When friends decide to meet at “the lions of the [Jewish] Quarter,” there is no confusion – everyone knows which lions and where they are. There are no others in the Jewish Quarter.
By LEAH ELBAUM HAKIMIANFamily Menagerie: the writer and her family surround the Sister Lions(photo credit: Courtesy)
The two lions in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City, at the corner of Yehuda Halevi and Misgav Ladach streets, are celebrating their bat mitzvah. Affectionately known as the Sister Lions, they’ve been standing guard at this intersection since their dedication on July 6, 2007, in memory of two sisters, Nancy Elbaum Makovsky and Ruth Elbaum Shane.When friends decide to meet at “the lions of the [Jewish] Quarter,” there is no confusion – everyone knows which lions and where they are. There are no others in the Jewish Quarter.And the Sister Lions have unique qualities, unlike the lion sculptures in other parts of the city. Their colors change; they are kid-friendly; and they have a St. Louis connection.The artist, Rivka Deutsch, who lives in the Jewish Quarter, keeps them up with the times. She paints them one way for Tisha Be’av and a different way for Purim. Their looks change several times a year, but these concrete sculptures always exude the strength of Jerusalem and its warmth.The Sister Lions are easily accessible and children love them. Over the years, thousands of children have waited in line for a turn to “ride” the lions and be photographed with them. This gift to the city is a living memorial to two sisters who loved children and were both master teachers.St. Louisans feel a special connection to these Sister Lions, as the Elbaum sisters were St. Louis natives who loved Jerusalem. The lions face the Mount of Olives, where the sisters are buried next to each other.The Sister Lions are noticeably distinct. But they clearly share one quality with other Jerusalem lions. They all represent the Lion of Judah. After Jacob blessed his son as a lion cub in Genesis 49:9, the lion came to symbolize the Kingdom of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem. In 1950, the Jerusalem Municipality adopted the lion as its official symbol, and in the center of the blue and white Jerusalem flag, the lion stands erect on its back paws.From the air and on the ground, the lions of Zion protect the city of Jerusalem, its residents and visitors.
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