Many of you may also know about the tools I’ve created to help tourists (and local residents) maneuver through the shuk more easily and find what they need. I made the only comprehensive and updateable map of the market (and yes, I know it is in serious need of another update — soon, I hope), as well as a calendar that showed when various fruits and vegetables came into season in Machane Yehuda market.

Still, I felt that even with all of the things I do connected with the market, I wanted to do some special things to deepen my connection. After all, I see the market as the beating heart of the city I love, so what better way to express my love for Jerusalem than by kicking my relationship with the shuk up another notch. And so I’ve done a few things of late to take it to the next level!

One simple thing was diversifying my purchases there. I’ve always been amazed at some of the odder stands in the market. I love the knife-sharpener in the Georgian Market, for example, and though I don’t need any cutlery sharpened at the moment, I do hope to use his services some time in the future. But I did recently start getting my hair cut at the barber in Machane Yehuda. There is one in the market itself, and another one just outside of the market on HaEshkol St. And while my friend Dave tells me I should go to the latter, since he cut Menachem Begin‘s hair, I say that Begin wasn’t so well known for his hair, so I’ll keep going to the guy inside the market!

I also needed a new watch, so I entered one of the tiniest stores in the entire shuk, a literal hole in the wall next to the entrance into the Georgian Market. Like my barber, the proprietor of the watch store has been selling in the market for around 40 years! Frequenting these stores is like participating in the continuity of Jerusalem life.

Additionally, many people know how the latest change to really affect the shuk is the growth of nightlife there with bars and late-night eateries sometimes operating all night. Some have complained, thinking it has gone too far and is changing the “traditional” nature of the shuk. There was even a plan advanced to try to combat these changes by freezing things with the status quo. I disagree, noting that firstly the very nature of the shuk is to constantly change, and secondly that this most recent change came about by addition, not replacement. I wrote this (along with other points against the plan), defending the shuk in this OpEd in the Jerusalem Post.

But I also am about to begin contributing to the nightlife in the market. Some of you may know that I have a side hobby performing stand-up comedy. About a year ago, I began organizing approximately monthly shows of English-language stand-up here in Jerusalem. Well, later this month (on Dec. 21st), we’ll be hosting a comedy show in the brand-new back room of the Beer Bazaar. After lots of music and dance performances, lectures and discussions, and even spoken word nights in the market, I believe this will be the first ever stand-up comedy show in the shuk. And to celebrate, this show only will be with no cover charge!

Finally, though, I’d like to get back to the first thing I mentioned — the tools I’ve created to help improve people’s experience in the shuk. I have a few more ideas of how to continue to expand that, but first, I’d love to hear from you. If you’d be willing, I’d love it if you responded to a very short questionnaire (below) about the shuk tools I have created. Hopefully it will lead to lots more good stuff, and an opportunity to continue raising the level of the shuk and all of our relationships with it!

Of course, there is no greater secret than the future. So at this year’s event (a few weeks ago), I focused much of my time on tours that would allow me a window into where the city’s development is heading.

Two projects mentioned in passing were a building conversion downtown on HaHavatzelet Street, and a new construction adjacent to the Khan Theater, near the German Colony. But the main project I heard discussed, and then visited the future site, was a combination of new construction and building conversion for the Ministry of health building located at 86 Jaffa Road. Formerly an Ottoman Era hospital and then turned into Ministry offices, there is a large empty lot behind the building. The new hotel, designed with the surrounding neighborhood in mind, would offset the upper stories standing on pillars, creating an intermediary “step” between taller buildings on one side of the lot and shorter ones on the other side. While it definitely was a strange looking solution, it was at least refreshing to see the thought process involved.

Whether any of these hotel projects see the light of day remains to be seen. Real estate development in this city takes extremely long, and there are tons of hotels that have been planned and never built. So I’ll just say that these were a look at where the city might be going. But one thing that seems to be a priority in City Hall these days is helping further develop the city’s burgeoning high tech scene.

MassChallenge is currently located in another historic building, the former Alliance school near Machane Yehuda. Rather than a full building conversion, that structure just went through minor upgrades for temporary usage by a few organizations. But they will soon need a new permanent home, and this building will likely be it. The exterior of the new building will largely be preserved as is, but a few changes include raising the roof slightly and adding a glass-roofed events space on the upper floor of the back building. When complete, this project will likely be one of the major centers of tech activity in Jerusalem, especially given its proximity to the new City Entrance Jerusalem Business District, and to the high speed train from Tel Aviv.

