JERUSALEM

 Jerusalem is a city with over 4000 years of history. The main places of interest are: the Old City surrounded by centuries old walls, the Temple Mount - the site of the First and Second Temples and today - site of the (Gold) Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aksa Mosque, the (Wailing) Western Wall, the Western Wall Tunnels, the Mount of Olives, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - site of Jesus Crucification and Burial, the City of David - where Jerusalem began, Ein- Kerem - birthplace of St. John the Baptist, the museums complex and the National compound - site of the Israel Parliament (Knesset), Supreme Court & Government offices, the German (Templars) Colony, Mount Scopus - home of the famed Hebrew University, Prophets St., Mea Shearim ultra orthodox neighbourhood, Yad VaShem Holocaust Memorial, the Haas, Sherover & Goldman Promenades, the Mahane Yehudah open air market. And many more attractions, synagogues, churches, parks, archaeological sites, historical buildings, arts & culture institutions as well as tourist places.

Distances Approx. (to other cities, airports, etc.):

Major sites, such as the Dead Sea and Massada, are 1 to 1 1/2 hour drive from Jerusalem. Tel- Aviv is 50 minutes to 1 hour from Jerusalem and Eilat about 3 1/2 to 4 hours away. The Galilee is also 3 to 4 hours away, and Ben Gurion International Airport is just 35 minutes west of the city.

Geography, Climate, etc.:
Jerusalem is a mountainous area, 700 to 1000 meters above the sea level.  The weather: Spring & Summer (April - September): Jerusalem is warm/hot and sunny. It usually doesn't rain during this time of the year anywhere in Israel. Evenings are normally warm but can become chilly at times.  Fall & Winter (October- March): Jerusalem gets much colder and rainy, but there are still many sunny days. There are a few special days a year when the city gets covered in a white and pure blanket of snow.

Shopping:
The main shopping areas are the malls (Malha, Talpiot, Giv'at Shaul & more) and the city centre. Jerusalem’s nightlife is concentrated in a number of popular areas such as Nahalat Shiv'ah, Shlomtsion HaMalkah St., the Russian Compound, Talpiot Industrial Zone, Ein Kerem, the Old Train Station area as well as the city centre amongst others.

Festivals:
"Israel Festival, Jerusalem" (May-June), "Jerusalem Day Events" (May), "The International Jazz Festival" (June), "The Wine Festival" (July), "The International Film Festival Cinematheque" (July), "The Jerusalem Outdoor Summer Events" (June-August), "Art & Pasta Festival" (August), "The beer Festival" (August), "The Jerusalem Intenational Marathon" (March), "Events in the Sultan's Pool" (May-September), "The International Arts & Crafts Fair" (August), "The International Festival of Puppet Theaters" (August), "The International Festival of Chamber Music" (September), "Jerusalem March" (October), "The International Oud Festival" (November), "The Jewish Film Festival" (December), "Long Nights - Hot Winter in Jerusalem" (December).