Pools in the desert

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Just in case you were feeling sorry for me living down here in the hot dry Negev desert, I'll show you the wet part of Meitar's country club. 

And here in the foreground is the kiddie pool.
Oh, and there's a big indoor swimming pool as well.

Today they hosted a Healthy Living Happening at this sport center so I was able to get in free and see the pools for the first time.

The blue sky and the blue pools and the greenery all around were certainly tempting, but I doubt if I'll allow myself to splurge and spend several thousand shekels for a year's entrance.
But it's nice to know that such luxury exists just ten minutes walk from home. 
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(Linking to SkyWatch Friday.)
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Houses from Within, Jerusalem, list now online!

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The visitors standing in the narrow Ein Kerem lane were waiting for their chance to wind their way up through the fascinating old house and eventually emerge on the roof.
This was part of last year's annual  Jerusalem Houses from Within.

Above the front door was the event's poster.
That 2012 logo showed a bouquet of buildings.

The list of THIS year's Houses from Within guided tours just now went online--120 locations and the list is still growing!
If you are anywhere near Israel, mark your calendar for November 7-8-9.

A few venues require registration, which begins bright and early online on November 1.

Maybe your own city has a similar Open House event?
Check the date at http://www.openhouseworldwide.org/
In 2014  Athens,  Gdansk, San Diego, and Vienna will be joining this wonderful cultural tradition. 
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(Linking to Lesley's meme, Signs, signs.)

Old joke for new Theme Day

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City Daily Photo's Theme Day today is about DETAIL.
It reminds me of a joke from long ago during my school days in Chicago:

The teacher asks a pupil to use the words deface, detail, and defense in one sentence.
The boy answers, "Dat's easy!   De face went over de fence before de tail."
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See other posts on Detail, more serious than mine, at the City Daily Photo October Gallery.
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A lot for less

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My family will be arriving from Australia on Saturday night!
I wanted to welcome them back with what we call kol tuv ha-aretz,  all the best our land has to offer.
So I took the 45-minute bus ride into Beersheva and wandered around the big shuk (what the English map calls the Town Market, not to be confused with the Bedouin Market).
I found the best of the produce and bought a little of each kind.

Unpacked on my kitchen table, it doesn't LOOK like a lot.

The fruits and vegetables and nuts  looked more voluminous when still in bags.

I can assure you they weighed a ton when I shlepped them in two tote bags and in my backpack from the shuk to the bus  and then from the corner bus stop to my house.
It was almost my limit.
But I was happy to be a good provider for my grandkids, at least for their first day or two in Israel.
And the price was right (at least when compared to the inflated supermarket prices in Meitar).
At the shuk you always get A LOT FOR LESS (which is good because today is L Day at ABC Wednesday)!
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Centralized mail

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The houses here in Meitar do not have mailboxes.
Every family has to go check its own little box at one of two distribution places  at the center of town.
My landlady's post box, which I share, is on the highest row and my arm just barely reaches into it when I stand on my toes. 
Meitar has grown to  something like 7,500 residents so you can imagine how many rows of ta-ei chaluka boxes there are.

We  have a (literally)  hole-in-the-wall post office, way too small, and only a few people can fit inside.
If the line is long you have to wait outdoors.
The governing Local Council has promised  a proper post office will be built by April.
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(Linking to Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors.)
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Sky and his sky-blue eyes

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The young man was obviously very proud of his Siberian Husky.
He was happy to pose (the dog) for a picture on my blog.
He had given Sky a free run on the lawn near the fountain (the fountain in yesterday's post about Be'er Sheva becoming Israel's "Water City.")
(You will enjoy Sky's blue eyes more if you click a few times on the photos.)

Actually Sky and I had met ten minutes earlier when the three of us were "trapped" on the narrow traffic island in the middle of a busy boulevard.
My little camera was in the palm of my hand at my side  as we stood waiting for the second green light.
The Husky sniffed my hand and, to my surprise, gave it (my hand, not the camera!)  a lick.
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UPDATE:   I see on YouTube that some  Israelis are doing urban mushing with their huskies!
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(For Camera Critters meme.)
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Off in a corner, by the fountain

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Be'er Sheva, the landlocked city in the Negev desert, has started trying to brand itself as Israel's "water city."

All around this nice fountain near City Hall are cozy seating ensembles.

This couple was enjoying the morning with some knitting and newspaper reading.
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Courthouse under clouds

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Ever since autumn started a few days ago the Negev is definitely getting some welcome new cloud cover.
Here is the sky over Beer Sheva, "the capital of the Negev."
This is the new court building, Heichal Hamishpat.
You can enlarge the photo nicely with two clicks. 
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(Linking to SkyWatch Friday and Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors.)
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K is for "Kiss, hug, and GO!"

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A month ago, just before school started, I saw workers  paint a space blue and stencil in a disabled symbol in front of Meitarim School.
Apparently the public needed to be educated as to what the new parking [or not] space was for, because today I saw a sign has been  added.

