The annual Festival of Light in the Old City of Jerusalem will be taking place between June 6-14, and will be once again adding a stunning and dramatic dimension to the amazing Old City walls and alleyways.

If you enjoyed the Old City before, then head on over to this unique Light Festival to see this amazing place in a new light, quite literally!

The action takes place throughout the Old City, but a typically good starting point is Jaffa Gate, where much of the action kicks off. Events will start at 20:00 each night and shut down at 24:00 (Friday June 9th the festival will not be open).

This annual festival brings the world’s best light sculptors to the Old City. As well as some of their amazing works on display throughout the Old City, there is also a special daily opera production of Verdi’s La Traviata, held at Zedekiah’s Cave. In addition, the famous dance troupe Mayumana will also be performing at least two shows daily throughout the festival (there is an entrance fee, call 02-6237000 for details). For more details about the festival, see the official site: lightinjerusalem.org.il.

For a taste of what to expect at this amazing festival…

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Old City interests many people for many different reasons. But with so many amazing sites within the walls of the Old City, including the Western “Wailing” Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Dome of the Rock, whatever you’re looking for you’re bound to find something that will not only interest you, but may well knock your socks off!

Take it from us, we’ve been to the Old City a number of times, and the adrenalin rush upon entering Jaffa Gate and the seemingly never-ending twists and turns of the alleys and side streets always leave us wanting to stay longer…

Old City, Jerusalem (taken from the Tower of David)

A quick Old City history lesson

The Old City might be less than 1 kilometer squared, but this amazing walled city was actually the whole of Jerusalem until 1860, when the first neighborhood beyond the walls was built. Hard to believe today when you look at the size of the modern city of Jerusalem…

The core of the Old City of Jerusalem has a history that is believed to go back more than 3,000 years, while the great walls that encase the Old City were first built in 1538 by Suileman the Magnificent. Up until 1948 and the Israeli War of Independence, Jews could live here, but following the war they were evicted as Jordan occupied the area. It wasn’t until after the Six Day War in 1967 that Jews could once again live and work in the Old City.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Old City of Jerusalem is one of the most fought over cities ever  in human history.

The Four Quarters of the Old City, Jerusalem

The Old City of Jerusalem is divided in many ways politically, but there are four different quarters that divide the city culturally, religiously and even historically:

• The Christian Quarter
• The Jewish Quarter
• The Muslim Quarter
• The Armenian Quarter

Each of the four quarters is unique in its own way, providing a sense of history along with its own religious beliefs.  There are many different areas to visit, it’s just a matter of knowing whether you want to just visit the main historical sites or if you’re keen to delve further and explore the nooks and crannies of each of the different quarters…

The Christian Quarter

The Christian Quarter of the Old City is probably the first most tourists come across, as many tourists head into the Old City from Jaffa Gate, which is the closest entrance point for many staying in Jerusalem hotels.  Also just inside Jaffa Gate is the majestic Tower of David, a highly recommended stopover (officially part of the Armenian Quarter, see below).

After heading down David Street, one of the Old City’s main market streets, head left down HaNotsrim for the Church of St. John The Baptist, a popular starting point for Christian tourists. Then continue down HaNotsrim and take a right down Saint Helena. On your left is the amazing Church of the Sepulcher (read our full guide to this amazing site here), the site where it is believed Jesus was crucified and then buried.

There are a number of different Christian groups that keep and maintain the Christian Quarter. But there are arguments about who really should be taking care of what portion of the Quarter, which shows the squabbling is no different than anywhere else around the world.

The Jewish Quarter

For those who want to see what the Jewish day to day life in the Old City is like, then walking through the Jewish Quarter will do the job. The immediate impression you’ll get is it’s a lot quieter and cleaner than other parts of the Old City. You will see people walking about, but many of the small streets aren’t really for visiting.

The Western Wall, known as HaKotel in Hebrew, is the place to really take in more about the Jewish faith (read more about the ultimate site in the Old City here). This monumental wall is where you can leave prayers between the cracks, and is amazingly powerful and intense. Be aware that there are separate sections for men and women.  The Cardo, an excavated and partially reconstructed section of the Jerusalem main thoroughfare in the Byzantine era, is another part of the Jewish Quarter that can provide you with an insight into the history of the Old City.

