Jerusalem gets back to normal after holidays

Sharon A

It’s time to get back to “normal” with a full five-day week without holidays.

To start a busy week, nothing like changing the clocks to get the week going – slowly.

Last week, the Vice-President and Secretary of State of the US paid short visits to Jerusalem, Israel.

I did not see either of them, but the US flag was up outside Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence.

It was enough for me to remember Biden’s two trips as VP and VP Mike Pence in 2018.

This week, President Herzog presented nine Israeli Medals of Honor to a very diverse group of awardees.

The yellow chair to remember the hostages still in Gaza was placed next to the medals.

The honorees were seated in the front row with distinguished guests on the other side of President and Michal Herzog. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee was one of several Ambassadors.

The very diverse group of winners included Sheik Muwaffaq Tarif, leader of the Druze community.

Dr. Miriam Adelson, one of the female winners, spoke for the group and wore a white garment with blue Stars of David embroidery.

Miriam Abelson and Michal Herzog, one of many hugs of the evening.

Group hug of the President, Adelson, and freed hostages Matan Angrest and Segev Kalfon was another.

The two young men recently freed from Gaza received special mention and applause.

Impressive, before leaving, giving a thank you to the Medalists.

Not all the winners were Israeli or Jewish. Mathias Döpfner, a German businessman, author, art collector, and journalist, is the CEO of media group Axel Springer SE. He prides himself on being a non-Jewish Zionist, and his media was singled out for not sharing anti-Israel propaganda. He is also very tall.

The construction and destruction of Jerusalem streets for bike paths and the light rail goes on, and on.

One sign says that we will be able to get from Herzog Street to Route 16 by October 2027.

Will see if that really happens. It feels doubtful with so many streets ripped up and traffic stuck.

Meanwhile, it is fall and the weather and seasons are changing.

In the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, the pond lilies are changing colors as they wilt away.

A new restaurant opened this week in the old popular location. The dairy one did not last long. Will see how a kosher Moroccan grill does in the site best remembered as the old Moment Cafe.

The hundreds of delegates to the World Zionist Congress are arriving from around the world for the WZC opening sessions starting on Tuesday at the International Conference Center.

Winter weather is on the way. But if you walk along the Jerusalem streets, roses are still blooming.

Take time to stop and smell the roses, or check out the Open Houses this weekend. Over 160 places of interest are open to the public during the annual festival.

As always, more is happening than what makes the sensational headlines.

Hope to see you soon on the Jerusalem streets.

Extra joy in Jerusalem for Simchat Torah

Sharon A

Where did the week go?

Where do the weeks go?

In this holiday season, it often becomes hard to remember what day of the week it is!

It is officially “after the chagim,” and the Jewish holidays are behind us.

Before moving on to the upcoming events, I would like to share a bit about last week and Simchat Torah.

It’s remarkable how things can be portrayed negatively in the media when they were so positive.

Ambassador Mike Huckabee got a terrible review in Arkansas by someone who saw the video of him and David Friedman at the United Hatzalah event in Jerusalem. While I had to agree that comedian Elon Gold was not the best singer of the night. The Ambassadors’ guitar work to “Sweet Home, Jerusalem’ was greatly appreciated by the audience, and their expressions serious as they played.

Even Huckabee getting up to dance to a song by Avraham Fried was worthy of applause.

The return of the last of the living hostages from Gaza hours before Simchat Torah began added to the festive mood throughout Israel.

Outside of Israel, Simchat Torah extends for a second day. Rabbi Yitzhak Yedidia Frenkel is credited with starting the custom of second-night hakafot (dancing around a Torah scroll) in Tel Aviv in 1942, with music distinguishing the second from the first, religiously mandated day.

There were multiple options after Simchat Torah to keep the celebrations going in Jerusalem.

The musical Hakafot were held again in Liberty Bell Park and at the Kotel, the Western Wall Plaza.

However, the Great Synagogue was also lit and ready for a special celebration.

A new Torah was brought to be completed in memory of Aryeh Cohen, escorted by his sister Shira Cohen.

Shmuel and Leah Rieder donated the Torah in honor of a group of survivors who committed to keeping Shabbat in the merit of the hostages’ return, dubbed the “Shabbat Heroes.”

Twenty Nova Heroes decided in the past year to keep Shabbat.

Hundreds of people came to celebrate with them and the Kesher Yehudi organization.

Dancing was in the lobby of the Great Synagogue, though it was hard to move with so many people.

