April 1, 2012 · 8:58 pm

Christians celebrate Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday at The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Coptic Chapel. Jerusalem, Israel. 1-Apr-2012.

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Fouad Twal (C), joins priests carrying palm branches in a Palm Sunday procession at The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Jerusalem, Israel. 1-Apr-2012.

A group of South Sudanese refugees protests opposite the Prime Minister’s Residence as collective protection from deportation for South Sudanese expires today. Jerusalem District Court has issued an injunction forbidding deportation before April 15th. Jerusalem, Israel. 1-Apr-2012.

A group of South Sudanese refugees protests opposite the Prime Minister’s Residence as collective protection from deportation for South Sudanese expires today. Jerusalem District Court has issued an injunction forbidding deportation before April 15th. Jerusalem, Israel. 1-Apr-2012.

Thousands take part in Palm Sunday procession ascending from Gethsemane to the Lions’ Gate, carrying palm branches, singing ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’ and accompanied by musical instruments. Jerusalem, Israel. 1-Apr-2012.

Two nuns descend from the Mount of Olives in Palm Sunday procession carrying palm branches in celebration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Israel. 1-Apr-2012.
And what did you do today?
Filed under art, documentary, image, israel, Jerusalem, photo, photographer, photography, photojournalism, photos
Tagged as asylum seeker, asylum seekers, belief, Benyamin Netanyahu, bibi netanyahu, children, Christ, Christian, christianity, church, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, demonstrate, demonstrating, demonstration, demonstrators, deportation, Easter, expulsion, extradition, faith, Fouad Twal, holy sepulcher, holy sepulchre, Holy Week, Hosanna to the Son of David, humanrights, illegal immigrants, israel, Jerusalem, Jesus, kids, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, middle east, MiddleEast, migrant worker, migrant workers, palm, palm branches, Palm Sunday, palms, PM Residence, pray, prayer, praying, priest, priests, Prime Minister residence, procession, protest, protesting, refugee, refugees, religion, religious, Rotunda, save our lives, South Sudan, South Sudanese, Sudan, worship, worshiper, worshipers
February 20, 2012 · 3:07 pm
The children of Israel take part in a nationwide exercise simulating an earthquake. At the Bet-Hakerem Elementary School Home Front Command oversee the drill with police, paramedics and firefighters. Jerusalem, Israel. 20th February 2012.

Firefighters rappel from school rooftop in rescue operations following an earthquake in a nationwide exercise simulation at the Bet-Hakerem Elementary School. Jerusalem, Israel. 20th February 2012.

Children of Bet-Hakerem Elementary School learn to use fire extinguishers as they take part in a nationwide exercise simulating an earthquake with IDF Home Front Command soldiers and emergency services. Jerusalem, Israel. 20th February 2012.

Firefighters rappel from school rooftop in rescue operations following an earthquake in a nationwide exercise simulation at the Bet-Hakerem Elementary School. Jerusalem, Israel. 20th February 2012.
Click the pics for more!
Filed under art, documentary, image, israel, Jerusalem, photo, photographer, photography, photojournalism, photos
Tagged as ambulance, Bet Hakerem, casualties, child, children, children of Israel, Crane, earth quake, earthquake, education, elementary school, emergency, emergency services, evacuating, evacuation, extinguish, extinguisher, extinguishers, fire, Fire and Rescue Services, fire fighter, fire fighters, fire-extinguisher, fire-extinguishers, firefighter, firefigters, fireman, firemen, flame, flames, Fujifilm X100, home front, Home Front Command, idf, Injured, Injury, israel, Israel police, Jerusalem, Magen David Adom, medic, medical, middle east, nationwide, paramedic, paramedics, procedures, rappel, rappelling, rescue, roof, rooftop, rope, ropes, rubble, school, school children, simulating, simulation, soldier, soldiers, stretcher, X100
February 8, 2012 · 4:21 pm
Thousands of Israelis visit the Knesset today as it opens its doors to the public hosting an Open House event on the occasion of the parliament’s 63 birthday. Speaker of the Knesset, Mr. Reuven “Rubi” Rivlin was quoted saying: ”The Knesset is the house of the people, and this will literally be true, when a crowd of thousands comes to the Knesset to enjoy a range of activities. The purpose of the ”Open House” is to celebrate the Knesset`s birthday in a way which will bring the public closer to the Knesset, its unique role and its operations. The happening taking place on Tu Bishvat will be a mix of educational activities, cultural events, exercises led by MKs and yearly traditional ceremonies. I can promise anyone who comes an exceptional experience.”
Many interactive activities took place in Parliament today including the Knesset Band who welcomed visitors in the front plaza, ‘Story Hour’ for children lead by MKs, an exhibition of the Knesset Guard dog handlers, symposiums lead by MKs on political issues for students, actors dressed as famous Israeli political leaders interacted with visitors and a workshop on hand-powered bicycles for the handicapped.

