ABC Wednesday, O for Old City in Jerusalem

There are eight gates giving access to the Old City. Seven of them are open to people and even cars. The eighth is called the Golden Gate and is sealed. It will only open on Judgement Day.
It was wonderful to walk in those narrow winding streets and seeing them full of life like 2000 years ago.

The Old City is probably the most interesting part of Jerusalem and the most important site in Israel.
The walls around the Old City are over 400 years old.The Turkish ruler Suleiman The Magnificent was responsible for most of what remains today of the walls, which were constructed during 1538 and 1541. Other parts date back to the Crusaders and even further back to King Herod. The walls represent layer upon layer of history.

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with O.

Weekend Reflections, Sky Watch, Israel

We made a trip with our group to visit a birds sanctuary at Agamon Hula. It was raining. We were sitting in a kind of railway wagon drawn by a very big tractor. The benches were placed lengthwise. We saw a large number of cranes, which visit this area every year. The rain, the cranes and the water made a wonderful reflection.

 Sky Watch is hosted each week by the Sky Watch team of Sandy,and Sylvia. And this week as every week, we remember Klaus and know that he joins us in spirit! .
It's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see other skies please click on the logo in the side bar.

 Weekend Reflections was started on 27 September 2009, by  James. You can join this meme at some time during the weekend. Just post your photo and go to  James to tell him that you are on, or click on the logo in the sidebar.This meme is created for any type of reflection.

ABC Wednesday, N for Naphtali

NAPHTALI

Second son of Jacob and Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid, and younger full brother of Dan. According to Gen. xxx. 8, the name means "my wrestling," and has reference to the jealous rivalry of the sisters Rachel and Leah.  In the Blessing of Jacob  the passage which concerns Naphtali has reference to the qualities of the tribe, rather than to those of the individual. "Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words"; i.e., "He is alert, nimble, free-spirited, and has poetical or oratorical gifts" (Driver, Commentary on Genesis, ad loc.).Naphtali was a swift runner and came first to Jacob with the good news that Joseph was alive.


 With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or  Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with N.

This is one of the twelve windows created by Marc Chagall in the Hadassah synagogue.

Monday Doorways, Israel

 Inspired by a post by Eric Tenin of a Parisian doorway, «Louis» began posting on Mondays photos he had taken of doorways in Paris.To participate click on
Monday Doorways.

The doorway of this Monday is the entrance door of the Jerusalem Great Synagogue. The windows of this synagogue are also worth seeing.

The style of the building was modeled on the Jewish Temple which once stood in Jerusalem. The inauguration took place on Tu B'Av  1982. Naftali Hershtik was appointed the chief cantor of the synagogue, a position he held up to 31 December 2008 succeeded by Haim Adler.

The sanctuary seats 850 men and 550 women.

A comprehensive private collection of mezuzah cases is on show inside the lobby. See post of last week's ABC.

The outside of the doorway of the Great Synagogue. 

The inside of the same doorway.

Sky Watch, Israel,

So Tzeitel, Tevye's eldest daughter, does not marry Leiser Wolf, the butcher who is much older. She marries the young Mottel. See post of  3rd April about Fiddler on the Roof.


(Father Tevye)
Is this the little girl I carried,
Is this the little boy at play?

(Mother Golde)
I don't remember growing older,
When did they?

(Tevye)
When did she get to be a beauty,
When did he grow to be so tall?

(Golde)
Wasn't it yesterday when they were small?

(men)
Sunrise, sunset (x2),
Swiftly flow the days.

(women)
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers,
Blossoming even as we gaze.

(everyone)
Sunrise, sunset (x2),
Swiftly fly the years,
One season following another,

Laiden with happiness and tears.

(Tevye)
What words of wisdom can I give them,
How can I help to ease their way?

(Golde)
Now they must learn from one another,
Day by day.


(everyone)
Sunrise, sunset (x2),
Swiftly fly the years,
One season following another,
Laiden with happiness,
And

 Sky Watch is hosted each week by the Sky Watch team of Sandy, Wren and Sylvia. And this week as every week, we remember Klaus and know that he joins us in spirit! .
It's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see other skies please click on the logo in the side bar. 

