MY JERUSALEMTours and Sites

Walking Tours

Observation Points

Jerusalem by Night

Museums andHistoric Sites

Municipality of Jerusalem

Jerusalem

Dear Guests,It is an honor and a pleasure to welcome you to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. Jerusalem’s holinessand its numerous tourism and cultural sites – with the enormous variety of traditions that can befound at every corner – combine with a modern, vibrant city that promises all those who visit it aunique experience that leaves a lasting impression and a desire to come back again. I hope you willenjoy your visit in our city.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” (Psalm 122:6)

Dear Visitors,“If a land has a soul – then Jerusalem is the soul of the Land of Israel.” So said David Ben-Gurion,the first prime minister of the State of Israel. The truth is greater, since Jerusalem is the soul of theentire world. The beauty and diversity of Jerusalem make it a fascinating city in which old and newcoexist. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam meet in innumerable sites and buildings. People fromthroughout the world encounter each other in this city. Sounds, languages, customs, and cultures arein constant dialogue.

Such is Jerusalem. The Jewish people made the city their capital more than 3,000 years ago andhave kept faith with it ever since. You who are entering the Gates of Jerusalem are evidence of ourlove for this eternal city.

Sincerely,

Uri LupolianskiMayor of Jerusalem

Municipality of Jerusalem

Yigal Amedi

Senior Deputy MayorResponsible forthe Culture Portfolio

Dear Readers,The Jerusalem Municipal Tourism Authority welcomes you to the city. The booklet you are holding in yourhands is meant to help you explore the city, by suggesting touring routes and sites of interest in Jerusalem.You will find details on opening hours, addresses, and telephone numbers of places of interest at the end ofthe guide under the heading “Sites and Museums.”

The information in the booklet is checked and up to date. Still, opening hours may change from time totime, as well as other things. We suggest that you check these details in advance with the sites themselves.The municipal hot line, 106, provides information 24 hours a day about activities in Jerusalem. Those phon-ing from outside the city should call (02) 531-4600.Tourist Information Office, Jaffa Gate, Tel. (02) 627-1422The website of the Jerusalem Municipality is www.jerusalem.muni.il August 2005

Pilgrims, Police and Municipal OfficesSafra Square and the Russian Compound....................6

Green SpacesParks and Gardens in Jerusalem...................................8

Cradle of HistoryJewish QuarterAlleys and Lanes ................................10

High PlacesCelestial Jerusalem – Lookout Points.........................12

Mt. ZionBetween the Zion Gate and David’s Tomb.................14

ViewstruckPromenade Routes in Armon Hanatziv.......................16

Markets and NeighborhoodsA Market and a Suq...................................................18

In the Footsteps of HistoryMount of Olives and the Way of the Cross................20

A Village in JerusalemEin Kerem – Spring, Tre, and Stone.... .......................22

A Living MuseumStreet Sculptures Around the City..........,...................24

Jerusalem by NightAfter Sunset Sites – Beer and Good Cheer................26

City AttractionsSites and Museums.....................................................28

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Contents

Text and PhotographyBaruch Gian

EditingYa’acov Shkolnik Judy Davidson

Graphic DesignRami Raviv Graphic Design Ltd.

PublishingThe ERETZ Group

ProductionMali Feder Tourism Department Culture DivisionMunicipality of Jerusalem

Safra Square and theRussian Compound

Pilgrims, Police and Municipal Offices

Safra SquareStart your tour at the group ofpalm trees at the beginning ofJaffa Road. You are situated atthe entrance to the impressiveand modern Safra Square; thebuildings around the square arethe home of the Municipality ofJerusalem. In this compound,which was dedicated in 1993,two new buildings were erectedand they blend in with buildingsfrom the end of the Ottomanperiod and the days of the BritishMandate.

From the palm trees, turn toDaniel Auster Park, named inmemory of the mayor ofJerusalem from 1944 to 1945and from 1948 to 1950. Thelovely, well-kept European stylepark was created by the OttomanTurks in the 19th century. Thebuilding on the edge of the park,facing the Old City, is the origi-nal Municipality building, con-structed by the British in the1930s. The municipality had ameager budget at the time and itwas therefore decided thatBarclays Bank would finance theconstruction in exchange for theright to use the southern sectionof the building for 30 years.

The row of buildings adjacentto Daniel Auster Park underwentvery successful renovations. Theentrance of the Bible Society

Jaffa Road

Jaffa Road, as the nameimplies, was the road that

led from Jaffa – on the coast– to the Old City ofJerusalem. The road endedat the Jaffa Gate. The routealong which the road to TelAviv runs today first cameinto use following theCrusades, in the MiddleAges. The dirt track waspaved with stones in themiddle of the nineteenthcentury, and guard towerswere erected along it inorder to make the two-dayjourney a little safer. The firstguard tower still standstoday – and is used as theMahane Yehuda marketpolice station.From the second half of thenineteenth century, as theJewish population of the citymoved outside the city walls,Jaffa Road becameJerusalem’s main street.Businesses, banks, andoffices were all locatedalong it or near it. JaffaRoad was the first street inJerusalem to have treesplanted along it, the firststreet to be lit atnight, and the site ofthe first public park.

(Building 8) is decorated withArmenian ceramics; a Star ofDavid adorns the entrance to theBergheim House (next toBuilding 8), the home of aGerman Jewish merchant whoconverted to Christianity; thelong building with many win-dows and openings (Building 4),used to house the ZoologyDepartment of the HebrewUniversity of Jerusalem.

Note the other side of JaffaRoad, where there is a row ofbuildings in an Armenian style,which have recently been givena thorough cleaning emphasizingtheir beauty.

The Russian CompoundThe Municipality of Jerusalem issituated on the original site of theRussian Compound. Evidence ofthis fact is provided by the

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Railing, Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.

Safra Square and the Russian Compound combine oldand new - 19th century architecture and a

21st century municipal complex

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Russian Consulate building andthe Russian Hospital, whichflank City Hall. The adjacentMagistrate’s Court building usedto house a hostel for Russian pil-grims and the Russian delega-tion. Until 1992, the SupremeCourt operated here, until itmoved to its new home in thegovernment compound.

The Russian Compound wasbuilt in 1860. The church build-ing with the many domes, theRussian Orthodox Cathedral ofthe Holy Trinity, combines clas-sical and Byzantine architecture.If the church is open, you defi-nitely should enter and take alook at its numerous murals.

The Jerusalem police head-quarters are situated in whatused to be a hostel for male pil-grims from Russia. Beside theentrance gate, you can seeremains of a quarry, perhapsfrom the Second Temple periodor the Byzantine period.Someone in ancient times beganto hew a column here, but a crackthat developed in the course ofthe work caused the abandon-ment of the rock, which hasremained in place. The column isknown as “the finger of Og, Kingof the Bashan.” Another interest-ing site in the RussianCompound is the hostel that wasused by female pilgrims whichnow houses the UndergroundPrisoners Museum.

Conclude your tour in theSergei Hostel on Heleni HamalkaStreet. The hostel was built in1890 at the initiative of PrinceSergei, a member of the czar’sfamily, on the occasion of hisvisit to the site. Today it housesoffices of the Ministry ofAgriculture, the Israel Nature and

Parks Authority and the Societyfor the Protection of Nature inIsrael. A collection of agriculturalimplements and water-transport-ing equipment is presented in thepicturesque courtyard. The tur-rets, which were built in theBaroque style, are reminiscent offaraway places.

Good Things to Know● The Municipality of Jerusalem

organizes guided tours in Safra SquareEvery Monday at 10 a.m. Theyare conducted in Hebrew and English. Charge: NIS 10 per person. The tour meets beside the palm trees in the center of the square. Groups can arrangein advance for a tour any time during the week.

● Model of the City in Safra Square – on a scale of 1:500, including elements planned forthe future. Visits by appoint-ment, through the Munici-pality’s Information Unit.

● The Sergei Courtyard – Open free of charge during regular working hours.

Above: Safra SquareBelow: Cathedral of the Holy Trinity

The Cinematheque

The Jerusalem Cinemathequeis a delightful place with

fabulous views: the foot of theHinnom Valley, the Sultan’s Pool,and the Old City walls. In orderto reach the Cinematheque, youhave to descend 50 steps andthat’s good for the figure, sothat you can see a good movieand eat a good focaccia withoutyour conscience bothering you. Tzippi Shavit, comedienne

Parks and Gardens inJerusalem

Green Spaces

Botanical Garden on Mt. ScopusThis wonderful botanical gardenis part of the campus of theHebrew University of Jerusalemon Mt. Scopus. It was estab-lished in the 1930’s by Prof.Alexander Eig, head of theUniversity’s Botany Department.

Different parts of the gardensimulate the habitats of the Landof Israel and vegetation of thevarious regions of the land hasbeen planted there. You can wan-der around here in the heart ofthe desert, among aquatic plantsand in grove and forest. The gar-den is also a haven for rareplants and features a burial cavefrom the Second Temple period.

Botanical Garden inGivat RamThis botanical garden is locatedbeside the Givat Ram campus ofthe Hebrew University of Jeru-salem. It is a jewel of nature inthe midst of the city. On displayare flora and fauna from all overthe world, from Australia andAmerica to the jungles of Africaand the plains of Asia. Don’tmiss the herbs and aromaticplants, the lush aquatic vegeta-tion that adorns the ponds – and,of course, the wonderful hot-house of tropical plants andflowers.

Davidson Center

This center is locatedwithin the Jerusalem

Archaeological Park, whichfeatures Second Temple-period finds as a Herodianstreet, shops, piles of rocksthat were left by theRomans after they destroyedthe Temple Mount, theHulda Gates through whichpilgrims entered Jerusalem,and a group of Umayyadpalaces from the seventhcentury CE. The center itselfpresents archaeologicalremains found in the area,and uses state-of-the-arttechnology to give visitors avirtual experience of theSecond Temple.

