Yom HaZikaron

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By the Hebrew reckoning, a day begins at night.
Last night all Israel entered into the saddest day of the year, Remembrance Day for Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Enemy Actions.
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In between the national memorial ceremonies at the Western Wall, Mt. Herzl, the Knesset, and Ammunition Hill, Israel TV has been showing filmed stories of heroism, of battles, of terrorist actions, and of families struggling with bereavement.
They are riveting; I have to watch. They make up our history.
But oh so many times in the last 21 hours have I dried my tears or cried "Oh God" or sighed a big Jewish sigh of "Oi . . . ."
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At sunset tonight we will make the sudden transition into the happiness of Independence Day, all the time remembering that our independent state did not--and does not--come easy.
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That's My World and it is a great privilege to live here.
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More posts about Memorial Day in Jerusalem can be found here.
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Shalom, peace to you, my country!
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David, a warrior king and psalmist

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Psalm 18 is full of action and great word images but it is a long one.
Like teachers used to say, "I won't take off any points or give you demerits" if you don't read every verse. ;-)
But I don't feel right about censoring or shortening it.
So here is the whole poem, joining Robert of Daily Athens' PsalmChallenge.
The original Hebrew and an older translation is here.
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1. For the leader -- of David, the servant of the LORD who addressed the words of this song to the LORD after the LORD had saved him from the grip of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul,

2. and he said: I adore You, O LORD, my strength,
3. O LORD, my crag, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, the source of my rescue, my haven.
4. Praised I called the LORD and was rescued from my enemies.
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5. Ropes of death encompassed me; torrents of Belial terrified me; 6. ropes of Sheol encircled me; snares of death confronted me.
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7. In my distress I call on the LORD, to my God I cry out; from His temple He hears my voice; my cry to Him reaches His ears.
8. The earth rocked and quaked; the foundations of the mountains shook, they were rocked by His indignation;
9. smoke went up from His nostrils, consuming fire from His mouth; coals blazed forth from Him.
10. He bent the heavens and came down, thick cloud beneath His feet.

11. He mounted a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.

12. He makes darkness His screen; encircling Him, His pavilion—dark water masses, sky-high clouds.
13. Out of the brilliance before Him, His clouds passed, hail and fiery coals.
14. The LORD thundered from heaven, the Most High gave forth His voice—hail and fiery coals.
15. He sent forth His arrows and scattered them; He discharged lightning and routed them.
16. The watercourses were exposed; the foundations of the world were laid bare by Your mighty roaring, O LORD, at the blast of the wind from Your nostrils.
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17. He sends down from on high, He takes me; He draws me out of the mighty waters;
18. He saves me from my fierce enemy, from foes too strong for me.
19. They confront me on the day of my calamity, but the LORD is my support.
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20. He brings me out to freedom; He rescues me because He is pleased with me.
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21 The LORD rewards me according to my righteousness; He requites the cleanness of my hands;
22. for I have kept to the ways of the LORD and have not been guilty before my God;
23. for all of His rules are before me; His laws I do not disregard.
24. I have been blameless toward Him, and have kept myself from sinning;
25. and the LORD has requited me according to my righteousness, the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

