Jerusalem

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View from the Mount of Olives across the Old City to modern West Jerusalem

View of Ein Kerem center from the south

The Western Wall and Temple Mount at night

Jerusalem (Hebrew: ירושלים Yerushalayim, Arabic: القدسal-Quds) [1] is the three times holy city (to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), whilst being the modern capital of the State of Israel and the country`s largest city. The City of Gold, as it has come to be known, is a fascinatingly unique place where the first century rubs shoulders with the twenty-first century, each jostling for legitimacy and space, and where picturesque "old" neighborhoods nestle against glistening office towers and high-rise apartments. It is one of those places which has to be seen to be believed.

[edit] Districts

Jerusalem is a big place, and can be divided up into a few district

• The Old City and its Walls form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This tiny ancient city is home to holy sites for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and is truely breathtaking.
• West Jerusalem is the secular Israeli part of Jerusalem, also known as New Jerusalem, it is the modern commercial heart of the city, having become the focus for development in the capital from the time of Israeli independence in 1948 to the reunification of the city with the Six Day War in 1967.
• East Jerusalem is the Eastern side of Jerusalem, home to most of Jerusalem's Arab population.
• Chareidi Jerusalem is the area of Jerusalem inhabited largely by ultra-Orthodox Jewish people.
• Ein Kerem is a secluded village suburb on the outskirts of West Jerusalem surrounded by piqturesque hills dotted with olive and cypress trees, home to artists and sculptors who have opened numerous galleries in the village.
• Talpiot is a largely industrial suburb to the south of Jerusalem.

[edit] Understand

Located in the Judean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea, Jerusalem is considered holy to the three major Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam being the holiest city in Judaism and the spiritual center of the Jewish people since the 10th century BCE, the third-holiest in Islam and home to a number of significant and ancient Christian landmarks. While the city has a large Jewish majority, a wide range of national, religious, and socioeconomic groups are represented there. The walled area of Jerusalem, which until the late nineteenth century formed the entire city, is now called the Old City and became a UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1982. It consists of four ethnic and religious sections — the Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Quarters. Barely one square kilometer, the Old City is home to several of Jerusalem's most important and contested religious sites including the Western Wall and Temple Mount for Jews, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque for Muslims, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Christians.

Surrounding the Old City are more modern areas of Jerusalem. The civic and cultural center of modern Israel extends from western Jerusalem toward the country's other urban areas to the west, while areas populated mostly by Arabs an be found in the northern, eastern and southern districts. Today, Jerusalem remains central to the Arab-Israeli conflict; Israel's annexation of the primarily Arab neighborhoods that form East Jerusalem has been particularly controversial as Jerusalem has been claimed by Palestinians as the capital for a future Palestinian state. Thus, the status of united Jerusalem as Israel's "eternal capital" is not widely recognized by the international community.

[edit] History

Archaeological findings prove the existence of development within present-day Jerusalem as far back as the 4th millennium BCE, but the earliest written records of the city come in the Execration Texts (c. 19th century BCE) and the Amarna letters (c. 14th century BCE). According to Biblical accounts, the Jebusites, a Canaanite tribe, inhabited the area around the present-day city (under the name Jebus) until the late 11th century BCE. At that point (c. 1000s BCE), the Israelites, led by King David, invaded and conquered the city, expanding it southwards and establishing it as the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah (the United Monarchy). It was renamed at this time as Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), a name by which it is still referred to today.

King David's reign over Jerusalem ended around 970 BCE when his son Solomon became the new king. Biblical sources state that within a decade Solomon started to build the first of two Holy Temples within city limits — Solomon's Temple (or the First Temple), a significant site in Jewish and Christian history as the last known location of the Ark of the Covenant. The period of the First Templs was marked by the division of the United Monarchy at the time of Solomon's death (c. 930 BCE) when the ten northern tribes, originally part of the Monarchy, split off to form the Kingdom of Israel. Under the leadership of the bloodline of David and Solomon, Jerusalem continued to act as the capital of the southern par of the split, the Kingdom of Judah. Later, with the Assyrian conquest of the Kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE, Jerusalem became the center of a Judah strengthened by the great number of Israeli refugees. In approximately 586 BCE, the Babylonians conquered the Kingdom of Judah including the city of Jerusalem, and the First Temple Period came to an end.

