triumphant and people living and celebrating the demise of the evil decree.

The story retold year after year, read from a megillah, the Scroll of Esther.

This miniature illustrated megillah in the Israel Museum’s permanent Purim exhibit is a favorite.

However, this Purim in Jerusalem was not like any other.

The municipality had an improved its Purim website with a long list of official activities.

But the huge public sponsored Jerusalem celebrations and gatherings which went on during times of war and terror in the past were canceled.

Last week I was joking about my supersaturated photo of Corona bottles.

This week coronavirus – COVID-19 – is nothing to joke about – except it was Purim.

Car decorated as coronavirus on Purim in Chicago — photo credit: Rivka W

Not in Jerusalem. See those front lawns and suburban homes? This “flu bug” caught by my photographer friend with a great eye was so clever I asked her to let me share it. Please note the license plate “NF LUNZA.”

Though Jerusalem municipal mega-events were canceled due to the Ministry of Health restrictions, people still arrived in Jerusalem to celebrate Purim and Shushan Purim. Purim was celebrated in the Machane Yehudah Market, the shuk, and Nahlaot, with singing and dancing, costumes, and yes, drinking.

Jerusalem Tower of David Purim performance — Photo Credit: Ilana Silverman Richter

The show went on at the Tower of David Museum, both days, and was sold out at the night event.

Purim in Jerusalem is not a one day, but a week-long event.

Starting on Sunday morning, though sometimes it is hard to tell what is really a dress-up costume, “animals” were spotted.

The morning crowds near the shuk and on King George Street seemed bigger than regular Sunday and included, seniors in wheelchairs and babies in strollers.

Purim costume dress-up is taken seriously in Jerusalem.

These high school girls posed on their way home from school.

Two high school boys let me take their photo, but did not offer me any ice cream.

The 10th annual Azza Zaza Purim was held Tuesday night and all day Wednesday. The megillah was read at dozens of Jerusalem business locations on the hour, every hour in another location, at times even at not kosher restaurants, thanks to Chabad of Rechavia.

At least on Purim, streets were cleared of construction vehicles.

On the streets, creatures with wings were spotted walking,

and angels and princesses of various ages.

Masks for costume or safety precaution?

With over 30,000 Israelis in isolation this Purim, visitors kept their distance.

But even with fewer people on the streets, during peak hours for delivering Mishloach Manot, Purim gifts of food, traffic was enough to be annoying and dangerous.

Part of Purim celebration is the seudah, a big meal with good food and drink.

Costumes are optional, but singing and music and fun are required.

The Jerusalem Marathon was postponed until November 6, 2020.

The COVID-19 coronavirus threatened Purim in Jerusalem.

Families were not out in great numbers as in the past.

I attended smaller megillah readings in private homes and didn’t roam the streets.

But thanks to clever friends, we will share one more Purim image that sums up this truly upside down Purim in Jerusalem.

We worried. We prayed. Then it was time to eat.

פורים שמח

Purim Sameach

Happy Purim from the Jerusalem streets.

When was the last time you were in Jerusalem?

December 4, 2019Sharon A

Jerusalem, Israel.

When was the last time you were in Jerusalem?

It is a marvel how things have changed over the past few years.

Oh, the traffic, the road building, the light rail construction in every direction, so much is happening at once it is hard to believe.

The Cranes from the National Library work-site, illuminated at night, rise against the night sky along with the Chord Bridge for a view of colorful lights.

Construction cranes and building materials fill the area near the Jaffa Road light rail line.

This is the view in the other direction to the Central Bus Station, with old buildings and cranes.

In the Machane Yehuda Market the daily bread

and the young men playing ball are familiar sights.

But the buildings towering over old Jaffa Road – oh my, what a contrast to days past.

Just this past week in Jerusalem:

The old Tower of David was filled with new-age ZERO ONE digital art.

The Jerusalem 2019 Biennale came to an end at Van Leer Institute and a dozen other locations.

There was the 11th Manofim Jerusalem Contemporary Art Festival.

Thanksgiving dinners large and small were held. A tent at First Station hosted 1000 IDF lone soldiers and some US Marines for dinner.

At the same time at First Station, the Bloomfield Science Museum held a Mini Maker Fair to encourage future scientists and their families.

FEM-JLM was launched at Jerusalem WeWork to encourage female entrepreneurs to go into fields of technology. There is a lot of work to do for more fem in STEM.