CONTENTS

• Physical Layout and Surroundings
• Commerce and Health Services
• Transportation
• Education
• Neighborhoods
• Absorption Programs

Yes, it really is possible to live in the Holy City of Jerusalem. You can live in a quiet neighborhood, or right in the middle of all the action. Wherever you do choose to live, you will be surrounded by fascinating historical sights, interesting people, and most of the amenities of any mid-sized city. From the suburban-type neighborhoods of Har Nof and Pisgat Zeev, to the almost surreal Jewish Quarter of the Old City, to the “yuppy” Katomon and Baka, to the holy/bohemian Nahlaot, Jerusalem really does have something to offer everyone.

Physical Surroundings back to top^
The first-time visitor to Jerusalem is always struck by the ascent to the city. It doesn’t matter where you’re coming from, as you approach Jerusalem, you climb. Architecturally, the city is magnificent. While each neighborhood has its own unique characteristics, much of the City is united by the façade of Jerusalem stone. The way the City’s architects have managed to blend old with new is particularly striking. Jerusalem also has a fair amount of open space, though unfortunately, the amount is steadily declining. There are public parks spread throughout the city, with well-kept gardens and attractive playgrounds for children. In the dense Jerusalem forest, located near the Har Nof and Kiryat Moshe neighborhoods, you can see the fruits of your hard work in raising money for the Jewish National Fund.

Commerce and Health Services back to top^
Every neighborhood has its mini-market, and most have a full-size supermarket nearby. In Jerusalem, you can find stores of just about every variety. There is a large, American-style, mall on the edge of the city (“Malcha”), and smaller malls and shopping centers spread throughout. Restaurants suitable for every budget, palate, and level of kashrut can be found in Jerusalem. The city has a particularly nice selection of cafes.

Kupot holim clinics are spread throughout the city, as are medical practitioners of every variety. It is quite easy to find one who speaks English. The world-famous Hadassah Hospital is located both in the Ein Kerem neighborhood and the Mount Scopus neighborhood. There are also the smaller, but impressive Sharei Tzedek and Bikkur Holim hospitals.

Transportation back to top^
Jerusalem has an extensive intra-city bus network. The buses come frequently and have routes all over the city. Transfers are available from one bus to another. Specific bus routes can be found on the Egged website (www.egged.co.il/Objects/jerusalem.pdf). Taxis are also available all over the city, and are not terribly expensive. Finally, the municipality is currently in the process of introducing a light rail system that will make transportation within the city far more pleasant. It is expected that the work on the system should be completed in 2005.

Jerusalem is definitely a place where you can live without a car. Just about everything you could need is a short walk or bus ride away. Not having a car also eliminates the need to worry about parking issues.

Education back to top^
There are private and government-funded ganim spread throughout the Jerusalem neighborhoods. Prospective residents are advised to check with neighbors about educational options. It is not uncommon for children to travel outside of their neighborhoods for the appropriate elementary or secondary school. Jerusalem is also a city with lots of higher education options. Israel’s oldest university – the Hebrew University – has two campuses in the City, and there are numerous colleges, yeshivot, and seminaries.

The Neighborhoods back to top^
We all have different levels of familiarity with Jerusalem as a city to visit for a short or extended stay, but how about as a home? Being a five minute walk from the Kotel is lovely, but thinking practically, how would it feel to be near no supermarkets? While many of your parents’ friends may have moved to Har Nof years ago, is it right for you today? Is Baka going to be affordable for you? The few sketches below attempt to paint a portrait of what it is like, on a day-to-day basis, to live in one of these Jerusalem neighborhoods.

