'Rejoice Over Jerusalem' (Photo)

Rejoice Over Jerusalem (Photo: Dave Bender)

A little* something for the upcoming Succot Feast of Tabernacles holiday.

Stayed up until 0300 getting this one, so I appreciate the second verse on the Psalm below; a view of Jerusalem looking north towards the Malcha Mall area (foreground) from the edge the southernmost neighborhood of Gilo (Gilo = rejoice in Hebrew).

Lots of Photoshop tweaking to cut through the late night dew, but still bring out the definition in the clouds, and, in general - clarify. Also, not to mention a quick (but friendly!) ID'ing by a police patrol wondering what - or who - I was REALLY trying to photograph, alone, so late at night... (good thing they're out there, though...)

And that asterik up there? Well, friends (smirking photographers out there already know what's coming and can jump ahead to the Psalm); did you know that a nine megapixel camera, photographing ONE photograph in RAW format, and then translated and saved on a computer in .TIFF format takes up a freakin' ONE. HUNDRED. AND. THREE. megapixels?!

That's per shot. I shot about 30 images to get that final one above. Save your applause; a bigger hard drive will do for now...

Translation:
REJOICE OVER JERUSALEM

Chorus:
Rejoice with Jerusalem, be glad about her,
be glad all you that love her,
all who love her.

On your walls, Oh city of David
I have stationed watchmen,
all day and night.
(repeat)

Chorus

Do not fear, my servant Jacob,
for your enemies shall be scattered before you.
(repeat)

Chorus

Look about you and behold; see all
as they are all gathering and coming unto you.
(repeat)

Chorus

And your people
are all holy
and forever shall inherit the land.

Chorus

(Cross-posted at Israelity)

Tel Aviv: Azrieli Towers at night (Photos)

These are the Azrieli Towers in Tel Aviv, nicely lit up in brilliant primary colors, akin to the square, triangle and circle primary shapes of the buildings themselves.

Make sure to click into the Flickr photos stream via the images to see hi-resolution views (tweaked with color correction, tonal range, sharpening and special sauce).

The rest of the portfolio is viewable via the Flickr badge at the upper left-hand side of the page.

Kudos, comments, critiques and blank checks gratefully accepted.


(Photo: Dave Bender)

(Photo: Dave Bender)

(Photo: Dave Bender)

(Cross-posted at Israelity)

Who REALLY owns the Internet! (Flash)

This is a wickedly good, thoroughly worked-out site of CT&TCOM, talking about who REALLY owns the Internet.

(The Flash animations demand a broadband hookup, and turn on your speakers)

(UPDATED) Arab bloggers ired at Israelis in Jordanian film school (Podcast)

From The Jerusalem Post:

Jordanian King Abdullah II's promise earlier this month to create a
Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts in Jordan (RSICA), which will include Israeli film students, has caused a stir among bloggers on line from all over the Middle East.

Click here for the audio podcast.

UPDATE: Well. It turns out that the above is not the real story at all, at least according to Jordanian blogger Mental mayhem:

First of all, the title of the Post's article -- Arab bloggers upset Jordanian school open to Israelis -- is completely inaccurate. It was not Arab bloggers who were upset. In fact, both Amin, Laith and myself were absolutely thrilled about the project. It was on-line commenters, most of whom were anonymous, that expressed dissatisfaction with the project. Obviously, the journalist who wrote this piece does not know the difference between a blogger and a commenter.

I also noticed that the journalist -- Ruth Eglash -- decided to highlight the exact same comments that I highlighted on my blog last week and without making any reference to my blog. It is obvious here that the journalist did not do a fair and forthright job, as she focused only on the negative comments and reported inaccurate information by referring to commenters as bloggers. What irresponsible journalism! without mentioning the fact that I, the blogger, was excited about the project

More from Jordanian blogger Black Iris.

And as Dave of Israellycool notes:

The Jerusalem Post has since changed the title of the offending article from Arab bloggers upset Jordanian school open to Israelis to Arab bloggers: Jordan school can't admit Israelis, without notifying of any correction.