The Hebrew gave me a laugh! 
It says "Chabek, nashek, ve-SA!"
These three imperatives mean "Hug, kiss, and GO."
And then, to make it even clearer: "This space is only for picking up and letting off"  [referring to your schoolchildren passengers, of course]. 

Needing a picture for K Day at ABC Wednesday, I snapped the sign.
Now I'm thinking how this sign somehow reminds me of  the old Australian joke  "Koala: eats roots and leaves."

BTW, AustralianFauna.com says  "koala" comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "no drink," as these animals get enough fluids from the eucalyptus leaves they feed on.
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(Linking also to Lesley's signs, signs meme.)
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More on our only lion's death

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Last night  I quoted the Biblical Zoo's announcement of the death of Jerusalem's only male lion. 

Tonight The Times of Israel has Lider's death as their top story (well, I mean at the top of the page). 

Please see their article, "Lider, the lion king of Jerusalem, dies at 16."

From it we learn that  Lider "was put to sleep last Thursday after veterinarians and keepers decided that his difficulties in walking and standing, brought on by chronic back pain, were insufferable."

The paper also informs us that 

Asiatic lions are an endangered species, with only around 300 left in the Gir Forest Sanctuary in India and another 330 in captivity.   Zoos around the world are engaged in a breeding program to try and save the faltering species from extinction.

However, with the relatively small number of Asian lions available – by comparison there are over 1,600 African lions in captivity – inbreeding is common and as a result many of the animals have genetic disorders affecting their health. Lider himself was born sterile as a result and an illness that afflicted his nervous system was likely brought on by genetic problems.

The animals in the Lions Fountain  will hopefully live forever.

Germany donated the fountain to Jerusalem in 1989.

The lion of Judah is the official emblem of the City of Jerusalem so we have a special place in our heart for lions, living or dead. 

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(Linking to Our World Tuesday.)

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Our Jerusalem lion has died

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If you click a few times on this March 2012 photo you can just about see the lion and his lioness friend.
The Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem has just announced his death:

Dear guests, We are sad to inform you of the passing of Leider the Asian lion, who was a long time resident at the Asian lion exhibit.  In recent years, Leider suffered from back pains and found it difficult to move, caused by a degeneration of the nerve system.
Leider was sixteen years old, a ripe old age for Asian lions, and his ailments continued to develop and worsen.  The zoo's veterinary staff worked very hard to treat him. At the beginning of September, he underwent CT scans, and it was discovered that there was no way to alleviate his suffering.

Leider was loved by the visitors and the staff. He came to us at the age of two years and became popular among the visitors and zoo members. He had a happy life and we are all saddened by his passing.

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There are nice photos of Leider at  http://jerusalemzoo.org.il/apage/116138.php
Pictures and tributes will be coming in on Facebook at The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo.

Rest in peace, dear old Jerusalem lion.
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PLEASE SEE MY UPDATE WITH NEW INFORMATION.
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(For Camera Critters.)
UPDATE: January 2014: A new lion has come from Sweden to replace Leider.  See the funny video of his first encounter with Israel's bright sun.
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Parched earth but promising clouds

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Normally Israel has no rain for half a year, from spring to autumn.
Summer is hot and dry and very   l o n g . 
Now that I have moved south to Meitar maybe the blog should be known as Desert Daily Photo?

Today I saw real clouds over the Negev! 
The wind at sunset was actually cool!
How exciting.
Some light rain even fell further to the north.
I am so ready for this change of season.
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(Linking to SkyWatch Friday.)
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Beer Sheva's old mosque, a museum for now

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Mazal tov to James on the 4th anniversary of his Weekend Reflections meme!

Here is the minaret and dome of Beer Sheva's historic mosque.
It was built in 1907, in the Ottoman era.
 When the town was conquered in 1948 by Jewish forces, in Israel's War for Independence,  the mosque was left standing.
Today the building serves as a museum of the city's  history.

 The mosque is reflected in the glass entrance of the Negev Museum of Art which is just across the courtyard.
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The First Station (of the train, not of the Cross)

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While over at Hels' excellent "Art and Architecture, mainly" blog,  I learned a lot from her post "Saving an Ottoman-era railway station in Jerusalem."

It made me realize that I still need to show you my last photos of the work in progress, back in April.
Later in the spring the First Station was opened to the public as an entertainment and cultural venue, so now my pictures are history. 

The end of the line!
Built in the 19th century, the rail line from Jaffa on the coast ended here in Jerusalem's German Colony.

Looking in the other direction, you see the actual rails don't extend very far anymore.
The were covered over in nice wood and bricks and made into a  bike + walkers' path extending for miles. 

 The venerable old train station was saved from the decay that had begun when this rail line to Jerusalem was closed in 1998. 
(Today the Israel Rail again reaches Jerusalem, but ends at a new modern and ugly station.)

The day I passed by, the workers were building a big wooden deck for the expected visitors to the new venue.
Enlarge the photo to see the cute "luggage wagons" soon to be kiosks.

Rebar was laid before concrete was pored.