In 538 BCE, after fifty years of Babylonian captivity, the Jews were given permission from Persian King Cyrus the Great to return to Judah so they could rebuild Jerusalem and construct the Second Temple. The construction was completed in the year 516 BCE, seventy years after the destruction of the First Temple. Jerusalem regained its status as capital of Judah and center of Jewish worship for another four centuries, with a considerable portion of that period under Hasmonean rule. By 19 BCE, the Temple Mount was elevated and construction began on an expansion of the Second Temple under Herod the Great, a Jewish client king under Roman rule. In 6 CE, the city, as well as much of the surrounding Palestine, came under direct Roman rule as the Iudaea Province. Still unchallenged, the Roman rule over Jerusalem and the region came to an end with the first Jewish-Roman war, the Great Jewish Revolt, which resulted in the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. Jerusalem once again served as the national capital for the people of the region during the three-year rebellion known as Bar Kokhba's revolt. The Romans succeeded in sacking and recapturing the city in 135 CE and as a punitive measure, the Jews were banned from Jerusalem.

In the five centuries following Bar Kokhba's revolt, the city remained under Roman and Byzantine rule. With the city controlled by Roman Emperor Constantine I during the 4th century, Jerusalem was transformed into a center for Christianity, with the construction of sites such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. For most of the time between Constantine's rule and the arrival of the Muslim forces in 638, Jews were banned from Jerusalem. From that point, the rights of the non-Muslims under Islamic territory were governed by the Pact of Umar, and Christians and Jews living in the city were granted autonomy in exchange for a required poll tax (jizya). When Caliph Umar first came to the city, he requested that Sophronius, the reigning Patriarch of Jerusalem, guide him and his associates to the site of the Jewish Holy Temple, whereupon he later decided to build a mosque. By the end of the 7th century, a subsequent caliph, Abd al-Malik, had commissioned and completed the construction of the Dome of the Rock over the Foundation Stone. In the four hundred years that followed, Jerusalem's prominence diminished as Arab powers in the region jockeyed for control.

In 1099, Jerusalem was sieged by the First Crusaders, who killed most of its Muslim and Jewish inhabitants. That would be the first of several conquests to take place over the next five hundred years. In 1187, the city was taken from the Crusaders by Saladin. Between 1228 and 1244, it was given by Saladin's descendant al-Kamil to the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. Jerusalem fell again in 1244 to the Khawarizmi Turks, who were later, in 1260, replaced by the Mamelukes. In 1517, Jerusalem and its environs fell to the Ottoman Turks, who would maintain control of the city until the 20th century.

In 1917 after the Battle of Jerusalem, the British Army, led by General Edmund Allenby, captured the city. The League of Nations, through its 1922 ratification of the Balfour Declaration, entrusted the United Kingdom to administer the Mandate of Palestine and help establish a Jewish state in the region. The period of the Mandate saw the construction of new garden suburbs in the western and northern parts of the city and the establishment of institutions of higher learning such as the Hebrew University, founded in 1925.

As the British Mandate of Palestine was expiring, the 1947 UN Partition Plan (Part III) recommended "the creation of a special international regime in the City of Jerusalem, constituting it as a corpus separatum under the administration of the United Nations." However, this plan was never implemented and at the end of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Jerusalem found itself divided between Israel and Jordan (then known as Transjordan). The ceasefire line established through the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and Jordan cut through the center of the city from 1949 until 1967, during which time West Jerusalem was part of Israel and East Jerusalem was part of Jordan. In 1949, Israel designated West Jerusalem as its capital.

Ever since Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel has administered and asserted sovereignty over the entire city. Israel's 1980 Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel declared Jerusalem, "complete and united", to be the capital of Israel, while East Jerusalem has been claimed as the intended capital of a future Palestinian state. The status of the city and of its holy places remains disputed to this day.

[edit] Religion

In addition to many secular Israelis and foreigners, Jerusalem is considered home by large numbers of adherents to three of the four Western monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Adherents of these faiths have tended historically to congregate in various neighborhoods of the city, with considerable overlap.

[edit] Language

Due to its ethnic make-up the main languages spoken in Jerusalem are Hebrew in West Jerusalem and Arabic in East Jerusalem. Most people throughout the city speak sufficient English for communication, particularly Jews that have immigrated from the US and Europe. Additionally, many Charedi (strictly Orthodox) Jews speak Yiddish, and there is a significant number of French-speaking Jews. Smaller groups of Jews speak Dutch and Spanish. There is a large number of Russian immigrants of Jewish background, so it is not uncommon to see signs in Russian or hear Russian language radio.

