Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Local Christians like to believe that even if God is everywhere, all prayers go through
Jerusalem (as if it's a cell-phone tower), and the Holy Spirit comes down to us via Jer-
usalem. One local joked that the Vatican has a golden phone with a direct connection to
God, but the toll is $1,000. Meanwhile, the golden phone offering the same service in Jer-
usalem only costs 25 cents. Why? “It's a local call.”
Radiating out from Temple Mount is Jerusalem's Old City, divided into four quarters.
The Jewish Quarter springs from the Western Wall. The Muslim Quarter faces the Dome
of the Rock. And north of the Armenian Quarter, the Christian Quarter surrounds the
Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The Old City is fraught with endless little games of inter-
faith one-upmanship. For example, in the Muslim Quarter, the volume of call to prayer is
turned up high…just to annoy the Jews.
The Jewish Quarter is more orderly and modern than the others. Much of this area
was destroyed in the 1948 fighting, or during the ensuing period of Jordanian occupation.
After the Israelis took control of Jerusalem in 1967, they rebuilt this quarter. Today, when
you see new stones, you're probably in the Jewish Quarter. While it's not convenient or
economical to live in this medieval tangle, devout Jews find great joy in raising their fam-
ilies so close to Temple Mount.
Ultra-Orthodox: Every Religion's Got 'Em
Roughly 8 percent of Israeli Jews are ultra-Orthodox—very religious and living
lives that require them to be apart in many ways. Entire districts of Jerusalem are
known as ultra-Orthodox, including the fascinating quarter called Mea She'arim. I
stopped by for a visit on a Friday, and found the place bustling. Since its population
takes the Shabbat (holy day of rest on Saturday) very seriously, Friday is the day
when everyone is preparing.
The diversity of Israel—a nation made up mostly of Jewish immigrants from
around the globe—shows itself in the way people dress and wear their hair. This
is especially evident in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. Most people in Mea
She'arim dress very conservatively. Women's stores have a huge selection of wigs,
hats, and scarves, because after marriage, Orthodox women must cover their hair
in public. And yet, there's a surprising degree of variety within these narrow con-
straints.
Simply people-watching comes with fun cultural insights. As I sat with my loc-
al friend at a café and surveyed the scene, he offered a running commentary: “The
yarmulke is a constant reminder that God is always above us. The ear locks are be-
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