A fancy fence, a sign of things to come.
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For background of the station and the railroad you can see my 2011 post "Shadows and decaying elegance."
And for a laugh, see the misspelled traffic sign that briefly hung at the end of the tracks until it was discovered by bloggers and newspapermen and became a laughing stock.

All about the new "Place for food and culture"  at their website, http://www.firststation.co.il/en/.
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Jerusalem Hills jackals singing

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Imagine being down in the valley next to the ancient spring just before nightfall, alone, and suddenly a jackal chorus rings out all around you!
Here is the video from May 25.
The jackals kept well hidden but they were close, judging by the sounds.

I walked down there often; it was just below the moshav where I lived for seven years in the Jerusalem Hills (also known as the Judean Hills).
Since moving to a small town in the Negev I have seen but one jackal and heard many.
The desert is all around us;  I know they are there.
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(Linking to ABC Wednesday J-Day and Camera Critters.)
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Palms for the succah

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The dates are not yet fully grown but they look heavy and golden in the late afternoon sun.
(Even prettier if you click and enlarge them 2x.)

My new home of Meitar has many many date palm trees.
Short ones and tall ones.

The Meitar Regional Council  (seen in this photo) has been busy planting even more of the impressive  palm trees  to beautify the town (especially now before the October local elections). 
The Sukkot holiday starts Wednesday so the Council has made palm fronds available at a central distribution point.
The branches make good "roofing"  when building  our temporary sukkah booths.
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Watch salvage LIVE, now, of Costa Concordia!!

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The big day is here!
They are  attempting  to raise the capsized Costa Concordia today, now,
and we can follow it LIVE at  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10311659/Costa-Concordia-salvage-operation-live.html

Praying for safety for the workers in this dangerous unprecedented operation.

Amazing still photos also now coming in:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/10312039/Costa-Concordia-salvage-operation-begins-off-the-coast-of-the-island-of-Giglio.html

The Telegraph's live blog states

"...some of the debris inside the cruise ship which may spill out over the course of the day:

Trapped inside the upturned hull are more than 24,000lbs of fish, nearly 5,500lbs of cheese, 1,500 gallons of ice cream in tubs, 24,000lbs of pasta, 2,000lbs of onions, more than 2,000 pots of jam and nearly 17,000 tea bags.
Rotting beneath the waterline are more than 17,000lbs of raw beef, nearly 11,000 eggs, 2,346 hot dog buns, 815lbs of rabbit meat and more than 1,000 gallons of milk.
Some of the food and drink is sealed, presenting less of a pollution risk, including 18,000 bottles of wine, 22,000 cans of Coca-Cola, 1,000 bottles of extra virgin olive oil, 46,000 miniature bottles of spirits and 10 bottles of communion wine for the ship's chapel"

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Cookies and coffee and borekas to go

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Don't you wonder who took the trouble to build a tower of cookies?

The Ne'eman Bakeries are always popular places, for instance this one in the bustling Beer Sheva Central Bus Station.
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A Tzohar Yom Kippur

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Yom Kippur has ended.
The long 26-hour fast has ended.  What makes it difficult is not the lack of food or even the lack of water, but with no coffee it is hard to feel fully awake.

Special prayer services were held inside this school building which is only ten minutes walk from my house (a good thing since it was 37 degrees or 99 F outside, the hottest Yom Kippur in sixty years).
I went  there yesterday evening and today.
I have heard a lot about  Tzohar  but this Yom Kippur was my first experience with the organization.
From Arutz Sheva I learn that
 "As part of its annual effort, the Tzohar organization will be organizing prayers at 250 locations around Israel for Yom Kippur, aimed specifically at secular Israelis who would most likely not attend services otherwise. Some 40,000 people are expected to participate altogether."

Here in Meitar there was a good turn-out, a mix of secular and religious men and women, young people, and even little kids.  (By religious I mean Orthodox Zionist Jews.)
The Tzohar machzor (Yom Kippur prayerbook) was provided.
It seems to be a mixture of Ashkenazi rite with some optional Sepharadi piyutim.
It has helps, like a tiny man printed in the margin who changes back and forth from sitting to standing.
The prayer leader even announces the page number from time to time (otherwise it is easy to get lost in the hundreds of pages). 

What surprised me (dare I say, shocked me) was to hear two of the ancient prayers sung not to their traditional melody but to the tune of "Hatikva" (our national anthem) and of  "Erev shel Shoshanim."
Googling now, I see that it is a trend to adapt recent Israeli song tunes to the words of some prayers.    Neh neh . . .

Tzohar chairman  Rabbi David Stav has said that “Now more than ever we are seeing that Israeli society wishes to deepen its connection to Jewish identity, in a pleasant and non-coercive manner.”

Well, let's hope that today our prayers, no matter how they sounded, were heard in heaven and that we have been "written and sealed" in the book of life for the new year.
A new beginning!
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Signals in the sky and horses below

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Giant horses in a Beer Sheva roundabout and an even taller army/police tower in the sky in back of them.

From the other direction.
You can enlarge the photos with two clicks.
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Linking to SkyWatch Friday.
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