Jerusalem Vibe: Who visited Jerusalem for the holidays?

How was tourism to Jerusalem during the holiday season? It depends on whom you ask.

“Very weak,” said the manager of a popular ice cream shop in the Mahaneh Yehuda market.

“It’s empty,” said a cab driver a day before the beginning of Sukkot.

But the common wisdom that no one is visiting during the war requires a bit of nuance. In Jerusalem, visits to the city from Israeli residents actually rose during the holiday season, thanks to an aggressive internal marketing campaign. More than 2.5 million Israelis came to visit Jerusalem during the month before Rosh Hashanah, and many more during Sukkot, a spokesman for the municipality said. “This is an increase compared to previous years, and we believe that the numbers will increase significantly by the end of Sukkot,” he added.

Big Sukkot events like the mass Birkat Kohanim (priestly blessing) at the Western Wall attracted overflow crowds as usual this week. However, war fears and astronomical airfares affected which types of people came in from abroad.

“Tourism to five-star hotels is doing well, even if overall numbers are down,” said Rony Timsit, general manager at the Inbal Hotel. “We are almost completely full this holiday, with very few cancellations due to the situation,” he said. “When Iran attacked right before Rosh Hashanah, we thought we were going to lose a lot of guests, but it’s as full as a regular year, with many of our regular guests returning.”

However, Timsit knows that the good times probably won’t last. “Tourism is okay now, but it won’t be okay after Sukkot. For many hotels, the months between now and Passover will be very challenging.”

Jerusalem approves more construction

Jerusalem continues to move forward with a number of large-scale urban renewal projects around the city.

The Jerusalem Local Planning and Building Committee has recommended the approval of a number of projects in Talpiot that will introduce hundreds of housing units alongside public buildings, commercial spaces, and workplaces, transforming the aging industrial zone into a vibrant hub for business, housing, and culture.

One of the proposed projects involves the construction of a 30-story apartment building with 217 units to replace the current licensing office on a 1.7-hectare site bordered by Moshe Baram Road and Pierre Koenig, Ha’uman, and Hata’asiya streets. Additionally, a 19-story building is planned to house facilities for the Israel Police and government offices, with 10,200 square meters designated for commercial and employment use. The proposal allocates 14,000 square meters for public institutions, including a school, daycare centers, kindergartens, a youth club, a sports complex, and a synagogue, ensuring that residents have a variety of services within walking distance.

Another recommended plan focuses on an area between Pierre Koenig and Ya’acov Ben Dov streets, adjacent to the future light rail line. This project will cover about 1.6 hectares and feature a 14-story residential building with 42 units, and a 29-story building with 115 rental units available for at least 20 years.

Meanwhile, in Givat Shaul, a proposed project will transform the site currently occupied by the Berman Bakery on Beit Hadfus Street into a modern commercial and employment hub. (Not to be confused with the massive construction project on the old Angel’s Bakery property nearby.) Situated near the future Green Line of the light rail, Givat Shaul is earmarked as a future hub of employment for the city.

The 1.1-hectare development will feature two towers, 22 and 30 stories high, alongside five floors dedicated to commercial use, and an additional five floors for underground parking. The project aims to provide around 81,000 square meters of employment space and 24,000 square meters of commercial space. A pedestrian bridge will connect the complex to Kanfei Nesharim Street and the light rail line, enhancing accessibility for future employees and visitors.

In addition to these, the municipality is set to recommend a series of significant urban renewal projects that could see the construction of approximately 1,300 housing units across the city. These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to revitalize older neighborhoods while ensuring sustainable development and preserving green spaces, the municipality said.

Among these, a plan for the Gilo neighborhood will establish a mixed-use residential complex along Highway 60. This development will include five residential buildings ranging from 18 to 32 stories, adding 808 housing units. Additionally, approximately 4,900 square meters will be allocated for public buildings, including a primary school, daycare centers, kindergartens, a synagogue, and a youth club.

Another proposed plan aims for urban renewal in the Pat neighborhood, where two outdated residential buildings on Berl Locker Street will be demolished to make way for two modern 25-story structures above an underground parking facility. This project will increase housing availability from 64 existing units to 224 new ones, with 20% designated as small units. Approximately 200 square meters will be allocated for commercial space on the ground floor.

In Ramot, plans involve the demolition of an old four-story building at the intersection of Abba Hillel Silver, Morgenthau, and Frankfurter streets. This site will be redeveloped into three modern residential buildings, each rising 12 stories and including underground parking. The new project aims to increase the housing supply from 32 existing units to 165 new ones.

Finally, in the Ir Ganim neighborhood, another urban renewal initiative is set to transform an outdated four-story building on Costa Rica Street to a 24-story apartment building, expanding it from 25 existing apartments to 122 new housing units. This would come in the context of a larger series of plans being promoted between the Ir Ganim and Kiryat Menahem neighborhoods to add thousands of housing and commercial units, public spaces, walking and cycling paths, and other community resources.

These recently announced projects come in addition to hundreds of other projects already in progress or in various stages of planning around the city. While many residents are concerned that such construction will add to their traffic woes and limit resources, the city continues to move forward at full speed.

“We will continue to make Jerusalem a city where residents enjoy a high quality of life in a modern living environment,” said Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion. He emphasized the city’s commitment to enhancing living standards and infrastructure, ensuring that Jerusalem remains a vibrant and attractive place to live.

Preserving the literature of Ethiopian Jews

The National Library of Israel (NLI), in collaboration with the Ethiopian Jewry Heritage Center and the Orit Guardians program at Tel Aviv University, has launched an ambitious digitization project aimed at preserving and sharing the rare holy books and manuscripts of the Beta Israel community.

Historically stored in private homes and synagogues, these significant texts are written in the sacred language of Ge’ez and include prayer books, apocryphal texts, and writings unique to certain descendants of kessim (spiritual leaders of the Ethiopian Jewish community).

Central to these is the Torah of Beta Israel, the Octateuch, known as the Orit, which includes the five books of Moses, as well as the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth.

This initiative follows an agreement reached with Beta Israel leaders, ensuring that while these treasures become accessible to the public, the original manuscripts will remain with their communities.

So far, 17 manuscripts have been digitized, including ancient copies of the Orit and other important texts. These texts will soon be available online through the NLI’s website, adding to its huge online library of Hebrew manuscripts.

Naftali Avraham, director-general of the Ethiopian Jewry Heritage Center, emphasized the project’s importance for documenting Ethiopian Jewish heritage, while Haim Neria of the NLI expressed enthusiasm about preserving these manuscripts for future generations. The initiative also aims to enhance academic research regarding the Beta Israel community, with scholars like Dalit Rom-Shiloni highlighting its significance in furthering the study of the community’s religious and spiritual traditions.

A dream garden for children with cancer

A new kindergarten specifically designed for children battling cancer is being planned at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center. The Larger Than Life organization recently laid the cornerstone for its new Dream Garden (Gan Hahalomot), designed to provide a joyful and educational environment for young cancer patients and survivors while addressing their medical needs.

The new facility will be the first of its kind in Jerusalem and the third in Israel, following similar initiatives in Kfar Azar and Beersheba.

The Larger Than Life organization, founded in 2000 by parents of children with cancer, provides care for children and their families throughout the treatment process, from genetic testing, medication, and treatment funding to camps and empowerment programs for teens and young survivors.

The Dream Garden will be located near the hospital’s oncology department, providing caregivers with rapid access to medical treatment when necessary.

The kindergarten’s approach emphasizes the importance of maintaining a normative lifestyle for children undergoing treatment, facilitating their emotional and social development as they navigate the complexities of cancer recovery.■