creative jewish mom

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday n!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! Summer is such a wonderful time to delve into a new craft, or pick up a old beloved one, so do fit that into your busy schedule, and if you need an excuse, so go ahead and start thinking about decorations for the Succah or gifts for December gift giving! But really truly, creativity is such a wonderful thing you should never ever feel guilty about using yours! The biggest regret is not using creativity or acting on all those creative ideas, sigh. Soooooo, enjoy the features and have a wonderful creative summer!

Lovely Weeds On The Old City Jerusalem Walls

During our 11 night stay in the Old City of Jerusalem, one of my favorite sites was the Ramparts Walk, NOT TO BE MISSED! And of course, as a lover of things botanical, I just had to photograph some of the weeds growing on the ancient walls. And guess what, my daughter (who had to speed ahead in order to catch a bus back up North and bring the rest of our Passover food from the freezer at home as we unexpectedly decided to stay in Jerusalem) took the very same picture of the very same weed. Such a proud parent moment! This weed looks very similar to a snap dragon, and likely is in the same famliy. Enjoy, and don't forget to keep your eyes open for weeds growing in unexpected places where ever you go!

The Ramparts Walk: A Walk On The Old City Jerusalem Wall!

Since yesterday was the 17th of Tammuz marking the beginning of the 3 week period of mourning for the destruction of the Jewish Temple, I am going to share with you some very lovely adventures from our stay in Jerusalem this past Passover week. So stay tuned for that all week long!

One of my favorite activities was to do the Ramparts Walk, which I've always wanted to do, and am SO happy we finally had the chance to do it. I love walking and ancient architecture and views, and the Ramparts walk includes all three! The Ramparts are the fortified walkways on the 12 meter high stone wall surrounding the Old City of Jerusalem, and they are impressive indeed! The Ramparts are somewhat hidden from locals and tourists alike as you have to find the starting point, (it is on near the EXIT from the Tower of David Museum, looks for the signs) but the fee is very modest and this is something you should not miss. Do note, the steps can be very steep, so this is not for those with knee trouble, difficulty walking, or the very young.

The Ramparts walk actually consists of two sections, The North Side walk and the South Side Walk. We only had time for the shorter South Side Walk,  in which one passes by the Tower of David and only crosses over one gate, the Zion Gate. The walk covers the Armenian Quarter and ends at the Jewish Quarter, before the Dung Gate. Descending before the Dung Gate it is just a short walk to the Western Wall (Kotel) and the surrounding sites. Okay, lets take that walk shall we?

What Is The Temple Mount? Can I Go There?

Entrance to The Temple Mount within the Muslim Quarter, Jewish Law forbids entrance by Jews, and in any case only Muslims are allowed entrance through this gate.

The Temple Mount refers to the elevated plaza above the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem that was the site of both of The Jewish People's ancient temples.  The first temple, built by King Solomon, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The second was built in the sixth century BCE and stood for nearly 600 years before it was destroyed and the Jewish people exiled in 70 CE by the Roman Empire. Jews continue to mourn the destruction on the fast day of Tisha B’Av, and in the three weeks prior to the fast day, starting on the 17th of Tammuz, the day in which the walls were breached. The significance of this site to other religions occurred after the Jews were expelled. Check out my post on The Kotel HaKatan, the Small Wailing Wall, which is located right next to this Temple Mount entrance.

Are Jews permitted to visit the mount?

Yes but please DO NOT. Traditional Jewish law prohibits entry to the the site, as entry to the Holy of Holies, the innermost sanctum of the temple, as strictly forbidden, and as a result Jews who observe Jewish law do not enter the Temple Mount at all for fear of treading on sacred ground. Though some have challenged this ruling, in 2005 a group of prominent Israeli rabbis, reiterated an earlier religious edict that “no man nor woman should set foot in the entire area of the Temple Mount. The Western Wall, the last standing retaining wall of the Temple Mount, is the closest to the mount that Jews are traditionally permitted to pray. But not to worry, we know our temple will be rebuilt, and once again the Jews will have access to the Temple Mount. How exactly will this happen, well we really don't know, but we believe 100% that it will happen and that it will be good not just for the Jewish People, but for the entire world.