In order to avoid the need to bring the train all the way up the hill into Jerusalem, the project brilliantly tunnels into the side of the mountain, allowing the train to continue along through a fairly level tunnel, ending at a 7 billion NIS station that is built 80 meters underground. Rapid elevators, long escalators and stairways (for emergencies) will facilitate the connection between the train platform and street level.

Building a major train station that far underground is obviously a complex engineering project. But it is just one more part of the complicated project that is the train itself. With 8 bridges and 5 tunnels (the longest of which will be nearly 12 kilometers), the completed project will bring people from one city to the other in under 30 minutes. And also significantly, the train will also connect Jerusalem with Ben Gurion Airport, thus making the city drastically more accessible.

The last look I had at Jerusalem’s future was possibly the most likely to affect the city on a daily basis. I was on a walking tour along Jaffa Road, Jerusalem’s central artery, looking at the various squares along the road. At most major intersections, there is a wide open public space that allows for group gatherings, events, relaxation spaces and interpersonal interactions between the city’s citizens and visitors. The next one that is slated for renovation is probably the most widely trafficked — Zion Square, at the intersection between Jaffa Road and the Ben Yehuda Street pedestrian mall.

The two defining characteristics of this plan are the multiple potential configurations of the space based on various event needs, and the tall shade-giving trees. These both should transform the square from one that people pass through to one that people spend time in. In an increasingly divided city, spaces like this are well needed and much welcomed.

While I did also go to some of the more “classic” types of sites from Jerusalem’s past and present during Batim MiBifnim 2016, these peeks into Jerusalem’s future were the most exciting. I encourage anyone interested in learning about Jerusalem to keep their eyes open for the announcement of next year’s event.

That is why, when I made my map of every stand in Machane Yehuda last year, I specifically sought a way to make it easily updateable. Other maps I’d seen attempted were out of date virtually before the ink was dry on the page (or before the webpage updated). So I labeled the sections of the shuk, and then made a text list to go with it, knowing the stores would change but the streets wouldn’t.

That map came out over a year ago, so I realized it was long overdo for an update. And so I recently did a walk-through at the shuk, writing down all of the things that I needed to change. So today I proudly present you with a fully updated map!

To my mind, however, more interesting than simply knowing what is in the shuk at any given time is following the gradual growth and changes that take place there. So I wanted to highlight some of the changes between last year’s map and this one.

For starters, the two prominent trends that have been taking place in the shuk over the past few years is the opening of many restaurants and of many pubs. That continued this past year. That isn’t to say that every effort succeeded, however. Some restaurants opened and closed between the two versions of the map (there was one like this in section 7, for example). Others, such as the kubbeh place in section 21, tried to change into something else (burgers), but then changed back. And still other locations saw a fairly new restaurant close, and another place open under new management (e.g. Kebabis in 24 and Balah in 3).

I also want to give a special mention to one other new eatery: Ish Tabach (27). It is not in the shuk itself, but in the area. But it is one of my favorite new food places. They basically just make one thing: a Syrian-Kurdish dish named shamburak, with many different option for the meat filling. Delicious and not expensive, they’ve even gone through an expansion already, creating a new seating area, entered from Section 28.

The map now has four more bars on it: Manchis (Section 22 – officially outside the shuk), O’Connel’s (8 – a branch of a bar elsewhere in town), Freddy Lemon (5) and my favorite The Beer Bazaar (5). The Beer Bazaar is a branch of place that opened over 2 years ago in Tel Aviv’s Shuk haCarmel, and features only Israeli craft-brewed beers (both as a bar and as a bottle shop to buy for home). This continues the trend of more businesses flourishing in connection with Israel’s burgeoning craft beer scene. Plus, since this one is in Jerusalem, they have taken care to have a kosher menu as well. At the same time, word is that one of the bars on last year’s map is about to close down — Sirtaki (5), right across the road from Beer Bazaar.