[edit] Politics

The city has been one of the most contested in history, constantly shifting hands from the sovereignty of different religions, and remains a political hotspot today.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Israel's main entry point for the international traveller, the newly built Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) [2], named after Israel's first Prime Minister, is situated in Lod - half-way between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and so serves both major Israeli cities. The airport, referred to NATBAG by locals is well connected to the city (as well as to the rest of the country) and comprises all the usual amenities expected from a first class airport and contains one of the world's largest duty-free shopping malls for an airport of its size. The City Center can be reached by train, bus, shared taxi or taxi from Ben Gurion. Ben Gurion acts as the base for El Al [3], Israel's national airline, and is also served by over 50 international air carriers. Travel from the airport to the centre of Jerusalem takes a minimum of 40-50 minutes and depending on traffic conditions often more. It is advisable to budget at least an additional 2 hours on top of your pre-flight check-in time to ensure timely arrival and completion of security procedures.

Immigration can be a problem for first time visitors, especially those with visas from Islamic countries in their passports. It would be wise to have some phone numbers of local contacts for the immigration officials to call to verify your reason for visiting.

[edit] By train

Trains run from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, however it is neccessary to change trains at Beit Shemesh. For Jerusalem disemark the train at Malha Station. At the train station there is a large number of buses to points around Jerusalem. To downtown take the #4 or #18, to the central bus station, the #5 is the fastest, though the #6 and #32 are alternatives. Taxis are also avalable. For downtown ask for "mercaz ha-ir" or for "Kikar Tzion" (Zion Square).

A high-speed rail link connecting Jerusalem to Tel Aviv in under half an hour will be opening in 2011.

[edit] By bus

Bus services to Jerusalem from Ben Gurion International Airport and every Israeli city are frequent, cheap, and efficient. To check on these services look at the website of Egged Busses, which has a schedule of the intercity buses (Ascending means From and Descending means To). Most buses arrive at the misnamed Central Bus Station (CBS) to the west of the city, from where its a long but enjoyable walk (or short local bus trip) down Jaffa Road to the centre of town in West Jerusalem and/or the Old City. Inter-city buses stop inside the CBS; city buses outside of it, both in front of the building and on Sederot Shazar. When exiting the CBS, turn left to walk towards the city, or turn right to find the city buses. (Finding your way when you leave the CBS for the first time can be a confusing experience, since there are almost no city maps around. There is a city map on the large square opposite the CBS, on the right side, towards Sederot Shazar.)

[edit] By shared taxi

Public buses do not run during Shabbat (between sunset on Friday and sunset on Saturday, roughly speaking), during which your only option is a sherut (shared taxi). These depart from Tel Aviv's Central Bus Station and Ben Gurion Airport, and charge a small surcharge on top of the normal bus fare. As of mid-2006 a sherut costs 20 NIS (25 NIS at night) and drops you off downtown, not far from Zion Square. A sherut from the airport to anywhere in the city costs about 50 NIS.

Shared taxis are also the best option if travelling from Jerusalem to Palestinian cities, especially Ramallah and Bethlehem. The main bus station (On Salah a-Din street, next to the Rockfeler Museum) serves the surronding Palestinian towns and villages, including Abu-Dis (Line 36), and Bethlehem (Line 22). Another bus terminal, on Nablus road (Straight on from the Damascus gate) serves Ramallah, other main Palestinian cities, and there is a shared taxi direct to the Allenby bridge (The border crossing with Jordan). All Palestinian shared taxis are very cheap, 3.5 NIS for the surronding villages, 5 NIS for Abu-Dis and 8 NIS for Ramallah.

[edit] Get around

[edit] By taxi

Cabs are plentiful in the city of gold, but bewarned as the drivers may try to rip you off by "taking the scenic route" or charging a fixed price instead of on the meter. Insist that the driver turns on the meter (Mon-eh) and you should have no problems.

[edit] By bus

The most effective public transportation option is currently in the form of buses. The Jerusalem City Tour [4] (Bus #99), intended for tourists, does a loop of pretty much the whole city and costs NIS 45 adults and NIS 36 children for a one-day pass.

Egged has posted a Jerusalem Intra-City Bus Map [5]. The street/site names are in Hebrew, but you can identify the Central Bus Station by the large Egged "X" in the center of the map, and at the very least, you can visually identify which bus lines will take you to/from the station.

Below is a summarized overview of which bus to take to get from certain places to other places. Printing this list, and the map, will be very helpful.