The Jewish Quarter gives you a real glimpse into the heart of Jewish life in the Old City.

The Muslim Quarter

The Muslim Quarter is similar to the Jewish Quarter in that it has narrow alleys, but the streets are a lot busier. There’s definitely a sense of activity and a busy market atmosphere in many of the streets.

One of the sites that Muslims will head for is the Dome of the Rock, which is part of the Noble Sanctuary, home to the Foundation Stone which is sacred to Muslims, Jews, and Christians (but non-Muslims are prohibited from entering this area during Fridays and prayer times).  This is where Muslims believe that Muhammad ascended into Heaven, accompanied by Gabriel. Another important site is the Monastery of the Flagellation, where it has been said that Christ was flogged by the Roman soldiers prior to His crucifixion and is the first point on the famous Via Dolorosa, the first of the 14 Stations of the Cross.

The Muslim Quarter happens to be the largest of the four quarters. You might also be surprised to know, considering the ever-present tensions in the area, that there are Jewish families that reside in this quarter.

The Armenian Quarter

The Armenian Quarter is the smallest of all the quarters. It has more of an ancient feel to it because of its compact size and number of people who are part of this quarter, and it runs itself like a city within a city.

The standout site to see is the amazing Citadel, known as the Tower of David. This is one of our favorite spots in the Old City, and well worth checking out (read our full guide here – and you might want to check out the impressive Night Spectacular Show too!). There is also the Armenian Museum and St. James Cathedral (one of the most beautiful of all the sacred old buildings in the Old City), two sites of interest for many Old City visitors.

Map of the Old City, Jerusalem

Heading off to Jerusalem, the annual Musrara Mix Festival (now in its 12th year!) is another great festival not to miss! Taking place over three evenings between the 22-24 May, the Musrara Mix Festival is an awesome festival of creativity and underground culture, and features artists from abroad and local Israeli talent.

The Musrara Nagar School of Photography, Media and New Music is the main source of creativity for this festival; the school is actually part of a UNESCO network of cultural programs for digital arts, and is one of Israel’s most innovative artistic centers. The festival provides a stage to examine the social periphery and border-line environment of Jerusalem’s Musrara neighborhood (next to the Old City), where the Musrara School is located and the festival takes place.

What can you see at the Musrara Mix Festival? Well, the festival is renowned for its combining of music, video art, dance, photography exhibitions, installations and seminars, so plenty of good stuff to check out, see the clip below for a taste of what went down last year!

For more information, see the official festival website: musraramixfest.org.il

Click here to view the embedded video.

The three week Festival brings music, dance, and theater to the masses in a range of top Jerusalem cultural hotspots (such as the Jerusalem Theater, the Henry Crown Concert Hall, and the Mount Scopus Ampitheater). It also always has a mix of top local and celebrated international artists taking part.

Those attending the Israel Festival get to enjoy some truly amazing culture, and there are usually a number of awesome FREE events to catch (including premieres of Israeli pieces and tributes to local talent, street shows and performances, some sublime evening jazz, and kid’s shows).

The 2012 Israel Festival runs from May 24 to June 14.
Refer to the official website for further details.

The Festival is a long-standing cultural event in the Holy Land and eagerly anticipated: the first ever Israel Festival took place back in 1961 in Caesarea, before being adopted by Jerusalem in 1982. Ever since, the majority of Festival events have taken place in the capital.

The festival’s goal is to “promote artistic encounters crossing all political and national boundaries, to encourage collaborations between Israeli artists and their colleagues from abroad, and to introduce the public to emerging forms of art.” We think it does a mighty fine job of doing just that…

Here’s a little bit of what you can expect…as you can see, this festival is one to definitely catch!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Just click around in the image below, or use the navigational arrows in the top left corner to turn around. For more about this amazing site, see our guide to the ultimate destination in Jerusalem.

