Western Wall – Page 29 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Tisha B’Av Night in Jerusalem

Tisha B’Av Night in Jerusalem

July 16, 2013July 13, 2020rjstreets

Tisha B’Av night in Jerusalem, Israel,

is unlike anywhere else in the world.

Businesses are closed and restaurants shuttered.

Walking in front of me as I headed toward Jaffa Gate,

which was decorated with Ramadan lights,

were a group of Muslim men and boys out to celebrate.

Behind them were three Jewish men on their way to the Old City.

Entering Jaffa Gate I love to see the moon over the lights of the Tower of David.

Near the Kotel, the Western Wall, were thousands of people, many sitting on the ground.

The diversity of the crowd was obvious.

I did not stay too long because again ,

I wanted to see the 19th Walk Around the Walls of the Women in Green.

Security was stronger this year.

The crowd was large for the middle-of-the-night starting time.

Due to Ramadan celebrations again this year,

the group had to wait for several hours to start their walk.

The route goes around the walls of the Old City, and partially along the Light Rail tracks.

The Damascus Gate was busy and active with Ramadan celebrations.

At Herod’s Gate,

Israeli police, some on horses, observed to insure that the two crowds would not mix.

For the late hour, there were still a lot of people out.

At the Lion’s Gate there were speeches,

while hundreds of people sat and listened,

I decided to head home. It was already after 1:00 am.

While the rest of the Jerusalem streets were quiet,

the Old City, the Kotel, and the Jewish Quarter

were all filled with thousands of people.

While some left even more kept coming.

Tisha B’Av in Jerusalem looks like a big party.

Rosh Chodesh Av at the Western Wall

July 9, 2013rjstreets

In Jerusalem, Israel, on Rosh Chodesh Av,

thousands of people had a very early start to their day.

Arriving near the Kotel, the Western Wall Plaza at 7:00 am, this was the scene.

A group of young men,

and boys,

one woman with a whistle and one with signs

were protesting against the Women of the Wall’s Rosh Chodesh prayer service.

Not all the WOW were praying–

some were talking to the press, as there were plenty of cameras again.

The regular men’s section was not crowded,

Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Yitzhak Pindrus was there.

It was the women’s section that was full.

Women for the Wall had brought out thousands of religious women and girls.

They continued to pray silently, in stark contrast to the noisy protesters,

though there was not enough space for all of them

and the group extended well into the Western Wall Plaza.

While the Women of the Wall and Women for the Wall were the center of attention,

I liked these scenes.

At least a few of the security people found time to pray.

And in the middle of it all there was a Bar Mitzvah celebration.

Wonder if someone thought that with an early start it would be less crowded?

The Women of the Wall were not happy with their site and the police.

After their service had ended, and after singing Hatikvah,

the Women of Wall group continued singing before going to their buses.

There has been lots of chatter on Facebook about both groups,

with some good, some bad and some ugly comments.

The two sides do not seem to be getting closer

and many people do not want to hear or think about this conflict any more.

But I would really like to know,

what the Deputy Mayor was thinking at this moment?

WOW – What a Rosh Chodesh at the Wall

May 13, 2013rjstreets

Rosh Chodesh Sivan at the Kotel, the Western Wall,

was not just any old prayer time for the new month.

The Women of the Wall were coming to pray at the Kotel.

Until Friday, I had stayed away from this monthly event,

figuring that there was enough publicity without me.

This time I had to see for myself what was really happening.

Arriving at 6:30 am,

the size of the huge crowd and the press were overwhelming.

The press has covered the dreadful behavior of Haredi men.

Most were young boys, but there are no excuses for their acting like animals.

The shouting, pushing, and deafening whistles were so upsetting,

the experience is impossible to express adequately in words.

What in the world did they think they were accomplishing?

How could any rabbi condone this?

Throwing of a bag full of sewer water was most shocking,

its stench lasted all morning.

Police grabbed the suspect immediately, however.

I wonder if the two girls on the right

will ever forget being in the middle of such a distressing scene?

Here one woman is being pulled back by security.

There were several incidents of Women of Wall supporters

going over toward barriers to provoke the men.

The media that gathered around the Women of the Wall

at times outnumbered the number of women inside the police circle.

Security people certainly outnumbered the WOW supporters,

and were everywhere recording the events.

Were there any empty spaces for watching the scenes unfold?

Rabbi of the Kotel Shmuel Rabinovitch,

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Yitzchak Pindrus,

and other officials were present for some of the time.

Security did a great job to keep control of the mob-like crowd,

and kept them away from the Women of the Wall in the plaza.

I was able to fill an entire photo album called Bad Boys – Wall of Shame,

though of course, not all present were abusive or involved directly.

But as usual, there was more happening than the press showed.

There were those who were actually trying to pray at The Kotel

for the morning service for Rosh Chodesh.

And there were thousands and thousands of women and girls,

who came to support a new group called Women for the Wall.

That beautiful scene at the Kotel did not make the news,

even though their numbers were by far the greatest.

As we enter the Shavuot holiday, a time of beginnings,

a time to remember acts of goodness,

it is acts of goodness that will bring our salvation,

not acts of provocation or baseless hatred.

More photos from WOW and W4W

HERE