Armon HaNatziv and Avraham

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The Jerusalem neighbourhood "Armon HaNatziv" (Talpiyot - East) is located rather far away from the city center; you can find it behind the Promenade and Talpiyot / Arnona. The approximately 15,000 inhabitants of Armon HaNatziv consider their neighbourhood as still affordable, as rents are not that high yet.  

According to a legend (it could be also Aggadah or Midrash), it was on top of Armon HaNatziv (maybe where the UN Headquarter is located today) that Avraham spotted out the Tempel Mount (Har HaBayit) when he took his son Yitzchak to sacrifice him. The Temple Mount used to be much higher in ancient times and it was Herod who flattened the mountain in order to build the Second Temple.

 

View from the Jerusalem Promenade to the old city including the Temple Mount

When you look into the opposite direction you see Armon HaNatziv and the hills of Gush Etzion (Hebron, Kiryat Arba, etc.) in the background. 

Armon HaNatziv

 

 The white containers on the rooftops serve as hot water storage heated up by solar systems. 

Photos: Miriam Woelke

How Jerusalem has changed

Copyright: SHODEDE'I YERUSHALAYIM GALLERY 
Jerusalem, Jaffa Road 93

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Not too long ago, I spotted out the above poster and bought it. The poster shows Jerusalem in 1950, 2000 and 2012, and we see how the same spot right outside the Machane Yehudah Market has changed its face in the course of time. 

I was especially attracted by the picture taken in 2000 and the one from 2012. What a difference and who still remembers the old red and white Egged buses which have now been replaced buy new green buses. Let alone the tram starting its duty in August 2011.

Sometimes it seems as if the old Jerusalem is fading away and that everything is being replaced by modernity. There are moments when I do miss the old Jerusalem from 1996 - 2000. The narrow pavements in Jaffa Road near the Machane Yehudah. The old woman sitting behind the bus stop outside the Market selling her small Tehillim books. The old beggar woman wishing everyone "Sei gesund !"

Many times we keep on telling ourselves that everything in the past was better. I admit that I had a great time in Jerusalem in 1996, 1997 and after making Aliyah in 2000. The city has changed its face. Not all changes are bad, and neither is everything only good. However, we have to live with the changes and look into the future. 

But there are times when I still miss the old Jerusalem from 15 years ago, and I am asking myself whether the Tehillim lady is still alive.

Haredi Poverty

Seen in Jerusalem

Photo: Miriam Woelke

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I have seen her twice or three times. A chassidic woman from Mea Shearim walking around outside her neighbourhood in secular territory, asking for donations enabling her to buy food for Shabbat. She usually is around on Thursdays and Fridays and receiving donations from religious as well as secular Jews. No one can resist when seeing the poor woman in her old clothes and worn out shoes. 

I feel sorry for her and give her money wherever I see her. Last Thursday, she was around again and I started a brief conversation with her. About the chassidic group where she is a member and about their Tish. One can see that she was born into the group and is not one of the newcomers joining. 

It would be rather difficult and shameful for me asking strangers for money but when I see this woman I am amazed that she does everything with a special kind of dignity. Many times when we go to chassidic Tishes we are only being shown the joyful side of a group. The Rebbe is giving out his Shirayim, the women at the Ezrat Nashim are dressed Schabbesdick and showing their rings and other jewellery. What we don't see is how hard the daily life is. Struggling for survival and feeding the kids. 

On November 1, grocery prices are going up again. No matter if Coca Cola, Soklobek sausages, Goldstar Beer, Lipton Tea or plenty of other products. It won't take too long and dairy products will become more expensive too.

Haredi areas such as Bnei Brak or Mea Shearim offer free Shabbat meal packages to needy families. Not only a few but thousands.  

Jerusalem for the Rich ?

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Jerusalem's Mayor Nir Barkat would love to turn our city into a second Tel Aviv. Action, hightech and lots of tourists spending all their money only in Jerusalem. However, the Kotel (Western Wall), anything religious, local museum as well as the unique Jerusalem atmosphere don't seem to be too attractive to the hightech enterpreneur Barkat. Instead he wants more, as he is concentrating too much on Tel Aviv. The problem is that Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are two different cities with unique characters. And instead of accepting reality, Barkat wants a Jerusalem for rich outsiders spending money. 

Jerusalem has a lot to offer and those who do need a beach can still travel to Tel Aviv or other places. It has been going on for a couple of years now: Although the capital is suffering from a lack of apartments, only luxury apartments are being built. 

I was walking around downtown a few days ago and noticed more luxury being built. For the wealthy foreigner but not for an ordinary inhabitant of Jerusalem. 

 Here we are in Jaffa Road / Downtown Jerusalem

Photo: Miriam Woelke

Just look at all the new building complexes being built. However, it says LUXURY on the signs. And LUXURY doesn't mean for me and for you but for rich investors.

The latest view from Jaffa Road to Rabbi Kook Street

And a few meters further away:

The luxury apartment complex in the background hasn't found too many investors yet and mostly remains empty.

Photos: Miriam Woelke

Most Jerusalemites are ordinary people with an ordinary income. Hardly anyone is able to afford any expensive kind of housing. On the contrary, as most of us are already happy when they can pay the bills and buy groceries.