As Jesus was a Jew, the famous Last Supper was actually his Passover meal. So therefore not too surprising that the Jewish Passover holiday corresponds with the Christian Easter, which commemorates the Resurrection following the Crucifixion.

This year, the Christian Holy Week celebrations start on April 1 with Palm Sunday. On Palm Sunday thousands of Christian pilgrims climb Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives (read our full guide to the Mount of Olives here), in a re-enactment of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.

The next important milestone in Holy Week is Good Friday (on April 6), which marks Jesus’ journey up to Golgotha to be crucified. The streets and alleys of the Old City in Jerusalem are likely to be crammed full, so get there early if you want to witness one of the most amazing sights in religion, with thousands of pilgrims following Jesus’ same path down the Via Dolorosa, many holding crosses in spiritual support of their Lord. For more info on Good Friday in the Old City, and some great videos, click here.

The next day is Holy Saturday (April 7), and thousands of Christian pilgrims typically gather in the Old City of Jerusalem at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (read our full guide to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre here). Here you can also witness the amazing annual miracle of the Holy Fire (read more here).

For full details of the official events of Holy Week, see the Christian Information Center website.

Here’s a great video looking at some of the pilgrims and Holy Week events in the Old City…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Of course, once Easter celebrations are over, there are still many amazing Christian sites to see in the Holy Land!

A very happy Holy Week – and Happy Easter – to all!

When I heard that top Chinese ice sculptors had been brought in to ‘recreate’ a mini Jerusalem and other related pieces, I must admit, I was curious. Having seen some exquisitely intricate ice sculpting in the past, I was skeptical (Jerusalem not being known for its ice artistry) but excited….. and not disappointed.

Anticipation rises as you don your extra thermal coat at the entrance and as they doors swing open, the obligatory ‘oh wows’ ensue.

Entering through ‘Ice’ Jaffa gate all seems somewhat normal as, essentially, one is walking through the Old City walls, only… it’s in ice… and it’s COLD!! Quickly forgetting the temperature shock the journey through ‘ice Jerusalem’ begins…

By clever design and arrangement, the installations build anticipation on every turn. Walking through ice arches of the old city and the city of David, you’re then transported on an adventure through Noah’s ark complete with magnificent Rainbow centerpiece.

I, for one, had never seen COLORED Ice sculptures before, certainly brings it all to life.

Then you start getting cold – hence not recommended for little kids. Having said that, the place is simply a veritable playground for big kids!! Especially when we found the slides – see the pic below!

Other touches of recognizable Jerusalem icons include the ‘ice Mifletzet’ (the Ice Monster) and the Jerusalem Light Railway, but we were much more interested in a quick ‘warm me up’ shot at the ice bar…

An hour or so is just enough time at the exhibition itself (fingers frozen from taking pictures) but had I arrived earlier, I would have liked to have had a spin on the ice rink also situated on the site. This might be an option for the younger generation, although is only offered for ages 7 and up.

All in all, very fun evening out, a little bit pricey I have to say, but definitely a fun outing over the Passover Holidays (also makes a good date).
Jerusalem Ice Festival is open till April 30th – for more information on timings and costs check out our last article here.

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Guest post by Ruth

Pictures courtesy of Danielle!

But I doubt it gets more picturesque than this, with the snow falling on some men praying at the Western Wall. Awesome capture!

The picture was posted on the Spirit of Israel Facebook page, but we don’t know who actually took the pic…we’ll gladly credit the source!

You can catch more Jerusalem pictures here and on our Facebook page (much more), and if you’re looking for some more snowy Israel images, check out our North of Israel album!

Oh yes, an Ice Festival, in Jerusalem!

From 6th March right through to the 30th April 2012, this amazing festival means you’ll be able to ice-skate, ice-slide, and even drink at the ice-bar!

The festival will happen at the city’s old train station compound and will include an awesome display of legendary Jerusalem attractions sculptured in ice, including the Israel Museum’s famous Shrine of the Book, the Tower of David and the new tourist attraction in town, the Jerusalem Light Rail. The sculptures will be created by a team of famed Chinese ice sculptors (the Chinese have one of the most amazing ice festivals in the world, held annually at Harbin).

