On Being Jewish in the Jewish Quarter • A Passion and A Passport

Being American and Jewish, I just figured Israel was the land of the Jews. Makes sense right? Call me naive, but I never realized just how many other religious groups hold Israel near and dear to their heart as well.

Ironically, the Jewish Quarter is just one of the four traditional quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem. Other neighborhoods of the Old City are: The Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter. You could have fooled this girl.

Walking around the Jewish Quarter, you feel just that, Jewish. Israeli flags on every corner, attached to doors and posts, and synagogues that are 400 years old. I really felt at home here. Even though the area dates back to roughly 1400, the quarter looks almost brand new and sparkling clean.

The quarter is comprised of many small alleyways, some with shops and other with restaurants. How gorgeous is that architecture?! Spend some time here and look around, you may find something special hiding in the alleyways.

A map showing Jerusalem in the First Temple Period 1000-586 B.C.

This section of the Old City of Jerusalem is home to many holy and historical sites. The Western Wall, the City of David, the Temple Institute, the ‘Hurva’ synagogue, the Cardo, and the Burnt House, among other sites of importance, are all found in the Jewish Quarter. It really is an outstanding starting point to any tour of Jerusalem.

The Cardo Maximus, a Roman-Byzantine street near the Hurva Square

There are also great views of the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the Jewish Quarter.

The Jewish Quarter has had somewhat of a rough past, being completely destroyed twice, and then rebuilt numerous times. How could this 116,000 square meter area, home to about 2,000 residents and numerous yeshivas and synagogues be left without any love?

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