Remembering the old AISH prayer room

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Is anyone out there who has ever joined the HERITAGE HOUSE - AISH HA'TORAH Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur service in the past ? I have done so for many many years. Just like a ritual I went to those services although others told me that they are beginner services. Rabbi Yaakov Marcus (teaching at the women's seminary NEVE YERUSHALAYIM in Jerusalem) jumping around and screaming: "Page no. 126 ! (in the ARTSCROLL Machzor).:-)

Those were the days. Walking down from the Heritage House or from home to the AISH HATORAH dining room which became a prayer room on the two high holidays. The aircondition always spreading freezing air and we had to keep warm with jackets or sweaters. The white plastic chairs set up. The white Mechitzah in the middle, Jeff Seidel blowing the Shofar and Rabbi Edelstein running the service. 

Those days are not over but the services found a new location. New and posh: At the new AISH HATORAH building right across the Kotel (Western Wall). 

Today I passed the old prayer room and was shocked to see that it has become a grocery store. Suddenly all old memories came up but the future has to go on.:-)

Here are two photos from the ex - prayer room now being a grocery store:

From the outside

and from the inside

Photos: Miriam Woelke

Jerusalem has a difficult atmosphere

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If I was a millionaire, I would rent two apartments at the same time: One in Jerusalem and a second one in Tel Aviv. Those two cities are my favourite places in Israel. Unfortunately, I am not a millionaire and have to make a decision where to live.

A few days ago I announced that I am planning to move back to Jerusalem within the next upcoming months. My friends in Jerusalem were happy to here it but my friends in Tel Aviv are now trying to convince me to stay. If not in Tel Aviv so, at least, in Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak or Petach Tikvah. 

"Jerusalem ? What do you want there ? It is a dead city and full of Haredim".

These are the main arguments against Jerusalem. At least according to the Tel Aviv way of thinking.

Jerusalem is the holy city and Haredim don't bother me at all. Years ago I have been one of them and thus know society. 

After living in Jerusalem for a bit more than ten years I noticed that the main difference between the holy city and Tel Aviv is a mentality question. Jerusalem is a very difficult place to live. Full of tension. Not only political tension but also on a society basis. Jerusalemites are, compared to Tel Avivim, suspicious. People always look what you are doing and everything has to be in accordance with certain expectations. In other words, Jerusalem doesn't give you much space to be different. It is definitely not a creative place and makes it difficult for artists to express themselves. 

Tel Aviv, on the other hand, gives you any freedom you want. Sometimes too much of it and there are many things bothering me. For instance, when gays walk around holding hands in public. This you wouldn't see in Jerusalem. The only thing you can do while living here is ignoring such behaviour and concentrating on the positive aspects. For artists and writers, Tel Aviv is the best place to be, as you won't find that many different people and interesting stories anywhere else in the country. 

I have thought about the whole dilemma today and it is anything but easy to make a decision. At least I have still got some time to go.

Beggar at Jerusalem's Central Bus Station

Photo: Miriam Woelke

Adolf Eichmann's Library in Jerusalem

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One morning in 1961, a police officer entered a Jerusalem book store called "Ludwig Mayer Ltd." in Shlomzion HaMalka Street and asked the shop owner, Esther Mayer, for six books. The shop owner was free to choose those six books by herself and the police officer paid a very low price. There was only one condition: The books had to be in German !

One week later, the same police officer entered the book store, returned the six books he had taken the first time, and asked for another six books. All in German and Esther Mayer could choose. The same procedure went on for one month until Esther Mayer asked the police officer for the reason. The officer, however, refused telling her any details.

After three months, the police officer finally told her the big secret and Esther Mayer had to promise not to tell anyone about the book borrowing. The officer told her that those books were for Adolf Eichmann. During his trial in Jerusalem, the police provided him with books in German. Esther Mayer almost fainted and couldn't believe it. Eichmann was using her books ? 

Mayer's family had escaped Germany and from that day she knew about the receipient of the books, she only chose books about Zionism. This was her late revenge to one of the worst Nazis, Adolf Eichmann.

From "Yediot Acharonot" 2 May 2011

URGENT REQUEST for Tefillah - Rabbi Meir Schuster, Shlita:

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Rabbi Schuster of the Heritage House in the Old City of Jerusalem needs our prayers

As you may know, sadly, Rabbi Schuster is quite ill struggling with the effects of Lewy Body Disease, a rare degenerative condition with symptoms similar to both Parkinsons and Alzheimers. In the last 2 weeks, his condition has sadly deteriorated to the point where he now requires full-time in-patient care.

Unfortunately there has been a major down turn in R Meirs condition in the past few hours, and his condition is critical. He is going in to major surgery within the next hour and the medical opinion has not been positive.

He has the best medical experts on the case. He needs our tefillos immediately. Please circulate amongst the list of friends to daven and say Tehillim for the next few hours which are critical. The surgery is taking place in Shaarei Tzedek.

His Hebrew name is Meir Tzvi ben Mirka.

Rabbi Me'ir Schuster

Link:

The HERITAGE HOUSE