One of my standard stops on my tours has always been Mousseline, delicious gourmet French ice cream. They just a few weeks ago moved around the corner from their prior location, so I wanted to let you all know, in case you have trouble finding them. They used to be in Section 24, next door to the awesome Georgian place Hatchepuria. Now they are in Section 26, next to Fortuna.

Other eateries or shops have remained open, but have done major (and lovely) renovations to try to attract more customers. These include Yehudit (26), B’Mordoch (25), Abu Daud (6) and Cafe Mizrachi (17). Mizrachi is notable as it was the first cafe to open in the shuk, and has gone through a few different phases over its storied history. But it remains open, even after all these years.

It is worth noting that the trend away from produce stands and the like is not exclusive. At least three new (albeit small) produce stands have opened (3, 8 and 14), two of which replaced stands that sold non-food items previously. And that follows on the heels of at least one other decent-sized produce stand that opened with the two previous years. So while some people complain that the shuk is losing its character, I maintain that the shuk will always remain a fresh food market, at its core.

Finally, I want to talk about what’s been going in the market during the current wave of Palestinian violence. At the beginning, the market was completely empty, though this was no different than anywhere else around the country. In general, people were staying in and avoiding going out. But the feeling of emptiness in the shuk was exacerbated by the fact that the violence began right as the major tourist season was ending, so a large part of the drop was natural anyway. Compound this with the start of cold weather, and that made it seem completely empty.

As the past few months have rolled on, people have returned to their normal routines. Additionally, people have realized that there have not been any attacks in the shuk (and God-willing there won’t be, despite one incompetent attempt nearby), there is a strong security presence there, and most of the attacks have shifted out of the major cities into the West Bank. So the shuk has largely returned to normal. Furthermore, a number of us have made an effort to go out and spend money in restaurants, bars and stores following terror attacks, just so the businesses don’t hurt too badly. There are even organized attempts: the Eatifada group on Facebook, and my friends and my (only slightly tongue-in-cheek) hashtag campaign #BeersAgainstTerror.

I’m happy to say that through this entire time, I’ve seen no significant drop-off in requests from tourists for my shuk tours. And I hope it continues as such. If you’re interested in one (or in any otehr tours), please get in touch!

In particular I will be discussing my tours of Machane Yehuda Market, but we will obviously discuss many other things as well. So I hope you will all tune in to listen. And I am fairly certain the show will be archived later, so if you miss it live, look for it afterwards. I will be the first guest of the show.

“Table for Two with Naomi Nachman” is a weekly show hosted by Naomi, the Aussie Gourmet. Naomi interviews many personalities from the kosher food world, and I am excited to be one of her guests this week. As it turns out, though we’d lost touch, Naomi and I knew each other in our younger years, so it is nice to be able to reconnect with her via food!

By the way, as a little teaser, I should also say that I know Nachum Segal from the really old days. I don’t recall this, but my parents always talk about how Nachum was in 8th grade when I was in Nursery School at Hebrew Youth Academy in New Jersey. They claim that he would “protect me” during recess times! Not sure what or who he would protect me from, but nice to have a positive connection anyway.

So again, the details:

Friday, January 9, 2015, 9 AM.
Nachum Segal Network
Show archives afterwards

Still, a lot of people ask me, “So what do we do on a tour of Machane Yehuda together?” To answer that, I figured I should write a brief post to describe my tours there, and give you a taste (pun intended) of what is in store for anyone who joins me on a shuk tour. If after reading this, you are feeling hungry to join such a tour, please contact me to schedule one!

My shuk tours typically last between 1 1/2 and 2 hours, though I can certainly do a shorter or slightly longer version. I begin with an introduction to the market, briefly tracing its history and development, and discussing the types of foods you can find there. We usually also have a taste of some fruit that has just come into season, and thus is sweet and delicious. And the intro also touches on the relationship between a city and its food, and thus between Jerusalem and Machane Yehuda Market.

Then we begin our actual tour, winding our way through the various streets of the shuk. Along the way, I arrange for tastings of many different types of food and drink, main dishes and desserts or snacks. I explain the ethnic origins of each, and what makes that food special. Along the way, I also share tidbits about the various personalities and unique establishments in the market itself, though the food really remains the main focus.

I believe that by exploring a culture’s cuisine, you gain a window onto its soul. And so by both tasting and learning about the foods of the various cultures that make up Jerusalem’s culinary scene, you can begin to understand the population that makes up this unique and special city.

