Sort of Locked-down Jerusalem, Corona COVID Life

Yesterday I escaped to Jerusalem for a few hours. To be honest, it's rather risky. For me, my age makes me one of those who should be avoiding people. And in terms of corona COVID statistics, Shiloh is much, much greener/safer than Israel's Capital Jerusalem. But I'd been home for over a month and a half. To say I was going stir crazy is no exaggeration. As "jails" go, Shiloh may be rather benevolent and friendly, but waking outside, zooming with friends and family, facebook, whatsapp etc just aren't enough. 

Following are photos, some with captions of sorts to illustrate what I found in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Body language says it all. 

No eye contact. People are masked in more ways than one. No unnecessary touching of anything. It's like we're all within our personal portable jails, even when on the lightrail.

Depending on where you're looking, life looks almost normal, but for after 10am too many stores are totally shuttered.

With typical Israeli ingenuity, these fabric and notion stores are trying to sell their wares. Those who know how to sew are the lucky ones, because clothing stores were boarded up. 

Shopping for fabric required explaining to the sales staff what you wanted, choosing and then "ordering" for immediate "delivery." I discovered that many storeowners adopted this method of sales, as if they were pizza or felafel places.

Very lonely Jerusalem street with most stores totally shut until the government allows them to open.

Even some shoe stores have adopted the immediate order/delivery system, though I presume they permit people to try on their shoes first.

I just can't imagine buying shoes I haven't tried on. My feet and body are just too unique and delicate to trust online shoe shopping.

I almost bought a few packs of these gorgeous masks, but then I ran into a good friend who told me that she bought the same ones much more cheaply in Rami Levi. I must find someone to buy me some pretty colored masks there.

One thing for sure, disposable masks have dropped dramatically in price.

Prices have dropped, but the stores are locked. I guess you can order online, but I like to see and touch items first. That's how I judge quality.

Just in case those trying to get into the main post office have no idea of what two meters, aka social distancing, means, there are little boxes on the sidewalk to show you where to stand. 

People were very obedient. It's taking awhile, but Israelis are beginning to accept the concept of physical distancing when downtown doing errands.

After filling my backpack with Israeli craft beer, Shapiro's to be exact, I was overjoyed to discover that HOBBY was "open." Of course "open" meant that customers couldn't enter.

I stuck my head and phone in as far as I could to see the colors of the jersey yarn HOBBY was selling. Then the salesgirl had to bring them to me. 

Not all of them looked the same up close, but I had no time to have her run back and forth the way I would have chosen. Also there were people lined up waiting to "shop." I'm glad to have a new stock of jersey yarn to crochet more bags.

In all honesty, I think that these craft, sewing notions and fabric stores should be open the public just like pharmacies are. For many of us crafts are valuable medical tools, occupational therapy. And this is a great time to teach children these wonderful arts and crafts instead of their just using computer apps to make "works of art."

Gd willing corona COVID will disappear quickly, and everyone should be healthy and healed. Let this lockdown nightmare be quickly over. 

I'm glad to have accomplished a lot in my Jerusalem escape. And in case you're wondering, I ate nothing while there, but I walked a lot.

Arab Terror Attack on The Jerusalem Lightrail

Friday a young woman was murdered by an Arab terrorist on the Jerusalem Lightrail. Authorities say he has a history of mental illness, but that's no comfort to the family. And, davka, the victim, 21-year-old Hannah Bladon, wasn't even Jewish.

Jerusalem Lightrail on a quiet day, not far from where the attack took place.

Jerusalem Lightrail on a quiet day, not far from where the attack took place.

As further proof that there's no apartheid between Arabs and others in Israel, the attack took place on the train where Jews and Arabs and tourists and non-Jews and everyone of all ages ride together and sit together and stand crowded together.

I was on the train just the day before. I noticed more security, but according to statistics Arab men 50+ are very low risks on the terrorist scale. Just shows that Profiling isn't foolproof.

I'm just curious, but how many international leaders have condemned this murder so far? Who has?

Miracle in Jerusalem- Trust The "Gut Instinct"

Arutz 7

The first I heard of today's Jerusalem miracle was on the family whatsapp*" which mentioned that my husband was stuck on his way to work because a terrorist had been caught.

