From Wikitravel

Jerusalem (Hebrew: ירושלים Yerushalayim, Arabic: القدس al-Quds; [1]), the capital of the State of Israel, has long stood at the core of the world's three great monotheistic religions--Judaism, Chritianity, and Islam. This City of Gold has played host to religious stories ranging from the Temple of King Solomon to Jesus' Resurrection to Mohammed's Ascension to Heaven. Outside the walls of the religiously important Old City, are the vibrant New City, Jewish in population, and the exhilarant East Jerusalem, mostly Arab in population.

Contents 1 Districts 2 Understand 3 Get in 3.1 By plane 3.2 By train 3.3 By bus 3.4 By shared taxi 4 Get around 5 See 6 Do 6.1 Religious, Jewish 6.2 Religious, Muslim 7 Learn 8 Work 9 Buy 10 Eat 10.1 American 10.2 Palestinian 10.3 Israeli 10.4 Mizrachi 10.5 Ethiopian 10.6 Former USSR 10.7 European 10.8 Other 11 Drink 12 Sleep 13 Contact 13.1 Phone 13.2 Mail 13.3 Internet cafes 13.4 Wireless Internet 14 Stay safe 15 Get Out

Districts

• Old City
• West Jerusalem
• East Jerusalem
• Ein Kerem

Understand

Jerusalem is considered home by large numbers of adherents to three of the four Western monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Each of these faiths are mostly divided into separate neighborhoods of the city. The main languages are Hebrew in West Jerusalem and Arabic in East Jerusalem. Many people throughout the city speak enough English for basic communication. The city has been one of the most contested in history, constantly shifting hands from the sovereignty of different relgions, and is until today a political hotspot.

Get in

By plane

Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) [2], named after Israel's first Prime Minister, is situated at Lod - approximately midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv - and conveniently serves both major Israeli cities.

Ben Gurion acts as the home base for El Al [3], Israel's national airline, and is served by a large number of additional international air carriers. These include British Airways, Air France, Alitalia, Iberia Swiss Air, Lufthansa, Olympic, Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines, South African Airways, Continental, Delta and Air Canada. Egyptair runs a subsidiary service under the name of Air Sinai from Cairo to Ben Gurion (tel airport 03-9711689, Tel Aviv office 03-5102481)

Travel from the airport into the centre of Jerusalem takes a minimum of 40-50 mins, and - depending on traffic conditions - often more. It is advisable to budget at least an additional 2 hrs above your pre-flight check-in time to ensure timely arrival and completion of security procedures.

By train

In April 2005, train service from Tel Aviv, which terminates in Malcha station (in the south of the city) was renewed. The new Malcha Station is very close to the large Malcha Mall shopping mall that includes "Home Center" (a small Home Deopt like store), Office Depot, Cinema, Aroma Espresso Bar (free wireless internet access) and many others. While the length of the trip is over an hour, it takes a beautiful scenic route and is highly recommended. The railway cars are very nice and some seats have 240v power outlets. It costs 19NIS (about $4.50 in 2006) one way and also connects to the airport. Israel Train Schedule in English Connecting at the train station are a large number of buses to points around Jerusalem. To downtown take the #4 or 18, to the central bus station the #5 is the fastest, though the 6 and 32 are also reasonable. Taxis are also avalable. For downtown ask for "mercaz ha-ir" or for "Kikar Etzion" (zion square).

By bus

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

By shared taxi

Public buses do not run during Shabbat, during which your only option is a sherut (shared taxi). These depart from Tel Aviv's Central bus station and charge a small surcharge on top of the normal bus fare. As of mid-2006 a sherut costs 20 NIS (25 NIS at night) and drops you off downtown, not far from Zion Square.

Get around

Public Transport in Jerusalem

Cabs are plentiful in the city of gold, but bewarned as the drivers may try to rip you off by "taking the scenic route" or charging a fixed price instead of on the meter.

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

Which bus to take? This is an overview of which bus to take to get from certain places to other places. There are no maps of the city bus net available in the city at all, so printing this short list and carrying it with you may save you a lot of searching and confusion.