• Central Bus Station
  • Buses towards the city leaving directly in front of the CBS (going left / east)
    • 1 to Kotel HaMa'aravi: CBS - Sarei Yisrael - Malchei Yisrael (Geulah) - Meah Shearim - Shaar Shechem (Damascus Gate) - Kotel HaMa'aravi (Western Wall)
  • Buses away from the city leaving directly in front of the CBS (going right / west)
    • 7 to Har Chotzvim: Kiryat Mattersdorf - Sorotzkin - Kiryat Tzanz - Ezrat Torah - Har Chotzvim
  • Buses towards the city leaving from Sederot Shazar (the main road across from the CBS; cross under the road through the tunnel) (going left / east)
    • 11 to Ramat Shlomo: CBS - Machaneh Yehudah - HaNevi'im (Bikur Cholim hospital) - Strauss (Geulah) - Yechezkel - Shmuel HaNavi - Golda Meir - Ramat Shlomo
    • 15 circle bus: CBS - Sarei Yisrael - Malchei Yisrael (Geulah) - Meah Shearim - Shaar Shechem (Damascus Gate) - Yaffo (municipality offices, central post office) - Kikar Tzion - Strauss (Bikur Cholim hospital) - Malchei Yisrael (Geulah) - Sarei Yisrael - CBS - Givat Shaul - Har Nof
    • 35 to Ramot: CBS - Machaneh Yehudah - HaNevi'im (Bikur Cholim hospital) - Strauss (Geulah) - Yechezkel - Shmuel HaNavi - Golda Meir - Ramot

• Other Routes
  • 1: CBS - Sarei Yisrael - Malchei Yisrael (Geulah) - Meah Shearim - Shaar Shechem (Damascus Gate) - Kotel HaMa'aravi (Western Wall)
  • 2: Har Nof - Givat Shaul North - Hamag - Kiryat Mattersdorf - Sorotzkin - Kiryat Tzanz - Ezrat Torah - Golda Meir - Shmuel HaNavi - Shaar Shechem (Damascus Gate) - Kotel HaMa'aravi (Western Wall)
  • 7: Kiryat Mattersdorf - Sorotzkin - Kiryat Tzanz - Ezrat Torah - Har Chotzvim
  • 11: Har Nof - Givat Shaul North - CBS (Shazar) - Machaneh Yehudah - HaNevi'im (Bikur Cholim hospital) - Strauss (Geulah) - Yechezkel - Shmuel HaNavi - Golda Meir - Har Chotzvim - Ramat Shlomo
  • 14: Har Homa - Talpiot - Emek Rafaim - Yaffo - CBS - Beit Hakarem
  • 15 circle bus: Har Nof - Givat Shaul North - CBS (Shazar) - Sarei Yisrael - Malchei Yisrael (Geulah) - Meah Shearim - Shaar Shechem (Damascus Gate) - Yaffo (municipality offices, central post office) - Kikar Tzion - Strauss (Bikur Cholim hospital) - Malchei Yisrael (Geulah) - Sarei Yisrael - CBS (Shazar) - Givat Shaul North - Har Nof
  • 16: Bayit VeGan - Yefeh Nof - Kiryat Moshe - Givat Shaul North - Hamag - Kiryat Mattersdorf - Sorotzkin - Kiryat Tzanz - Hannah - Bar Ilan - Sanhedria - Golda Meir - Har Chotzvim - Ramot
  • 29: Har HaMenuchot - Givat Shaul Commercial Area - Givat Shaul North - CBS (Shazar)
  • 35: Har Nof - Givat Shaul South - CBS (Shazar) - Machaneh Yehudah - HaNevi'im (Bikur Cholim hospital) - Strauss (Geulah) - Yechezkel - Shmuel HaNavi - Golda Meir - Ramot
  • 38: Jewish Quarter Parking lot - Yafo Street - Davidka Square - Yafo Street - Jewish Quarter Parking lot.

Note Buses in Jerusalem do not run on Shabbat and list is still incomplete

[edit] By rail

A light rail line is currently under construction and will be operational in 2008. It will link most parts of the city.

[edit] By foot

Much of Jerusalem is walkable (check before going) and is pleasant to walk. The Old City has to be toured by foot, not only because it is more impressive this way, but also because many of the lanes and alleyways are inaccessable to cars.

[edit] See

Jerusalem has an amazing array of attractions for the traveller to see. The following are some of the must-sees. For more attractions see individual district articles.

• Old City — the atmospheric historical core of Jerusalem surrounded by Ottoman period walls, filled with sites of massive religious signficance and a bustling approach to life.
• In West Jerusalem, be sure to visit the Israel Museum (home to the Dead Sea Scrolls and much more) and the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum.
• The Biblical Zoo is one of Israel's most popular tourist sites, in West Jerusalem

[edit] Religious, Jewish

• The most important Jewish Holy Place is the Western Wall (Hakotel Hamaaravi) in the Old City, which is part of the outer retaining wall of the Temple, built 2000 years ago.
• Visit the Belzer Rebbe's tish on Friday night in Charedi Jerusalem

[edit] Religious, Christian

• Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the termination point for the Via Dolorosa (Way of Pain) in the Old City.