Apparently, a quick-thinking security worker with great gut instincts was alerted/suspicious about someone, and his gut was right. It ended up being an Arab terrorist equipped with bombs and a plan to blow up the train.

Thank Gd for giving the security guy not only the knowledge but the guts to act on his suspicions. Praise the Lord!

*Nowadays many families have whatsapp groups for easy and real-time communication and picture sharing.

An Important Reason to Study Arabic Here in Israel

I agree with MK Oren Hazan (Likud) that it is important for Jewish Israelis to know Arabic but not for the reasons he gives. (Hat tip: Rafi)

"In our daily reality, with Jews riding the buses in Judea and Samaria and hearing the Palestinians – they are usually afraid,” Hazan said. “With global terrorism and radical Islam on the rise, the lack of knowledge and understanding leads to fear.” (Arutz7)

Honestly, and I'm not embarrassed to say this, I don't think that there is anything wrong with being afraid. That's because terrorism and harassment on these buses and all over the country mostly comes from Arabs. We must be like flies on the wall and understand what they are saying when they think that we don't understand.

For our personal and national security, we must be able to understand what Arabs are saying to each other. They don't have to hide, because so few Jewish Israelis know enough Arab to penetrate behind the smile and willing service. We are at a terrible disadvantage, because they understand Hebrew, but we don't understand Arabic. It's a security issue.

www.dreamstime.com

There are stories of Arabs warning other Arabs to get off a bus or not to get on, because they were warned. It would be much safer if ordinary Israelis understood Arabic. And it would be best if we could keep that knowledge under our hats.

Israelis Demand Real Security!

After the Arab terrorists invented a new terror attack, riding on the Jerusalem Light Rail tracks and getting onto the spot where innocent Israelis wait for the trains, the Israeli security authorities have set up heavy cement blocks where it's easy to ride onto the platform. Today when I got to the train station at the "Yad Sarah/Yefe Nof" stop I saw this:

On both sides is written in Hebrew:

דורשים ביטחון אמיתי!!!
Dorshim Bitachon Amiti!!!
We Demand Real SSecurity!!

That's what the public wants and expects from the government. I don't think anyone can argue with that!

Riding the Jerusalem Light-rail in Times of Terror

cross-posted on me-ander

Ever since the summer war and terrorism, when Arabs attacked the lightrail which goes through their neighborhoods between Pisgat Ze'ev and Givat HaMivtar Jerusalem, I've ridden it much less than previously. There have been many reported Arab terror attacks and harassment of Jews. Besides the safety aspect, there have been times when the train was delayed, so a long indirect trip, although comfortable, had become an unsafe one.

Many people avoid taking it further north than French Hill, and now after a couple of fatal terror attacks on the "seam,' the stops between Givat Hatachmoshet, Ramat Eshkol and Sha'ar Shechem, more people are looking for buses than ever.

Yesterday I ended up getting off a ride to Jerusalem at Pisgat Zeev, and yesterday was Thursday afternoon when the traffic is pretty heavy, especially on the routes I'd need to get to downtown Jerusalem. My mind was busy going over the pros and cons of the routes I know which can be caught in Pisgat Zeev.

But without any bus in view, I got on the train with the intention of going just two stops within Pisgat Zeev to change for a bus. I was curious to see how the #66 route was. I called the son I was to meet, and he told me to stay on the train, which would take me right near his apartment. So, that's what I did.

I sat in the front behind the dirver, where it reportedly is and feels much safer. There have been reports of more harassment in the rear of the train.Hardly anyone was on the train even though it was Thursday afternoon, a busy shopping time. Maybe the other direction was fuller.

As we approached, Shuafat, the first stop after Pisgat Zeev, I got nervous, because I could see a whole bunch of men crowded together at the stop, in what appeared in my mind to be a threatening manner. There's no picture of them, because I thought I'd be safer with my camera and phone tucked away.

It wasn't until we stopped that I saw their uniforms and realized that they were Border Police or regular  police, not sure with all the bulletproof vests and all.

Besides them, nobody was waiting to get on.

A security guard walked up and down the train. For the first time, he was equipped with a very impressive weapon. I overheard him telling another passenger that it was new. Prior the guards were protected by bulletproof vests, but didn't have much else. I'm not sure about pistols.  People were more afraid of the ticket inspectors and the fines they could impose.