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

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

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

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

See

Jerusalem has an amazing array of attractions for the traveller to see. Following are some of the must-sees:

• Old City - the historical core of Jerusalem surrounded by Ottoman period walls, filled with sites of massive religious signficance and a bustling approach to life
• In West Jerusalem, be sure to visit the Israel Museum (home to the Dead Sea Scrolls and much more) and the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum.

Do

Religious, Jewish

• Visit the Belzer Rebbe's tish on friday night. The best time to be there is around 22:00 (10 PM). Belz is a large chassidic group originating in Poland. If you are not so religious, do not be scared off by the huge crowd of chassidic (ultra-orthodox) Jews; there are always some less religious people around as well. Dress respectably, preferably in neat pants and a nice shirt (and a jacket, if you want), and wear a yarmulke (kippah, head covering). Men and women are strictly separated from the entrance to the building onwards. This is mainly a men's event. The entrance to the Belzer building is on Shamgar street, in Kiryat Belz. Walk down Shamgar street, past the roundabout, past the bus stop, until you get to a small opened gate on the right side, with a view on the huge Temple-like white building. Go down a few steps, turn around and pass through the door, and go down a few flights of stairs. You reach a large (and usually busy) corridor; in the large hall on the right side you will find the Belzer Rebbe and his followers. You reach Shamgar street by following Sarei Yisrael street (which begins close to the Central Bus Station and goes northward) all the way north, passing Malchei Yisrael street and Yirmeyahu street. It is about 20 minutes from the Central Bus Station on foot (though there will not be any buses, considering that it is on friday night). I highly recommend this, though it is only for men, since it gives you a very interesting encounter with Jerusalem's 'ultra-orthodox' Jews, which may be much more interesting than visiting some museums. There is also a tish on every holiday.

Religious, Muslim

• Visit Al-Aqsa Mosque. You must remove your shoes before entering. After passing through the terrace, you will enter an open foyer hung with candles and covered with oriental prayer rugs. A glass case holds Israeli bombs and grenades that were used by them in an attempt to blow up the mosque. As you enter the El Aqsa, you face the direction of Mecca. Mihrabs remind believers of the qibla. Non-Muslim visitors are not allowed inside mosques at prayer times. When visitors are allowed to explore, they find a large, clear area, with maybe a few worshippers. Leave Al-Aqsa and turn right. In the distance, you can get a landscape of the Mount of Olives. A stairway leads to Solomon's Stables. Today, these underground "stables" are actually the foundations supporting this courtyard that is the surface of the Temple Mount. And walking across the holy plaza toward the Dome of the Rock, you'll pass Al-Kas, the fountain where Muslims perform ritual cleansings before entering holy places. The Dome of the Rock is reached by walking up the expansive stairway that leads to an arch and raised center portion of the Temple Mount complex. The walls of the Dome of the Rock are covered with dressings of Persian tiles. Everything in the Muslim sanctuary centers on the rock that's in the middle of the mosque. According to Islam, the rock is the spot from which Prophet Mohammad ascended to paradise. Next to it, a few strands of Prophet Mohammad's hair are kept in a wooden mesh container. A stairway leads under the rock to the caveish enclosure which is the Well of Souls, where the souls of all dead people are concentrated.

Learn

• the Rothberg International School [5] - part of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

• Yad Vashem [6] runs a number of educational courses treating the subject of the Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

Work

Buy

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

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

Eat

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

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

American

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

Palestinian

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

Israeli

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

Mizrachi

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

Ethiopian

Former USSR

European

Other

• Pizza Meter Argentianian Pizza place on Emek Rafaim. Quite good
• Vakaiaro Argentinian steak house, not cheap but amazing.