What is Israel’s policy on access to the mount?

The Temple Mount may be accessed by anyone, but entry to the Dome of the Rock is restricted to Muslims. Though there are multiple gates to access the site, non-Muslims must enter through the Mughrabi Gate, located near the Western Wall plaza. Israeli security controls the entry points. At moments of elevated tensions, Israel has occasionally closed the site to visitors, including Muslim worshippers.

Looking into the Temple Mount through the Muslim only gate.

A closer look shows us an interesting juxtaposition of Jewish and Muslim tradition, and lucky timing as far as the moment the photo was taken!

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The Kotel HaKatan, The Small Wailing Wall In Jerusalem

We are now in a period on the Jewish calander called "The Three Weeks" which is the 3 weeks leading up to the holiday called Tisha B'Av, The 9th of Av. The 9th of Av is a mandatory fast day (except for those under 12/13, elderly, ill or possibly just after birth) and is the saddest day of the year, the day in which we mourn the loss of our Holy Temple in Jerusalem. For the next 2 weeks I'll be sharing with you many interesting photographs from our stray in the Old City of Jerusalem, which helps put this history dating back to 2,000 years ago in perspective.

One of the amazing sights that we visited this past Passover in Old City Jerusalem for the first time was the Kotel HaKatan, The Small Wailing Wall. I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't even know about it, though grateful that I do now, due to a whole week plus in the Old City of Jerusalem, which enabled us to see so many new things! The Kotel HaKatan, is, like THE Kotel, part of the Western Wall surrounding the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, and no less holy as far as I know, just not so accessible, and certainly not able to accomodate crowds. Ah yes, and if you are Jewish it may take a bit of bravery to get there. My teenage daughter declined stepping into the Muslim quarter and waited for us on the other side of the security gate, which I can totally understand. And please don't take my word for it that visiting the Kotel HaKatan is totally safe, do your research and certainly do not go at night. If you don't look obviously Jewish (as we do) or are not Jewish then I'd say the risk is minimal, as there is a guard and a police station within the vicinity. Interested? Lets take a closer look!
After going through the security gate leading into the Muslim quarter (at the end of the Kotel) walk straight through the souk and when you see the sign The Small Kotel, or The Small Kotel Police Station, turn right, walk a bit, partly through a tunnel, and you will see this, the entrance to the temple mount! Wow. Skip going onto the Temple Mount if you are Jewish (Jewish law forbids it) rather take a left through the little arch next to the guy in the burgandy t-shirt.

Within the little arch you will see this sign. Almost there!

And here we are The Small Wailing Wall, by some small miracle the adjoining house needed a courtyard, and this portion was left exposed! Other buildings quite simply used the wall as a wall of their homes, imagine that. Pause, reflect, and do whatever you might do at the Kotel.

Truly special.

As you can see, despite hundreds of thousands of people streaming through the kotel during the holiday week of Passover, we were the only ones here.

Do include a visit to the Kotel HaKatan in your next visit to Jerusalem, and while one does not need armed accompaniment, maybe you can strike up a conversation with an Israeli soldier and get them to escort you there! Again, please don't take my word for it that one should visit this special spot, ask the police scattered around the area and do your research. We felt that the risk was minimal and worth it. Many Jews pass through the Muslim quarter everyday, and there are also Jewish families living within the Muslim quarter in homes that once belonged to Jews.

I hope you enjoyed this little tour, stay tuned for many more holy sites tocome!