I don't think a dozen people got on the train at the three Arab neighborhood stops. I don't know how much they wanted to avoid security inspections or because they had nothing to do where the train was going. Many usually get on and off at the Old City (Sha'ar Shechem) or the seam stops (Shimon HaTzadik and Shivtei Yisrael) which skirt Arab neighborhoods. They do have lots of buses to use as alternative public transportation.

The streets of East Jerusalem were quiet.  You could see more security than ordinary shoppers.

As we got to the areas of the recent Arab terror attacks, there was a lot of police to be seen.

And soon the train was packed. At the two first downtown stops, the Municipality (City Hall) and "Jaffa Center," so many people tried to enter the train that the driver had to override the passengers option to open the doors. He locked the doors while people were clamoring to get into the suddenly packed train. I was afraid I'd have trouble exiting.

Just before my stop, I caught the eye of an older woman who was standing and told her that I was giving her my seat. She kept insisting that she was fine standing and I should sit. It took me a bit to convince her that I needed to get off at the next stop, so I wasn't getting up because I thought she looked more decrepit/elderly than myself.

The bottom line is that I had a safe trip on the train and got to where I needed to be without any hassles and relatively quickly, when you take into account I didn't wait long and didn't need to get off and then wait for a bus which could easily have been slow due to the hour.

The talk on the train among strangers and conversations I've had with friends about the lightrail centers on one theme. There should be a way for the train to bypass the Arab neighborhoods. The train should be able to get from Pisgat Ze'ev to the depot. It can already go from the depot straight to Givat Hamivtar/French Hill. That would have the double advantage of making the trip faster and staying out of the Arab neighborhoods where trains and train stops have been attacked. None of the ticket machines can be used there. The Arab terrorists/rioters have destroyed them.

The train goes right by the location of "my terror attack" making the trip a reminder of how G-d saved me. That attack was long before the lightrail was built. And that terror attack was the first one in which a terrorist used a vehicle to mow down innocent people at a bus stop. It happened over eighteen years ago and now is the popular one by Arab terrorists. It's also the most impossible to fully prevent or predict.

And about predictions, I wouldn't dare try my hand predicting what's next concerning security and terror in Jerusalem.

Let's pray that our leaders get wisdom and use it.  And let's also pray for the speedy and complete recovery of all the injured in previous terror attacks.

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach
May it be a Peaceful and Blessed Sabbath, G-d willing

Yes, It's Deja Vu Time Again, Terror at the Bus/Train Stop

It's a cliche already to call a vehicle a weapon, and most people groan when they hear it and shrug their shoulders, but unfortunately, the Arab terrorists have been taking the saying very seriously. Today there was another terror attack when an Arab terrorist from Shuafat, an Arab neighborhood in Jerusalem took a heavy vehicle and mowed down innocent people crossing the street and waiting for the train.

Wounded pedestrian at scene of the Jerusalem ramming terror attack. Photo: 0404.co.il.

An Arab driving a van killed one person and wounded some 14 others, several critically, when he slammed into pedestrians and vehicles at two points along the capital’s light rail line midday Wednesday, according to Army radio.The fatality, a Border Police officer, and the wounded were crossing the street when they were hit by the speeding vehicle, according to Israel Radio.
At one point, footage from a light rail security camera shows the white Volkswagen van hitting pedestrians as it rushed down the tracks.

Victims at scene of Jerusalem terror ramming. Photo: Israelphoto.

The driver then descended from his vehicle, several blocks north of the Old City, and attacked passersby with a metal rod, police said.
Border Police officers in the vicinity gave chase along the rail line, and opened fire at the suspect, killing him, police said.
The driver was wearing clothing similar to those worn by a haredi Jew, Army radio reported.Police are reporting that the suspect, Ibrahim al-Akari, 38, was a Hamas member from the city’s Shuafat neighborhood. On his Facebook page, al-Akari lauded the shooting of Yehuda Glick on October 29... complete article on Algemeiner

As soon as I saw this picture on top I shivered. I remember a facing a wall when I was injured in the first such terror attack about eighteen years ago barely a kilometer from this attack. Nothing's new, unfortunately. At least the terrorists who killed and injured innocent people were immediately executed in both attacks.