Michal Ochana spoke briefly: “Today we dedicate a new Torah in the memory of all of our loved ones that we have lost, after two incredible days of celebrating life, and the return home of our hostages.”

Photos, videos of the Torah and the Heroes who were given a sash with gold letters – “Hero” in Hebrew.

Popular singer Lipa Schmeltzer performed again with his amazing energy.

The band accompanied multiple Israeli singers, including this young one.

This was the truck and screen parked outside the Great Synagogue. It attracted the attention of young people walking by on Jerusalem’s King George Street. Lipa was still singing when I left at the start of the FIRST hafakah at 11 pm. The celebration went on until well after midnight.

The Jewish Agency was lit with “Veshavu Banim Ligvulum,” “the sons returned to their border.”

Much more simcha this Simchat Torah, but also sadness of the loss of life over the past two years.

Not all of the murdered hostages have been returned; their families are still waiting.

The annual Oud Festival is November 6-13, and the Jerusalem Open Houses are on October 30 – November 1, 2025. As always, things are happening on the Jerusalem streets besides traffic.

Hope to see you soon – this year in Jerusalem.

Exciting times in Jerusalem on Chol Hamoed Sukkot

Sharon A

The Sukkot holiday is always a busy time of year, with many activities and events held not only on the Jerusalem streets, but all over Israel.

This year was almost back to normal with international visitors arriving to celebrate.

Adding to the excitement on Chol Hamoed, the intermediate days of Sukkot marked the announcement of the ceasefire and end of war. The Chord Bridge was lit with US and Israeli flags.

The Knesset was also lit in red, white, and blue to honor the US.

My week started with a special event at the Alyn Hospital for the Gilat Foundation with Yishay Ribo!

The audience appreciated the music, and so did the Dutch family’s organization, which provides entertainment to children who are in hospitals for treatment.

Flags for the United States were raised over the Jerusalem streets to welcome US President Trump tomorrow morning, who is to speak at the Knesset.

Sukkot is a school vacation time each year, and families are looking for activities.

In Jerusalem, Gan Sacher, Sacher Park had entertainers on Thursday for families.

The Jerusalem Municipality also provided colorful activities for free.

However, many Israelis found the International Jerusalem March to be the best entertainment.

Starting in the afternoon, people from over 70 countries walked around the park, some in costumes.

All were smiling and interacting with the spectators under colorful international flags.

Children received small flags from the marchers. Not sure who enjoyed the interactions more.

Security was relaxed, and a good time was had by all involved.

Brazil was near the end of the march, with a smaller group than in past years, but as always, enthusiastic.

The positive interactions between locals and the love displayed for Israel from the visitors were impressive. In a time when the international media was so negative, the march was full of music and song, and positive vibes were felt by all.

At the entrance to Gan Sacher, there is a piano with a “You are not alone” yellow sign on top. The hostages are impossible to forget – even in the best of times and celebrations.

Optimism for their return was a theme of the annual Sukkot United Hatazalah Gala after Shabbat at the Jerusalem International Conference Center.

Lights, music, special guests, and MC Elon Gold filled the auditorium stage

Backstage before the show began, UH President Eli Beer met with influencer Lizzy Savetsky, who has been working overtime to promote Israel and is here from New York for the holidays.

Popular singer Avraham Fried was a main attraction as usual.

However, it was the US Ambassadors to Israel who got a standing ovation when introduced.

David Friedman was a UH supporter long before he became ambassador. Current Ambassador Mike Huckabee was not only present but also up dancing with Eli Beer to Avraham Fried’s niggun.

The highlight of this UH event was near the end when the Ambassadors got on stage to perform.

Joined by Avraham Fried at the end, the full-house crowd rose in appreciation.

It was an impressive and amazing evening, glad I was able to attend.

There were fewer people on Sunday morning at the Kotel, Western Wall, for Birkat Cohanim.

The large broadcasted Priestly Blessing was done twice this year, the first time on Thursday morning drew a huge crowd.

The tens of thousands included the Ethiopian leaders, Kezim, under their colorful umbrellas.

I did not go this year; however, the Blessing is the same as last year and the years before.

The sukkot lit at night were found on and off Jerusalem streets as every year.

Now, we prepare for the end of the holiday week and Simhat Torah.

All are hoping for a day filled with joy for the holiday.

But first tonight, many will stay up learning Torah all night on Hashanna Raba.

חג שמח

Chag sameach!