Western Wall – Page 26 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Seeking the Pope in Jerusalem

May 27, 2014rjstreets

With preparations fit for a king,

or maybe a US president,

Pope Francis arrived in Jerusalem, Israel.

The man wearing white shorts and I waited around to get a photo,

but this was as close as we came to seeing a Pope.

We talked long enough at New Gate for me to find out

that he was an Iranian studying physics in the US.

I cannot believe I forgot to ask him what his plans are after he graduates.

My plan to walk home through the Old City failed.

Inside and outside Jaffa Gate was shut tight, closed to the public.

Pretty lonely night, it was much quieter than usual all around.

Then Monday morning nice and early,

streets were shut.

This is a one-way street, want to guess which way?

Traffic was going out any which way, as this double bus blocked the road.

Credit to its driver who could maneuver that huge thing there.

But it worked, and this main street was clear of traffic.

And then King George Street,

where the Pope was going to meet the chief rabbis, was closed to traffic.

Though that meeting was not going to be for another hour,

these guys seemed serious,

and no way was I or anyone else going to get by.

I just wanted to go to Jewish Agency Building down the street,

but we had to walk around a different way.

Security had to stand in hot sun all day,

but we all had to walk around past this line of sitting cars.

Finally, I did get to here from there.

After the Pope and Rabbis and the very select guests left,

the Heichal Shlomo lobby was much easier to enter.

Then there was the area around Beit Hanassi, the President’s House.

Again I had to walk all around to get to where I needed to go.

Residents on the street had no parking for days.

I arrived to the spot where in May 2009,

I had been able to see the Pope’s limo leaving,

but this time a special reinforced bus was blocking the road.

Security was so tight that this is as close as I could get.

This man was holding a sign “Baruch haba Chaver,” Welcome my Friend.”

Pope Francis was given a red carpet welcome,

but certainly many sighed with relief when his visit ended

and he flew safely back to the Vatican.

But do not think all will be quiet for long.

לילה לבן

Tonight is White Night,

and music will blast all night in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park,

as Yom Yerushalyim, Jerusalem Day

celebrations begin at sunset.

Passover Scenes in Jerusalem

April 23, 2014rjstreets

Passover in Jerusalem, Israel, as always, was like nowhere else.

10 rockets rained in from Gaza to the south and Sderot.

In Jerusalem, it rained dirt for a short while; what a mess for the cars!

But it cleaned the air and with much less traffic,

everyone was breathing easier.

This 24/6 store was closed for seven days,

and bread bakeries were shut tight.

One restaurant was selling used books instead of food.

Passover matzah meals were enjoyed on the streets,

as families paraded in their matching holiday outfits.

A banner welcomed all to the National park that surrounds the walls of the Old City.

A small, peaceful protest about the Temple Mount

at Jaffa Gate was not newsworthy.

Arab protesters and rock throwers got all the media attention,

but I was impressed with this police officer,

armed for serious crowd control – with a bull horn.

I was not the only one this year to come to the Jewish Quarter after the big

Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing at the Kotel, the Western Wall.

Last year was such a mob scene.

Popcorn and fresh juice were for sale on the route through the Old City.

Bagel shops were closed,

but the shwarma bar was open, with its tables covered.

The image of the new Hurva Synagogue

against a blue sky is always impressive.

People were dressed in so many ways for the holiday,

as they offered holiday greetings to one another.

Many Ethiopians gathered around their leaders,

who stood under their colorful umbrellas.

But theirs were not the only umbrellas on the Kotel plaza.

With so many people converging in a small area,

the streets outside of the Old City were blocked to cars.

While inside the Old City roads were also blocked,

these young Arab men making a delivery had no trouble getting by,

and this Arab woman also walked freely.

However, I was not allowed to use my regular exit.

We had to walk all the way around.

Look at the nice view of Jordan in the distance,

for nothing is very far away in Israel.

These people stopped to enjoy the view.

Another barrier,

but this time ice cream trucks were ready for tired tourists.

And all day every day, tourists kept coming.

Then another closed road at Zion Gate,

but this car got through.

Finally outside the walls, a picture perfect time,

that rock throwers did not ruin for the hundreds of thousands

of visitors who came from around the world.

There was as always too much to do and too little time,

and too much to eat.

And this year some major supermarkets ran out of eggs.

Big news,

that the new Waldorf-Astoria Hotel opened its doors to the public,

but that will have to wait for next time…

must go bake some cookies now before all the kids go home.

Shabbat Shalom

February 21, 2014rjstreets