Western Wall Tunnels

This site is one of themost impressive

archaeological sites inJerusalem – a tunnel dugalong the Western Wall,which passes along anunderground Herodianstreet. At the site, enteredfrom the Western Wallplaza, there is also a modelof the Second Temple. Thehuge stones of the WesternWall seen along thetunnel are incredible.Ya’acov Shkolnik

The garden features a touringtrain which groups can arrangein advance to use; individualscan ride on it, too, if they gatherinto a large enough group. Thetrain operates on Sundaysthrough Thursdays from 11 a.m.to 2 p.m.

Wohl Rose GardenThis pleasant garden is situatedbetween the Supreme Court andthe Knesset. The many varietiesof roses paint the garden in boldcolors nearly all year round eachwith its own color and scent.Various parts of the garden aredevoted to different countriesand they are tastefully designed– for example, the English gar-den (on the side close to theCourt). The garden also has anice lake and many visitors use

Among the stony Jerusalem lanes, hidden from sight,are a myriad of beautiful parks, and secluded green

spaces – a well-kept Jerusalem secret

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Wohl Rose Garden

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the lawns for picnics and justrelaxing in nature.

Rose Garden in TalbiehA lovely garden was establishedon the edge of the neighborhoodof Talbieh in the British Mandateperiod. One entrance is fromPinsker Street. Old fig treesgrow in the garden and it has awide lawn and beds of roses.

Bloomfield GardenThis garden lies west of theYemin Moshe quarter, separatingit from King David Street. Thelawns here are expansive and theview of the Old City is fabulous.Within the garden is a gravefrom the Herodian dynasty.

Liberty Bell ParkThis is one of the most famousparks in the city, situated besideKing David Street and reachingthe outskirts of the GermanColony.

The park, nown officially asthe Koret Liberty Bell Park, fea-tures a large variety of sculp-tures, sports areas, a long pergo-

la, and many nooks for sitting. Inthe center is a replica of theAmerican Liberty Bell.

Independence ParkA large park in the center of thecity, it features the MamillaPool, an ancient part of Jeru-salem’s water supply system.There are large grassy areas, andpine trees that provide shade.

Gozlan GardenThis garden, east of the KingDavid Hotel, used to be calledthe bustan (fruit garden),because of its spice plants. Itaffords a wonderful view of theOld City.

Other Green SpacesSanhedrin Park – This garden,located about 200 meters northof the Shmuel Hanavi-Bar Ilanintersection, features burialcaves from the Second Templeperiod.Daniel Auster Park – A small,manicured garden that is part ofthe municipal complex in SafraSquare. It was created in aEuropean style at the endof the Ottoman period.

Above: Bloomfield GardenBelow: Koret Liberty Bell Park

Coffee in the Shuk

In the Mahane Yehuda Market(shuk) there is a place that

illustrates the paradox ofJerusalem. You sit in a placedesigned with restraint, getwonderful service, and drinkcoffee at an internationalstandard. In the very sameplace, they also sell professionalequipment for baking, whileacross the road you get thescent of a spice shop. Sefi Ben-Yosef,tour guide and author

Jewish QuarterAlleys and Lanes

Cradle of History

Batei Mahseh SquareEnter the Old City (right) fromthe Zion Gate, cross the parkinglot and walk through Hatzotzerot(Trumpets) Street – a lovely lanefeaturing many arches, that con-nects with Gilad Street and getsyou to Batei Mahseh Square.This was the largest square in theJewish Quarter. New houseswere built around the square inthe mid-19th century, an impor-tant step in easing the severelycrowded conditions in theJewish Quarter. The buildings,which were constructed by acharitable organization in theNetherlands and Germany, wereearmarked for the poor ofJerusalem.

In 1871, the German branchof the Rothschild family built thestone structure with the impres-sive arches. The family’s coat ofarms adorns the top of the build-ing; it includes the Latin wordsfor honor, energy and honesty.The quarter’s school, with it’smany domes, stands in thesouthern part of the square. Nextto the Rothschild house is atombstone commemorating thefighters who fell in the JewishQuarter and were buried here in1948. After the Six-Day-War,their remains were reinterred tothe Mount of Olives.

The Western Wall

The Western Wall is partof the western retaining

wall built by Herod on theTemple Mount. Herod, in ahuge construction project,doubled the space of theplaza of the Temple in orderto accommodate themultitudes of pilgrims whovisited Jerusalem. In thosedays, the Western Wall wasnot attributed with specialsanctity. On the contrary: themain entrance to the TempleMount was in the southernwall. At the end of theSecond Temple period, apaved commercial street waseven built at the foot of theWestern Wall.

After the destruction ofthe Second Temple, Jewswould pray, over the courseof hundreds of years, besidethe eastern wall of theTemple Mount, or beside thesouthern wall. Only from thesixteenth century on did theWestern Wall become theholy place of prayer for theJews of Jerusalem. TheWestern Wall excavationsexposed its entire length(485 meters), up to thenorthwest corner ofthe Temple Mount. Ya’acov Shkolnik

Sephardic SynagoguesYour next stop is a group of fourSephardic synagogues. The old-est has a history dating back tothe 16th century, when theSephardic community began toblossom in Jerusalem. To enterthe synagogues, you have to godown to the 16th century streetlevel. Enter the Rabbi Yohananben Zakkai Synagogue. TheHoly Ark is constructed in a neo-Gothic style. The mural createdby Jean David depicts celestialJerusalem. An opening in thesynagogue leads to an enclosedpassageway, which over theyears has become the MiddleSynagogue. Further on, you willfind the Istanbuli Synagogue,which contains an impressive

The Jewish Quarter offers the visitor unforgettableancient sites, picturesque streets and synagogues

with a unique character

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Jewish Quarter

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pulpit and Holy Ark broughtfrom synagogues in Italy. Thelast synagogue in the group isalso the oldest of them. This isthe Eliyahu Hanavi Synagoguewhich boasts an especially love-ly Holy Ark, brought fromLivorno, Italy.

The Central Square ofthe Jewish QuarterYour next stop is the centralsquare of the Jewish Quarter,encompassing the Ramban(Nachmanides) Synagogue. Inthe square above it rise theremains of the “HurvaSynagogue” – one of the sym-bols of the Quarter. The largearch on the site is a reconstruc-tion of one of the synagogue’sfour arches. The synagogue wasdestroyed in Israel’s War ofIndependence.

The Herodian MansionsOn Hakara’im Street is theTiferet Yisrael Synagogue, whichwas built with a contributionfrom the Austrian Emperor FranzJosef. The facade is reminiscentof ancient synagogues in theGalilee.

Also located on Hakara’imStreet is the entrance to theHerodian mansions – one ofJerusalem’s most impressivearchaeological sites. This is agroup of five mansions from theSecond Temple period, showcas-ing mikva’ot (ritual baths), baths,mosaics and stucco decorations.The houses were burnt anddestroyed during the Jews’ revoltagainst the Romans in 70 CE.

The Burnt HouseOn Tiferet Yisrael Street, you’llfind the Burnt House – an

archaeological site that recon-structs the home of the Kathrosfamily – a Jewish family fromthe Second Temple period. Thehouse was burnt at the time ofthe destruction of the Templeand exciting finds have been dis-covered there such as a javelin,nails, and the bone of an arm of awoman who died in the fire. Anaudiovisual presentation depictslife there in Second Templetimes.

The CardoCross Hayehudim Street andenter the Cardo – the maincolonnaded street of ByzantineJerusalem described in manyancient maps of the city. Thestreet, on which numerous shopsoperate today, incorporates theremains of the ancient street,which was exposed to a length of180 meters. Recently, a cande-labrum designed to resemble theone in the Temple was mountedthere.

Old Yishuv CourtMuseumA tour in the Old City is notcomplete without a visit to amuseum that shows the way oflife of the Jewish population(yishuv) in Jerusalem from thebeginning of the 19th century to1948. The museum is located inone of the ancient courtyards inthe Jewish Quarter and its roomscontain exhibits focusing on thevarious Jerusalem communities.

The Hurva

The Soul of the Nation

The Western Wall and itsenvirons are the soul of the

nation. The new excavationshave revealed amazing finds,such as an entire street from theSecond Temple period and theWestern Wall tunnels, withhuge stones and theHasmonean tunnel. I don’tknow any person, Jewish or not,who goes in there and comesout unmoved.Dudi Silberschlag, ultra-orthodox journalist

Celestial JerusalemLookout Points

High Places

Mount ScopusThis is the ultimate view of thecity. Travel north in the directionof the Mt. Scopus campus of theHebrew University of Jerusalem,as if you were continuing to theMount of Olives but insteaddrive around the group of build-ings on the eastern side of thecampus and leave your car in theparking lot. To the east, you cansee the expanses of the JudeanDesert and the Mountains ofMoab. Toward the south andwest are the Old City, the tileroofs of the neighborhoods nearMe’a Shearim and behind, themodern towers of Jerusalem. Atyour feet is the neighborhood ofWadi Joz and in front of it isEmek Zurim – a national park ofolive trees. It is also easy toidentify City Hall, the NotreDame de France Monastery andGuest House, with its two turretsand the King David Hotel.Recommended visiting time: forthe Judean Desert, the afternoonhours; toward Jerusalem, themorning hours.

Mount of OlivesThis is probably Jerusalem’smost famous lookout point,overlooking the Temple Mount,Gethsemane, the Old City andthe modern city. Recommendedvisitng time: Morning.

The British Cemetery

Tthe British MilitaryCemetery is located at

the top of Mount Scopus, atthe side of the road leadingto the Hebrew University ofJerusalem. Buried in thiscemetery in neatly arrangedgraves are British soldiers whodied in the fighting in theregion during World War I.The hundreds of uniformtombstones among the welltended lawns are verystriking. The British continueto take care of their militarycemeteries, which arescattered thoughout theworld.