Though pretty much anyone (kids and adults alike) have enjoyed my Machane Yehuda tours, as a foodie and cook, I am in my element when guiding other foodies. Among others who I have had the pleasure to guide in the shuk are a number of food bloggers, a well-known cookbook author, a food stylist/photographer and many others who simply love food.

A few words on logistics:
— I do not give shuk tours on Fridays, as the market is too crowded then to truly experience it properly.
— I have done and can do larger groups, but the ideal size for a shuk tour is in the 1-6 person range.
— Due to their popularity, I have also created special pricings for my Machane Yehuda tasting tours.

So if you or your group are interested in booking me for a culinary tour in Shuk Machane Yehuda, please get in touch! And if you’d like to incorporate a visit to the market into a larger full-day tour in Jerusalem, that is of course another option.

Now that you’ve all seen my map of every shop in Machane Yehuda Market, it is time for me to use that map to highlight all of the wonderful, the surprising, the delicious and the downright strange things that you can find in the shuk. Some of these are in response to requests I got for where certain things can be found. Others are things that I know are important, based on the number of times I have guided tours through the market. And some of them are simply my personal favorites, on a non-scientific level!

For starters, let me say that in my opinion, anyone who tells you they know the best place to find anything, is full of… last week’s leftover Machane Yehuda produce! People love to claim that they know the best chummus, fish store, falafel or butcher. As if there were some kind of objective “best.” Sorry folks, their ain’t. What I will tell you in this post is which places are some of my faves, from a purely subjective angle. Sometimes I think the quality is the best. Other times a stand has the best prices or selection. And sometimes, I prefer one place simply because the proprietors are nice people.

You don’t have to agree with me. I’m very opinionated, but that comes with the shuk being my “second home.” But I encourage you to wander around, try many places, and form your own opinions!

All places listed below refer to section numbers on the map I posted last week (and linked to above).

Where Can I Find…

…the Public Restrooms?
This is always an important one. And interestingly, the very first public restrooms in the city were located in the shuk! When the Savings and Loan Market section was built, they set aside one of the stores to be a public toilet. I am not certain if it is the same one as can be found today in section 8, at the southwest side of Etz Chaim Street, but it could be.

There are men’s and women’s restrooms scattered in a few places throughout the shuk, and they are not always next to each other. Men’s can be found in 8, 11 and 13. Women’s in 11 and 18.

…the Best Produce?
The truth is, this is a tough one. There are so many produce stands, how do you choose which to go to? Well, for starters, you can just walk around and see what looks good in general. Some places will let you take a taste of some things as well. And some stands specialize in certain types of produce. I’ll highlight a few here.

In general, the Iraqi Shuk (9) is great for greens of all kinds. There is one store on Etz Chaim (5) that is much larger, and thus has a good selection. Two stores that are both fairly small, but often have things that you don’t find at other stands can be found near each other, one on HaCharuv (19), about halfway down on the west side, the other on HaShaked (18), just east of David Dagim fish store. One store in the middle of Etz Chaim (6) has a wider selection of mushrooms. And if you are looking for cheap, but lower quality (perhaps a day or two older?) produce, check out the store on Machane Yehuda, just south of HaEshkol and Ugat Chen (3).

…Organic Produce?
As far as I can tell, there is not a whole lot of organic produce for sale in the shuk. One place I have found, however, is just outside the shuk on Beit Yaakov Street. Hadassa Health Food store gets organic produce on Mondays and Thursdays. The other is in the large produce store I mentioned on Etz Chaim (5), towards the front of the store facing the registers. It is a small selection, but at least they have some.

…the Best Falafel?
Also not in the shuk itself, but my favorite falafel in Jerusalem is located just off the map. So even though it might not fully belong in this post, I’m including it anyway! (And if you want to check it out, I previously rated various shwarma joints throughout Jerusalem, including some around the shuk.) Off the bottom left side of the map, at the corner of Agrippas and Beit Yaakov, you can find Falafel Mula. Delicious, crispy and (believe it or not) gluten free. Not, not the pita bread. But the falafel itself (which most people prepare using some flour in the mixture). And speaking of which…

…Gluten-Free Products?
The Natural Choice Bakery on Agrippas (25) has some Gluten-Free baked goods. But there is also a Gluten-Free Store on Agrippas, off the map to the west, towards Beit Yaakov.

