Ancient and vibrant, a city that lives simultaneously in and beyond time
Disadvantages:
Prone to acts of war and other forms of madness
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
►►Overview◄◄
Few places on Earth give rise to intense emotion as easily or quickly as Jerusalem. Indeed, even the name one applies to this ancient city can provoke controversy: Whether you choose to call it Yerushalayim, Jerusalem, or Al-Quds can be perceived as a political statement.
Certainly there's no shortage of appropriate descriptors to apply to this extraordinary city: beautiful, timeless, passionate, inspiring, troublesome, enigmatic, holy, poignant, controversial, beguiling--the list is endless. Once again, your choice of words will tell as much about your own preconceptions as they do about the city.
Jerusalem is a mosaic built over time by an extraordinary diversity of peoples and cultures. Perhaps most of all, it is a city that for millennia has been at the center of conflict--and that looks ever hopefully for a way to achieve peace. Since King David seized "Salem" from the Jebusites around 1000 B.C.E., it has been destroyed, occupied, and rebuilt many times over. Imperial dominance has been exerted over Jerusalem by the Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Turks, Christian Crusaders, and most recently the British.
The spectacular walls of the Old City, constructed by the Ottomans in the 16th century C.E./A.D., are but the latest in a long series of defensive barriers built to protect ancient Jerusalem against would-be conquerors--unless, of course, you count the barbed wire that divided the city between 1948 and 1967. The Israeli military cemetery on Mount Herzl and pre-1967 Jordanian implacements on Ammunition Hill bring the city's saga of defense and conquest right down to the present.
Jerusalemites often maintain firmly that, particularly for Jerusalem, the past lives in the present. Clearly, on any visit to Jerusalem, the past--with its focus on conflict and the city's preeminence for three of the world's great religions--is never far away. At an archeological site overlooking the Kidron and Hinnom valleys, one can actually visit the City of David, the capital of ancient Israel. Remnants of Roman market stalls are still visible in the Old City. Prophets and martyrs are buried in the Kidron Valley. Pilgrims follow in the footsteps of Jesus on the Via Dolorosa, pray at the Kotel (the Wailing Wall), or gaze at the continuing splendor of the Dome of the Rock.
More recent international interest and influence in Jerusalem are reflected in many of the city's place names. For example, visitors can wander through the German Colony or the Russian Compound. International influence has also made itself felt through small-scale colonization by groups committed both to maintaining a long-term presence and to preserving their distinct identities. In this regard, the Armenian Quarter in the Old City has been vital to the larger Armenian community both as a refuge and a cultural center. Such groups might also include the Hasidim who have recreated and preserved the world of the East European stehtl in places like Mea Shearim.
Modern Jerusalem is striving valiantly to live with the results of its diversity and to come to terms with its past. Nonetheless, the strains caused by decades of conflict between Arabs and Israelis are very much in evidence even to the most casual visitor. One cannot ride a bus or order pizza without living in the shadow of violence. Many observers note the existence of two or even three Jerusalems: West Jerusalem, which is predominantly Jewish; East Jerusalem, which is predominantly Arab Palestinian; and the Old City, which both claim.
Visitors to West Jerusalem can browse through the restaurants and shops of Ben Yehuda, tour the seat of government for modern Israel at the Knesset, and indulge in the familiar comforts of a typical European city. Visitors to East Jerusalem can pray at neighborhood mosques, drink heavy Turkish coffee in local cafes, and sample a lifestyle that is more typically Middle Eastern.
How these two rivals learn to accommodate one another, and how they will share the prize they both covet--the Old City--is one of the great challenges of the 21st century. Those of us who love Jerusalem, by whatever name we apply, can only hope that they manage to rise to the challenge.
►►Transportation◄◄
Jerusalem lends itself nicely to walking. It's a city of neighborhoods, and all things considered, Jerusalem is still a fairly small town. Parks and historic sights are a pleasure to explore on foot. The Old City in particular is a walker's paradise. But walkers beware! Jerusalem is a city of hills--or mountains, if you prefer--so there are a number of steep inclines. One truly must go up and down Mount Zion, Mount Scopus, and French Hill.
The ubiquitous Egged buses run frequently and (at least by the standards of Washington, DC) they are inexpensive--a cost that can be reduced further still by purchasing a multiple-use pass. Taxis are also fairly inexpensive by American and British standards, and they are the key to getting around town on Shabbat, when the buses cease to run.