Jews also served in thearmy of the British Empire.Twenty-four of them areburied in the western part ofthe cemetery and it ispossible to identify theirtombstones easily, since theyare marked with a Star ofDavid and not with the crossthat can be found on theother tombstones.

In most conflicts, theBritish buried their dead inthe places in which they fellrather than bringing thebodies of the fallenback home.Ya’acov Shkolnik

The Citadel TowerA visit to the Tower of DavidMuseum of the History ofJerusalem is a must for anyonewho comes to the city. Whiletouring the museum, do not missthe view from the tower–eventhough it does involve climbingits ancient steps. The tower wasbuilt by Herod the Great andnamed after his brother Phasael.From here, you can clearly seethe Armenian Quarter, with theChurch of St. James, the JewishQuarter with the arch of theHurva Synagogue, the ChristianQuarter with the Church of theHoly Sepulcher, and the MuslimQuarter. The Temple Mount, theMount of Olives and Mt. Scopuscan also be easily seen.Recommended visiting time:Any time of day the tower is open.

Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains and lookoutpoints. Each observation point provides a unique view

of the city and a different insight into Jerusalem

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Jewish Quarter roofs

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Lutheran Church TowerThis church is located in the OldCity, not far from the Jaffa Gate.The building was dedicated in1898 by the German emperorWilhelm II, who also graced itwith a tall bell tower to markGerman hegemony in Jerusalem.

Some 180 steps lead up to thetop of the tower – the view isbreathtaking. The roofs of theOld City, the courtyards of thehouses and monasteries, thelanes of the Jewish Quarter.There is a nominal entrance fee.Recommended visiting time:Any time of day the tower isopen.

The Garden of the Tombof David on Mt. ZionSimply climb up to the roof andlook out at Mt. Zion, the Mountof Olives, and the ArmonHanatziv Ridge, as well as partsof the Old City. Recommendedvisiting time: Any time of daythe garden is open.

Ramparts WalkWalking along the Old Citywalls, you can see without beingseen, mainly the sites of the OldCity, but also the New City. Youcan view the Armenian Quarter,the Citadel (Tower of David), theHinnom Valley, the Sultan’sPool, and the neighborhoods ofYemin Moshe and MishkenotSha’ananim. Enter from the JaffaGate, near the exit courtyard ofthe Tower of David Museum ofthe History of Jerusalem. Theroute continues in the directionof the Zion Gate. There is anadmission fee. Recommendedvisiting time: Any time of daythe walkway is open.

Haganenet Street in GiloThe Seidenberg Garden onHaganenet Street in the neighbor-hood of Gilo provides some ofthe best panoramic views ofJerusalem. From here you caneasily see the Old City and thethree towers on the Mount ofOlives, the buildings of the gov-ernment compound as well as thenorthern and western neighbor-hoods of the city. Recommendedvisiting time: All day long.

City Hall RoofThe Municipality of Jerusalemoffers a guided tour of City Hallwhich takes you up to the roofwhich commands a fabulousview of the towers, domes andwalls of the Old City. The build-ing, which is located near theOld City, nicely bridges the twoparts of the city. The tourincludes a visit to Safra Square,the model of Jerusalem and theCity Hall view.

Above: View from Mt. ScopusBelow: View from the Citadel

The Road to Jerusalem

Iwant to tell you about a littleroad that leads to Jerusalem –

the road from Moshav EvenSapir. When you drive on thiswinding country lane in thedirection of Ein Kerem, betweenancient agricultural terraces andforested mountain slopes yourenter Jerusalem in a tranquiland peaceful mood.Uri Orbach, radio commentator and journalist

My Jerusalem

Between the Zion Gateand king David’s Tomb

Mt. Zion

The Zion GateBegin your tour at the Zion Gate,which connects the JewishQuarter and the Armenian Quar-ter with Mt. Zion and David’sTomb. This gate has preservedits original form since SultanSuleiman the Magnificent builtthe current Old City walls in thesixteenth century.

The gate is scarred with bulletholes from Israel’s War ofIndependence. These markswere left deliberately, as areminder of that war. Theinscription on the gate describesthe events of 1948.

David’s TombLeave the Old City through theGate and walk straight aheadtoward Mt. Zion, to King David’sTomb, located within an oldbuilding. A huge ancient tomb-stone marks David’s traditionalburial place and it covers a largecave, which apparently served asa burial site in ancient times. It isalways interesting here. Apartfrom the curious and visitors,many pilgrims come here to sendtheir prayers up to the Creator inthe hope that the King’s interven-tion will work for them. On thefestival of Shavuot, the day onwhich according to Jewish tradi-tion King David was born anddied, the site teems with visitors.

The Holy Mountain

In both Jewish andChristian tradition,

mt. Zion is considered a holyplace. In the Ottomanperiod, the disputesbetween the twocommunities led SultanSuleiman the Magnificent toclose the mountain to Jewsand Christians alike. Aminaret was built on themountain in memory of KingDavid, the Room of the LastSupper was closed toChristians, and Jews werenot permitted to make apilgrimage to David’s Tomb.

In Israel’s War ofIndependence, the HarelBrigade of the Palmachcaptured Mt. Zion. After theWar of Independence, Mt.Zion remained in Israelihands and the Old City washeld by the Jordanians. Mt. Zion It was consideredthe holiest place in IsraeliJerusalem.

After the Six Day War,Mt. Zion lost its status as afocus of pilgrimage for Jews,who prefer the area of theWestern Wall. Nevertheless,it is always beautiful andinteresting.

Ya’acov Shkolnik

Room of the Last Supper On the second floor of the tombbuilding is a site of great impor-tance to Christians. The upprstorey is identified as the roomof the Last Supper, the site inwhich Jesus participated in aPassover meal with his disciplesbefore he was crucified.

Many Christian pilgrims comefrom all over the world in order topray here. The room, whichincludes typical elements ofCrusader architecture, featureswindows in a Muslim artisticstyle. The inscription in Arabichints of the attempt to turn thebuilding, including David’s Tomb,into a Muslim holy place. Thus,the three faiths are combined inone Jerusalem building.

Mt. Zion is one of the most interesting sites inJerusalem. Here you will find the Zion Gate, David’s

Tomb and the Room of the Last Supper

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Mt. Zion Hotel

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Dormition AbbeyLeave the building and enter thebeautiful neighboring building –the Dormition Abbey. Theimpressive round structure wasbuilt in 1910 at the initiative ofthe Emperor of Germany. Here,according to Catholic tradition,Mary fell into eternal sleep andher soul rose to heaven. Godown to the crypt and view thestatue of Mary in her last sleep.

The mosaic floor of the churchis decorated with the names of theHebrew prophets and the namesof the Apostles. In the apse, Maryis depicted with Jesus who is pre-sented here as a dark-skinnedMediterranean child. Especiallystriking is a statue made of redstone – a likeness of Benedictos,founder of the Benedictine order,which owns the building.

The CemeteriesWhen you leave the church, youcan see stone walls and irongates which enclose some of themany cemeteries that are locat-ed on Mt. Zion. On the otherside of the parking lots (south)is the new Catholic cemetery. Inthe Protestant cemetery, steps

lead to the grave of OscarSchindler, who is buried here.Schindler was given the title ofRighteous Among the Nationsfor saving hundreds of Jewsduring World War II. Before hisdeath, he asked to be buried inJerusalem, in the homeland ofthose he saved.

The Church of St. Peterin GallicantuConclude the tour in the Churchof St. Peter in Gallicantu (thereis an entrance fee). The churchaffords a fabulous view of theCity of David, the Mount ofOlives, and the Temple Mount.Built in the 1930s, it commemo-rates the event in which Peterrenounced Jesus three times dur-ing Jesus’ imprisonment in thehigh priest’s palace – until thecock crowed in the morning(hence the name of the church,which means “until the cockcrows”). The exact site of theHigh Priest’s palace in theSecond Temple period is notknown and the slopes of Mt.Zion and the slopes of the west-ern hill inside the city walls havequite a few contenders for thetitle.

Underground levels containhewn rooms from the SecondTemple period and the courtyardfeatures a model of Jerusalem.You can rest a little in the cafeon the site.

From here it’s a shortwalk to the parking lotwhere you left your car.

Above: David’s TombBelow: Beside the Dormition Abbey

Goldberg Sports Hall

The basketball court in Malhais a place with incredible

energies, more than any otherbasketball court on which I haveplayed in the world. Theatmosphere also affects thesports fans from other places.There are only 3,000 seats here,but this fact actually gets thespectator close to the game andintensifies the experience.

When the team wins, youcan see that it affects nightlifein Jerusalem. Everyone goes outto celebrate the victory. I adviseevery sports fan to come to theGoldberg Sports Hall in Malhaand take part in a uniqueexperience.Erez Katz, basketball player

Promenade Routes inArmon Hanatziv

Viewstruck

T he Armon Hanatziv Ridgerises south of the Old City.

Whoever comes to this place getsa stunning “viewstroke” – notonly an amazing look at the OldCity, but also a view of the desertlandscape of the eastern slopes ofthe Jerusalem Mountains.

It’s no wonder that in the1930s the British chose thisplace for the location of thepalace of the High Commissionerfor Palestine (armon hatnatziv inHebrew). The High Commissionerresided here from 1933 to 1948.After the British left, the build-ing was used for the Red Cross.It subsequently was put at thedisposal of the UN observers andremains in that role to this day.

In the Six-Day War, the fight-ing in Jerusalem began in ArmonHanatziv, after the Jordanianstook control of the building. TheJerusalem Brigade captured thepalace from them. A sign com-memorating those who died inthe battle can be found besidethe junction where the Haas andGoldman promenades begin.

