Jerusalem vibe: Is Aza Road Jerusalem’s new hot spot?

Jerusalem’s Aza Road often seems to resemble a closed military zone, with round-the-clock soldiers outside the Prime Minister’s Residence, constant road closures, and frequent protests.

That makes it all the more surprising that this central road in the Rehavia neighborhood has emerged in recent years as one of the city’s hottest entertainment centers, packed with restaurants, bars, and cafés, attracting students and vibrant young crowds.

“This area has become really trendy lately,” said Elad Hayot, who opened Café Pepa at 43Aza several months ago. “On the one hand, the Prime Minister’s Residence causes a lot of problems, especially when they close the streets. When the roads are blocked, we immediately lose 70% to 80% of our customers. But there are a lot of young people coming here at other times, and it is quieter here than in the shuk.”

At the corner of Aza and Metudela, just 200 meters from the apartment Benjamin Netanyahu has owned for several decades, is the epicenter of the action. On most week nights, throngs of people sit drinking beer outside the mushroom-roofed Sigmund’s Café and Bab al-Yemen next door. Nearby Pizza Flora, Pizza Metudela, Gelato Variegato, and the Feelbox grocery store are also full, even as armed soldiers control foot traffic nearby.

Approximately 20 eateries now line the short street, starting with Café Landwer at 1 Aza and ending at Hummus Rehavia and Junior Pizza at 64 Aza, at the corner of Berlin Street. Amid the sushi, burger, and pizza restaurants are several bars and cafés that are open on Shabbat.

“There is a lot of demand for places that are open on Shabbat, and some of our customers ask us about opening on the weekend,” Hayot said. He noted that Pepa, which offers traditional Spanish dishes alongside homemade Israeli food, is kosher and closed on Shabbat.

The rise in non-kosher establishments, as more students move into the neighborhood for its easy access to the city’s schools, has raised some eyebrows among the religious families who live in Rehavia. But with so many other things going on nearby, most are just happy to enjoy the vibrant, happy scene down the block.

Safety on roads, but not bike paths

Last week, Jerusalem children learned about road safety in school as part of a week-long campaign to raise public awareness about road safety in the city, encourage personal responsibility, and improve the current driving culture.

This year’s focus was on reducing urban driving speeds. It included a series of videos, performances, and interactive game shows at schools, in collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority.

Meanwhile, however, the city is moving slowly on enforcing traffic laws on smaller vehicles. A law that came into effect in September requires all electric bikes and scooters to display a license plate or face a NIS 100 fine. People who ride on sidewalks or violate speed limits can be stopped and ticketed. However, thus far the municipality has been lax in enforcing the laws, saying that traffic police need more training before they can begin enforcement.

While electric bikes and scooters are increasingly embraced as green and inexpensive transportation solutions, they are increasingly seen as a safety hazard and traffic nuisance. While the problem is worse in Tel Aviv and the center, more than 75 Jerusalemites were seriously injured in electric bicycle incidents in 2023, according to the Or Yarok Association for Safer Driving in Israel. The city will run a publicity campaign when it is ready to begin enforcement of the new law.

Jerusalem continues to rebuild

Jerusalem continues to advance its urban renewal efforts, and recently approved plans to construct some 750 housing units.

In the German Colony, a new project will replace two four-story buildings with three modern nine-story structures in a complex located between 59 Emek Refaim and 46 Harakevet. The project will add 83 apartments to the 3.8-dunam complex, as well as commercial areas, green spaces, and a kindergarten.

In Kiryat Hayovel, six outdated residential buildings between Brazil and Olswanger streets will be replaced with two modern 27-story towers. This will increase housing availability from 78 to 280 units, 20% of which will be compact units under 55 square meters. Space will also be allocated for a school, kindergartens, and a synagogue, as well as a pedestrian pathway featuring a public elevator for improved accessibility.

In Beit Hakerem, two old buildings will be replaced by a 26-story residential tower, increasing the number of apartments from 41 to 119.

In Kiryat Menachem, a five-story residential building on Colombia Street will be demolished to make way for three buildings ranging from 10 to 19 stories.

Additionally, in Har Homa, a 10-story building is planned for Moshe-Zvi Neria Street to provide apartments for assisted living, student dormitories, and more.

“We are investing a lot of effort in upgrading the older neighborhoods while preserving their historical and cultural integrity,” said Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion. “Urban renewal is not just about construction but also significantly improving the quality of life of residents.”

Jerusalem opens youth art center in Malha

JLM ART is the new cutting-edge art and culture center for youth, inaugurated last week on Edmond Sahaik Street in the Malha neighborhood. The facility, launched in a ceremony attended by Mayor Lion, is designed to provide young people from diverse backgrounds with opportunities to explore creativity while fostering innovation and leadership skills. Serving as a hub for Jerusalem’s youth art community, the center aims to become a leading platform for artistic collaboration and education in the city.

The opening event showcased young artists who invited attendees to join an interactive art workshop, highlighting the vibrant and collaborative environment of the center.

“Jerusalem, a city celebrated in thousands of songs and works of art, has been a cultural beacon for over 3,000 years,” Lion remarked. “As the nation’s capital, it has cultivated leaders who blend art and leadership, from King David to the present day. We hope our youth will carry forward this legacy, shaping the Jerusalem of tomorrow with creativity and vision.”

More information at www.instagram.com/jlm_art

New winter lights festival opens at the Botanical Gardens

Last weekend, the Botanical Gardens opened “Winter Dreams,” which it says is the world’s largest light sculpture exhibition. This globally acclaimed exhibition, which has toured New York, Germany, Poland, and more, features over 50 illuminated sculptures up to five meters tall and eight meters long. Among the highlights are a dragon, unicorn, whale, and golden horse-drawn carriage, arranged along a specially designed one-kilometer path spanning 1.4 hectares.

The event, organized in partnership with European light art leader MK Illumination, also includes a festive winter market featuring culinary creations from renowned chefs such as Omer Miller and Avi Bitton. All installations are eco-friendly, emphasizing sustainability.

The exhibition will be open nightly from 5 p.m., with early-bird tickets priced at NIS 119 and regular tickets at NIS 139, available at www.botanic.co.il.

OU Israel launches new women’s hub in Jerusalem

Over 200 women gathered in Jerusalem’s Rehavia neighborhood to celebrate the grand opening of OU Israel’s new Women’s Hub. Designed to support English-speaking immigrants, the hub will host a variety of programs, such as lectures, parenting workshops, and the ATID midrasha for young women.

The event featured inspiring talks by Jen Airley, mother of fallen IDF soldier Binyamin Airley; and educator Leah Feinberg. Rabbi Avi Berman, executive director of OU Israel, said: “Our vision is for this hub to be a home and community for olot.” The hub is part of OU Israel’s broader expansion plan in Jerusalem, which includes creating community hubs in multiple neighborhoods.