…the Best Fish?
There are lots of fishmongers around. I’ll admit that I haven’t tried them all. But that’s because everyone sent me to one when I first made aliyah. And after going there I found them to be clean, have high quality fish at decent (though not cheap) prices, offer good and friendly service and feature a nice selection. So I never looked anywhere else!

David Dagim is located on HaShaked (18) right where it meets HaEgoz, and last year they opened an auxiliary “express” branch on Agrippas (25). They have a selection of both fresh and frozen fish.

…the Best Meat?
Over the years, I’ve gone to a few more butchers than fishmongers in the shuk. One of the better ones in terms of both quality and cleanliness is on HaCharuv (19) near the nice produce stand I mentioned. Another one I like, particularly for the chickens, is on Etz Chaim close to Yaffo (5).

…the Best Spices?
Truth be told, I don’t think there is really a big difference between the different spice stores. So for me, my favorite is based on the atmosphere in the store, and the fact that the owner/staff are nice people. Olam HaTavlinim v’HaKafeh (World of Spices and Coffee) is on Yaffo, between the open and covered markets (12).

Also, I’ve learned that there is a slight difference in selection between some of the stores. For example, I was interested in making a Persian dish, and was looking for barberries (also called zereshk), and all of the stores I looked in kept telling me to “go to the Persians.” But none could tell me where “the Persians” were. I found two stores that carry zereshk: Pitzuchei Dani (5) and one on HaAfarsek (16). Both are more nut and dried fruit stores (called pitzuchim in Hebrew), but they sell some spices too.

And on that note, I can’t really tell the difference between all of the different pitzuchim shops, labeled as “nuts+” on my map.

…the Police?
I hope you have no need for them, but just in case you do, you should know that there is a police station in the shuk itself. Though I bet 99% of the people who go to the shuk had no idea!

They are actually located one floor above street level, overlooking Machane Yehuda Street, but the entrance is from inside of the cross street in the Iraqi Shuk (10).

Where Should I Eat?

About 15 years ago, the only places you could eat in the shuk were the “workers’ restaurants” located around the edges of the market. But in 2002, Cafe Mizrachi (17) opened as the first cafe/restaurant inside the shuk itself. People thought they were crazy at first, but the idea caught on, and now there are around 30 eateries in the market itself, not to mention countless others nearby. You can find a good list in the categories section of my shuk map.

But one of the things I find coolest about the eateries in the shuk is the diversity of the cuisines. It is this very blend that really defines Israeli cuisine in general, and Jerusalemite cuisine in particular. So I want to highlight a few of my favorites here, tell you the origin of the food, and give you their locations. And since most are kosher, I specify meat, dairy or parve. This is not saying the others are bad — in fact I enjoy eating at most of the places in the shuk at times. These are just some of the special ones for me.

Manou BaShuk (Lebanese, meat) – 6
Hatchepuria (Georgian, dairy) – 24
Jachnun Bar (Yemenite, dairy) – 21
Pasta Basta (Italian, dairy) – 20
Trattoria Haba (French, dairy) – 12
Mantu Bar (Bukharan, meat) – 24
Fishenchips (English, parve) – 21
Rachmo (workers’ restaurant/Kurdish, meat) – 24
Mikhmoret (fish) – 20

And How About a Drink?

The most recent change in the continual development of Machane Yehuda is that there are now a number of bars that have opened in the shuk. As the changes in the shuk always mimic the changes taking place in the city, this most recent change reflects a focus on youth culture that our current mayor, Nir Barkat, has brought to Jerusalem. So whereas a mere 5 years ago, or so, the shuk was completely silent, closed and abandoned at night, now it is teeming with people into the wee hours of the morning. This has also led to the eateries staying open later into the night as well.

There are currently 6 or 7 bars in the shuk itself (depending how you define a bar), plus many more nearby. The first to open was 5th of May (8), and it remains quite popular. One of the larger and better known ones is Casino de Paris (13), partially gaining its fame from co-owners Eli Mizrachi (of Cafe Mizrachi fame) and Israeli rock star Shaanan Streett (of Hadag Nachash). My personal favorite is Que Pasa (21), because they have my favorite Israeli craft beer available on tap. Also interesting is Tahrir (16) which bills itself as an “Israeli Culture Bar.” They have live music frequently, and tap into a more heavily native Israeli vibe.