The Richard and RhodaGoldman PromenadeThis promenade, whose con-struction was recently complet-ed, affords a view toward theOld City on one side and theJudean Desert to the east. The

Abraham and Mt. Moriah

The peak on whichArmon Hanatziv is

located offers not only abeautiful view, but manyinteresting stories as well.

One legend relates thatfrom here Abraham saw Mt. Moriah for the first time,when he came to sacrificehis son Isaac. The logic ofthis tradition is thatAbraham came to Jerusalemfrom the south, and indeed,the mountain of ArmonHanatziv is the ideal pointfor viewing the TempleMount, Mt. Moriah, fromthe south.

Christian tradition regardsthe mountain as the highpriest Caiaphas’s home,where the decision wasmade to put Jesus on trialbefore the Sanhedrin. Forthat reason, the mountain iscalled in Christian tradition“The Hill of Evil Counsel.”

In the grove to the westof the headquarters of theUN observers is theexperimental agriculturalfarm of the HebrewUniversity ofJerusalem.

promenade, which overlooksArmon Hanatziv, circles aroundand eventually returns you to thestarting point.

The Walter and EliseHaas PromenadeThis is the oldest promenade inthe Armon Hanatziv Ridge and itpasses arched buildings whosedesign was inspired by theancient aqueduct to Jerusalem.This is not a coincidence. Theaqueduct was hewn in theSecond Temple period inside theridge, right under your feet.There is also night lighting here,and the lights were inspired bythe lights on the YMCA building

The Armon Hanatziv Ridge has no less than threepromenades. Each reveals its own breathtaking viewand a fascinating chapter of the history of Jerusalem

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View from the Goldman Promenade

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and the King David Hotel. Thesetwo buildings, constructed in thetime of the British Mandate,remind us of the period in whichthe British High Commissioner’spalace was built.

The observation terraces scat-tered along the promenade over-look the City of David and clear-ly illustrate Psalm 125:2: “As themountains are round aboutJerusalem, so the Lord is roundabout his people from hencefortheven for ever.” From here it isalso possible to get a good viewof the Temple Mount. You won’thave trouble finding the Domeof the Rock and the WesternWall. This view is completed bythe Mount of Olives. At it’s sum-mit protrude the towers of theAugusta Victoria Hospital and theRussian Orthodox Church of theAscension. Behind them you cansee Mt. Scopus, with the build-ings of the Hebrew University ofJerusalem.

Gabriel SheroverPromenadeIf you continue to walk from theHaas Promenade, you reach theGabriel Sherover Promenade.This is an impressive walkway,whose planners coped with steepslopes by adding a series of stepswhich add beauty to the place. Inthe course of strolling along thepromenade, you can sometimessee the ancient tombstones of theKidron Valley, which lie at thebottom of the Mount of Olives.The walk along the promenade isvery enjoyable. ManyJerusalemites have made a habitof walking here every day.Toward the end of the prome-nade stands a stone step, a rem-nant of an ancient aqueduct that

brought water to the SecondTemple. The massive wall besideyou is the wall of the convent ofthe Poor Clares, an order of nunswho so strictly observe silenceand modesty that some of thenuns don’t leave the convent atall.

Don’t leave the promenadebefore you go down to the gar-den at its foot. You can stroll thelovely garden paths amongpomegranate and fig trees andthe many herbs growing alongthe slope.

Note: At the end of the prome-nade you reach Naomi Street, inthe neighborhood of Abu Tor,where the Taverna Restaurantand a magnificent view of thecity await you.

Good Things to Know● Access: Drive on Hebron

Road, following the signs directing you to the neighbor-hood of Armon Hanatziv (EastTalpiot) and the promenades.

● A tour of all of the prome-nades takes about three hours.

The German Colony

M y place in Jerusalem is theGerman Colony, perhaps

because it is the most “non-Jerusalem” place. There is afeeling of another place, such asParis or another big city. You arein the heart of the Middle Eastconflict, but the GermanColony, with its cafes and with anormal movie theater, is anisland of sanity in the complexJerusalem reality.Moshe Shlonsky, journalist

Above: Sherover PromenadeBelow: Armon Hanatziv promenade

A Market and a Suq

Markets and Neighborhoods

Nahla’ot and Mahane Yehuda MarketBegin your tour at the ClalCenter, 97 Jaffa Road. Here youcan see a reconstructed gate withan inscription in French that translates as: “AllianceVocational School 1882.” Theschool, founded by AllianceIsraélite Universelle, a Frencheducational group, trained manyJerusalemites for manual work.The modern Clal Center waserected on the ruins of theschool.

Walk down Jaffa Road andturn right at a little lane by thename of Barochoff Street. Walkalongside the wall of theSephardic orphanage, with itslarge windows; it was founded inthe early 1900s. To the left is theneighborhood of Even Israel, oneof the first neighborhoods builtbeyond the Old City walls (1875).Note the courtyard, which in thepast was paved and included cis-terns. It was recently renovated.

From the courtyard, you see adoor that leads to an antique fur-niture store. The store has thearched ceilings characteristic ofthe houses of the neighborhood,which were built with walls thatwere sometimes as much as ameter thick.

Cross Agrippas Street andenter Sukkat Shalom Street. You

Yosef Rivlin,Neighborhood Builder

In a building in Nahla’ot aplace of honor is reserved

for Rabbi Yosef Rivlin. In hisyouth, he studied at the Or Hahayim Yeshiva in theOld City and was known forhis expertise in the Torah.Before he reached the ageof 18, he began to writearticles in favor ofsettlement in the Land of Israel.

Rivlin had a hand ineverything: the purchase ofland, the construction ofneighborhoods, aid to thepoor, and the raising offunds to construct publicbuildings. He was alsoinvolved in persuadingpeople to come and live inthe new neighborhoods, ata time when many wereafraid to do so because theneighborhoods wereoutside the city walls.Jerusalemites called him RebYosha Shtetlach Macher –Rabbi Yosha, Builder of theNeighborhoods. Rivlin died ofpneumonia in 1896 at theage of 59. A street in NahalatShiva, the first neighborhoodhe built, is named inhis honor. Ya’acov Shkolnik

are in a Yemenite neighborhoodbuilt in 1888. The neighborhoodis named in memory of ShalomConstrum, one of the founders ofthe neighborhood. Continue toAbulafiya Street – a picturesquelane in the neighborhood ofMishkenot Yisrael, which wasfounded in 1875.

Two relatively large neighbor-hoods were built by the MosesMontefiore Fund. On EinayimLemishpat Street is the neigh-borhood of Mazkeret Moshe(named after Moses Montefiore),whose land was purchased in1882. An impressive eucalyptustree was planted in the earlyyears of the neighborhood and itstands there to this day.

On Ohel Moshe and Hagilbo’aStreets you can see the houses ofthe neighborhood of Ohel Moshe,

Colorful stands, aromas and sounds blend together ina visit to one of Jerusalem’s many markets. MahaneYehuda and the Old City market are two examples

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Mahane Yehuda market

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which was built together withMazkeret Moshe. It boasts aunique installation, “A Picture inStone,” 20 photographs of thefirst settlers of the neighborhoodat the end of the nineteenth cen-tury. The photos hang on thestone walls of the houses as apermanent exhibit. The gate ofthe neighborhood is decoratedwith a charming inscription;walk through this gate toAgrippas Street and from thereto the Mahane Yehuda market,built in 1928.

After visiting the market,walk down Shiloh Street (leadsoff from Agrippas), turn right onRama, left on Geva and right onBe’er Sheva Street. You are nowin the neighborhood of NahalatZion (1891). On the corner ofGeva and Be’er Sheva Streets isone of the most beautiful syna-gogues in Jerusalem, Adas,which was built in 1901 and wasthe center of the Jewish commu-nity from Aleppo, Syria. Theneighborhood is now very muchin demand and its buildings havebeen renovated.

The tour is not yet over.Continue to Nissim BecharStreet. Where it meets up withAgrippas Street, there is a hugemural on the wall of the build-ing. The work of French artists,it depicts life in the market.

The Old City SuqStart your tour at the Jaffa Gate.Walk down David Street, themain tourist market in the OldCity. Turn left at ChristianQuarter Street, which specializesin souvenirs for Christian pil-grims. Turn right into AftimosStreet. You are now in theMuristan Market, built in 1905

in a Baroque style. Cross themarket to Muristan Street. Turnleft on Muristan and right, at theend of the street, near theLutheran Church of theRedeemer. Turn right again atthe first alley. You are now in theoldest section of the Old Citymarkets built by the Crusaders.You are on Suq el Lahamin (Butchers’) Street.

Notice the small medieval stalls,the little cubbyhole restaurants,and the the narrow lanecrammed with people. Turn leftat the first alley, and right ontoSuq el Attarin – the SpiceMarket. A few spice shops stilloperate on the street.

At the first alley, turn leftagain, and right onto the last ofthe three ancient markets – Suqel Khawalat. At the end of thisstreet, turn right back onto DavidStreet. The second street to yourleft is Suq el Hussor – at thebeginning of Habad Street. Thisused to be the straw and matmarket. Today only two of thesestores exist – most of the waresare imported from the East. A lit-tle way up the street, opposite St.Mark Street, on your left, youwill see a flight of steel stairs.Climb the stairs and turn left.Walk along the pavement aboveuntil you reach a large openspace. You are now on the roofof the markets – look carefullydown and you will be able to seethe hustle and bustle ofDavid Street underneathyou.