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Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! Today is the 17th of Tammuz a minor fast day and the very sad day on the Jewish calendar that marks the beginning of a three week period of mourning the destruction of the Jewish Holy Temple not once but twice! Not really the kind of day that one would have a party, but since this party is more about filling the world with creativity than having fun to distract ourselves from the woes of the world, I say, the "party" must go on. Creativity and crafting are wonderful ways to give back to the world, and to spread joy and peace and try our very hardest to erase persecution. Enough already, right? Just as the Jewish people has never given up hope of a perfect world with peace for all, so too, those of us who are makers need to move forward by making, and creating and encouraging others to do so as well. Each creative act adds goodness to the world, really! And now when you find yourself crafting rather than possibly doing other things you might need to be doing, you can say, "hey, creative jewish mom told me I'm contributing to the world, certainly more important than......" So with that in mind, I now present to you the very inspiring features from last week's party:

Look Down: Beauty On The Garden Floor

This week I've been posting all things party, so this natural confetti seemed just right. I love bougainvillea, and truthfully while some may be annoyed by all the falling petals, I happen to think that they look gorgeous, and especially when they are a variety of colors! Here bougainvillea petals are mixed with fallen purple Jacaranda flowers, and the effect is in my opinion just dreamy! If I were to blow this photo up it could be amazing wall art, right? I just might do that, or this could be great inspiration for an abstract painting, Either way, don't forget to look down when you are in the garden, as you may miss something beautiful! I just noticed a little weed that has made its way into the next photo, see if you can find it.........For a look at the Jacaranda trees check out my post here, for a look at the bougainvillea vines check out my post here.

Simple Cake Toppers From Supplies On Hand

Having just posted about our challenge trying edible printable cake icing, I just had to share with you once again my take on the whole cake decorating world, which is go simple! There are those who just love spending hours making a perfect and amazing looking cake, but that is not me, I have neither the skills nor the time, so I prefer simple, cute and from the heart. Using supplies I already have on hand, meaning quick and likely made at the last minute, sigh. Nobody really needs a cake that looks like it was factory made, right, they just want to see that you spent time thinking of them, and them specifically! So dear readers, do not run to buy fancy cake decorating supplies, stock up on colored paper, markers and skewers, and I can promise you that the birthday cakes (or any occasion cakes) you make will truly be memorable!  Okay, lets have a closer look at some of my favorite cake toppers.......

Monogram Engagement Cookies With Printable Icing Sheets

Baking is now my teenage daughter's department, and she is doing a great job at it, sometimes too great in fact as I'm trying to avoid sugar. These monogram engagement cookies could be posted as a craft fail, but rather than be that harsh lets just say we (she, rather) learned a big lesson with this one: don't try out something new when under pressure! Our neighbor's daughter got engaged and my daughter wanted to help make some deserts for the desert bar, fair enough. However, her schedule was packed and she had to make the deserts ahead of time as she would be away on a school trip the day of the party. She planned to make royal icing cookies with an edible printable monogram made with edible printable icing, and enlisted me to do the graphics. So far so good......despite being rushed with shopping for her trip, she printed the icing sheet at a store in town. Then she pastuerized the eggs for the royal icing, and at this point it was already at least midnight, sigh. (On top of that we had some guests that were supposed to come on July 16/17 and showed up on July 14, so we quickly had to clean the apartment where they would be staying, while they sat and waited, not a great situation, especially with cookies waiting to be made!)

If you are reading this, lets just go to the next page for the end of the story, shall we?

Simple DIY Party Decorations With Drinking Straws

Summer is the perfect time for fun and colorful party decorations, and quick party decorations take the prize, right? I shared my plastic straw themed birthday party decorations with you a few weeks ago, and now I'm sharing them with you as a total party theme, with links to each individual project. The star burst straw centerpieces are so simple to make, and could be great for just about any event, made in the colors to match your theme. Really truly, the simplest most festive decorations ever. So enjoy these ideas and give them a try, you might even decide to make your Succah decorations from plastic straws, which is great for making sure the Succah won't melt if it rains, a stronger possibility this year as Succot falls a bit later in the year!

And just a note regarding the fact that using plastic straws may not be eco-conscious: yes it is true plastic straws are not eco-friendly, and I am the first one to go the extra mile to recycle, but as I see it, these decorations are the kind of thing you'll use over and over again, as opposed to something that likely will go in the trash, so that in itself is eco-conscious? And if you have no use for these amazing plastic straw decorations after the party, donate them!