In my opinion, rental cars should be considered only by the strong willed, the stout hearted, and those trained to drive under conditions usually identified with racing formula one cars. Drivers in Jerusalem define aggressive driving.
►►Lodging◄◄
What's your budget? Go from there. In Jerusalem you can stay in anything from a 5-star hotel for which the sky's the limit to a modest and inexpensive hostel--or anything in between. I stayed on a B&B plan at the Palatin Hotel just off King George V Street and was entirely comfortable for an affordable rate. Moreover, the dearth of tourists in recent years has made for some incredible bargains for lodging. It truly is a matter of “seek and ye shall find.”
Keep in mind that wherever you lodge, members of staff at your hotel or hostel are likely to be your best source of information on local restaurants, shops, activities, and attractions. Ask questions regularly. You'll get good answers. In general, Jerusalemites LOVE to talk about their city--and who can blame them?
►►Tours◄◄
Tours of all types are available in the city--and beyond. Egged has the most reliable (or at least the largest) operation for offering tours and tour guides. Visitors enrolled in any sort of program at Hebrew University should take advantage of the number of fine tours made available through that mechanism. Religious institutions throughout the city also offer specialized tours to meet the needs of their co-religionists.
In the past, youths haunting public places throughout the city tried to hustle a few dollars, pounds, or shekalim by offering private tours. This practice is less common today, and tourists are less likely to respond positively.
►►Restaurants◄◄
Western Jerusalem has no shortage of restaurants, almost all of which are kosher. Israelis represent a wide range of cultures and nationalities, and that pluralism is reflected in the foods from which visitors may choose. Here again, my policy is always to rely on word of mouth. I've been known to ask recommendations from store clerks, the hotel concierge, and seatmates on the city bus.
Note that finding a restaurant open in Jerusalem on Erve Shabbat (Friday night) can be a problem--no, IS a problem--though eating in the home of local friends can prove a wonderful solution. Many visitors to Jerusalem choose to spend Friday night in Tel Aviv or Haifa or Eilat to ensure that Friday night and Saturday have a full range of choices in terms of dining and a whole host of other activities.
►►Shopping◄◄
Shopping in Jerusalem is both a challenge and a joy. My favorite areas include the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall, shops scattered up and down King George V, the galleries along King David, and the souks of the Old City. Gift shops in the museums and Hebrew University's bookstores should also be explored. Bargaining over price is a big part of shopping in the city, but it is by no means a universal practice. Bargaining is almost required, however, in the Old City.
The best rule of thumb for shopping is Jerusalem is to know what you're looking for and what you're buying. If that means paying bit more to purchase expensive jewelry from a reliable source, then do so. I would be loath to go to the souk for gems or precious metals, for example, so my Yemenite silver jewelry came from a shop on King George. But the olive wood ornaments purchased by request for friends back home came from the souk. My Nimrod scandals came from a shoe store in Ben Yehuda, but my colorful collection of head scarves came from the souk.
►►Money◄◄
Bring your ATM and credit cards. ATM machines are scattered throughout the city, and your plastic is almost universally welcome.
►►Getting There◄◄
The road to Jerusalem is most commonly by way of a major airline to Ben Gurion airport outside Tel Aviv and by sherut (or shared taxi) from the airport to the city. Reservations for a sherut on arrival are not necessary. A fleet will be waiting. For your return trip, however, ask your hotel to reserve your space and leave plenty of time for airport security.
►►Security◄◄
Israelis take security seriously, and so should you. That means keeping your eyes open for anything suspicious and being patient about having your handbag or backpack searched. It also means becoming accustomed to (and even comforted by) the routine show of force symbolized by seeing soldiers carrying arms in public places. Still and all, however comforting this sight may be, most Israelis long for the day when such visible security is no longer necessary.
On the whole, the key thing is be sensible but to live life to the full. You are in Jerusalem. So while it would be imprudent to drive your rental car through Mia Shearim on Shabbat or to hold a Sharon rally in the midst of an Arab neighborhood in East Jerusalem, life is for the most part joyful and should be lived accordingly.
►►Further Information◄◄
Though there are a myriad of fine websites for planning your visit to Jerusalem, I recommend the following:
If it’s your first visit, take along a good guidebook. There are a number on the market, and many are specialized to the interests of the visitor. Whatever you choose, there is so much to see and do in Jerusalem that a guidebook provides a helpful sanity check that adds to your level of enjoyment--or so it was for me.
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