Katamon/Baka

Katamon and Baka are tremendously popular neighborhoods for Anglo olim, particularly singles and “young marrieds,” and particularly those who fit into the “Religious-Zionist” spectrum. The institutions in the neighborhoods are well-suited for the residents. Many Anglo olim begin their klita in Ulpan Etzion, located on a lovely campus in the heart of Baka. (Information on Ulpan Etzion can be found on the Jewish Agency website at www.jafi.org.il/aliyah/abscenters/abscentlist/ulpanetzion/index.asp.) Yakar, Yedidya, Shira Hadasha, the “Late Minyan,” and Matan are dynamic religious institutions that have a large following among Anglo olim in Baka and Katamon, and in fact throughout the Jerusalem area.

Aesthetically and historically, Katamon and Baka have much to offer. In addition to some more “institutional looking buildings,” both neighborhoods are also adorned with beautiful Arab buildings from the early part of the 20th Century. Before 1948, Katamon was the seat of the Arab headquarters in Jerusalem. After a five-month-battle, the Palmach liberated the neighborhood and repopulated it. Between 1948 and 1967 (before the reunification of Jerusalem), Katamon was a border neighborhood. It was officially named “Gonen,” meaning “defends,” but the name never actually caught on. The streets testify to the neighborhood’s rich history, with names like “Ha-Palmach” and HaShayarot.”

Katamon and Baka are probably among the most socially-oriented neighborhoods in Jerusalem. Residents report frequent parties, communal Shabbat meals, and lots of “hanging-out” on the main drag, Emek Rafaim. Apartments can be rather pricy, particularly if you are planning on living alone. A small studio rents for about $450, while a larger 2 bedroom will cost about $800-$1000 per month. Lots of the singles in the area live with roommates. It helps keeps costs down, and can also help with social integration.

Part of the neighborhoods’ attraction is its easy access to transportation and proximity to the center of the City. Numerous bus routes go through Katamon and Baka, and taxis are easy to find. The main downtown district is also only a lovely 15 minute stroll. But nearly all ones needs – restaurants, stores, synagogues, educational institutions – can be found only a couple of minutes away in Baka, Katamon, or one of the adjoining neighborhoods. A word or two should be mentioned about the German Colony, a neighborhood adjoining Baka. It is a delightful, picturesque neighborhood, with some of the priciest real estate in the City. If you can, live there. If you can’t, at least visit and consider living in Katamon or another nearby neighborhood with more affordable housing.

Har Nof

From its name (“Mount View”), you might have expected that Har Nof would come with a view. It is located in northwestern Jerusalem, on a steep hill overlooking the Jerusalem forest. Har Nof’s population is about 65 percent Haredi, and 35 percent Religious-Zionist. The Haredi community is growing rapidly, with more young families moving in all the time. The few Religious Zionists that have settled in Har Nof in recent years are, for the most part, retirees. The average age among Anglos is in the mid-forties. There are three vibrant Religious-Zionist synagogues (2 heavily Anglo), and over a hundred other shuls and shtieble. For many years, Har Nof has been a popular destination for North American olim. More Israelis have moved in recently, bringing the native Israeli-Anglo ratio to about 50/50. In addition to the view, they are attracted by the neighborhood’s English-language culture, its close community feeling, the religious institutions, and the proximity to the commercial center of Givat Shaul.

Har Nof residents find that their neighborhood provides just about everything they need. There are good schools, both for the Religious-Zionist and Haredi sectors. There is a large supermarket in Har Nof and a large discount supermarket just outside the neighborhood. Both stores provide a wide range of American products and offer free delivery. There is also no shortage of mini-markets and produce stores in the neighborhood. Givat Shaul, the neighborhood located just south of Har Nof, is a major commercial and industrial center. It has stores of every kind and numerous restaurants.

Although many Har Nof residents do have cars, it is certainly possible to get by without one. Most locations in Jerusalem are only one bus ride away from Har Nof. Residents can take a bus to the center of the City, the Kotel, Mea Shaarim, and most other areas in Jerusalem. Neighborhood residents work all over Jerusalem and a fair number even travel to Tel Aviv. Easy access to the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway makes for a reasonable commute. There are also a fair number of men who learn in one of the many kollels located in the neighborhood.