I am very pleased that recent Arab terrorists have been killed. That is what should happen. No one I know wants our tax money to be spent on housing them, feeding them, their medical care or legal expenses. And we certainly don't want terrorists to be released, no matter what or whom we would get in return.

As my friend and I were on our way home, out of Jerusalem, we noticed this man walking along the Old City Walls, most probably from the site of the terror attack.

If you know him, please tell him thanks.

PS The attack!

Compare the Funerals, And The Mourning

Here's a picture I took at the funeral of Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frenkel, both 16, and Eyal Yifrach, 19, HaYa"D, at the Modiin Cemetery where they were buried.

The mourners were quiet and stoic. And here's one from an angle I couldn't take.

Oren Ziv/Activestills.org

Compare the body language with these from the funeral of the Arab teen Mohammed Abu Khudair*:

REUTERS/FINBARR O'REILLY

Here's how Jews mourn:

 Israelis light candles in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square on Monday as they mourn the news of the death of three abducted Jewish teenagers. Credit: Tomer Neuberg/Flash90

And here's how the Arabs are mourning:

Photo Credit: Flash 90

All of this is something to think about...

Apparently, the Arab rioters so badly damaged the lightrail tracks and equipment in the  Shuafat and Beit Hanina neighborhoods of Jerusalem that the trains will no longer be able to travel through there. That leaves Pisgat Zeev without train service. More buses will have to be added to service those neighborhoods which are as populated as many Israeli cities. I, too, along with many residents of the Benjamin, Samaria and Jordan Valley take the train to and from Pisgat Zeev as part of our traveling to and from Jerusalem. There will now be more traffic on the roads and more crowded buses. I suggest that the city and the CityPass directors decide to change the route, leaving out the Arab neighborhoods. They should build a direct route straight from Pisgat Zeev to French Hill. It will make the train safer all around and a quicker ride for us.

*Read the article about the kidnapping of Mohammed Abu Khudair by Elder of Ziyon.

Israeli-Jewish Sovereignty in Jerusalem?

It's no secret that there are Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem where Israeli Jewish Policemen fear to tread.  Here are some disturbing pictures and an article from Algemeiner about an Arab attack on Jews near the Old City of Jerusalem.

A frenzied Arab mob smashed car windshields with rocks and pieces of wood, as Jews drove by Jerusalem’s Damascus (Shechem) Gate Tuesday night, with several of the perpetrators arrested by Jerusalem Police, Israel’s Channel 7 reported on Thursday, citing video recorded by the assailants and uploaded to the internet.
The video, posted on the “Free Qudss” accounts on YouTube and Facebook, begins with the statement: “Destroying the settlers cars and arrests.” The narrator claims the recording was made on Tuesday evening.

At least here the police attempted to protect the Jews.



This happened not far from the Jerusalem Lightrail.

The Muslim world is now in the midst of Ramadan, the month in which they fast during the day and feast and party all night.

A Cause of Delays on the Jerusalem Lightrail

For those of us who travel in Jerusalem and use public transportation, the lightrail is now something we've totally gotten used to.  Most of us have relearned bus routes which had been changed and amputated when the route followed the train for too much of it. We do our best to keep our little yellow rechargeable Rav Kav ticket with plenty of rides magically tucked inside. We also learned how to quickly and efficiently pay immediately when entering the train before any inspector could stop us.



The train is so popular, there are many times of the day when even at one of the earliest stops in the route in Pisgat Ze'ev there are no empty seats.  And in the center of Jerusalem, on Jaffa Road, the train is frequently as crowded as the NYC Subway at rush hour.

An advantage during rush hour is that it runs on tracks and doesn't get stuck in traffic.  Well, honestly, that isn't so true.  There's a place in the Beit Chanina/Shuafat Arab neighborhood in Jerusalem where I've found myself more than once in a train that can't move at all.

Cars turning onto the road which is parallel to the tracks get stopped by a red light in the distance.  The junction at which they are turning doesn't go red quickly enough.

Last week, when I was on the train and standing in the very front, behind the driver, I heard another passenger saying that we should watch, because the driver is equipped with a camera. 

"Watch, the driver has a camera.  He's going to take a picture of the cars licenses  blocking him. And then those drivers get one thousand (1,000) shekel fines."