Zichron Tuvia

Nahla’ot

N ahla’ot is my place inJerusalem. In recent years,

Nahla’ot underwent a faceliftthat preserved the character ofthe houses, the interiorcourtyards, and the lanes. Thecooking aromas, the voices fromthe many small synagogues,pupils of yeshivot, and studentsat the Bezalel Academy of Art –one large colorful blend ofJerusalem authenticity. Fromthere it is a short way to themarket, to the dishes made onparaffin burners of Azura, tothe fish of David Dagim, and tothe pickles of Yaron Tzedkiyahu. Eyal Peled, travel show host

Mount of Olives andthe Way of the Cross

In the Footsteps of History

Mount of OlivesBegin your tour opposite theobservation platform on theMount of Olives. After taking inthe panoramic view of the OldCity, follow the road down theslopes of the hill, through thecemetery. The first turn to theright will lead you to the beauti-ful Franciscan chapel ofDominus Flevit (“The LordWept”), commemorating Luke19:41 – “As he drew near andcame in sight of the city he shedtears over it.”

Continue down the hill, pass-ing the Russian Orthodox Churchof Mary Magdelene on your left.Further down, you reach theGarden of Gethsemane. Enteringthe garden, notice the ancientolive trees in the center. Adjacentto the garden is the Basilica ofthe Agony, on the site whereJesus is said to have spent his lastnight in Jerusalem, before beingimprisoned. The present churchwas built in 1924 on Crusaderremains, with donations frommany countries, hence its modernname, Church of All Nations.

After visiting the church, fol-low the alley down to the mainroad. On the right is the Tomb ofthe Virgin Mary, also called theBasilica of the Assumption, andnot far from it, up a short alley,is the Grotto of Gethsemane.

Holy Sepulcher

The Church of the HolySepulcher is actually a

complex of many shrines,chapels, and churches. In thepast few years, a majorrestoration project has beencompleted – mainly repairingthe damage done to thechurch in a series of fires inthe nineteenth century.The first church on this site,the site of the Hill ofGolgotha and the Tomb ofJesus, was erected in thefourth century by theByzantine emperorConstantine the Great at thebidding of his mother,Queen Helena. The structurewas damaged and rebuilt inthe sixth century and rebuiltagain by the Crusaders inthe twelfth century. The Holy Sepulcher buildingtoday incorporates theremains of the Hill ofGolgotha, where the threecrosses stood, the Tomb ofJesus, and chapels andchurches belonging to theGreek Orthodox, ArmenianOrthodox, Coptic, andCatholic denominations. Therestoration work hasbrought back theoriginal splendor ofthe building.

The Lions’ GateNow follow the main road, to theright, up the slope of the KidronValley – the large valley thatruns between the walls of theOld City and the Mount ofOlives. Take the second turn leftand walk up to the Lions’ Gate,the eastern entrance to the OldCity.

The Old City walls were builtin the 16th century by theOttoman Sultan Suleiman theMagnificent on the remains ofthe medieval walls of the city.Each city gate is decorated withan inscription in Arabic, notingthe titles and honors of the sultanand the date that this part of thewall was built. The Lions’ Gateis also ornamented with twocarved lions, one on each side ofthe gate.

The route down the Mount of Olives and along theWay of the Cross to the Holy Sepulcher, has been an

inspiration for Christian pilgrims for generations

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Dominus Flevit

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Bethesda PoolsEnter the gate and turn right intothe Monastery of the WhiteFathers and the Church of St.Anne. A small, serene gardenwill greet you as you enter themonastery gate. Beyond the gar-den is the beautiful Church of St.Anne – an intact Crusaderchurch in the Romanesque style.To the west of the church can beseen the remains of the BethesdaPools, one of the main reservoirsof Herodian and RomanJerusalem, also mentioned in theNew Testament as the site whereJesus healed a sick man.

The Way of the CrossReturn to the main street andcontinue along it. The street willsoon turn into the Via Dolorosa –the Way of the Cross, marked bythe 14 Stations of the Cross. TheFirst Station, where Jesus wascondemned to death, is in theOmariyya School, on the leftside of the road. The SecondStation, where Jesus received theCross, is on the other side, in theMonastery of the Flagellation.

The next building down theroad is the Convent of the Sistersof Zion. The entrance to the con-vent is under an arch that spansthe street. The arch, which waspart of a Roman structure, isknown as the Ecce Homo(“Behold the Man”) Arch, allud-ing to Pontius Pilate’s words onpresenting Jesus to the crowd.

The Convent of the Sisters ofZion stands on the remains of theAntonia Fortress from the time ofHerod. Visitors can enter the con-vent and see the courtyard of thefortress and the remains of anoth-er of Jerusalem’s ancient pools inthe basement of the building.

The Valley RoadAs you continue along the ViaDolorosa, the road reaches anintersection with HaGai (“TheValley”) Street. This was one ofthe main streets of Jerusalem in

the Second Temple period. TheRoman pavement has beenexposed here and can be seen inthe center of the road.

The Third and Fourth Stationsare on the corner of the ViaDolorosa and HaGai Street.After turning left into HaGai,turn right at the first turnoff backinto the Via Dolorosa. The FifthStation is on the corner, and theSixth Station, where Veronicawiped Jesus’ face, is a little fur-ther up.

Suq Kahn ez-ZeitThe Seventh Station is on thecorner of Suq Khan ez-Zeit,which is the main market streetof the Old City and also one ofthe main arteries of SecondTemple-period Jerusalem. TheEighth Station is up a flight ofsteps on Aqabat El-KhanqaStreet, opposite the ViaDolorosa. Now turn left ontoSuq Kahn ez-Zeit and follow thestreet up to the steps ascendingto the right. Climb the steps andfollow the alleyway to theentrance of the CopticPatriarchate. This is the NinthStation. From here, enter theEthopian Compound on yourleft, and visit the EthiopianOrthodox Church of St.Abraham.

The compound, which is builtlike a small Ethiopian village, isactually on the roof of theChurch of the Holy Sepulcher. Aflight of steps leads down fromthe Ethiopian church to thecourtyard in front of the HolySepulcher. The last five Stationsof the Cross are located insidethe building of thechurch.

The Holy Sepulcher

The Old City’s Quarters

T The maps of the Old City ofJerusalem divide the city

into four quarters: Christian,Jewish, Muslim, and Armenian.In the center, between thequarters, are the markets. Butthe concept of quarters is verydifferent from the Western ideaof defined areas with a certainkind of population. The quartersof Jerusalem have centers,magnets that drew populationsto them. They do not haveboundaries. Quarters canexpand or contract inaccordance with economic,political, or culturalcircumstances.

Ein Kerem – Spring, Treeand Stone

A Village in Jerusalem

W ho is not captivated by themagical landscape of Ein

Kerem? Who can stay unmovedat the sight of old stone housesbuilt on rock terraces, ancientagricultural terraces with almondand fig trees growing on them,and churches and monasterieswhose bells fill the air with theirmusic?

Mary’s SpringYour tour begins at Mary’sSpring, a little spring like manyothers in Jerusalem. According toChristian tradition, Mary stoppedhere when she came to EinKerem in order to visit Elizabeth,mother of John the Baptist. Nextto the spring is the Targ MusicCenter. Music lovers are invitedto visit here and enjoy chambermusic concerts that are presentedin a unique atmosphere on alter-nating Fridays and Saturdays.

Church of the VisitationNow stop at the Church of theVisitation, located on a rathersteep street. Here you can enjoya combination of a beautifulbuilding and a terrific view at thesame time.

From the plaza in front of thechurch, you can see Mt. Herzl,the neighborhood of Har Nof,and Moshav Beit Zayit. Behindthem you can discern Motza Ilit

The Head of John the Baptist

E in Kerem is, accordingto Christian tradition,

the birthplace of John theBaptist. John came to atragic end. Born severalyears before Jesus, he was inthe habit of going off on hisown to live an ascetic life inthe desert, dressed incamel’s hair clothing. Hecalled upon people to repentand those who answered hiscall he baptized in theJordan. One of the peoplehe baptized was Jesus, andJohn identified him as theMessiah.

John’s huge influenceangered King Herod Antipas,who ruled Israel in thosedays. Moreover, John daredto preach to him about hisintention to marry Herodias,the wife of his dead brotherPhilip. The king imprisonedJohn in the citadel ofMachaerus. At the weddingparty, Herod Antipas askedSalome, his stepdaughter, todance before him and inexchange promised to fulfilla request from her. Salomeasked for John’s head. Andso John’s head was broughtto her on a platter.

Ya’acov Shkolnik

and Mevasseret Yerushalayim. When you enter the courtyard,

you’ll see ceramic panels onwhich the Magnificat, Mary’spaean of praise to God (Luke1:46-55) is inscribed in dozensof languages. From there, enterthe first floor, via a covered pas-sageway. According to Christiantradition, in the small space thereis a stone behind which John theBaptist was hidden from the sol-diers of King Herod, who hadcommanded that all of theinfants be slain.

The murals depict Zechariah,the father of John the Baptist, inthe Temple (left), Mary visitingElizabeth (center), and the slay-ing of the infants (right).

Go back the same way youcame. If it’s the right time of day,

Ein Kerem offers visitors country surroundings,terraced agriculture, orchards, beautiful monasteries

as well as great places for dining and drinking

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View of the Church of St. John the Baptist

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you can stop for coffee or a mealat one of the cafes and restau-rants in the area.

Church of St. John the BaptistYour next stop is the Church ofSt. John the Baptist. In thisplace, according to Christianbelief, John the Baptist wasborn. The Benedictus, the firstwords spoken by Zechariah,John’s father, after the birth ofhis son, appears on plaques indifferent languages in the court-yard. In the apse of the churchare statues of Mary, Zechariah,and Elizabeth. To the left, a fewsteps lead to the birthplace.

John the Baptist was decapi-tated and died in a prison inMachareus (today in Jordan).The chilling scene, a momentbefore the beheading, appears inan impressive painting in thechurch.

Next to the wall of the churchis a house in which there is aceramics studio, where RuthHavilio creates attractive platesand tiles.