26. With the loyal, You deal loyally; with the blameless man, You are blameless.
27. With the pure, You act purely, and with the perverse, You are wily.
28. It is You who rescue lowly people, but haughty eyes You humble.
29. It is You who light my lamp; the LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.
30. It is with You that I can rush a barrier; with my God I can vault a wall.
31. God—His way is pure; the word of the LORD is perfect; He is a shield to all who seek refuge in Him.
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32. Truly, who is a god except the LORD, who is a rock but our God,
33. the God who girds me with might, who makes my way blameless;
34. who makes my feet like a deer’s, and makes me stand on the heights;
35. who trained my hands for battle, having made my arms bend a bow of bronze?
36. You have given me the shield of Your rescue, Your right hand sustains me, Your care makes me great.
37. You free my stride beneath me; my feet have not slipped.
38. I pursue my enemies and overtake them; I do not turn back until they are destroyed.
39. I smash them, and they can rise no more; they lay beneath my feet.
40. You have girded me with strength for battle, making those who rise against me bow beneath me,
41. and my enemies You made turn tail before me. My foes I wiped out.
42. They cry out―there is none to rescue; to the LORD―He did not answer them.
43. I grind them fine as windswept dust; as dirt of the streets I tread them flat.
44. You rescue me from the strife of people; You set me at the head of nations; a people I knew not serve me.
45. As soon as an ear hears, they listen to me; foreigners cower before me;
46. foreigners lose courage, and come trembling out of their strongholds.
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47. The LORD lives! Blessed is my rock! Exalted be God, my rescuer,
48. the God who has vindicated me and made peoples subject beneath me,
49. who delivers me from my enemies, who exalts me above those who rise against me, saving me from a violent man.
50. For this I sing Your praise among the nations, LORD, and offer hymns to Your name: 51. He accords great rescues to His king, keeps faith with His anointed, with David and his offspring forever.
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Photos:
A giant rope in an apartment stairwell
Fallen rocks in Nahal David, near the Dead Sea
Wind whipping up the Sea of Galilee
The Judean Desert
Grandson Dean, Science Museum, Jerusalem, 2007
Ibex at Ein Gedi
King David near David's Tomb, Mt. Zion
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The nation reflects

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Photos and some thoughts for Weekend Reflections, Shadow Shot Sunday, and Camera-Critters.
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These ten days are an intense, emotional time for Israelis.
We go from somber Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day to Remembrance Day for Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Enemy Actions and then immediately to Independence Day celebrations.
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That's a lot for one little country just 63 years old.
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Instead of birds atop flagpoles, we will soon see the national flag flying for the double holiday.
Flags are already starting to be displayed on homes, stores, and cars.
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Meanwhile, have a peaceful Sabbath day. Shabbat shalom!
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WALK ABOUT LOVE

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While buying fresh fruits and vegetables at Jerusalem's big market, I heard drums out on Jaffa Street.
Pulling the camera out of my pocket, I rushed over to see.
What is this?! Dozens of young people dressed like hippies "parading" down the middle of Jaffa Street?
Some were juggling, some dancing, a few were barefoot.
All of them, both Israelis and internationals, looked like happy flower children.
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Enlarge this and you will spot their flag.
It says WALK ABOUT LOVE.
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Back home, I found their website and Facebook page.
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Apparently people are walking together from Eilat to Dan, from the bottom to the top of Israel, mostly on the Israel Trail, some 1,000 kilometers, in 3 months.
All are welcome and you can drop in or drop out whenever you want.
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The idea was inspired by the Aboriginal custom of going walkabout.
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There is a lot more at the website, in several languages and with great photos, but I will quote just part:

On this walk we will use constructive, non-violent, and safe actions to spread the seeds of co-existence, peace, brotherly love, joy, and ecology.

This is not a protest journey against any war in particular: it is a particular action against the idea of war, aimed at changing the sociological and environmental situation in which war is fostered.

It is a practical action to deepen and spread the awareness of love in ourselves and in our brothers and sisters that we will meet along the way.
. . .

The journey is composed from many days of walking the Israeli national trail, food circles, live spontaneous music in the evening, shared accommodation camp, initiatives of the people, colorful parades through towns, celebrations and anything else that we will create.

The change starts within you!

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Their weekend camp is going to be nearby, in the Jerusalem Forest.
Surely I will hear drumming in the night.
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It transports me to my university days in the USA in the mid 1960s, the dawning of the hippie revolution. I too was once an idealist dreaming of peace in my life and in the world.
I wish these kids the best on their journey!
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Spiderdama in the Jerusalem Hills!

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Blog-friend visitors, all the way from Norway!
Spiderdama and Spiderdan flew to Israel with the whole family!
And they were brave enough to drive in Passover holiday traffic to come visit me.
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Levi tested the bench in the grotto where John the Baptist might have lived.

