Travel Eye on Jerusalem (Israel)

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Overview:

Israel's capital city occupies an important place in the hearts and minds of Muslims, Christians and Jews alike. The walled section comprising the Old City of Jerusalem is an area rich in the historical traditions of these three religions. It is home to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount. The Western Wall provides the focal point for Jewish worship and stands as an enduring symbol of the Jewish homeland.

The Old City can be accessed through seven of the eight gates punctuating the ancient walls enveloping it. Within these walls are the separate quarters of the Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Armenian communities. A dazzling array of merchandise can be purchased from the lively Arab souk (open-air market) and meandering through the narrow corridors and cobbled pavements of the ancient centre inevitably provides a feast of sensations.

For an orientation of the Old City it is best to set off along the Ramparts Walk, originally designed for watchmen, or to climb the Citadel of David for a panoramic vista of the eternally fascinating city of Jerusalem.

Locality:

Jerusalem is located in the centre of Israel. It is 31 miles (50km) west of Ben Gurion airport, Tel Aviv. The city sits high up in the Judean hills, surrounded by many valleys.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

Jerusalem possesses much that is striking and beautiful, but more than most great destinations, it demands a sense of vision as well as eyesight. In the Hebrew language, you do not say you will "go to Jerusalem." The idiom is to "ascend" or "go up" to the city. It is not merely the city's altitude that is alluded to in this phrase.

Jerusalem today is adorned with an enticing network of museums, concerts, and performances, as well as with the archeological treasures of its past, almost miraculously rediscovered and displayed in ways that interact with the daily life of the city. There are three main sightseeing areas in Jerusalem: inside the Old City's walls, downtown East Jerusalem, and West Jerusalem, the "New City."

A walk on the ramparts of the Old City walls. Illuminated Jerusalem by night. Tour of Mount Scopus and the Mount of Olives. Exploring Jerusalem's neighborhood by foot. (One sample route can include Mount Zion, the Vale of Hinnom [the biblical Gehenna],

Sultan's Pool, the Yemin Moshe district with its landmark windmill [now a small museum] and the nearby tomb of the members of Herod's household, the Official Residence of the President of the State of Israel, the L.A. Meyer Museum of Islamic Art).

Israel's new Supreme Court building and the nearby Knesset (Israel's Parliament): views of the Knesset "Menorah" and Marc Chagall tapestries, meeting with an Israeli government leader. The Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed.

The Mea Shearim quarter, for a glimpse of traditional Orthodox Jewish life as it was lived in pre-World-War-II Eastern Europe. Trip to nearby Bethlehem - the Church of the Nativity and the Grotto, and Manger Square.

Jerusalem has a huge selection of restaurants, dairy bars, lunch counters, snack shops, delicatessens, and cafes. In the Old City and East Jerusalem, you'll find mostly Middle Eastern cuisine. Pork is prohibited to Muslims, as it is to Jews, but you will find pork and shellfish in East Jerusalem restaurants catering to tourists or Christian Arabs. There are no kosher restaurants in East Jerusalem or in the Old City except in the Jewish Quarter. The Old City has plenty of snack stands and inexpensive Arab restaurants. Most Old City eating places are open daily from late morning to 5 or 6pm.