[edit] Religious, Muslim

• The Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City.

[edit] Do

[edit] Night Life

While Jerusalem is a "religious" city, a night life of bars and clubs exists. There are many bars and night clubs in the Ben-Yehuda Street area (downtown) most of which are English-friendly. Clubs in Israel tend to fill up around 1:00am, and are open until around 6:00am or 7:00am. Bars open early, and close very late.

[edit] Clubs

• HAOMAN 17, : Rachov Haoman #17, Talpiyot Industrial Area. Open Thursday and Friday nights. Opens around 12:00am, closes well after sunrise.. HAOMAN is one of the top rated night clubs in the world. DJs from around the world entertain beautiful people into the morning hours with live house-techno music. The long line prefers well dressed, attractive people. Flashing a University ID helps you get through the crowd on a busy night. Go with friends, as the club in in an industrial area (not the safest place to be alone at night). Do not pick fights with regulars, as people have been assaulted in the past. The most fun Thursday night in Yerushalayim. Cover is 80-120 NIS

[edit] Outdoor Adventure

Explore the Jerusalem Hills by jeep in an off-the-beaten track 4x4 jeep tour across the scenic countryside to the lesser visited ancient sites and monasteries of Jerusalem [6] far away from the tourist traps and bus tour routes.

[edit] Learn

Jerusalem offers a wide range of educational programmes, which include:

• The Rothberg International School [7] — part of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Yad Vashem [8] runs a number of educational courses treating the subject of the Holocaust and Genocide Studies.
• Al Quds Univeristy [9] offers many diffrent programs to foreign students, as well as special summer courses to improve one's Arabic skills.

[edit] Work

[edit] Buy

Jerusalem is big on t-shirts of all shapes, colours and designs, often with good evidence of Jewish humour being present! If shopping in the Old City's markets, where almost anything can be found, be prepared to haggle.

Judaica is also a popular choice of purchase. The Old City's Jewish Quarter is particularly good for this, as is Mea Shearim, however, dress modestly.

[edit] Eat

Jerusalem, being the multicultural city that it is, has food from all countries, cultures, and tastes. Besides the ubiquitous falafel stands, there is European, Ethiopian, Medditeranean, and Middle Eastern foods. There is also a large ranges in prices from the ritzy and exotic Emek Refaim to falafel stands centered around Machaneh Yehuda and the Central Bus Station. A good rule of thumb is to look for resturants filled with Hebrew or Arabic speaking locals.

If you keep kosher Jerusalem will be a wonderful place to visit. In the Jewish sections of the city almost everything is kosher. However you should still check for the paper on the wall. The Jerusalem rabbinute issues Kashrut certificates that are good for 3 months at a time, and color coded. If you don't see it displayed do not hesitate to ask the staff. If they don't show you one its a good sign to move along. The certificate should be stamped "Basari" (meat) or "halavi" (Dairy) in Hebrew. The current certificates are cream colored with red print for dairy and pinkish-red for meat resturants. These will be good until Sept 22 (Rosh Hashana) after that the rabbinute will put up new certifications. Note it is not unusual for it to take a few days to get the new certificate up. It is also the policy of the Jerusalem rabbinute to not certify a chain store as kosher unless all the branches in the city of Jerusalem are kosher. For this reason McDonalds and Aroma in Jerusalem are not certified kosher.

[edit] American

• Burgers Bar. A small chain of stores, one can be found on Emek Refaim St. and another on Shamai St. (near Ben Yehudah St.) Kosher
• New Deli, Hillel St and Emek Refaim St. Kosher- 33 Hillel Street, 02-624-6247
• Norman's, Emek Refaim. Home to the kiloburger, this American hangout is sure to satisfy your cravings for meat. Entrees are NIS 30-100. Kosher
• Meat Burger, Hillel St. This place has by far the best burger in Jerusalem. Burger, fries, and drink NIS 35-45.

[edit] Palestinian

• Abu Shukri, This is regarded as one of, if not the, tastiest and most affordable in Jerusalem. It is located where the Via Dolorosa and Al Wad Road meet. It's renown for its hummus and falafel. Go early on Saturday. That's when lines of Israelis wait for tables on afternoons. Not Kosher
• Hashipudia, 6 Ha-Shikma St. This restaurant exclusively prepares skewers of lamb, beef, hearts and livers, geese and chicken breast, and goose liver. Also, it bakes fresh Iraqi pita bread every afternoon. Not Kosher, it is Halal though.

