• History of the Shuk
• The ever changing evolution of a place we once knew
• Bigger than life graffiti Street Art gallery
• A taste of many cultures; multinational culinary experience

Many visitors and even locals are surprised to learn that what is commonly known today as the Machane Yehuda Shuk was once known as the Beit Yaakov market and before that known as Vilaro’s yard.  We start out our tour with an historical overview of how this central market came about being at this location. Taking a closer look at Jaffa road that was the main artery from the Old City of Jerusalem to farming villages in the west that were providing the fresh produce.

Taking a look at some of the first building complexes that were built here towards the very end of the 19th century. And trying to imagine the challenges of those pioneers who came to live here and what was then the middle of nowhere.  Getting to know some of the historical leaders of the Jewish community at that time Haim Vilaro a Jewish banker who had purchased many of the lands around us and Yosef Rivlin a crazed building developer who encouraged so many families to make the move from the old town out here to the new.

Taking a closer look at the market itself we notice that the makeup of the type of stores that was the core of the market 20 years ago is in the process of change. We can still see the traditional fruits and vegetables and fresh produce housewares and basic textiles. But in between and all around we see many more eateries, coffee shops and bars that represent the transformation into a popular nightlife destination.

Around us we might notice groups of Israeli internal tourism with a guide speaking with them in Hebrew and telling the stories of the market and it’s evolution.

Some years ago a young British Jewish street artist named Solomon Souza chose the shutter doors of the shops in the market as canvas for an open air gallery of murals that he painted here. And over 150 storefronts Souza and others painted portraits of historical figures from the Jewish community and internationals along with other works of art showing biblical events, scenery and animals. Although many of the murals are hidden during the day when the shops are open, typically we can still see some of them and speak about the historical figures that they represent and learn more about the artist who painted them.

This Market is a platform for the in-gathering of the diaspora, we can find here Jews who are descendants of those who came from many places around the world. The unique cultural mix that is available here also provides a taste of home cooking of many different menus. Iced coffee, rugelach cake, halava and kanafe along side, borekas cheese and wine tasting, schnezel in challah bread, aris in pita, shawarma in lafa, kubeh soup and majadera. The combinations are endless.

Tried and tested Hebron tour with Mount of Olives, Gush Etzion and Rachel’s Tomb

An ideal experience for a multi generational family from Israel and abroad gather the Jerusalem to celebrate a Bar Mitzvah.

We started out the day with the older folks who wanted to take the opportunity to visit family graves on the Mount of Olives. Best to prepare in advance by collecting as much information as possible to pin point the location of the graves and access path before the visit.

The Mount of Olives is considered to be one of the most important Jewish cemeteries because of its proximity to the Temple Mount and traditions regarding scenarios at the end of days. This cemetery has been in use from Biblical times and is active to this day as a premiere burial site.

Enjoy the amazing panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem, the Temple Mount and see many parts of the city from the south east, south, west and north east. View the City of David archeological park and Silwan neighborhood below in the valley and Armon haNatziv in the south, Mount Zion and even the King David hotel and so much more.

To briefly touch on the complex geopolitical situation here. The Mount of Olives and the surrounding neighborhoods including all of the walled Old City are part of the areas also known as East Jerusalem, referring to parts of the city that were controlled by Jordan from 1948 to 1967. Typically most of these neighborhoods have a substantially larger Arab population and smaller Jewish enclaves.

Following the very special visit to family graves on the Mount of Olives, we picked up the younger generation of the group and proceeded to Hebron to visit Maarat HaMachpela. The bible tells the story of Avraham the father of the Hebrew nation who purchased the plot of land and the burial cave for his wife Sara. According to tradition this is the burial site of three sets of patriarchs of Israel, Abraham and Sara, Itzhak and Rivka, Yakkov and Leah.

Hebron is a city divided between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with most parts unwelcoming Israelis and Jews. The Cave of the Machpelah and all of the Jewish neighborhoods and sites are in areas under Israeli control with security provided by the Israeli army and police.

From Hebron we headed back north on road 60 the Path of the Patriarchs for a wonderful dairy and fish lunch and wine tasting at the Gush Etzion winery. We met with Asaf, the son of the founder of the winery and manager of the winery, who shared with us the story of the vineyards and the wines of Gush Etzion.

After lunch our bus took us to Deer-Land Ranch where we met another Asaf who is the owner and operator of the Gush Educational ATV ride, an hour and a half tour on ATVs through the forest, the vineyards and the ancient Roman road and milestone number 10 that lead to Jerusalem. On the way we saw a Mikva ritual bath carved in the bedrock dating back two thousand years to the second Temple period when pilgrims used this road to access Jerusalem during the festivals.

Not done yet, on the way back to Jerusalem we stopped to pray at Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem. The site was once on the main road south from Jerusalem to Hebron just north of Efrat. Now the road ends here in the massive secured area surrounded by the high cement walls of the security barrier between the Israeli side and the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority in Bethlehem.

The tour ended with dropping off the family happy and tired at their hotel in Jerusalem.

David Ha’ivri is a licenced Israel Tour Guide. Read more about his tours here