Okay, Surprise Me!

With the growing diversity of stores in the market, there are a few stores that many people don’t even know about, and that you might find surprising.

For example, one of the more surprising things is right opposite the Que Pasa bar: a synagogue (21)! In the 1980s, a store owner named Zevulun Amdadi passed away and left his shop to be converted into the “Beit Zvul” synagogue. It is open during the day and has regular services for the shop workers who are religious.

Here are some other more surprising stores:
Barber (men only) – 3
Knife Sharpener – 13
Tobacco products – 8
Pet Supplies – 8
Drug store – 1
Light bulbs and assorted electrical – 10
Pottery – 21
“Granny carts” and luggage – 4

But if you want a more directed visit, I’d love to guide you there and put things in context. If you’re interested, please get in touch!

Thanks to all who spread the map around and shared with friends. If you have any more questions about the shuk (such as where to find something specific), please send me an email or leave a comment below!

Though not massive in size like Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, Machane Yehuda Market can still be somewhat confusing to the casual visitor. It’s not as if you will get lost and not be able to find your way out, so if you just want to wander and take in the atmosphere of the shuk, there is no problem. But if you go there looking for something specific, you may find it somewhat challenging.

To that end, I have produced a true labor of love: the most comprehensive, up-to-date map of every stand in Machane Yehuda Market.

There are other maps of the shuk available, both online and printed, that have attempted to highlight some or all of the stores. The problem with them, however, is that things change in the shuk on a frequent basis. For example, at the time that I am writing this post, two stores have recently changed, and there are currently three more doing construction work to change to something new. (I have actually included the new places on the map, even though they have yet to officially open.)

I’ve solved this problem by separating the map from the listing of stores. As you’ll see if you click the link and check it out, I’ve broken the map into small sections, each assigned a number. Then separately, I list all the stores in each numbered section, in sequence. Since I am in the shuk on a very frequent basis, I tend to notice every little change. Whenever I do, I will update the listing, while leaving the map the same.

(Click here for a link to the full map and store listing.)

A bit more about what you will find on the map, and how it is designed:

You’ll notice that parts of it are drawn in blue, and parts in red. The blue marks the actual Machane Yehuda Market. For more on this, you can check out my prior post about the construction of the shuk. So for the actual market itself, I have listed every single basta (the word used for a stand or store in the shuk). For the red sections, I have listed some highlights.

Secondly, the core of the shuk remains food stands — produce, meats, fish, spices, etc. I do no list every single such store by name, because frankly the names are worthless in most cases. If you asked someone the name of any stand they regularly visit, most would have no idea (if it even has a name). I just list them by what they sell. In my next post, however, I will do my best to highlight a few of the stands that I prefer to shop at, and will explain why. I’ll also discuss some of the more surprising finds in the market.

You will also see that the stores are in two lists below the map. First, I break most of the stores down by category (not counting the generic produce, butcher, fish, etc. categories, since those should be really easy to find). This way, for example, if you wanted to find the drug store in the shuk, or Uzi Eli “the Etrog Man,” you can look them up and see where they are located on the map.

But beneath that I list the stores in each section. This is where you can find the comprehensive listing. The observant will also notice that there are some stores listed more than once. When a store is located at a corner, I may list it in both sections. Also, for the longer streets that I broke into multiple sections, I repeat the ending point of one section as the starting point of the next.

I encourage you to print out the map and the list, and bring it with you on your next visit to the shuk. I will endeavor in the near future to make a “printer friendly” version of the store listings so that they can easily fit on one or two pages. But for now, this should suffice!

Keep your eyes open for my next post in the “All You Want to Know About Machane Yehuda” series, in which I will use this map to highlight all of the wonderful things you can find in the market!

Click Here for Part 7 of “All You Want to Know About Machane Yehuda”

What better time to do that than when many of you have vacation: Chol HaMoed Sukkot.

So, if you missed any of the three tours previously, and/or you are just visiting for the holiday and are looking for something to do, these interesting tours are for you.