ABC Wednesday, M for Mezuzah

The Jerusalem Great Synagogue

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with M.


In the Jerusalem Great Synagogue we saw several showcases displaying all kind of mezuzot. We saw the most beautifully decorated ones fit for the doorposts of palaces.
Wikipedia says:"A mezuzah (Hebrew: מְזוּזָה‎ "doorpost"; plural: מְזוּזוֹת mezuzot) is a piece of parchment (often contained in a decorative case) inscribed with specified Hebrew verses from the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21). These verses comprise the Jewish prayer "Shema Yisrael", beginning with the phrase: "Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is One"

A mezuzah is affixed to the doorframe in Jewish homes to fulfill the mitzvah (Biblical commandment) to inscribe the words of the Shema "on the doorposts of your house" (Deuteronomy 6:9). The parchment is prepared by a qualified scribe (a "sofer stam") who has undergone many years of meticulous training, and the verses are written in black indelible ink with a special quill pen. The parchment is then rolled up and placed inside the case."
The last one is mine!! But it has no parchment.

Happy Easter

     
    Happy and blessed Easter with love and warmth to all of you!

Religion, Good Friday,

RECITATIVE. (Accompanied - Tenor) Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness:-Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make straight in the desert a
highway for our God.

AIR (Tenor)
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain.




Good Friday is for me the day that I feel the deepest sorrow and the greatest expectation  of a new life after the death of an innocent man, who wanted peace, love of our fellow humans and God's creation. We cannot blame the people of his time to be responsible for this terrible execution. Had he lived now, he would not have been understood either. Humanity has not changed at all. In many countries people are killed because of their religion or convictions. I am fortunate that I live in a country where there is freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

ABC Wednesday, L for Life and L' chaim.

Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics  by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905.  The story centers on Tevye, the father of five daughters, and his attempts to maintain his family and Jewish religious traditions while outside influences encroach upon their lives. He must cope with both the strong-willed actions of his three older daughters—each one's choice of husband moves further away from the customs of his faith—and with the edict of the Tsar that evicts the Jews from their village.

To life, to life, l'chaim.
L'chaim, l'chaim, to life.
Here's to the father I tried to be!
Here's to my bride to be!
Drink, l'chaim, to life!

To life, to life, l'chaim.
L'chaim, l'chaim, to life.
Life has a way of confusing us,
Blessing and bruising us.
Drink, l'chaim, to life!

God would like us to be joyful,
Even when our hearts lie panting on the floor.
But how much more can we be joyful
When there's really something to be joyful for?

To life, to life, l'chaim.
To Tzeitel, my daughter.
My wife.
It gives you something to think about,
Something to drink about.
Drink, l'chaim, to life.

(Reb Mordcha!
Reb Lazar!
Drinks for everyone!
What's the occassion?
I'm picking myself a bride!
Who's it to be?
Tevye's daughter Tzeitel!)

To Lazar Wulf! To Tevye!
To Tzeitel, your daughter!
My wife!
May all your futures be pleasant ones,
Not like our present ones!
Drink, l'chaim, to life!

To life, to life, l'chaim!
L'chaim, l'chaim, to life!
It takes a wedding to make us say,
"Let's live another day."
Drink, l'chaim, to life!

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with L.

Sky Watch, Israel,

My previous SWF post disappeared. I don't know why, but I put it back in a slightly different way. And of course all 8  comments also disappeared.

 The first view every morning from my balcony! Not a very spectacular view, but for me a peaceful and happy atmosphere with birds singing which was the only sound I could here.

I have been back in the Netherlands since last week Thursday, but every day I think of this peaceful place.


Sky Watch is hosted each week by the Sky Watch team of Sandy, Wren and Sylvia. And this week as every week, we remember Klaus and know that he joins us in spirit! .

Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see other skies please click on the logo in the side bar.