Congregation Ohab Zedek, or OZ, as it is fondly known, is more than just a synagogue. Under the leadership of Rabbi Allen Schwartz, the Shul is known for its open doors and big heart. OZ has broad ties with the surrounding Jewish community and its Upper West Side neighborhood as a whole. A random visitor could easily encounter an up and coming scholar from Israel, or members of the local fire station. It is an informal, comfortable, inclusive community.
OZ is a modern Orthodox congregation, but any individual is welcome, regardless of background or means. It is a Shul of interlocking communities–young families who find a relaxed setting on Shabbos morning to introduce their toddlers to services; singles, who famously crowd the steps on Friday night; and seniors, many of whom have been members of OZ for decades. It is home to those tentatively exploring Judaism as well as the most learned, who are stimulated by a broad array of lecturers and classes.
Guss’ Pickles was founded by a Polish immigrant, Isidor Guss. Guss arrived in New York in 1910, and like hundreds of thousands of other Jewish immigrants, settled in the Lower East Side. Clustered in the “pickle district” of Essex and Ludlow streets, early 20th century pickle vendors gave birth to what would be known as “New York style” pickles.
Guss at first worked for L. Hollander and Sons, before opening his own store. At the time, the neighborhood was teeming with 80 other pickle shops. However, immigration restrictions, a ban on pushcarts and the steady economic decline of the Lower East Side felled almost all of these shops.
Guss’ Pickles withstood the economic difficulty and now remains as the last store from the days of the Essex Street empire. In 1979, Harry Baker and his partner Burt Blitz took over Guss’ Pickles. Through the 1980s and into the 2000s, Baker and his son Tim ran the store.
Guss’ Pickles was featured in the film Crossing Delancey(1988) Guss’ Pickles ships gallon size nationwide at their official web-site GussPickles.com. In June 2017 Guss’ Pickles opened a new store in Brooklyn. It is inside the Dekalb Market Hall.
Take in the panoramic views of Jerusalem from the top of Mount Scopus. Then, travel down the mount passing the Biblical Garden of Gethsemane, Church of All Nations, and Kidron Valley that holds monumental Jewish tombs. In the Jewish Quarter, we see the Cardo; the Byzantine-era main street of Jerusalem. We stop at the sacred Western Wall to place a prayer note between the ancient stones of the wall. The tour follows part of the Via Dolorosa to the stunning Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Here, we see the site of Christ’s crucifixion and his burial tomb. After a lunch break and walk through the Old City bazaar we travel to new Jerusalem. Driving through the modern city we reach Yad VaShem Holocaust Museum. The museum’s exhibits include authentic artifacts, original documents, photos, and video testimonials of Holocaust survivors. Hotel pick-up is additionally offered and available to anyone on the tour.
Ilan Bloch heads Accord Tours. He is an Israeli Ministry of Tourism qualified tour guide (and a graduate of the Ministry of Tourism Islam and Islamic tourism, and Christianity and Christian tourism, specialization courses), with many years of experience.
He has an MA in Education and a Teaching Diploma.
He was raised in Melbourne, Australia, and today lives in Jerusalem with his wife and twins.
On behalf of Accord Tours, he will be very pleased to assist you with all of your travel and tourism needs during your stay. In the meantime, please feel free to sign up to our free newsletter.
Born and raised in Chicago: “I grew up in a great city. My life revolved around USY, Camp Ramah, and Solomon Schechter.”
Moved to Israel in 1983: “Studying at the Hebrew University, I caught the Israel bug and fell in love with Jerusalem.”
Worked in the Israeli school system: “My first passion was teaching special education, helping special needs children integrate in to youth groups and summer camps.”
Traveling this amazing country: “My hobby is traversing every corner of this country, with my wife Sara, my children, and now with anyone who wants to join me.”
Join me!
Mahane Yehuda Market, often referred to as “The Shuk” (or “Machne”, the “shorthand nickname” used by locals), is a marketplace (originally open-air, but now at least partially covered) in Jerusalem, Israel. Popular with locals and tourists alike, the market’s more than 250 vendors sell fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, fish, meat and cheeses, nuts, seeds and spices, wines and liquors, clothing and shoes, housewares, textiles, and Judaica. In and around the market (whose name literally means “Judah’s camp”) are falafel and shawarma stands, juice bars, cafes, and restaurants. The colors and bustle of the marketplace are accentuated by vendors who call out their prices to passersby. On Thursdays and Fridays, the marketplace is filled with shoppers stocking up for Shabbat. Eventually, the bugle sound every Friday afternoon signifies that the market will soon be closing for the Sabbath. While the market stalls close before Shabbat, there are still some cafes and restaurants that remain open.
The David Amar Worldwide North Africa Jewish Heritage Center is a cultural hub and museum in Jerusalem, Israel. Established in 1865, it is located in the heart of the Mahane Israel (also Mahaneh Yisrael) neighborhood. Built in the mid-19th century by David ben Shimon, founder of the North African Jewish community in Jerusalem, the North African Jewish Heritage Center is housed in the quarter’s oldest building. The museum contains permanent and temporary exhibits, focusing on the history and heritage of the Jewish communities of North Africa, particularly in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The restoration was funded by the Casablanca, a Morocco-based businessman, David Amar, and was renamed in his honor. Construction was completed within four years and required Moroccan craftsmen to create the intricate zellige mosaic tile work. However, it was considered quite controversial to reconstruct the building in an authentic Moroccan style. Some saw it as “importing foreign architecture and damaging a historic building”, although it is expected to become one of Jerusalem’s top tourist sites. It opened in June 2011 in the presence of President Shimon Peres and former President Yitzhak Navon. Photo Attribution: Heritage Conservation Jerusalem Pikiwiki Israel, CC BY 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons
The Jerusalem Cinematheque is a film archive in Jerusalem, Israel, founded by Lia van Leer in 1973. It was originally located in Beit Agron in the center of Jerusalem. In 1981, the Ostrovsky Family Foundation, the Jerusalem Foundation, the Van Leer Foundation, as well as private donors all financially supported a newly constructed building. This is situated near the Hinnom Valley and overlooks the Old City walls. In addition to screening halls, the Cinematheque houses the Israel Film Archive, an archive of films from the 1920s to current day. These include but are not limited to: The Nathan Axelrod Newsreel Collection, the Joan Sourasky-Constantiner Holocaust Multimedia Research Center, the Department for Film and Media Education, and the Lew and Edie Wasserman Film Library.
The Ramban Synagogue, is the second oldest active synagogue in the Old City of Jerusalem. In 1267, Rabbi Nachmanides and additional scholars founded the synagogue to serve the local Jewish community. The Jewish community quickly expanded due to the synagogue’s active and prevalent presence. Today there are two Ramban Synagogues in Jerusalem.
The City of David (Hebrew: עיר דוד, Ir David; Arabic: مدينة داوود) is not only the oldest settled neighborhood of Jerusalem but also a major archaeological site relating to biblical Jerusalem. It is a narrow ridge running south from the Temple Mount. It was a walled city in the Bronze Age and according to tradition, it is where King David built his palace and established his capital.
