Western Wall – Page 8 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

10 New Sounds of Summer in Jerusalem

June 28, 2020June 28, 2020Sharon A

Jerusalem, Israel streets are beginning to sound more ‘normal’ as everyone is struggling to come back after the COVID-19 pandemic closings. There have been almost daily protests across from the Knesset and Prime Minister’s Office. Noisy protests and counter-protests near the Prime Minister’s Residence have grown in size and volume.

Another month. Another new moon. The first sign of summer was seen in the sky over Jerusalem. A normal sign of passing time.

The Kotel, Western Wall Plaza, has been divided into prayer spaces, size-dependent on changing regulations.

Limited numbers of people are allowed in the spaces wearing masks.

Synagogues and businesses are slowly opening also under new health regulations. But I can still set my clock to sounds of the 8:30 am morning minyan coming from a backyard service nearby.

Hotels and restaurants and international tourist affiliated businesses are trying to survive, to revive, and not close forever.

Last week the Prime Minister of Greece came to Jerusalem. But the Foreign Minister from Cyprus decided to arrive in Israel by helicopter for a quick and abbreviated visit in the airport area for discussions with new Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi.

The numbers for coronavirus infections has started going back up.

However, it is still the graduation season. The President and Prime Minister spoke at the Israeli Air Force graduation last week. The IDF officer graduation is to be held on Wednesday evening. These events are more restricted than usual because of the coronavirus. Taking a helicopter to the bases in the south – what a great way to go.

This path may seem like far in the forest but it’s minutes away. Sounds of laughter were coming from a party on the right side and an art class was ending on the left side of the path. Sorry, no photos to share. I decided they deserved to keep the privacy they were seeking in this wonderful nature spot.

Finding a quiet area as restrictions are lifting in Jerusalem is still possible. These old stones are from an old olive-oil making facility.

Look across the street in one direction and there is the Knesset.

Another angle with a better view of the olive press.

And above there is the Israel Museum.

Usually this time of year in Jerusalem the calendar is filled–day and night.

Two years ago Prince William was in town.

I had forgotten about his signature in the official guest book.

His Royal visit was the same time as WeWork Creative Event at the Pais Arena.

Those big conferences, big weddings, and big official visits are memories now.

OurCrowd Global Summit this year was one of the last big events to be held in Jerusalem.

OurCrowd Pandemic Innovation Conference was held online as a Zoom and Facebook event.

Remember Elli Q from OurCrowd three years ago?

During the innovation conference online, Dor Skuler mentioned the benefits for isolated seniors. In the US, people will have to pay to install Elli Q to talk to their relatives, however, his robot is available at no charge. I asked and was told “she” is still not in a human shape on purpose.

Remember the tour of Hansen House ten years ago?

Hansen House announced ‘Unplugged’ a musical patio series with nine shows now to August 19, with a live audience limited to 120 participants.

In the past events have been held in the courtyard.

Recently, before corona, food and music at night had become popular.

Last year even Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet performed in Hansen House Gardens.

The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra was back at the Jerusalem Theater with a live audience and also available on Facebook and YouTube now.

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra played at the Jerusalem International Conference Center for the first time since the pandemic closings, but not to a full audience.

Friday afternoon people returned to the First Station for a musical Kabbalat Shabbat.

New signs are posted for other musical events now and in the near future.

May 4th has been a day for “Star Wars” celebrations – as in “may the ‘fourth’ be with you.” Nothing was done this year because of the COVID-19 closings. It was to be shown at First Station by the Israeli Outpost of 501st Legion at a free special outdoor screening for families of Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back but was canceled shortly before show time.

Members were out in force at First Station for the Afikim race from Jerusalem to Eilat in January. I would assume sounds and sabers will be found at the event planned early enough for children to attend and enjoy.

Shaon Horef, those Monday nights in February when sounds of live musicians filled Jerusalem streets, are looking for new acts to do a series on August Monday nights.

Thank you signs to medical workers are still all over the Jerusalem streets.

Sounds of music and celebrations are starting to be heard on the streets.

Let’s hope the numbers of infections stay down.

Jerusalem, Israel – Shavuot 5780

May 31, 2020Sharon A

I used to complain that Shavuot in Israel lasted only one day and was over too quickly.

Tens of thousands of people would stay up all night, learning and studying at various venues and then converge at the Kotel, the Western Wall, for dawn prayer services. Eat and sleep and the day was over, with not enough time for guests.

Well, not this year. With Shabbat immediately following, we ended up with a two-day holiday in Israel as well as those living outside of Israel.

I got what I asked for, and I’m happy to go back to one day next year when Shavuot falls on Monday.

In Jerusalem, the summer sun has dried the tall green growth in the Valley of the Cross.

Nature and seasons appear unaware of a pandemic and are unchanged.