Convent of the Sisters of ZionConclude your tour in the con-vent of the Sisters of Zion, whichcovers a large area that has awonderful garden and is veryquiet. Enter the garden through the irongate and turn toward a buildingwith arches and vaults in itsfacade. This is part of a guesthouse that operates on the site.Most of the guests at the momentare Israelis who have “discov-ered” the place.

The convent was built in the1860s with money from AlphonseRatisbonne, as an orphanage andschool for children who had losttheir parents in the wars that wereraging in Lebanon. The rooms ofthe orphanage became a bustlingguest house.

Stroll among the garden paths,which lead to lovely lookouts inthe direction of Nahal Sorek andthe Jerusalem Mountains. If youhave come here in the late after-noon wait for the sunset, whichadds red shades to the mar-velous views.

Above and below: Ein Kerem

Ein Kerem

I really like the magicalatmosphere of this Jerusalem

village. In the center, among theold houses, built of beautifulJerusalem stone, a springbubbles. Everything is quiet andpeaceful, the surroundinglandscape is incredible, and theatmosphere is unlike any other.There are also nice cafes to sitin. I owe this place many greatSaturdays.Mali Levi-Gershon

Street Sculptures Aroundthe City

A Living Museum

I t has a long history, but vibrantJerusalem keeps up with the

times. In the streets and parks ofthe city, you’ll find fascinating,serious and funny sculptures andpaintings, which would notshame any major world city.Here is a very short guide to thestatues in the streets ofJerusalem, some of them meantespecially for children.

Monster and Prayer inKiryat HayovelOne sculpture in Jerusalem, inthe neighborhood of KiryatHayovel, has already become alandmark. That is French artistNikki de St. Phalle’s The Golem,affectionately dubbed “TheMonster” in Hebrew. Childrenstand in line to go up the steps tothe monster’s insides and thenslide down its long red tongues.The sculpture is located in theRabinovitch Park on TahonStreet, the neighborhood’s mainthoroughfare.

Another interesting sculpturein Kiryat Hayovel is located inthe Simon de Bolivar Garden,beside the Argentina School.This delicately wrought, expres-sive work Prayer to the Ridges isby Michael Gross. It is anabstract sculpture, painted white,standing between two apartmentblocks, and seems to call out to

Wall Paintings

In recent years, Jerusalemhas been graced with

eight large murals created bya group of artists fromFrance on the exterior wallsof buildings. On AgrippasStreet, an enormous, colorfulpainting depicts life in theMahane Yehuda market. Atthe junction of Jaffa Roadand Strauss Street, there is amural about transportationin Jerusalem. A mural at themiddle school of the GiloComprehensive School dealswith the world of water, andthe high school sports amural depicting thegraduates’ experiences.

The Gerard Behar Centeron Bezalel Street has a muralentitled Around the World in92 Days, and at the entranceto the Davidson Center alarge painting depicts life inthe Cardo 1,500 years ago.In the Ben Yehuda mall, amural shows children ofJerusalem looking throughthe window of the future.Coresh Street has a uniquemural entitled The Secrets ofthe Garden of Eden, whichwas given to the city by theartist Miri BalianKashi.Baruch Gian

the residents to look at the beau-tiful mountains in the surround-ing area.

Biblical ZooOther park sculptures created byNikki de St. Phalle are in theBiblical Zoo, officially known asthe Tisch Family ZoologicalGardens in Jerusalem. These areamusing play sculptures, cov-ered with colorful mosaics,among them a rhinoceros and alion, a cat, a kangaroo and agorilla. Children can climb onthem and go in and out of them.

Liberty Bell ParkIn the Koret Liberty Bell Parkthere is a copy of the originalLiberty Bell located inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania. Thepark has interesting statues,

Look around: at the monster of Kiryat Hayovel andthe gorilla in the Biblical Zoo, at Jacob’s ladder and at

statues of lions of Jerusalem – a fairy-tale city

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The Gorilla, Biblical Zoo

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among them Jerry the Dragon,created by Ulrich Plesner. It isimpossible for children to resistit. The kids also love SharonKeren’s fiberglass sculptures ofdonkeys.

The Red Sculpture atShaarei ZedekThe plaza adjacent to the ShaareiZedek Medical Center hasbecome the temporary home ofStabile, a work by AlexanderCalder. The sculpture echoes thecontour lines of ridges. It willeventually return to its perma-nent home, in the open areaabove Ein Kerem.

“Jacob’s Ladder” in Givat MordechaiOn Herzog Street, at the entranceto the neighborhood of GivatMordechai, stands Stairway, asculpture that Jerusalemites pre-fer to call “Jacob’s Ladder.” Thisis a tall diagonal staircase. Thesculptor, Ezra Orion, used indus-trial steps for the piece. Due to its strategic location, thework is one of the most promi-

nent sculptures in the streets ofthe city.

Danziger’s Reliefs,Givat RamAt the gate of the Givat Ramcampus of the Hebrew Universityof Jerusalem, you will find astone wall with reliefs created byItzhak Danziger (1958). Thereliefs depict symbols from theancient world.

Also at Givat Ram, in theJewish National and UniversityLibrary, you will find MordechaiArdon’s breathtaking stained-glass rendering of Isaiah’s visionof the End of Days.

And More in the City…In Jerusalem there are two wind-mills complete with vanes, onein Yemin Moshe and the other inRehavia, next to the Prima KingsHotel. Note, too, the statues oflions, the symbol of Jerusalemscattered around the city.

Above: Billy Rose Art Garden,Israel MuseumBelow: The Golem, Kiryat HayovelThe Biblical Zoo

J erusalem for me, I confess, isa little strange. Every time I

come to the city, I feel like atourist. A wonderful place I wasin, when I was hosted in the citywith a large group of childrenafflicted with cancer, is theBiblical Zoo. This place is simplyfantastic in its beauty andrichness. The animals roam inlarge expanses and that isenough to make it easy for me.Gila Almagor, actress

After Sunset – Beer andGood Cheer

Jerusalem by Night

W e actually recommend thatyou begin your nighttime

revelry in Jerusalem a bit beforethe sun sets. This is the specialhour, in which Jerusalem and itssites – the Old City walls, theWestern Wall, the Mount ofOlives and the churches – arewashed in a golden light.

Night Tour beside Yemin MosheA recommended place to watchthe sunset is the neighborhood ofYemin Moshe. At dusk, the sunsends its last rays straight to Mt.Zion and the Old City walls,with the Tower of David risingabove them. On days when visi-bility is good, you can also seethe Judean Desert from here andbeyond to the Mountains ofMoab.

Until the sun completely sets,stroll the lanes of picturesqueYemin Moshe and, when it’sreally dark, proceed to the look-out point beside ZionistConfederation House (east of theKing David Hotel). The wallsare lit up as if with a magicwand. The view is fantastic.

On the adjacent Emile BottaStreet, the impressive FrenchConsulate, constructed in 1930,is also beautifully illuminated.

Now return to King DavidStreet and walk up toward the

Culture in Jerusalem

The multitude ofcommunities and faiths

and the varied ethnic mosaicthat compose Jerusalemmake the city anextraordinary cultural center.There are about 50museums and dozens ofother culturalestablishments. More than20 festivals take place inJerusalem each year, amongthem the Israel Festival -Jerusalem, the JerusalemFilm Festival, the Jewish FilmFestival, the InternationalPoetry Festival, and the ArabCultural Festival. TheInternational Book Fair andthe International Judaica Fairtake place in the cityalternately, every two years.

The Jerusalem Theatersells nearly 600,000 ticketsper year to performancesheld there. In spring andsummer there are streetperformances throughoutthe city, as well as hugeperformances in the uniqueatmosphere of the Sultan’sPool. And all of this is justthe tip of the iceberg…

Ya’acov Shkolnik

YMCA complex, dedicated in1933 by General EdmundAllenby. It is an architecturalmarvel, and the night illumina-tion enhances the site.

The YMCA complex is com-posed of a central section with atower in the middle, and twodomed buildings adjacent whichhouse a swimming pool and aconcert hall. The pool and thehall express the needs of bodyand spirit.

In the lamplight notice thereliefs on the 50 meter tall tower.This is an opportunity to spendsome time in the cafe at the Yand see the carvings on theDamascus wood ceiling.

Opposite the YMCA is theKing David Hotel, also nicely lit.The lights emphasize the build-ing’s heavy and severe contour

Cafes, restaurants, and clubs abound in Jerusalem asin every other city. Add the nocturnal landscapes

and there is no competition.

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Sergei Hostel

My Jerusalem 27

lines. Enter the magnificentlobby of the hotel, built in the1930s. The hotels ornate ceilingis inspired by the ancient East.The motifs are repeated atentrances to rooms throughoutthe hotel. The YMCA and theKing David Hotel still look thesame as they did in the BritishMandate period.

Close to Safra SquareAnother area of the city that isattractively lit up at night is thearea around Safra Square. Theold and new stone buildingsmerge into one complex. Thelighting wonderfully emphasizesthe beauty of the Russian Ortho-dox Cathedral of the HolyTrinity, and you can also stop inat the illuminated Sergei Court-yard. It’s very close to the centerof nightlife in Jerusalem.

Closing the NightThe German Colony, besideEmek Refaim Street, is a lovelyplace to end the night – in one ofthe many restaurants and cafesthere. The combination of an old

neighborhood (established in1873) that preserves its charac-ter, with places of entertainment,works excellently here. Pubcrawlers and lovers of the nightlife will do fine in the RussianCompound, Shlomzion Street,the neighborhood of NahalatShiva, or the Talpiot section, atthe southern end of the city.These places have become thecenter of Jerusalem’s nightlife.