If this is indeed the case, I stand corrected and apologize for inaccuracies in my report and podcast.

HT: Israellycool.

ET phone home (Photo)

(Photos: Dave Bender)

Two Bezek phone boxes after a face lift, in Jerusalem's Talpiot industrial zone.

A room with a view (Photo)

Yes, verily, Yom Kippur's 25-hour fast ended Sunday night (easily for all, I hope) to a volley of hammering and drilling throughout the Land, as Israelis raced to set up Succah booths for the week-long festivities beginning Friday evening.

(Photo: Dave Bender)

This vendor of Succah booths offers a room with a view of the Third Temple, as he sets up his wares in the parking lot of a Jerusalem mall.

A concise Succot to-do list is here. More background is here (for a start...).

I will try to shoot pics of the "best and the brightest" of this autumn's Succah fashions and post here (no doubt including the ever-popular Christmas garlands foisted off on unsuspecting Israelis...), so check back here thoughout the week.

(Cross-posted at Israelity)

JerusalemOnline news update: 00:00, Oct. 3rd (Video - Channel 2 TV)

• Special for the New Year - Last Year Summary - click here
• The special animation for the New Year - click here
• Israel Bonds' President & CEO greeting for the New Year - click here

• 
  Click on image for latest Israel
  Channel 2 TV News update
  

'Chutzpah Israeli:' from 23rd to 15th place in world economic index

This comes as an interesting counterpoint to the previous entry on "making it" in Israel...

Israeli is ranked 15th in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2006 Global Competitiveness Index, up from 23rd place in 2005. The US fell from first to sixth place. Israel outranks Canada, Austria, France, Australia, Belgium and Ireland, which follow it in descending order.

Read more.

And this:

The damage to Israel's economy from the war this summer appears to be less than initially feared. "The data we see right now confirms... the effects of the war were temporary and relatively mild," said Eldad Shidlovsky, acting head of economic research at the Finance Ministry.

Read more.

'Making it' in Israel - vs - overseas

Blogger 'Ask Shifra' post one of those entries that make you wonder why you even bother writing, because she's so "there" and has reams of talkbacks of genuine people that write from the heart.

Dealing with financial success, "making it," "getting by" here in Israel versus Jewish communities in the diaspora, this posting literally and figuratively get me where I live, as I cope/survive/scrape by for a "living," and, yes, toy with the option of going to the States for a period to make enough to hurl at bills and debts here.

Your replies are welcome, too.

Today I was emailing with another blogger who said something like "Wouldn't it be great if there was a blog where frum people could anonymously talk about their financial problems? I don't think I look that different than any other man in shul but I'm up to my eyeballs in debt while everyone else seems to be doing just fine!" (OK I added the bit about the eyeballs but the rest is kinda, almost accurate.)

Great stuff.

Via Israelity

Yom Kippur: The difference between perfection & purification

I try to deal with the following article (from Aish Hatorah), appreciate it, "live it" - but still... find it difficult to absorb. Not to mention trying to be "spiritual" and introspective as the fast-induced nausea, vertigo, shakes and cold sweats take over as the day wears on...

Anyone out there have any ideas to deal with this? Thoughtful replies are most welcome.

This Yom Kippur, leave the guilt at home.

The venerable 19th century sage, Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, once asked an obvious question and offered a penetrating response. "Why did God choose to position Yom Kippur after Rosh Hashana? Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement; Rosh Hashana celebrates God's dominion over the Universe and the unique role that we, His Chosen People, play in that cosmos. Wouldn't it be far more logical to enter that glorified state after we have undergone the spiritual refinement of Yom Kippur? It is actually very much the contrary, explained the wise rabbi. We don't need to be totally purified to attain the exalted status of membership in the Heavenly Corps. We achieve that holy status just by being who we are -- yes, with all of our blemishes and imperfections and weaknesses. It's called being human.

Read more.

As for the physical needs, at least someone understands me...

(Cross-posted at Israelity)