While the Israel Museum on top of the hill suffers from the novel coronavirus affecting its closure, the weeds below in the valley have flourished.

Not far away is Jerusalem Cinema City, also trying to come back after COVID-19 closures.

On my first visit to Cinema City, I took this photo of a wall mural.

Where else but Jerusalem would you find Moses with the Ten Commandments on the wall next to the movie theater escalators?

While I was searching for that old photo I found this one taken the same day.

In this upside-down coronavirus time, would an IDF soldier walk so close to a stranger?

Has the time come when helping a blind man cross a busy street is not a good thing?

The official announcement:

Following the closure of educational institutions against the backdrop of the coronavirus crisis, and the gradual return to routine, it was agreed that students should receive educational continuity until the beginning of August. This will significantly reduce the financial burden of their parents and reduce gaps in Israeli society.

With an outbreak of COVID-19 among students and teachers at one large Jerusalem secular high school, it is closed again today. And before I could publish this today, another high school has announced closing for the week due to an infected teacher.

However, tomorrow senior citizen sessions are scheduled to reopen, in limited numbers with only physical and art activities in person. The rest will remain in Zoom.

The Jerusalem Film Festival announced plans to hold the festival in a regular format this summer following the decision by Israeli authorities to allow the reopening of cinemas in the country from June 14.

The event is now to run August 20-30, just over a month later than its originally scheduled July 16-26 time slot.

Meanwhile, in the theme of the Shavuot holiday, I thought to share a few short film clips from the King David Night Show at the Tower of David.

King David the warrior in battle,

and David the Poet.

In past years, the seemingly endless list of Festivals began after Shavuot.

The Light Festival in the Old City in particular was popular, filling the streets at night.

Remember when Damascus Gate was lit like a giant pinball machine for Jerusalem Light Festival?

My all-time favorite light projection was also at the Damascus Gate.

This morning the Temple Mount was reopened after a two-month closure.

Muslim worshipers crowded through the Green Gate to enter.

Non-Muslims lined up to go up the ramp to Mughrabi Gate.

This video is from years ago. Will the Old City return to the old “normal”?

For Shavuot services at the Kotel this year, tickets were required to enter. A limited number were distributed by lottery. Each ticket had the name and ID number on them. Late at night after Shabbat was over, there were people on the plaza and near the Kotel, but not in the large numbers we were accustomed to in the past.

Shavuot cheese cake for Israeli security with President Reuven Rivlin — Photo credit: Mark Neyman (GPO)

One of my favorite images from Shavuot 5780 was of President Reuven Rivlin serving cheesecake and lemonade to security forces on the eve of the holiday. It was a year since his wife Nechama passed away, and he said it was something she would do, so he did it in her memory. The cemetery at Har Herzl where she is buried is under construction now and even the presidential family could not go on her yahrzeit.

The sun is shining and temperatures are pleasant out on the Jerusalem streets.

Jerusalem is planning to temporarily close thirteen city center streets to traffic, hoping people will come back to dine at the outside tables. Ads have been placed to get Israelis to come to Jerusalem. With international tourism halted, Jerusalem’s tourist-based economy needs desperate measures with so many businesses suffering and forced to close.

What will happen next? We will have to wait and see.

The numbers of construction cranes seem to multiply overnight.

Hope to see you all in Jerusalem soon.

Celebrating Yom Yerushalayim 2020

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020Sharon A

Yom Yerushalayim 5780, Jerusalem Day 2020, marks the 53rd year of the liberation of Jerusalem from Jordanian rule and the return of Jews to the Old City after 19 years of exile.

With restrictions due to pandemic COVID-19 still enforced, the usual large public musical gatherings did not happen. However, multiple events were held and broadcast live. The backyard minyan in the back of our house concluded their morning prayer service with the singing of HaTikvah.

A truck blasting holiday music went around Jerusalem streets on the eve of Yom Yerushalayim. I noticed later all the Israeli flags on the cars following behind.

It has become a tradition on the eve of Yom Yerushalayim to remember the Ethiopians who died on the treacherous journey to reach Jerusalem. The annual ceremony is held at Har Herzl near the monument in their memory.

Ethiopians who died on journey to Israel remembered before Jerusalem Day — Photo credit: Mark Neyman

Here President Rivlin greets the religious leaders after the official state event, held before a much smaller audience this year.

New olim from Ethiopia arrive in Israel — photo credit: Shlomi Amsalem

Later in the day, Jewish Agency Chairman of the Executive Isaac Herzog and the new Minister of Aliyah and Integration Pnina Tamano-Shata welcomed 119 new olim from Ethiopia to Israel. Each year for Sigd, I marvel at how they prayed toward the holy Temple in Jerusalem, yearning to return to Zion, long before Herzl and political Zionism.