Petter drank the living waters flowing from a spring inside the mountain.
St. John might have baptized with this water.
In Arabic it is called Ain el Habis, the spring of the hermit.
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Here by the monastery fish pond you can see them all--
Tania, Dan, Malin, Petter, and Levi.
The kids are so bright and pleasant, and their English is great.
It was a pleasure to meet the family for the first, and hopefully not the last, time.
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Tania and Dan like to climb cliffs and walls.
At my request they even started "bouldering" up the rusticated stones of a 900-year-old Crusader house! You HAVE TO see that photo!
It and many more great pictures of Israel, Norway, Russia, and now even the Jerusalem Hills, are over at Tania's blog, Spiderdama.
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Shalom and thanks to my new friends!
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Cloud-gate

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Just last week thunder was shaking my house and clouds were dropping rain on the Jerusalem Hills.

This week Jerusalem has 20% humidity and a heat wave.

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Today I unpacked the fan, unscrewed the back, and gave the motor and blades a dusting.

It's going to be a long, hot, dry summer.

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This may be the last serious cloud for SkyWatch Friday until next autumn.

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Three hotels and a tram

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This bloc of three huge hotels on Jerusalem's Haim Bar-Lev Boulevard is downright ugly, no?
The Olive Tree Hotel, the Grand Court, and the Leonardo.
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They are next to the site of the former Mandelbaum Gate, the checkpoint between the Israeli and Jordanian sides when Jerusalem was still divided, from 1949 to 1967.
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I think this area is called the American Colony, just south of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.
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But the saving grace of this photo is the new tram that was passing by on its practice runs.
I can hardly wait to take a ride!
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"Cow chocolate"

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P is for PARAH for today's ABC Wednesday.
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Parah is the Hebrew word for cow.
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Elite, the big Israeli candy and coffee manufacturer, first started making this chocolate bar in 1934 under the brand name "Shamnunit."
Not a very catchy name, in my humble opinion.
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Fortunately they added a picture of a cow on the wrapper in the 1950s and ever since, the public has nicknamed it "shokolad para."
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YouTube has a funny commercial for this "Cow chocolate."
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A day to remember

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Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day is being observed in Israel, from yesterday's sunset until sunset tonight.

Yad Vashem has built a new cantilevered museum.
The skylight roof of the museum sheds light on the dark history of the Shoah exhibited in the long, mostly underground building.

After walking through the chilling exhibits, silent visitors come out of the tunnel-like structure into the fresh warm air of an open porch overlooking the living Jerusalem Hills.
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Only 208,000 Holocaust survivors are left in Israel, and an average of 35 of them die every day.
This makes it even more important to listen carefully to their story today, while we still have living witnesses.
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By night and by day

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Robert of Daily Athens continues to challenge us to read and illustrate the Book of Psalms, one poem each Sunday.
We have reached Psalm 17.
The Hebrew original can be found here.
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1 A prayer. Of David.
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Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2 From you let my vindication come; let your eyes see the right.
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3 If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress.
4 As for what others do, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
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5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.
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6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me.
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10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They track me down; now they surround me; they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion eager to tear, like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13 Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them! By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
14 from mortals—by your hand, O Lord— from mortals whose portion in life is in this world. May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave something over to their little ones.
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15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.
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Photos:
In a cave in the night
In the Sea of Galilee
In Dominus Flevit
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Victims of progress

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The main streets of Jerusalem and sometimes even the sidewalks got torn up to have track laid for the new light rail.
These poor victims of the tram-building have been here next to Safra Square on Jaffa Road for several years.
It makes me sad every time I walk by and see antique mailboxes on the ground like this.
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The cast-iron pillar boxes are reminders of Israel's British Mandate past.
Quite a few are still in service in Jerusalem.
Our modern collection boxes are still red, but rectangular and boring.
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These two uprooted mailboxes let me notice for the first time what is written on the bottom:

McDowall, Steven & Co. Ltd.
London and Falkirk

This was a firm of Glasgow-based iron founders.
The company's roots extend back to the early 19th century.
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City Daily Photo bloggers are posting their favorite mailboxes for our May 1 Theme Day.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
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To visit Jerusalem's Main Post Office, a big building built by the British in 1938, click here.
An artist's telling of Israel's history is in murals up to the ceiling!
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To read about the former Imperial Austrian Post Office in Jerusalem's Old City, see my post here.
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Mixed memes