And yes, the driver did take out a smartphone, and he took pictures of the cars in front and their license plates.  Hopefully this should keep people from trying to sneak past the light when it's turning red.

"Where Are We?" Ask The Confused Trolley-Jerusalem Light Rail Passengers

Yesterday I was on the Jerusalem Trolley with my husband, so there's finally a picture, actually two, of me.  Yes, I know that the colors are a bit strange.  I lightened the photos.

Many people, including those of the Jewish neighborhoods where the train starts, Neve Ya'akov and Pisgat Ze'ev, seemed to be unaware that the train would be going through nearby Beit Chanina and Shuafat, two upper-middle class Arab neighborhoods.  Yes, there are wealthy and middle-class Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem.

When I had previously ridden on that part of the route, it had been much too crowded for me to take pictures, but yesterday I got some good shots to show Arabic signs.

I wonder if the foreign press and even the Leftist Israel media have mentioned this much.  So far, Jewish and Arab passengers wait and travel and sit together politely and peacefully.  The announcements and the signs are in three languages: Hebrew, English and Arabic.  Of course, there's no guarantee that Arab terrorists won't target the trolleys.

The truth is that there's more cooperation and tolerance between Jews and Arabs here in Israel than the world wants to recognize.  Even Israel's Leftists don't like to admit that Arabs and Jews can live in one country as long as we all obey the laws.  Just the other day I heard a Leftist politician saying that the reason Israel must  withdraw from Judea and Samaria, which he called the "occupied territories," was because "Israel shouldn't have too many Arabs."  That sounds extremely intolerant and very foolish.  It's like throwing out the baby with the bath water.

News Flash! It Moves!

Last week, when I was in Jerusalem's Ramat Eshkol neighborhood, waiting for the bus home to Shiloh I was surprised to see a rather futuristic scene...




Yes, that's the train, the trolley, the Jerusalem light-rail silently chugging down the street to the Ammunition Hill Stop.  Luckily, I'm pretty fast at the draw and speedily whipped out my trusty camera and shot the above photo.

The day before in Pisgat Zeev, I took this photo of a trolley stop, rails and the inevitable chemical toilet set up for workers, because construction on Jerusalem's light-rail isn't complete yet.


So, this year we still can't celebrate Jerusalem Day by taking the train.  Maybe next year... or the following...

Seen In Jerusalem

If I had the time, I'd spend my days just taking pictures.

When I'm in Jerusalem, I'm generally in the same places each time, downtown, the "center" and then walking to the Central Bus Station.  I'm never bored, maybe in a rush, but it's rare for me to make it the distance without taking out my camera and shooting.

As impressive and artistic as the Jerusalem String Bridge, designed by Calatrava is, those building cranes (or whatever the equipment is) definitely compete.  And they're dynamic, always changing while the bridge just becomes the "straight man," almost boring backdrop, (background.)

The Jerusalem light-rail is weighing heavily on daily life.  I hope the changes I see each time are progress and not just repairs and corrections.  It is taking much too long to complete the job.

This is my favorite spot downtown.  Those knowing what's going on with our family will be able to guess very easily why and where.

Jerusalem, Never Dull

Jerusalem has always been a city more enjoyable for pedestrians than drivers, but recently, even those of us who take pride in walking it find ourselves stymied by unexpected walls and barriers.  Olmert's light-rail is a bit heavy on the feet.

Some of the architecture is rather surprising, and sometimes incongruous, compared to its neighbors.  At least this Jaffa Street building isn't in a windy location.

At first I didn't follow what was happening here, as I crossed from Binyanei Ha'uma to the Central Bus Station.  Then I listened.  The man was an archaeologist digging for "buried treasure."  He was explaining to the interested passersby about what had been discovered.

As the saying goes:

Only in Jerusalem!

Jerusalem ReBuilt? Yerushalayim HaBinuya

Life in a construction site is no picnic, even if the workers seem to be picnicking too much of the day.

Will Olmert's "lightrail" ever be completed?

I try to be a careful pedestrian, but sometimes I'm forced to walk in the street. The pedestrian path here from Ramat Eshkol to the American Consulate suddenly ended without any warning.

I love this juxtaposition between the future and present.

Will we ever enjoy any convenience from Olmert's lightrail?