Victory in Europe Day commemoration in Knesset today

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At noon today there was a special Knesset Plenum sitting to mark the 66th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.
World War II veterans in the gallery (see photo) wore their old uniforms and many medals.
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These stones in a Tel Aviv park are dedicated to those veterans and their 1,500,000 Jewish comrades who fought in the Second World War.
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An estimated 300,000 of the Jewish soldiers and partisans were killed in the fighting.
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Please enlarge and read the plaque.

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I found this information in a web page about the booklet The Jewish Fighter in World War II:

"The estimated numbers of Jewish men and women who fought in the ranks of the various armies are

USA	550 000
Australia	3 900
Israel (Jewish Volunteers)	30 000
Britain	62 000
USSR	500 000
Yugoslavia	6000 (over 4000 in the Partisan army)
Greece	13 000
Poland	122 000
Czechoslovakia	5 500
France	35 000
Canada	17 000
South Africa	10 000

There are no facts and estimates on the number of Jews in the Belgian, Dutch, and New Zealand armies. A careful estimate puts the number of Jewish partisans in the occupied parts of the USSR at 20 000 - 25 000, and in the other European countries at another 10 000, including the anti-Nazi underground."

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Romans have returned

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Russian writing and a rather ridiculous rendering of a Roman.
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Right after you enter Jaffa Gate into Jerusalem's Old City, you will see him.
Reflection of the gate is visible in the moneychanger's window.
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All these Rs are for ABC Wednesday.
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Birds on a (razor-) wire

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Yesterday Israel learned that wire fences are for the birds.

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(Enlarge to see the sitting doves.)

"For the birds" -- an American idiom meaning worthless, meaningless.
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That's My World for now.
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The sound of silence

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The 19th is a perfect Psalm and one of the greatest poems in the world! 

Parts of it I know by heart because of their recital in Jewish liturgy. 

 Today I'm using the RSV translation. The Hebrew original is here. 

This post joins the other Psalm 19 illustrators at Robert of Daily Athens' PsalmChallenge.

1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; 4 yet their voice [or: their LINE] goes out through all the earth, In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. 6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and there is nothing hid from its heat. .7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. .10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 But who can discern his errors? Clear thou me from hidden faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. .14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
 Photos: Sunbeams over the Valley of Soreq Moonrise over Jerusalem Jet contrails in a Swiss sky Praying in the Holy Sepulchre church 

Chagall reflections

In this forbidden photo you can see 4 of Chagall's 12 stained glass windows in the synagogue of Hadassah medical center.
The Holy Ark and the reading table for the Torah scroll are covered by a two-piece soft sculpture created by Aviva Green.
The detail is better seen in the artist's slideshow, and here she explains about the creative process.
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The glass protecting the reading table gave nice reflections of the windows.
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I knew I just had to get them for James' Weekend Reflections so I shot fast, just before the shout of "No photographs!" rang out.
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From Poland to Sweden to Israel

Like the phoenix, this molded brass bird rose from the ashes; it found new life in Jerusalem.
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The bird is atop an 18th century Chanuka menorah now safely displayed in the Jewish museum in Hechal Shlomo.
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The shadow of the first menorah blends with the shadow of a second menorah, it too adorned with a bird.
They now join other bloggers' contributions to the meme "Shadow Shot Sunday."
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These tall Hanuka lamps once graced the Tlomatzka Great Synagogue in Warsaw.
Before the synagogue was bombed and destroyed by the Germans in World War II, the congregation's rabbi managed to transfer the menorahs to an underground hiding place.
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He then asked the Polish ambassador in Sweden to sell them for the highest possible price to get money to help Jews flee Warsaw.
Countess Margaret Waner-Green of Stockholm purchased them.
After the war she donated them to the Wolfson Museum in Jerusalem in commemoration of the Tlomatzka community and in honor of the hundreds of Jews whose lives were saved thanks to these Chanuka menorot.
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Heavenly shades of night are falling . . .

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The last half hour of direct sunlight on the valley and the Jerusalem Hills and on Jerusalem itself, as the sun starts to go down behind my hill.
"Heavenly shades of night are falling . . . "
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For SkyWatch Friday.
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Rapunzel Rapunzel

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Did you ever see such a long banner?!
It is as long as the Hadassah hospital's Mother and Child Center is tall.
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Today is the day after Independence Day so a guy on the roof was pulling up the equally long Hadassah banner.
A visiting German friend and I watched it go up.
It reminded her of the fairy tale about Rapunzel!
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Flying

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UPDATE to yesterday's post!
The IDF Blog has a slideshow and short videos (from the cockpit) of yesterday's Independence Day flyover by the Air Force!
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Aerial salute on Israel's 63rd birthday

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Quintuplet -- 1. a combination of five of a kind
OK, I got my Q word for ABC Wednesday.
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This morning a quintuplet of helicopters flew right over my house, followed by a second identical formation.
They must have been on their way to Jerusalem to do an Air Force fly-over for Independence Day.
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The choppers were followed by five fighter jets and then several Hercules transport planes.
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This combination was about aerial refueling.

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Thanks, pilots, for letting me enjoy hearing and seeing these aircraft without leaving my doorstep!
Happy 63rd Independence Day!
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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.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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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