There’s no need to worry about the oncoming heat (yes, April can often be pretty warm!) because the festival will be housed in a huge tent built specially for the festival. Temperatures will be down to -10 degrees Celsius to keep all those icy goodies frozen.

For tickets and more information about specific event times, contact Bimot: www.bimot.co.il (Hebrew only) (Tel: 02-6237000). This is expected to be a hugely popular event in Jerusalem, so get your tickets now!

Recommended for children aged 3+. If your kids want to ice-skate, they’ll have to be at least aged 7, or a minimum shoe size of 30.

Hours: 10am-10pm Sun-Thurs, Friday till 1:45pm and Saturday 7pm-10pm
Price: 65 shekels (if you’re a Jerusalem resident, ask for the locals discount!), ice-skating tickets are extra and cost 45 shekels for 30 minutes of skating.

And here’s just a wee glimpse of preparations for the Jerusalem Ice Festival…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Some 1000 runners are expected, with some 600 believed to be running the full 42km. Most are coming from the United States, the UK, France, Italy and Germany, but there’s a truly international flavor with entrants also from Indonesia, Trinidad and Tobago, Singapore, China, Brazil, Argentina and Peru.

If you still haven’t registered, be aware that early registration (meaning a reduced fee) remains open until January 15^th.

The Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA), working together with the Tourism Ministry and EL AL, has created a tourist package for both domestic and foreign participants and their families.  The package includes discounts and promotions for hotels, restaurants, museums and leading Jerusalem attractions.

Ilanit Melchior, JDA Tourism Director had this to say:

Last year we welcomed over 1000 runners from 40 different countries; we are looking forward to once again showcasing Jerusalem as not only a place for pilgrimage, but as a tourism destination overflowing with sporting, cultural, family and nightlife attractions.  This is a unique opportunity – a marathon that truly touches the mind, body and soul.

And runners pound the streets for a good cause: several charities are set to benefit from the event, with organizations such as the Israel Cancer Society, Shalva, and Zichron Menachem set to be represented, and interest from many more.

For further details on registration and the route, visit www.jerusalem-marathon.com.

From Sunday to Wednesday 25-28th December (from 10:30 to 16:00) you’ll be able to step back in time to the Hasmonean period in Jerusalem’s history at the impressive Tower of David Museum. Characters from the period will meet you at the door and accompany you on an interactive guided tour of the citadel.

Along the way, you’ll meet a pilgrim at the top of the Phasael Tower overlooking Jerusalem, new and old; examine the Hasmonean wall that stretches out into the courtyard of the citadel; discover the ballista catapult stones from the time period that were excavated next to the walls of the citadel; enter the moat that will be open during Hanukkah and there participants will receive training in catapult throwing! The guided tour ends with a meeting with Miriam the Hasmonean (the second wife of Herod renowned for her beauty).

There’s also a Children’s Story Hour with Guy Alon as he tells stories and legends of light, magic and miracles, in Hebrew, plus Arts and Crafts workshops.

Prices: Child – 35 shekels, Adult – 25 shekels.
Prices include entrance to the Museum and the permanent exhibition of the history of Jerusalem.

Recommended highly for families with kids aged between 5-10.

For more info call 02-6265333 or *2884.

Click here for more great Hanukkah activities for all the family!

These Night Runs have become very popular, and the Jerusalem Night Run promises to be another one for runners to get their running shoes all polished up for!

And what’s not to like about a Jerusalem Night Run, as you pound round the walls of the Old City in the cool Jerusalem air, lights a-glowing and amazing ancient history just a step away…

The Night Run will take place on 12th December at 20:00 and is a competitive race over 10km. But of course, those just doing it for the fun are more likely to outnumber the professionals. The Night Run is also a great chance for those taking part in the Jerusalem Marathon on March 16 2012 to get in some practice.

The Jerusalem Night Run is being organized by the guys behind the Israel Marathon and the sports department of the Jerusalem Municipality.

Register here.

Jerusalem is certainly the place to be in December – all through the month its Hamshushalayim, and is a must-see for those celebrating Christmas (AND it’s just 10km from Bethlehem…)