Above: Mt. Zion at sunsetBelow: Nahalat Shiva

Mishkenot Sha’ananim

M ishkenot Sha’ananim is my place in Jerusalem. There are severalgood reasons for this choice. First, this place is the embodiment of

an important process in the history of Jerusalem – moving out of the OldCity. Second, in my opinion, this is the heart of the city’s secular culturaldistrict, a beautiful place in a lovely neighborhood. Moreover theMontefiore Restaurant serves the best breakfast in the city.

We are very familiar with the city and with its problems and therefore ourheart is often with it. When I bring visitors here and look at the city for amoment through their eyes, I understand the meaning of Jerusalem. I lookat the Old City walls, forget everyday Jerusalem life for a moment, andunderstand that this is really one of the unique cities in the world. Oren Nahari, journalist

Sites and Museums

City Attractions

life and an audiovisual presentation.Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 16 Yosef Klausner. Tel. 671-6948.Sultan’s Pool, Merrill Hassenfeld AmphitheaterVenue for performances in spring andsummer, with comfortable viewingfor up to 7,000 people. When noevents are held, it serves as an openpark. Operated by the CultureDivision, Municipality of Jerusalem.At the foot of Mt. Zion, JerusalemBrigade Rd. Tel. 629-8063.Ammunition HillMuseum and national memorial sitecommemorating the battle forJerusalem in the Six-Day War.Audiovisual presentation. Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fri., 9 a.m.to 2 p.m. 5 Shragai. Tel. 582-8442.Jerusalem Archaeological GardenDavidson CenterAn encounter with archaeologicalremains dating from the SecondTemple period to the Early Muslimperiod. The Davidson Center pre-sents archaeological content with theaid of sophisticated technology. Alsoin the center: a virtual model of theTemple Mount, a film about a pil-grim to the Temple Mount, and filmsabout archaeological excavations.Sun.-Thurs., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fri. andholiday eves, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guidedtours by appointment. Old City,between the Western Wall and theDung Gate, Tel. 627-7550.Tisch Family Zoological Gardens– Biblical ZooA large and well tended zoo with thelargest collection of animals men-tioned in the Bible as well as rare andendangered species from all over the

Ariel Center for Jerusalem in theFirst Temple Period, Yad Ben ZviA three-dimensional audiovisual pre-sentation and active guiding for theentire family. Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bonei Hahomah, corner ofPlugat Hakotel, Jewish Quarter. Tel. 628-6288.Jerusalem House of Quality Judaica, ceramics, glass and more, inan impressive historic building con-structed in the 1920s. Arts and craft sstudios. Sun.- Thurs., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.,Fri., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 12 Hebron Rd. Tel. 671-7430.Jerusalem Artists’ HouseChanging art exhibitions. Sun.-Thurs., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Fri., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sat.,11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 12 ShmuelHanagid. Tel. 625-3653.Yitzhak Rabin Guest House“Red Lines in Israeli Democracy,”multimedia exhibit. Guest house,events, and performances. 1 Avigad,corner Burla. Tel. 678-0101.Supreme CourtGuided tours Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m. inHebrew and 12 noon in English.Groups of over 10 people by appoint-ment. Kiryat Hale’um (NationalCompound). Access from Kaplan orZusman. Tel. 675-9612/3.Rabbi Kook House Home of Rabbi Abraham IsaacKook. Permanent exhibit on the lifeof Rabbi Kook and an audiovisualpresentation. Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m. to 4p.m., Fri., 9 a.m. to 12 noon. 9 HaravKook, Ticho Lane. Tel. 623-2560.Agnon HouseHome of Nobel Prize-winning authorS.Y. Agnon. Permanent exhibit on his

world. Sun.-Thurs., 9:00 a.m. to 5:00p.m., Fri., 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,Sat., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Beside theMalha Mall. Tel. 675-0111.Central Zionist ArchivesChanging exhibitions on Zionism.Sun.-Thurs., 8:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.Groups by appointment. 4 ZalmanShazar Blvd., beside the JerusalemInternational Convention Center(Binyanei Ha’ooma). Tel. 620-4800.The Burnt HouseFascinating archaeological finds in ahouse that went up in flames duringthe destruction of the SecondTemple. High-tech audiovisual pre-sentation. Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m. to 5p.m., Fri., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. TiferetYisrael St., Jewish Quarter. Tel. 628-7211, 628-8141, ext. 106.Municipal GalleryChanging art exhibitions. 17 Jaffa Rd. Tel. 625-6937.The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens,Hebrew University of Jerusalem,Givat RamUnique collection of rare plants fromall over the world. In the tropicalgreenhouse there are marvelousflowers, orchids, “predatory” plants,and more. New: A tour train! Allalong the garden are ponds, channels,aquatic plants and riverbank vegeta-tion. Guided tours for individuals.Groups by appointment. Sun.-Thurs.,8 a.m. to nightfall, Fri. and holidayeves, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Entry fromBurla St., Nayot. Tel. 679-4012/3.The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens,Hebrew University of Jerusalem,Mt. Scopus Created in 1930, recreates the habi-tats of the Land of Israel. Sun.-

Most of the attractions listed below offer events for the entire family duringholiday and vacation seasons. Groups of over 10 people require reservations.Summer and winter hours may differ. It is best to check them in advance by

telephone

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Thurs., 8 a.m. till nightfall, closedFri., holiday eves, and Sat. Tel. 588-2596, 052-874-6424.The Arena for Performance Artoffers a stage for artists from a widespectrum of performance arts.Productions take place at the KhanTheatre. Office open Sun.-Thurs., 8a.m. to 6 p.m. Tel. 678-3378.Hebrew Union College – SkirballMuseum of Biblical ArchaeologySun., Tues., Thurs., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.13 King David. Tel. 620-3333.KnessetGuided tours Sun. and Thurs., 8:30a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tel. 675-3538Jerusalem Center for Near EastStudies, Brigham Young University In the Mormon Church’s beautifulbuilding, musical events. Guidedtours Tues.- Fri. by appointment. Mt. Scopus. Tel. 626-5621.Menahem Begin Heritage CenterRepresentation of major events in thelife of former Prime MinisterMenahem Begin, documents, andexhibits, including a reconstructionof Begin’s house. Sun.-Thurs., 9:00a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Fri., 9:00 a.m. to12:30 p.m. 6 S.A. Nachon, oppositethe Cinematheque. Tel. 565-2020.Jerusalem Bird ObservatoryNature site in the heart of Jerusalem.Encounter with migratory birds andthose that inhabit Jerusalem all yearround. Bird-ringing. Hidden observa-tion points. Guided tours. NationalCompound (Kiryat Hale’um), besidethe Knesset and the Wohl RoseGarden. Tel. 052-386-9488.Ramparts WalkA walk on the walls of the Old City.The fabulous views of the Old Cityand New City together presentJerusalem’s unique mosaic. Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fri., 9 a.m.to 2 p.m. Entry from the Jaffa Gate.Ticket booth: Exit plaza of the Towerof David Museum. Tel. 627-7550.Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial AuthoritySun.-Thurs., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fri. andholiday eves, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mt. Herzl. Tel. 644-3400.

Bloomfield Science MuseumChanging hands-on exhibitionsdemonstrating the principles of sci-ence. Mon.-Thurs., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.,Sat., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Sun.and Fri., except for vacations and holi-days. Museum Row adjacent to theHebrew University. Tel. 654-4888.Wohl Museum of Archaeology(Herodian Mansions)Back to the glorious days ofJerusalem of 2,000 years ago. Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fri., 9 a.m.to 1 p.m. 1 Hakara’im, JewishQuarter. Tel. 628-3448Sir Isaac and Lady Edith WolfsonMuseum of Jewish Art, HeichalShlomoJewish symbols and values reflectedin one of the most important collec-tions of Judaica in the world.Permanent and changing exhibitions.Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 58 King George. Tel. 624-7908.U. Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish ArtJewish Italy of the Middle Ages, theRenaissance and the Baroque period.Magnificent synagogue that “immi-grated” to Israel. Changing exhibi-tions. Sun., Tues., Wed., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.,Thurs., Fri., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 27Hillel. Tel. 624-1610.Israel Museum JerusalemIsrael’s largest museum of archaeolo-gy, Judaica, and art. Changing exhi-bitions. Mon., Wed., Sat., 10 a.m. to4 p.m., Tues., 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.(August: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), Thurs.,10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fri., 10 a.m. to 2p.m. Ruppin Blvd. Tel. 670-8811.L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic ArtExhibition of Islamic art and collec-tion of antique European clocks.Changing exhibitions. Friday: freeguided tours and demonstration bywatchmaker. Sun., Mon., Wed.,Thurs., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tues., 10a.m. to 6 p.m., Fri., Sat., and holidayeves, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 2 Hapalmah.Tel. 566-1291/2.

Tower of David Museum of theHistory of JerusalemPermanent exhibition telling thestory of the city from the Canaaniteperiod until today. Archaeologicalgarden and view from the towers ofthe Citadel. Guided tours. Changingexhibitions. Mon.-Thurs., 10 a.m. to4 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. JaffaGate. Tel. 626-5333.Underground Prisoners MuseumThe story of the prisoners whobelonged to the Hagana, Etzel, andLehi underground organizations andthe Jewish struggle against Britishrule, in what was the central prisonduring the British Mandate. Sun.-Thurs., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. RussianCompound, 1 Mishol Hagvura (nextto the Municipality). Tel. 623-3166.Bible Lands Museum JerusalemCollection of items from the civiliza-tions in the biblical world and theancient Near East. Sun., Mon., Tues.,Thurs., 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Wed.,9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Fri. and holi-day eves, 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 25Granot. Tel. 561-1066.Anna Ticho House MuseumDr. Avraham Ticho’s collection ofHanukkah lamps and works by artistAnna Ticho. Sun., Mon., Wed., 10a.m. to 5 p.m., Tues., 10 a.m. to 10p.m., Fri., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 9 Harav Kook. Tel 624-5068.Museum of NatureExhibitions on nature, the environ-ment, and the human body. Displayof existing and extinct animals of theLand of Israel. Changing exhibitions.Sun., Tues., Thurs., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.,Mon., Wed., 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat., 10a.m. to 2 p.m. Intermediate days ofSukkot and Passover, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Closed on holidays. 6 Mohilever,German Colony. Tel. 563-1116.One Last Day MuseumPhotographs of the last day of thebattle for the Jewish Quarter inIsrael’s War of Independence. Sun.-Thurs., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fri., 9 a.m.to 1 p.m. Cardo, Jewish Quarter. Tel. 627-3916.

