Tour through Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem

Jerusalem is approximately 4,000 years old and during 3,000 years of her history as the most sacred city in Judaism there were few times when Jews were banned from her. Notably:

• after Bar-Kochaba's insurection against Romans in 135 when genocide against Jews was full blown, Jerusalem (or her remains after 66 insurection) leveled and city rebuild as Aelia Capitolina with Jews banned from entering her,
• during Byzantine era when Christianity became state's religion and anti-Semitism was official policy Jews were sometimes banned totally and sometimes allowed to enter the city only once a year for Tisha b'Av (day of mourning for destroyed temple; strangly enough both first and second temples were destroyed on the exactly the same day according to Jewish calender, the 9th day of the month of Av). There was a break in this ban during reign of Julius Apostate who was not Christian and wanted to resurrect paganism but he also allowed Jews back to Jerusalem and allowed them to rebuild the temple, before it could have been accomplished his short reign was over.
• maybe right after the first crucade when city was completly destroyed and Jews and Muslims either slained or thrown away by crusaders (but we have no adequate statistics to be sure),
• during Jordanian occupation between 1948-1967 (but that goes for the Eastern Part and Old City only as from 1950 West Jerusalem that was in Israel is capital of Israel; the Old City against international treaties and ceasefire agreement was off-limits to Jews to the extent of checking baptismal certificates of the foreigners applying for visa. 

Until very late XIX century all inhibitants were living behind walls created in XVI century by Suleiman Magnificent. Only in late XIX century overcrowded city became expansion and one of the first districts for Jews was build by sir Moses Montefiore (today it is Artist Colony, beautiful as can be). War, siege and division wounded the city. When it was united in 1967 the Jewish Quarter was in ruins, synagogues blown up, stones from ancient Jewish cementary used for pavement in army's latrines (tell the true in the place of the old Muslim cementary in Western Jerusalem 5 stars hotel was build but at least the graves and stones themselves were not defaced). It was rebuild using exactly the same stone and plans and - as was for centuries before - The Old City is divided into four quarters: Jewish, Armenian, Christian and Muslim with very distinctive character each.

There are lots of memoirs, books, documents, scetches of the Old City from different times. One of my favourites is "Forever My Jerusalem" by Puah Shteiner, but today I would like to tale you for the tour of the Jewish Quarter with me and show you my pictures with my favourite places. Will you join me?

The above is mosaic at the entrace to the Jewish Quarter from the direction of David street.

The above lot is from 4 sefardi synagogues united into one complex.

These 3 pictures are from Old Yishuv Court Museum, in Ottoman Era there were living quarters but also a small synagogue and as it was illegal when police was approaching Tora scrolls were hidden and people pretended they were playing cards.

The last two show board game from the time of II WW from Jerusalem and I have no doubts you have no problems recognising the two characters meeting their fate....

Hope you have liked it :)