19 Favorite Scenes this Week in Jerusalem

Raining, pouring weather in Israel in May

is most unusual, but it started last night.

Too bad that I missed getting a photo of lightning over the Knesset,

or little children splashing in puddles this afternoon.

But this was such a colorful, event-filled week it was hard to keep up,

 so I decided to share  just a few favorites scenes.

The weather had been warm and summer-like  last week,

image school trip. photo trip to Jerusalem

perfect for the many groups of children on school trips to see Jerusalem.

image air show, picture fly over, photo planes flying together

The planes  for flyover air shows are such a favorite that I did a whole blog post on them.

musicians unusual place photo, image street musicians, picture night music

What a spot for a show, in the Jaffa Gate plaza of the Old City,

with the King David Hotel as backdrop

image Israel flag, view Tower of David

The flags inside of Tower of David Museum fly all year.

But this week there were lots more flags to be seen,

image Israeli flags

my favorite decorated car was this one.

Israeli flags, Jewish Agency Building photo

The Jewish Agency Building was one of many draped with long flags.

However, I hate to see so much water being used for cleaning

when getting ready for holiday ceremonies.

Back to Israeli flags,

photo Palestinian women, Palestinian women under occupation, photo Arab women

these Arab women walked under rows of them.

image Israeli flag.

It was nice to see one hanging in a new Jerusalem yeshiva.

While down the street,

image Israeli apartheid, photo Arabs in jerusalem, picture Israeli occupation

I met these two Kurdish women.

They are in Israel with their children who are receiving life saving medical care.

It is always a favorite to share that kind of under radar story.

DSC_3626b Isareli flags hanging on building

By day there were various flags flying,

image sign in Hebrew

by night for Yom Ha’aztmaut, Independence Day

this sign warns of street closings.

The all night parties and fireworks were really something else.

Not just Israeli flags,

DSC_3661b  large flag of Jerusalem

 but Jerusalem flags are also lining major streets.

DSC_3811n lobby warning closing

I loved this warning in hotel lobby,

that things will be closed on Yom HaZikaron, Memorial Day

On our first time in Israel for Yom Ha’atzmaut our tour bus drove

for hours looking for somewhere to get food.

I never understood how that could have been so poorly scheduled,

everyone in Israel should know about these closing times.

DSC_3854 image Jerusalem for Yom Haatzmaut

Blue and white flags and cars fill on the streets,

park crowded with people, image park Jerualem , photo sacher park

and people and smoke filled  Gan Sacher, Sacher Park and other green areas.

image park, Jerusalem park on holiday.

Some people know how to stake their claim to a picnic spot.

Israel independence day image, photo Yom Haatzmaut, picture blue and white Israel

The blue and white plastic hammers keep getting bigger.

image animal independence day, photo independence day. picture dog dressed for independence day

This dog was dressed in red, white and blue.

It felt like US July 4th Independence Day, hot and muggy,

so no idea why he needed to wear anything.

image Israel indepndence day, photo Israel birthday , picture BBQ

Grilling meat went on all day,

at just this one mangal BBQ over 250 pounds of meat were consumed.

The photo of a girl in Gan Sacher in a “GO VEG” tee-shirt

came out good, but not many were paying attention to her advice

and this is getting too long.

It has cooled off and I had better get going,

after the violent weather, the sun is starting to come out.

Yom Ha’atzmaut: Fly Over on Independence Day in Jerusalem

Air space over Jerusalem, Israel is not open,

when planes or helicopters fly over we notice.

The week before Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day

DSC_3385fb planes over Jerusalem, Israel

the sounds meant, it was rehearsal time

for the annual flyover air show and time to grab the camera.

planes flying over Jerusalem, airshow photo, image planes in formation

On Yom Ha’atzmaut it was very cloudy.

image flyover, photo air show

Friends on beach in Tel Aviv had it easier to get a clear view.

IMG_3673b watching air show in Jerusalem, Israel Sacher Park

But when those planes start flying over in formation,

it is something special to see.

Former Israeli Ambassador to US, Michael Oren (right)

stopped mid-sentence to look to the sky.

image planes in formation, photo air show

A little coloring helped this photo.

image planes flying in formation, photo planes on cloudly day

There were several flyovers by different types of planes.

image planes in sky, photo air show, image flyover

In Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, where we were at the time of the show,

 by the last set of planes

everyone had found their spot to see and to take a photo.

Israel Independence Day 66!

Yom Haatzmaut Favorites in Jerusalem

Two grad rockets fired by jihadists in Sinai landed in Eilat .

Lately, it seems that every time I do a blog post there is a new rocket attack.

By now everyone has heard of the bombings in Boston.

The first year I lived in Boston I remember how surprised I was that

 so many things shut down for the running of The Boston Marathon,

it is certainly not just another race in Boston.

So too, unless you are in Israel it is hard to imagine

how business as usual completely stops

for Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day.

However, there was so much to do and so many events 

 that it was hard to decide where to go and what to attend.

First, were many prayer services,

which followed the solemn Yom Hazikaron observances.

Then the serious partying for Yom Ha’atzmaut began.

Sephradi rabbi

One of the largest musical religious services was at The Great Synagogue

where Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar was  the guest speaker .

planes flying in formation image

A big favorite for most everyone is the aerial fly over

Planes over Jerusalem

which was almost cancelled this year due to weather conditions.

Deciding which photos out of hundreds to share has been hard,

but here are a few that hopefully will show what is so special

about this time of year in Jerusalem. 

Israeli flag, building site photo

The large flags draped down tall buildings.

Palestinian woman and son

The small flags on so many cars

Flag on bus image

and some buses.

Israeli flag street view

Flags were out in the old Nachlaot neighborhood

photo Israeli flags

and the new Arnona neighborhood.

Display of Israel flags image

 Some neighborhoods had so many

Israeli flag photo

 flags on display,

Israeli flags

 they even lined the roof tops.

Knesset building Israel flag

And of course flags are hung on the streets near and on the Knesset Building.

Yom Haatzmaut also marks the start of BBQ season, the time for mangals,

Getting ready for mangal image

 and grilling essentials are displayed everywhere.

Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, is usually is filled with tens of thousands

of people on Yom Ha’atzmaut.

Park with tents

Tents were set up for protection from bad weather by those

who came early to stake out their claim for a good spot.

Usually the choice spots are in the shade, but

 this year it was so windy and cold that a spot in the sun was preferred.

Cooking out in park photo

The park was not nearly as crowded as most years,

cook out on Israel Independence Day

making more space for those grilling meat

celebrating Independence Day

and having the traditional foam fights.

I could go on and on, but that would make this post really late.

Yom Haatzmaut night is one of only three nights a year

when noise is not restricted at 11:00 pm.

There were thousands of parties,

Yom haatzmaut celebration

many with young people singing and dancing,

and many ending with firework displays.

 I spent most of my day with one of my favorite groups,

group of lone soldiers

shown here as these lone soldiers posed at the end of a major mangal.

From around the world these young people came to serve in the IDF

and now they help other new soldiers

who have also left their homes and families to serve their people.

They are the promise of the future.

As Boston comes to grips with a deadly terror attack,

I hope that they never have to learn get used to bombs as Israelis have.

Happy Independence day sign

 Happy Independence Day.

#Israel65