A kindergarten class from the Arab city Tayibe arrives to the Israeli Parliament for an open house celebration on the occasion of its 63rd birthday, exemplary of Israeli democracy and equality of rights. Jerusalem, Israel. 8th February 2012.

A row of photo portraits of past prime ministers decorates the halls of the Knesset as it opens its doors to the public for an Open House birthday celebration. First photo portrays legendary David Ben-Gurion. Jerusalem, Israel. 8th February 2012.

Children are mesmerized as MK Nachman Shai reads a story by Lea Goldberg to granddaughter’s kindergarten class in ‘Story Hour’. Thousands of Israelis visit the Knesset today for an open house celebration. Jerusalem, Israel. 8th February 2012.
More HERE
Filed under art, documentary, image, israel, Jerusalem, photo, photographer, photography, photojournalism, photos
Tagged as 63, 63rd, actor, actress, african, arab, arabs, Arbor Day, architecture, Arieh Eldad, autograph, autographs, band, ben-Gurion, bicycle, birthday, Cafeteria, carved, Celebration, Channel 2, Channel B, chief, children, current affairs, David Ben-Gurion, debate, declaration of independence, Democracy, disabled, display, dog, equal rights, equality, examplary, example, exhibit, exhibition, explosive, explosives, feathers, flag, flags, Fujifilm X100, gifts, Girl, Girls, Golda Meir, Government, hand-powered, handicapped, handler, historic, historical, Ichud Leumi, idols, improvised, Indian, interview, israel, Jerusalem, Jewish Arbor Day, kindergarten, Knesset, Knesset Guard, Knesset Speaker, Lea Goldberg, Lia Shemtov, library, lobby, make-up, makeup, middle east, Miri Regev, MK, Moshe "Mutz" Matalon, Moshe Matalon, music, Nachman Shai, national flags, Numerous, open house, orchestra, parliament, people, photo, photographs, photos, plant, planting, plants, PMs, portraits, presents, prime ministers, public, radio, read, reading, reuven rivlin, row, rubi rivlin, sign, signing, Society, Speaker of The Knesset, story hour, students, symposium, Taybe, Taybeh, Tayibe, trained, trainer, visitor, visitors, wood, workshop, X100, young
December 11, 2011 · 5:11 pm

Speaker of the Knesset Reuven Rubi Rivlin (R) and Minister of Education Gideon Saar (L) interact with kindergarten children following inauguration ceremony of a new visitor center in the Knesset, promoting public education and involvement in democracy. Jerusalem, Israel. 11th December 2011.
More HERE
Filed under art, documentary, image, israel, Jerusalem, photo, photographer, photography, photojournalism, photos
Tagged as 201112111227Knesset, ceremony, children, Democracy, educate, educating, education, Education Minister, educational, Gideon Saar, inauguration, israel, Jerusalem, kids, Knesset, Knesset Speaker, middle east, MiddleEast, minister of education, parliament, reuven rivlin, rubi rivlin, Speaker of The Knesset, visitors center, גדעון סער, הכנסת, כנסת, מרכז מבקרים, ראובן ריבלין, רובי ריבלין
February 19, 2011 · 11:56 pm
A rally marking 1,700 days of captivity was held at the Shalit family protest tent opposite the PM’s residence in Jerusalem. Supporters call upon PM Benyamin Netanyahu to negotiate a prisoner swap with Hammas for the release of Shalit. Jerusalem, Israel. 19/02/2011.

Shalit family at a rally marking 1,700 days of captivity held at the Shalit family protest tent opposite the PM's residence. Jerusalem, Israel. 19/02/2011.
Gilad Shalit (born 28 August 1986) is an Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinian militants in a cross border raid near the Gaza Strip on 25 June 2006 and is being held hostage by Hammas ever since.