Perspective residents should be aware that Har Nof is not an inexpensive place to live. Nearly all of the apartment buildings are high-rise, by Jerusalem standards. This means that they are generally around seven stories tall. A four room apartment will sell for over $250,000 and rent for about $750. Arnona (roughly equivalent to property tax) is also quite high in Har Nof. There are apartments available, for both rental and purchase, but larger ones (over 120 meters) are very difficult to find.

more on Har nof click here

Old City

Yes, the people you see when touring the Jewish Quarter (Rova) of the Old City, those who are chasing their kids around the fountain, hanging their laundry on the balconies, and buying (overpriced) produce at the grocery store, really do live there. They are not actors participating in the kind of historical reconstruction you find in Williamsburg, Virginia. And the vast majority of those residents view themselves as among the most privileged people in the world, to be living in an area of such deep religious and historical significance.

So, who are the people who actually live there? They really are a diverse lot. About 30-40 percent are Anglos. A fair number are immigrants from France and other European countries. There are secular Zionists, Religious Zionists, and religious people who are not particularly Zionist. The secular and Religious Zionist residents of the neighborhood tend to be in their 40s-50s, with older children. They work in a variety of professions, including business, education, law, medicine, and the like. The vast majority of younger residents in the neighborhood are kollel families, involved with one or more of the numerous Torah institutions located there. Residents freely admit that theirs is not a “normal neighborhood.” There are the “Wall-nuts,” the artist-eccentric types, and all other types, but the vast majority are simply raising their families in what they consider the best possible environment.

People in the Old City really do (or can) live a normal life. There are playgrounds, but children do not limit themselves to them. They also play among the archeological ruins located throughout the city. For the Rova kids, their neighborhood’s history has a deep impact on their lives. Like most neighborhoods, the Rova has a community center, a public library, numerous schools, and an almost unlimited number of learning opportunities for men and women. It should be mentioned that the Rova’s elementary school options are particularly good, in fact, one of its schools is so highly regarded that most of its students come from outside of the neighborhood.

Not only is it possible to live in the Old City without a car, it is actually preferable. Parking is extremely difficult, and what parking is available is not very close to most people’s homes. Around half of the residents own cars. The rest depend on public transportation to get to work, entertainment and shopping. There is a nearby supermarket, accessible via the 38 bus, which delivers to the Rova. In a crunch most staples can be found in the Old City, but residents prefer to shop at a supermarket.

Housing in th16.01.08be a great deal – for the owners that is. A small two bedroom apartment will rent for about $1000-1200 per month. New tenants in the Rova who may come from Manhattan, Toronto, or L.A., see it as a bargain, but their Israeli neighbors don’t quite know how they can pay such a sum. Homes are available for purchase and can range in price from $250,000 to well over $1 million. Prices depend, of course, on the size of the apartment, but also on other factors, like the view, and proximity to the Kotel. Residents would love to see more people come to settle in the Rova and buy homes. The many renters, some of whom are there to learn for a few years, make for a certain lack of stability in the neighborhood. More homeowners generally mean that more people are invested in the neighborhood and contribute to it.

Absorption back to top^
Absorption of olim is simply different in a city from what you would find in a yishuv, or other small settlement. It is easier for people to get lost. However, in each of the neighborhoods profiled above, and in numerous other neighborhoods throughout the City, the more established residents do their best to ensure that new immigrants do not fall through the cracks. Much of the support network centers around local synagogues and community centers.

One of the positive aspects to absorption in Jerusalem is the easy access to the absorption ministry, other government offices, ulpan classes, job counseling and training, and other support services. The Jewish Agency also assists in the absorption of olim in Jerusalem. More information about Jerusalem in general, and the Jewish Agency’s Jerusalem absorption programs can be found at www.jafi.org.il/aliyah/english/article.aspx?id=174.

* Panoramic photograph of Jerusalem is courtesy Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.