I’ll help you learn more about this awesome city in a few short hours!

Friday October 10, 9:30-12:30
The first tour will be of the First Three Neighborhoods built outside the walls of Jerusalem in the 1860s. See here for more info on that Stepping Out Of The Walls tour.

Monday October 13, 9:30-12:30
The second tour moves on to the continuation of the spread of settlement throughout the New City of Jerusalem by exploring Nahalaot. Click here for more details on the Nahalaot walking tour.

Monday October 13, 1:30-4:30
The third tour pushes us into the next stage of Jerusalem’s development by exploring one of the first real modern neighborhoods of Jerusalem — Rehavia. If you want to learn more about Rehavia, click here.

Price for a single tour is 60 NIS. Two tours cost 110 NIS together. Come to all three tours for just 150 NIS.

I would like a minimum sign-up of 7 people per tour, and can take up to 20 or so. But responding on the invite here is NOT sufficient. PLEASE send me an email directly to reserve a spot, and please tell me which tour(s) you are interested in. And the more tours you come to, the better the price!

Also, feel free to email me with any questions you may have as well!

I look forward to seeing many of you on the tours. Please forward this post to anyone who you think may be interested!

At this year’s event, scheduled for later this week on Thursday to Saturday, I am proud to be giving a tour (twice) on Mount Zion, outside the Old City walls. For the second year in a row, the JCJCR – Jerusalem Council for Jewish-Christian Relations is co-hosting “A Window to Mt. Zion” — a series of tours and lectures focusing on the various religious communities who call the area home. My tour will be the only one in English, along with a few of the lectures as well.

Mount Zion houses a patchwork of religious sites, institutions and cemeteries belonging to all three of the major monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. My tour will focus specifically on the various Christian communities with a presence there. I felt that many of the people who will be joining the tour will have a better knowledge and familiarity with Judaism and its connection on the hill, and likely will have little more than a rudimentary knowledge of Christianity.

So my tour will focus on who these different Christian groups are, and why Mount Zion is important to them. The tour will last around 45 minutes, and I will be giving it twice: at 11:00 and 12:00. With a short tour of this nature, you can easily fit it in with other tours at Mt. Zion, and/or others around the city.

I look forward to seeing some of you there, and please spread the word to those who might be interested.

And if you’d like to arrange a private tour focusing on various religious groups in Israel, please contact me!

Since I too love the Iron Dome and all it has done to protect us, and since one of Judaism’s major values is hakarat hatov (showing appreciation), I knew I had to help this kind family with their request. So I started doing some research, making some calls and sending some emails.

I located an Iron Dome installation in the area where we’d be spending our first day together, and arranged to go visit it. One the way, we stopped at a convenience store, knowing the soldiers would welcome physical gifts as much as the visit itself. We had run into a soldier earlier in the day, and asked him what types of food items we should pick up to give as presents, and he said, “It doesn’t matter what you give them. They’ll be happy with anything. The fact that you are doing it is all that matters.”

As parents Alon and Michelle picked up some of the healthier but still tasty food options, 9-year-old Kobi went for gum and candies. (I think he had an idea what the soldiers would really want, though Alon was probably not far off in wanting to bring them a beer. Of course, he wisely realized that they probably weren’t allowed that while on duty.) Liat (11) may have been the smartest of all, when she suggested we get them some deodorant! I okayed that, having heard that (at least early in the war)there was a need for toiletries and underwear and the like.

Then we drove a short way to make our visit. The soldiers who we met were super happy and thankful to meet with us, particularly the kids. Kobi and Liat got to try on one of the soldier’s helmets. They spoke to us all (in English and Hebrew) about where they come from, what they do, how the Iron Dome works and many other things. And when the officer on duty walked past, having just finished a shower, he was particularly thankful for Liat’s deodorant purchase!

(In the picture above, you can see the Iron Dome in the background — an elongated rectangular box, pointing diagonally into the sky.)

All in all, we spent a short visit there — just about 20 minutes. But that short visit created a memory that will stay with the Frumers (and me) for years to come. And I’m certain the soldiers felt the same way. What an honor to help this family say thanks to those who protect us in times of need!

If you’d like to thank the members of the IDF during a visit to Israel, let me know! There are many options for both more and less formal activities, all of which are appropriate and appreciated.