Drink

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

Mike's Place, Jaffa 37 (near Zion Square), Tel:+972 52 670-965, [7]. Open all nights of the week by at least 10:00PM, and usually not worth going to before then, because few people will be around. This place is known for its American vibe and one can find many American expatraites hanging out. Red and white wines are available; Carlsberg and Guinness are available on tap. Many types of bottled beer are also available, such as Tuborg, Beck's, Corona, and Budweiser. Most hard liquors are also available. Not kosher.

Artel Jazz Club, Heleni Hamalka 9, Russian Compound, Tel:+972 54 4728872, [8]. Every night live jazz concert at 22:00. Great food.Good selection of beverages.Free Wireless Internet.

Sleep

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

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

• The King David Hotel, 23 King David St. Tel:+972 2 620-8888, Fax: +972 2 620-8882, kingdavid@danhotels.com, [9].

• Novotel Jerusalem, Saint George St. 9, Tel: (+972)2/5320000, [10] is one of the nicer hotels located a very short walk from the Wailing Wall.

• The David Citadel Hotel, 7 King David St. Tel:+972 2 621-1111, Fax: +972 2 621-1000, [reservations@tdchotel.com], [11].

• Crowne Plaza Jerusalem, Haaliya Hashniya 1 Tel:+972 3-5390808 Reservation Page

On the less visited Eastern side:

• American Colony Hotel, Nablus Road (located about 10 minutes' walk from the Old City of Jerusalem and near to the commercial and shopping areas of West and East Jerusalem). Tel:+972 2 627-9777, Fax:+972 2 627-9779. reserv@amcol.co.il, [12].

Contact

Phone

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

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

Mail

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

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

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

Internet cafes

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

• Strudel, 11 Mounbaz St. Tel:+972 2 623-2101, Fax:+972 2 622 1445. M-F noon-midnight, Sa 3PM-midnight. Jerusalem's original Internet cafe, Strudel, takes its name from the Hebrew word for the "@" sign. This cafe was opened by an English-speaking husband and wife team who wanted to provide a safe haven for English speakers and since then Strudel has been a social hub. Faxing and scanning are also available. NIS 6/15 minutes.
• Mitzi Yaffo. A small, kosher internet cafe on Yaffo Street across from Machaneh Yehudah. It's a small low-lying building (an old house) in a corner of the street about 100 meters towards the CBS. Opens in the afternoon until the early night. Price 15 NIS per hour; 10 hour card costs 100 NIS.
• Cafe Net Various locations, including the 3rd floor (Departures) of the Central Bus station

Wireless Internet

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

Stay safe

Explosive Souvenirs? Due to high security levels throughout Israel, any unattended packages will be assumed to be explosive in nature and will be destroyed. Standard proceedure requires that a bomb squad treat all such packages as live ordinance. A large majority of unattended packages turn out to be souvenirs that have been left by preoccupied or absent minded tourists.

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

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

• Dress. When visiting any holy site or religious neighborhood one should dress modestly. For men this means long pants, a nice shirt, and head covering. For women it means a loose fitting dress, and a high necked, long sleeve shirt. This applies to most churches, mosques, and synagogues, as well as the Temple Mount and Western Wall. When in religious neighborhoods as well, such as Mea Shearim, it is advisable to follow these guidlines.

• Religion. Although all of Jerusalem is accesible to members of all religions, it is not always safe for those obviously of a Jewish faith (e.g. wearing a kipah) to enter Muslim concentrated areas, especially in East Jerusalem and the Muslim Quarter of the Old City. Nor is it always safe for those obviously of the Muslim faith (e.g wearing a hijab) to enter Jewish areas, especially the New City. This is particularily true at night.

• Time. Mercaz HaIr (Downtown near the Ben Yahuda midrachov) can become dangerous for tourists at night. Like in any city, drunk locals may pick fights with tourists. Non-muslims are not allowed on the Temple Mount during times of prayer. During the Shabbat and Jewish holidays one should not publicly use electronic devices or smoke in most synagogues, the Western Wall, or Mea Shearim. Friday is the Islamic Holy Day, which may cause difficulties for tourists in Muslim-concentrated areas.

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

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

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

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

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

Get Out

• Abu Gosh.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!