JerusalemImage:Jerusalem_from_mt_olives.jpg|thumb|350px|View from the Mount of Olives across the Jerusalem/Old City|Old City to Jerusalem/West Jerusalem|modern West Jerusalem '''Jerusalem''' (Hebrew: ??????? ''Yerushalayim'', Arabic: ????? ''al-Quds''), the capital of Israel, represents the spiritual home of two world religions - Judaism and Christianity - and is sacred to another - Islam. The city remains a fascinating destination for any traveller interested in either the past or the present. ==Districts== *Jerusalem/Old City|Old City *Jerusalem/West Jerusalem|West Jerusalem - also known as "New Jerusalem" *Jerusalem/East Jerusalem|East Jerusalem *Jerusalem/Ein Kerem|Ein Kerem ==Understand== ==Get in== ===By plane=== The main airport serving Jerusalem is Ben Gurion International Airport [http://www.ben-gurion-airport.com/english/] located roughly midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The journey into the city takes at least 40-50 mins, often more, depending on traffic. A large number of world carriers fly into Ben Gurion, including British Airways, Air France, Swiss, American, United and, of course, El Al [http://www.elal.co.il/] (the Israeli national airline). ===By train=== Train services to Jerusalem, which ran a very circuitous route through Beersheva, have been suspended completely. Plans are now advanced for creating a modern train line between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem - stay tuned! ===By bus=== Bus services to Jerusalem from Ben Gurion International Airport and every Israeli city are frequent, cheap, and efficient. Most buses arrive at the misnamed '''Central Bus Station''' to the west of the city, from which it's a long hike (or short local bus trip) down Jaffa Road to the centre of town in West Jerusalem and / or the Old City. ===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. ==Get around== The only public transportation option is buses. '''Bus 99''', intended for tourists, does a loop of pretty much the whole city and costs NIS 15 for a one-day pass, NIS 24 for two days. A light rail line is under construction and will be operational in 2005. It will link all parts of the city ==See== Jerusalem has an amazing array of attractions for the traveller to see. Following are some of the must-sees: * '''Jerusalem/Old City|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 Jerusalem/West Jerusalem|West Jerusalem, be sure to visit the '''Israel Museum''' (home to the Dead Sea Scrolls and much more) and the heart-wrenching '''Yad Vashem''' Holocaust museum. ==Do== ==Learn== *the '''Rothberg International School''' [http://overseas.huji.ac.il/] - part of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem *'''Yad Vashem''' [http://www.yad-vashem.org.il/] 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, be prepared to haggle. Judaica is also a popular choice of purchase. The Old City's Jewish Quarter is particularly good for this. ==Eat== In Jerusalem/West Jerusalem|West Jerusalem a large number of restaurants and fast food outlets (including just about all those you'd expect to see at home) are located in and around Ben Yehuda Street and Jaffa Road. Try '''meorav yerushalmi''' (lit. "Mixed Jerusalem"), a pita or laffa bread stuffed with a tasty mix of spices and grilled meats. The Old City is more interesting for authentic local experience and also less commercial - try exploring some of the back streets to keep away from the obligatory tourist traps. * The '''Lebanese Restaurant''' is located just outside of Jerusalem in the Palestinian-Israeli village of Abu Gosh at 88 Hashalom St. (phone: 02-5335561). This restaurant, as its name would suggest, specializes in serving traditional Arab cuisine in the Lebanese style. The Lebanese Restaurant is frequented by locals, Israelis and tourists alike and serves, amongst other reasonably priced delicacies, what is arguably the country's best Hummous (chick pea paste). Many Israeli notables have eaten here and in good weather you can eat under the Mulberry tree that the restaurant is built around. Do not miss eating at this gem of a restaurant. ==Drink== ==Sleep== The Old City has a diverse mix of small hotels, religious hospices and hostels that might appeal to the traveller. Jerusalem/West Jerusalem|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'''. On the less visited Jerusalem/East Jerusalem|Eastern side, the '''American Colony Hotel''' is one of the best-kept secrets in the city. ==Contact== ===Phone=== The area code for Jerusalem is 02 (the country code for Israel being 972). ===Mail=== The central Post Office for Jerusalem/West Jerusalem|West Jerusalem is located near the head of Jaffa Road. In the Old City, a Post Office can be found near Jaffa Gate, diagonally opposite the Tower of David Museum. Israel continues the use of British "pillar" mail boxes in some areas of Jerusalem - these are a nice reminder of British Mandate days in the city. ===Internet cafes=== *'''Strudel''', 11 Mombaz St, +972 2623 2101 (''fax: +972 2622 1445''). M-F noon-midnight, Sa 3PM-midnight. Jerusalem's original Internet cafe. Strudel was Jerusalem's first Internet cafe and 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. *'''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. ==Stay safe== Depending on the political situation, terrorism may be a concern in public areas and on buses. Street crime is almost nonexistent, although pickpockets may work in crowds in the Old City, particularly in areas near the Western Wall. ==External links== *[http://www.jerusalem.muni.il/ The Jerusalem Website] - The official website of Jerusalem municipality. (Available in Hebrew, English, Arabic and Russian). fr:Jérusalem WikiPedia:Jerusalem {{stub}} First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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