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With all the holidays and special events to blog about of late, I've gotten behind in the memes.
This may not be kosher, but I'm going to group three in the same post--for Shadow Shot Sunday, Weekend Reflections, and Camera-Critters.
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At the Garden of Gethsemane, next to the old olive trees.
Doesn't it look like stick-figure people are joining hands and . . . and what?
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Another scene from St. George's Anglican Cathedral, the church we saw in yesterday's post.
The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, or the Knights Hospitaller, was founded during Crusader times and functions as a humanitarian organization till today.
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These birds feel at home in the (British) Jerusalem War Cemetery on Mt. Scopus.
Seen at the recent ANZAC Day commemoration.
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Wishing you all a good weekend.
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Update: Mayday, mayday! I just realized tomorrow is May 1 and we need a City Daily Photo Theme Day post too. About mailboxes.
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The wedding and a legend about Jerusalem

Shalom visitors from inSPIREd Sunday.  This is a vintage post for you in honor of yesterday's April 23rd  St. George's Day.  For more about St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem see more posts.

Mazal tov to the newlyweds Prince William and Kate!
Yes, I watched the ceremony and loved it.
Nothing like a church wedding, especially if it is in Westminster Cathedral!
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St. George's (Anglican) Cathedral may be the closest thing we have to an old English church in Jerusalem.

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Enlarge the photo above to read how this British coat of arms ended up on the church wall.

The ancient Madaba map of Jerusalem on a kneeling cushion.

Under the lion at the end of a pew,  the Hebrew says "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem."
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Today I saw the almost 2,000 guests in Westminster Cathedral really getting into the singing of "Jerusalem" with words by William Blake. Apparently it is the "unofficial anthem" of England.
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Hear it played and see the words on YouTube.
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I learned this from Wikipedia:

"The poem ['And did those feet in ancient time'] was inspired by the apocryphal story that a young Jesus, accompanied by his uncle Joseph of Arimathea, travelled to the area that is now England and visited Glastonbury.
The legend is linked to an idea in the Book of Revelation (3:12 and 21:2) describing a Second Coming, wherein Jesus establishes a new Jerusalem.
The Christian church in general, and the English Church in particular, used Jerusalem as a metaphor for Heaven, a place of universal love and peace.
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In the most common interpretation of the poem, Blake implies that a visit of Jesus would briefly create heaven in England, in contrast to the 'dark Satanic Mills' of the Industrial Revolution. Analysts note that Blake asks four questions rather than stating a visit to be true.
According to this view, the poem says that there may, or may not, have been a divine visit, when there was briefly heaven in England.
But that was then; now, we are faced with the challenge of creating such a country once again."
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From Fiji Islands to Sinai to Jerusalem

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Shalom dear reader. I hope you saw yesterday's post about the ANZAC [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] Day commemoration because this is a continuation, on a more personal level.

Presenting Lance Corporal Etuate Kori, MFO Fijian Contingent.

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I arrived at the Jerusalem War Cemetery an hour before the 10:00 ceremony was to start.
Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, the bugler you see here had found a corner outside the chapel, near the memorial wall, to play some "scales" and warm up his horn.
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The printed program indicated he would be sounding The Last Post and The Rouse.
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It would have been a great photo of his back but I chickened out when he suddenly stopped and turned. I continued my walk up and down the many rows of tombstones.
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The nice outdoor commemoration service contained much but lasted less than an hour.
Then guests and soldiers and ambassadors walked over to a shadier place and chatted over refreshments.
Well, they chatted. Everyone was with their mates (Australian for friends or co-workers) and I suddenly was aware of my aloneness and my shyness.
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OK, I had a sandwich, boreka, brownie, and coffee. Can't complain.
People were getting their picture taken with the Australian and New Zealander soldiers in their crisp uniforms, some pinned with many medals. Oh yeah, and with one man wearing a kilt.
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Then for a minute the soldier from Fiji was standing alone. I asked if I could take his picture. Finally, a human being to talk to!
And so human "Eddie" was!
He was so full of gratitude and marveled that he could be here in Jerusalem!
He wanted to drive now to the city center with his MFO mates and purchase a Bible, as a souvenir of the Holy City.
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He asked why I was at ANZAC Day and I said simply because I have three born-in-Australia grandchildren and have lived with them for extended times and love Australia.
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Etuate is probably back now at his MFO base in the Sinai desert.
I thank him and his fellow peacekeepers. God bless and keep them safe and sound.
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From the interesting (with photos and maps!) MFO website:

"The Multinational Force & Observers (MFO) is an independent international organization, headquartered in Rome, with peacekeeping responsibilities in the Sinai. The origins of the MFO lie in Annex I to the 1979 Treaty of Peace between Egypt and Israel, in which the parties undertook to request the United Nations to provide a force and observers to supervise the implementation of the treaty. When it did not prove possible to obtain Security Council approval for the stationing of a UN peacekeeping force in the Sinai, the parties negotiated a Protocol in 1981 establishing the MFO “as an alternative” to the envisioned UN force. "

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ANZAC Day commemoration in Jerusalem

An Aussie or a Kiwi soldier stood with head bowed at each of the four corners of the catafalque.

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This morning ANZAC Day was commemorated for the 96th time.
A time to honor the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

Here are some pictures from the Jerusalem War Cemetery on Mt. Scopus.

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The Australian flag with its stars of the Southern Cross constellation.
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The cemetery, begun in 1917 by the Imperial [now Commonwealth] War Graves Commission, overlooks a Jerusalem much larger than it was during World War I.
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With today's modern technology for making war, it is hard to imagine these men going to battle as "light horse brigades" and, like on this tombstone, even the Imperial Camel Corps.
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The flag of New Zealand in front of the memorial chapel.
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A book with information was in the chapel.
You can read this page and/or learn more at my previous posts about this beautiful cemetery.
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Some of today's invited guests.
I like the Embassy of Turkey next to the Israel Defense Force representatives.
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Following the prayer of remembrance by Pastor Evan Thomas and Psalm 23 recited by Rabbi Dr. Raymond Apple, the ANZAC Day Address was given by Ms. Andrea Faulkner, Ambassador of Australia.
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Everything said was short and to the point, moving but not overly sentimental.
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The poem "We shall keep the faith (1918)," by Moina Michael, "the poppy lady," was read, followed by the laying of wreaths.
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland brought the small wreath looking like poppies.
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It is nice that UNTSO, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation, adds "In the service of Peace."
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The always tear-producing "Ode to the Fallen" was read. All repeat: We will remember them.
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A soldier from Fiji (more about him tomorrow) played The Last Post.
After we stood for one minute of silence, he played The Rouse.
And all said "Lest we forget."
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The national anthems of Australia and New Zealand.
Benediction Prayer.
Catafalque Party dismounts.
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After the official ceremony, those who wished followed Rabbi Apple (Rabbi emeritus of Sydney's Great Synagogue) to the graves of 24 Commonwealth Jewish soldiers.
He read a Psalm and El Maleh Rachamim and we all said Kaddish.
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Everyone gathered for refreshments and conversation.
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In the Jerusalem War Cemetery are 2,515 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 100 of them unidentified.
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On the wall on the sides of the chapel are engraved the names of 3,366 Commonwealth servicemen who fought and died in Egypt and Palestine during the Great War and who have no known grave.
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Who can comprehend such great numbers!
We remember them.
And those who continue to serve in the ANZAC spirit, in our region and around the world, we thank them too.
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Down to earth again

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OK, the holidays are over.
It's back to everyday life.
So for That's My World and ABC Wednesday O-day, let's observe my ecology-minded neighbor's new OUTHOUSE.
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Actually, it is a really nice composting toilet.
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All you have to do is sprinkle some sawdust.
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When the container is ready to be emptied, it can be pulled out through this little back door.
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I should add that the neighbor also has a normal house with conventional plumbing, but this little outhouse is good for visitors.
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It is clean and OK-smelling, nothing like the pit latrines I've seen in my travels. This one is not a pit at all.
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But speaking of pits, I just have to say this well-known expression from the Talmud:
in Aramaic it is מאגרא רמא לבירא עמיקתא Me-igara rama lebeyra amiqta.
Literally:
From a high rooftop to a deep pit.
Meaning:
A person lost his former greatness and got into deep, uh . . . , trouble.
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