[edit] Israeli

• Matameh Tziona, French Hill Town Center, Small family run restaurant. Hailed by university students as some of the best food in Jerusalem. Shawarma, Schnitzel, and many other delicious dishes. open Sunday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. Kosher.
• Shalom Felafel, 36 Bezalel Street, open Sunday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m.–8:30 p.m. Kosher.
• Try me'orav yerushalmi (lit. "Mixed Jerusalem"), a pita or laffa bread stuffed with a tasty mix of spices and grilled meats and chicken innards. One famous place is Steakiyat Hatzot, Agrippas St., near the Mahaneh Yehuda Market. Check out the photos on the wall.
• Ta'ami, Hillel St. Literally meaning tasty, this lunch-only restaurant has the best Chumous in the city. NIS 20-35.
• HaSabikh, past the Ben Yehuda midrachov on the right. Home to the tastiest Sabikh in the city, in pita made fresh at the restaurant.
• Falafel Hamelech (Falafel King) at the intersection of King George and Aggripas st, right in the center of downtown. Cheap and good. A falafel in pita with a soda will be 14nis. Kosher Rabbinute
• Steakiat Tzeziahu Talpiot, israeli "Steakiat" place, which is to say meat on skewers. About 45-60NIS per person but very good. Also they will fill your table with various israeli salads and fresh bread. Amazing value! Kosher Mehadrin l'Mehadrin

[edit] Mizrachi

• Marvad Haksammim, King George St and Emek Refaim St. With its large serving sizes this is one of the best places for Yemenite food in the city. Be sure to try the Kuba soup (red, sweet, and spicy with round meat dumplings), Saluf (think large, thick, and crispy burritos), Shakshuka (tomato salad with scrambled eggs), and Malawakh (doughy sweet pancake). Entrees are NIS 15-40.

[edit] Ethiopian

Ethio-Israel experience, Turn left on Havatzelet St. when going on Yafo St. towards the Old City. Then turn right on Elyashar street and follow it to the left. In the little cul-de-sac is an incredible little restaurant. You won't be able to stop eating.

[edit] Drink

There are many bars and clubs; it's the national capital.

• Mike's Place, : Jaffa 37 (near Zion Square), : +972-52-670-965, Website: http://www.mikesplacebars.com. 10PM-? every day.

Usually not worth going to before 10PM, because few people will be around. This place is known for its American vibe and one can find many American expatraites hanging out. Red and white wines are available; Carlsberg and Guinness are available on tap. Many types of bottled beer are also available, such as Tuborg, Beck's, Corona, and Budweiser. Most hard liquors are also available. Not kosher.

• Artel Jazz Club, : Heleni Hamalka 9 (Russian Compound), : +972-54-4728872, Website: http://www.art-l.co.il.

Every night live jazz concert at 22:00. Great food. Good selection of beverages. Free Wireless Internet.

• Uganda, : Aristobolus 4 (Russian compound), : +972-2-6236087, Website: http://www.uganda.co.il/. Coffee, beer, music and comic books.

• Rosa, : Hadekel 2 (Mahane Yehuda Market), : +972 2 6236318. Small neighborhood pub at the outskirts of the Ben-Yehuda Market. Cheap alcohol, good music.

• Noc, : Jaffa 31 in the alley (Feingold Courtyard), : +972 2 6247910

• Stardust, : Rivlin 6, : +972 2 6222196, Website: http://www.pubstardust.com/. The Stardust is one of Jerusalem's oldest pubs. The pub was established in '96, and is named after a David Bowie album. It's crowd is a mix made of students, tourists, artists and young people. The music is mainly Alternative, mostly from England, and the bar prices are extremely good. The Happy Hour starts at 16:30 and lasts for five hours. All major sports event, including English Premier League, Bundesliga, World Cup and Champions League are shown there on a big screen.

• Syndrome, : Hillel 18 (by Aroma). Live rock music every day.

• Yankees Bar, : Solomon 12 in the alley (Beit Hadfus Courtyard), : +972 2 6222690

• Sira, : Ben-Sira 4, : +972 2 6234366, Website: http://www.sira4.com/. Jerusalem hardcore pub. Live DJs every night.

• Daila, : Shlomtzion 4, : +972 2 6234233, Website: http://www.dailazoo.net/. Multi-cultural space for independent art and social change.

• Prague, : Rivlin 6, : + 972 2 6246822, : ratnerdaniel@gmail.com. 18:30 till the last customer. An east european bar restaurant offering some great etnic food together with big amount of draught beers and some exclusive attractions . 40-60

[edit] Sleep

The Old City has a diverse mix of small hotels, religious hospices and cheap hostels that might appeal to the traveller.

