Starstruck at the Knesset

One of my friends, Anna, is a senior staffer at the Knesset for Avigdor Liberman and the Likud party.  She invited me today as a guest.  While I was waiting across the street from security, I was able to photograph this very famous menorah:

MK Yair Shamir sponsored my day pass.  That's MY name in Hebrew.

Near the reception area inside the Knesset is a seven-species menorah.

Anna introduced me to MK Yair Shamir (Likud), for whom Hanan is a staffer.  Anna and Hanan took me to see the Chagall tapestries.  They're very big.  They're not woven tapestries, but paintings on fabric.  They are quite dense with imagery: lots of elements to explore.

"The vision of the end of days"

"Exodus"

"The return to Zion"

Then we went to lunch, where?, in the MK Dining Room.  I had lunch in the MK dining room.  At one point, MK Ronen Hoffman (Yesh Atid) sat down with us and chatted it up.  I had salad.

Then a small birthday party was planned for one of the MKs, and I was invited.  I met the secretaries who planned the party, which was held in an empty committee meeting room.  The celebrant was Shimon Ohayon (Likud), and several other MKs were in attendance, along with their staffers (and me):  Hamad Amar (Likud), Orly Levy (Likud), Robert Ilatov (Likud), and Yair Shamir (Likud).  Shimon Ohayon spoke with me after the party. 

Anna needed to get back to work, so she walked me up to the security exit. Wow.

It was 3:00 then, so I walked over to the Israel Museum, and saw the second temple model of Jerusalem, Isaiah scroll, and a temporary exhibit on Jewish dress.

Roundabout closest to the Knesset

 Then, I was tired and returned to Beer Sheva.