Jerusalem

Urban Israel

Jerusalem is the largest city in Israel and the capital of our country. Not only is it the heart and soul of the country, it is also no small measure of what we are, all that we will be. Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel, the beautiful City of Peace.

By law, all buildings must be covered with Jerusalem stone, which turns a reddish-gold color in the light of the rising sun and a bright golden color as the sun sets each day.

Jerusalem is the holiest city in Judaism, home of both the First and Second Temples. Currently, all that remains of the Temples is the Western Wall, known as the Kotel. Three times a day, all over the world, observant Jews turn towards the Western Wall and pray that next year will find them in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem's current population is approximately 725,000, more than 70% of which are Jews. The Old City is divided into four quarters: Jewish, Christian, Armenian and Moslem. Between 1949 and 1967, while the Old City was controlled by Jordan, Jews were prevented from approaching or praying at the Western Wall. After the Six Day War, Israeli united the entire city and opened it to all religions. Under Israeli sovereignty, all religions have the right to pray at their holy sites. The Temple Mount is currently under the control of the Arab Wakf, a religious body that determines many of the rules of conduct on the Temple Mount. At the present time, Jews who ascend to the Temple Mount are not allowed to say any prayers openly, nor are they allowed to even whisper them. Those thought to be praying are quickly removed from the Temple Mount, lest they injure the sensibilities of the Moslem Wakf.

Far from the Old City, is the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. It sits at one end of a long corridor that also includes the Foreign Ministry, the Ministries of Finance, Industry and Trade, Science and Technology, Interior, and others key governmental offices such as the Prime Minister’s Office, the Supreme Court, the Bank of Israel, the Israel Lands Administration and the National Insurance Institute head offices.

In the same area, you can also find the Israel Museum, and the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University, as well as the Bloomfield Science Museum and the Bible Lands Museum.

Yad Vashem Memorial Museum is Israel's national museum and memorial to the victims of the Nazi Holocaust in Europe. Hundreds of thousands of testimonials and evidence has been collected to bear testimony to what was done, to help educate each generation and to answer those who would deny.

Among the tourist attractions in Jerusalem are:

Great Restaurants in Jerusalem:

Rimon Cafe in the City Center
Norman's in the German Colony
Cafe Atara in Rechavia
Joy Grill and Bar in the German Colony
Burger Deli in the Shefa Mall
Angelo's Italian Restaurant

Great Restaurants in Jerusalem:

Great Jerusalem Links