West Jerusalem has a blend of B&Bs, guesthouses, small hotels and large hotels - all the way up to 5-star accommodation, including the famous King David Hotel.

[edit] Budget

• Petra Hotel and Hostel, : 1 David Street, : (02) 628 6618, Website: http://www.inisrael.com/petra/. No curfew. Just inside Jaffa Gate with magnificent views across the Old City to the Dome of the Rock. Roof: 15 NIS; Dorm: 23 NIS; Private Room: 180 NIS
• Tabasco Hostel, : 8 Aqabat Teqreh Street, : (02) 628 1101. No curfew or lock out Roof: 12 NIS; Dorm: 15 NIS; Private Room: 70 NIS
• Heritage House, : for men: 2 Ohr Hachaim Street, for women: 7 HaMalach Street, : Office: (02) 627-1916, : heritage@netvision.net.il, Website: http://www.heritage.org.il/. 7am-9am, 5pm-midnight Sunday-Thursday; 7am-9am, 2pm-5pm, 10pm-midnight Friday; 8am-10am, 2pm-midnight Saturday. The Heritage House Jewish Youth Hostel is inside the Jewish Quarter. It is made especially for religious Jews. Learning opportunities and Shabbat hospitality are also available to non-guests.

[edit] Mid-Range

• Lutheran Hostel, : St Mark's Road (Christian Quarter), : (02) 628 2120. Lock out between 9:00 AM and noon; curfew 10:30 PM Dorm (single sex): 25 NIS; Single: 137 NIS; Double: 231 NIS
• Austrian Hospice, : 37 Via Dolorosa (Muslim Quarter), : (02) 627 4636, Website: http://www.austrianhospice.com/en/index.htm. Lock out between 9 AM and noon; curfew is midnight Dorm: 58 NIS; Single: 206 NIS; Double: 323 NIS
• Our Lady of Zion, : 41 Via Dolorosa (Ecce Homo Convent, Muslim Quarter), : (02) 627 7293. Doors locked at 11 PM. This hospice has clean and simple rooms and a great view of the Old City from the roof. 224 NIS-448 NIS
• Casa Nova, : 10 Casa Nova St. (Christian Quarter), : (02) 627 1441. Doors locked at 11 PM. High quality and comfort and a good location for the money, this hospice is popular with Catholic groups, so it is a good idea to book well in advance. Under 224 NIS
• Mount of Olives Hotel, : 53 Mount of Olives Road (Next door to the Chapel of the Ascension), : +972-2-628-4877, : info@mtolives.com, Website: http://www.mtolives.com. An affordable family-run hotel situated at the summit of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, next door to the Chapel of Ascension. Surrounded by famous churches and holy sites including, among others, the Garden of Gethsemene, the Tomb of the Virgin Mary, the Church of all Nations, Dominus Flevit, and the Pater Noster. Commands a dramatic view of the Old City and the magnificient Dome of the Rock. 30USD - 80USD
• Tower hotel Jerusalem, : 23 Hillel st., : (02) 6209209.

url="http://www.inisrael.com/jth/jerusalem/index.html"

[edit] Splurge

• The King David Hotel, : 23 King David St., : +972-2-620-8888, : kingdavid@danhotels.com, Website: http://www.danhotels.com/danSite/eng/hotelHomepage.asp?hotelNo=4&top=8
• Novotel Jerusalem, : 9 Saint George St., : +972-2-532-0000, Website: http://www.novotel.com/novotel/fichehotel/gb/nov/2988/fiche_hotel.shtml. Not one of Novotels finest hotels, located a very short walk from the Wailing Wall. Some refurbishment is needed. Starting at $115/night with breakfast
• The David Citadel Hotel, : 7 King David St., : +972-2-621-1111, : reservations@tdchotel.com, Website: http://www.tdchotel.com
• Crowne Plaza Jerusalem, : Haaliya Hashniya 1, : +972-2-5390808, Website: http://www.h-i.co.il/eng/order_temp.php
• Grand Court Jerusalem, : 15 Saint George St, : +972-2-5917777, Website: http://www.inisrael.com/grandcourt/index.html

On Eastern side:

• American Colony Hotel, : Nablus Road (''located about 10 minutes' walk from the Old City of Jerusalem and near to the commercial and shopping areas of West and East Jerusalem''), : +972-2-627-9777, : reserv@amcol.co.il, Website: http://www.americancolony.com

[edit] Contact

[edit] Phone

The area code prefix for Jerusalem is: 02. Israel's country code is: 972.