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Museum on the SeamMuseum located on the seam linebetween eastern and western Jeru-salem in a building that served as abattle position until the Six-Day War.Exhibits and multimedia presenta-tions. Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 4Hel Handasa. Tel. 628-1278.Ein Yael Living MuseumAn active open-air museum. Spring,tunnel and archaeological site.Workshops in reconstruction ofancient technologies. Donkey riding.Sat., vacation periods, and holidays,10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Opposite theBiblical Zoo, Malha. Tel. 645-1866.Rockefeller MuseumOne of the largest archaeologicalmuseums in Israel. Built in the 1930sin a structure that is an experience initself. Sun., Mon., Wed., Thurs., 10a.m. to 3 p.m., Sat. and holidays, 10a.m. to 2 p.m., closed Tues., Thurs.27 Sultan Suleiman. Tel. 628-2251.City of David Visitors CenterActive archaeological excavationsite, system of tunnels, ancient cis-tern, and Hezekiah’s Tunnel. Guidedtours and children’s activities, byappointment. Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m. to 5p.m., Fri., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Next tothe Dung Gate, opposite the Givatiparking lot. Tel. 1-800-252423 (inIsrael only), 626-2341.ICC Jerusalem InternationalConvention Center (BinyaneyHa’ooma)Performances and changing exhibi-tions. 1 Shazar. Tel. 655-8558.Gerard Behar CenterCenter for theater, music, dance andentertainment. Two dance troupesregularly perform at the center –Vertigo and Combina. The centeralso hosts the “Swedish Chef” jazzseries, the Room Dance Festival,directed by Amos Hetz. Office openSun.-Thurs., 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,box office Sun.-Thurs., 4:30 p.m.until beginning of performance. Sat.and holidays, from an hour after theend of Sabbath or holiday untilbeginning of performance. 11Bezalel. Tel. 625-1139.

Targ Music Center, Ein KeremMusical performances. 29 Hama’ayan,Ein Kerem. Tel. 641-4250.New Gallery Artists’ Studios,Teddy StadiumSun.-Thurs., 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.Tel. 679-2968.Jerusalem CinemathequeFocus of Jerusalem’s cultural andnight life. More than 1,200 screen-ings per year, active seven days aweek. 11 Hebron Rd.Tel. 565-4333. Nature Park and Galleries,Hebrew University of Jerusalem,Givat RamVariety of guided tours, interactiveprograms, nature and science work-shops for all ages. Activities featureoriginal items from national naturecollections such as a 1:1 scale modelof the only dinosaur that was foundin Israel. Open Fri. and Sat. and dur-ing main vacation periods. Mainentrance to the Edmond J. Safra cam-pus of the Hebrew University ofJerusalem, Givat Ram. Tel 658-4489.Jerusalem Khan TheaterRepertory theater in a unique historicbuilding. 2 David Remez. Tel. 671-8281.

Laboratory TheaterThe New Center for Theater ArtsDialogue between the various theaterarts – drama, dance, and contempo-rary music. Guest house for musicalensembles and for independentgroups of artists. The Laboratory Baroperates in the compound everyevening, alongside the restaurant ona railroad platform. 28 Hebron Rd.Tel. 673-4116.Train TheaterUnique venue of puppet theater forchildren and a storytelling hour fortoddlers. Liberty Bell Park. Tel. 561-8514.Jerusalem Center for thePerforming Arts (JerusalemTheater)Offers plays, concerts, dance andentertainment performances, chil-dren’s plays and concerts, opera,jazz, quality films, “Friday in theTheater,” and art exhibitions. Book,music shop and a cafe. 20 Marcus. Tel. 560-5757, 560-5755 (box office).

Yitzhak Rabin Guest HouseGuest house with extensive cultural

activities and a multimedia display:

Essential Telephone NumbersPolice 100Magen David Adom (ambulance) 101Fire Department 102Municipal Hot Line-106 Outside the city: (02) 531-4600Customer Service Center, Egged bus company (03) 694-8888Information Center, Egged bus company, Jerusalem (02) 530-4704

Tourist Information OfficesMinistry of Tourism Information Office, Jaffa Gate Sun.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (02) 627-1422Christian Information Center, Jaffa Gate Mon.-Sat., 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., closed Sun.and Christian holidays (02) 627-2692

Accommodations in JerusalemJerusalem Hotel Association – western Jerusalem (02) 652-1106/7Jerusalem Hotel Association – eastern Jerusalem (02) 628-3197, 628-3140Israel Youth Hostel Association (02) 655-8400Good Morning Jerusalem – Israel Holiday Apartment Center (02) 623-3459Home Hospitality Association (02) 581-9944

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“Red Lines in Israeli Democracy.”

Mon.-Thurs., 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri.,

8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Display shown to

individuals and groups by appoint-

ment. 1 Avigad St., corner of Burla

St., at the foot of the Israel Museum.

Tel. 678-0101.

Old Yishuv Court MuseumThe history of the Jewish Quarter in

the Old City of Jerusalem spans the

period from the sixteenth century to

the fall of the quarter in Israel’s War

of Independence. The museum fea-

tures exhibits of housewares, furni-

ture, photographs, documents, and

other items from the eighteenth cen-

tury to the mid-twentieth century.

Mon.-Thurs., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 6 Or

Hahayim St., Jewish Quarter. Telefax

628-4636.

Temple InstituteRitual articles from the Temple

reconstructed according to the writ-

ten sources, and a marble and gold

model of the Temple. Audiovisual

presentation. 19 Misgav Ladach St.,

Jewish Quarter. Tel. 626-4545.

Western Wall TunnelsExposure of the Western Wall in its

full glory, a canal from the time of

the Hasmoneans, amazing under-

ground halls and passageways.

Model of the Second Temple. Sun.-

Fri., by appointment only.

Tel. 627-1333.

Time ElevatorMulti-sensory presentation that takes

the visitor through 3,000 years of

Jerusalem history with state-of-the-

art technology. Sun.-Thurs., 10 a.m.

to 5 p.m., Fri., 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sat.,

12 noon to 6 p.m. Children admitted

from 5 years old and up. 37 Hillel St.,

Beit Agron. Tel. 624-8381.

Wiener Heritage CenterA place for a break for groups

strolling through the courtyards of

the Nahla’ot section. It offers a selec-

tion of films about the area, the story

of the “A Picture in Stone” project,

and the story of the rehabilitation of

the Nahalat Ahim quarter and the

Mahane Yehuda market in recent

years. Mazkeret Moshe. Visits by

appointment. Tel. 622-3267.

World Center for North AfricanJewish Heritage in JerusalemPreserves and disseminates the cul-

tural heritage of the Jews of North

Africa. The patio was designed by

artists from Morocco with Moroccan

architectural elements, in a manner

expressing the rich spiritual and

material world of Moroccan Jewry.

Sun.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m..

Individuals admitted without an

appointment, groups by appointment.

13 Hama’aravim St. Tel. 623-5811.

Guided ToursBeit ShmuelShimshon Center – Also serves as a

cultural center. 6 Sham’a. Tel. 620-3455.Society for the Protection of Naturein Israel Tours in and around Jerusalem.

Sergei Courtyard, 13 Heleni

Hamalka. Tel. 625-2357.Yad Ben ZviTours, lectures and a variety of activ-

ities. 12 Abarbanel. Tel. 539-8872.Safra Square, Municipal Compound Guided tours of the Municipal

Compound and the miniature model

of Jerusalem. Mon., 10 a.m. Tours

take about an hour and a quarter and

are conducted in Hebrew and

English. Groups by appointment.

Meet beside the palm trees at the

entrance to Safra Square. Tel. 629-5363.Genesis Jerusalem InstituteTours in the Old and New City. 70

Hayehudim, Old City. Tel. 626-4488.Rahel Yanait Ben Zvi Center for

Jerusalem StudiesTheme tours. 13 Misgav Ladach,

Jewish Quarter. Tel. 627-1155.Saturday Tours, Municipality ofJerusalemEvery Saturday at 10 a.m., the

Tourism Department offers guided

tours in Hebrew and English through-

out the city, free of charge and with-

out Sabbath desecration. Tour takes

about three hours. Tel. 629-8064.Bus 99 around JerusalemEgged bus company operates a tour-

ing route that passes all of the main

tourism sites in the city. Sun.-Fri.,

leaves Safra Square at 10 a.m. and 12

noon. Egged Information Center,

Jerusalem. Tel. 530-4704.Telem, Visitor and Tourist Centerfor People with Disabilities andSpecial NeedsOperates in the Jewish Quarter and

assists in planning touring routes. The

tours are led by licensed tour guides.

20 Misgav Ladach. Tel. 628-3415/6.“Makom”Tours for individuals and groups,

encounters with Jerusalem figures, a

mobile exhibit with actors in various

neighborhoods, seminars, and study

Sabbaths. 9 Tzarat St., Tel. 679-4412.

To call from outside Jerusalem addarea code 02. For calls from outsideIsrael, add 972-2.

Safra Square complex, Municipalityof Jerusalem.