Supporter carries sign stating "Gilad Shalit belongs to us all" at a rally marking 1,700 days of captivity held at the Shalit family protest tent opposite the PM's residence. Jerusalem, Israel. 19/02/2011.
Filed under documentary, image, israel, Jerusalem, photo, photographer, photography, photojournalism, photos
Tagged as 1700 Days, abducted, army, Aviva Shalit, Bedouin, Benyamin Netanyahu, captivity, children, Civil Rights, conflict, demonstration, ehud Olmert, family, father, gaza, gilad schalit, gilad shalit, hamas, hammas, human-rights, idf, israel, Jerusalem, kidnapped, Meir Shalev, middle east, military, Minister of Agriculture, mother, Nir alon, Noam Shalit, Orit Noked, palestinian, Picket, PM Residence, politics, POW, Prime Minister residence, prisoner of war, protest, protest watch, rally, soldier, violence, Yaara Vinkler, yellow ribbon, Yoel Shalit
April 10, 2010 · 7:45 am
First, there are the children of Sheikh Jarrah …




And then there are the adults …




And a whoman who held a babe against her bosom said,
- Speak to us of children!
And he said:
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come trough you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of to-narrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the Archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.
- Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet
Filed under art, documentary, image, israel, Jerusalem, photo, photographer, photography, photojournalism, photos
Tagged as activist, activists, AlKurd, boy, boys, child, children, conflict, demonstration, East Jerusalem, ElKurd, eviction, expulsion, Girl, Girls, homeless, homes, human, humanrights, israel, Jerusalem, Kahlil Gibran, middle east, Nir alon, palestine, palestinian, palestinians, police, protest, rights, security, Sheik jarach, Sheikh Jarrah, shek jarah, sign, signs, the prophet, violence
November 17, 2009 · 10:40 am


The Ethiopian Jewish community, called Beta-Israel, lived in seclusion for over 1,000 years, only reconnecting to the Jewish world in the late 20th century. According to Ethiopian tradition, their roots go back 3,000 years to the era of King Solomon. Like their brethren in many parts of the world, Ethiopian Jews suffered persecution for their beliefs and refusal to adopt Christianity. In the Middle Ages their lands were confiscated, villages plundered and many murdered. They were nicknamed Falash – intruders, homeless and without property. Despite the hardships, this community preserved their traditions with great devotion and generations were educated on the value of yearning for a return to Jerusalem, The Holy City, home of The Temple, pure and holy. The Sigd celebrations, Sigd meaning “to bow or prostate oneself”, convey their love and yearning for Jerusalem.


Traditionally the celebrations took place on a hilltop looking toward Jerusalem,signifying a renewal of the bond with God. Now, with a community of over 150,000 in Israel the main event takes place annually at the Sherover Promenade in Jerusalem, overlooking The Temple Mount.Thousands followed the Kessim, the religious leaders, and gathered in the late morning hours in colorful traditional garments or in whites signifying purity, to pray and give thanks. Guests of honor included Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat.


The yearning for Jerusalem has become a reality. Israeli-born offspring to Ethiopian Jews are finding it more and more difficult to identify with the aspirations of their forefathers. First signs are evident that this ancient ethnic celebration of hope and faith might one day be forgotten.













The 35mm f/2 was a pleasure to work with! Light and extremely mobile hanging on my neck – I could easily raise it quickly to get the shot I wanted without scaring off the subject. Some shots were even framed from the chest. I love the shallow depth of field! Most of the work was done at f2.5 ISO100 with very high shutter speeds. Close and intimate!
nir
Filed under documentary, image, israel, Jerusalem, photo, photographer, photography, photojournalism, photos
Tagged as 35mm f2, belief, bow, boy, boys, brother, Celebrate, Celebration, Cell phone, ceremony, children, collect, collection, commemoration, costume, custom, donate, donation, elderly, ethiopia, ethiopian, faith, family, festive, festivity, finger, fingers, formality, friends, function, Girl, Girls, hand, hands, holiday, hope, idf, israel, Jerusalem, Jerusalem Mayor, Jew, jewish, judaism, kessim, kids, liturgy, man, mature, mayor, men, middle east, money, Moriah, Mount, navy, Nir alon, Nir barkat, observance, old, ordinance, parade, pray, prayer, praying, prostrate, religion, rings, rite, sacrament, Seged, service, show, siblings, sigd, sister, soldier, soldiers, solemnity, stage, Temple, tradition, umbrella, uniform, woman, women, worn out, wrinkles, yearning