Public telephones take prepaid phone cards which can be purchased at post offices, shops and lottery kiosks. They are available in the following denominations: 20 units (13 NIS), 50 units (29 NIS), or 120 units (60 NIS). Calls made on Saturdays and Friday evenings are 25% cheaper than the standard rate.

For international calls prepaid cards can be bought from post offices, including the new VOIP calling card "x-phone".

[edit] Mail

Israeli Post offices are available for service from 8 AM–12 PM and 2 PM–6 PM, Sunday through Friday (offices close early on Friday).

• The central post office for West Jerusalem is located near the head of Jaffa Road, close to the municipality ofices. Open until 7 PM.
• In the Old City, post offices can be found in the Armenian Quarter near the Jaffa Gate, diagonally opposite the Tower of David Museum, as well as the Jewish Quarter on Plugat Ha-Kotel near the Broad Wall.
• A post office is located in a small shopping mall on King George Street, immediately south of Jaffo street.

Israel uses the red British "pillar" mail boxes in some areas of Jerusalem, a reminder of the previous British Mandate.

[edit] Internet cafes

The most common price for internet cafes in Jerusalem is 15 NIS per hour.

• Cafe Net, : 3rd floor (Departures) of the new Central Bus station (232 Jaffa Road), : +972-2-537-9192, : contact@cafenet.co.il, Website: http://www.cafenet.co.il/eng/
• Strudel, : 11 Monbaz Street, Russian Compound (two blocks north of Zion Square), : +972-2-623-2101. Open Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m.–very late; Saturday, 3:00 p.m.–late.
• Netcafe, : 9 Heleni Hamalka Street, Russian Compound, : +972-2-624-6327. Call for opening times, as these vary. Closed Shabbat
• Ali Baba, : Via Dolorosa, Old City. Free tea and coffee 6 nis/h

[edit] Wireless Internet

There is now a wireless internet connection in some of the streets in Jerusalem. The service is free of charge and can be accessed in the center of the city (Nov. 2004). The streets are: Midrahov Ben-Yehuda, Nahalat Shivaa st., Shlomzion Hamalka st. There is also wireless internet in the food court of the central bus station and in most chain coffee shops. Free access is also available at the airport.

[edit] Stay safe

Despite alarming news headlines, Jerusalem is perfectly safe for tourists. Street crime is nearly nonexistent, although pickpockets may work in crowds in the Old City, particularly in areas near the Western Wall.

There are, however, a few areas in the city where it is important to be mindful of one's dress, religion, and time period visiting. Here are some guidelines:

• Dress. When visiting any holy site or religious neighborhood one should dress modestly. For men this means long pants, a nice shirt, and head covering. For women it means a below the knee skirt, a shirt with elbow-length sleeves and no exposed cleavage. This applies to churches, mosques, and synagogues, as well as the Temple Mount and Western Wall. When in religious neighborhoods as well, such as Mea Shearim, it is advisable to follow these guidlines.

• Religion. Although all of Jerusalem is accessible to members of all religions, it is not always safe for those obviously of a Jewish faith (e.g. wearing a kipah) to enter Muslim concentrated areas, especially at night.

• Time Non-muslims are not allowed on the Temple Mount during times of prayer. During the Shabbat and Jewish holidays one should not publicly use electronic devices or smoke in any synagogue, at the Western Wall, or in any ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood.

Security checks can be frequent, especially when entering hotels, cinemas/theaters and shopping areas, so it is wise to carry some identification.

On the whole, theft is not a large-scale problem. To minimize risk, however, do not leave valuable objects inside a car or in full view in your hotel room. There are many ATMs throughout the city and credit cards are widely accepted, so there is no need to carry large amounts of cash.

Visitors may notice a large amount of military personnel on the streets of Jerusalem, especially around certain sites. Every citizen must perform military service in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) as soon as they reach the age of 18. There are always large concentrations of armed soldiers around bus stations, as they are usually on their way to or from their bases.

As of April 2006, there have been only small scale attacks within Jerusalem. Israeli strikes and Palestinian attacks are not major worries. Tourists have never been the target of attacks and most have occurred well away from tourist sites. Naturally it is important to remain vigilant and alert, as outlying cities have experienced uprisings and bombings (Hebron, Ramallah, and most recently, Tel Aviv in February of 2004).

In the case of injury or incident, Police services can be reached by dialing 100. Ambulance services can be reached by dialing 101.

[edit] Get Out

• Abu Gosh
• Ramallah
• Bethlehem
• Tel AvivWikiPedia:Jerusalem

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