Shabbos in Yerushalayim

Mishkenot Shaananim - old area of Jerusalem in the evening

Yerushalayim. Multi-faceted, like a diamond. 

The Kosel, kivrei tzaddikim, shuls, alluring alleyways, elegant boulevards. Quaint historic neighborhoods alongside modern residential buildings. Expansive green parks, the best shuk in the country, and the special air that has no compare.

Part of the beauty of Yerushalayim is the remarkable mosaic of Yidden who dwell there: Ashkenazim, Sephardim, Chassidim, Litvakim, Admorim, yeshivah bochurim. The collage of dress and customs makes for a compelling, colorful sight, and for an unforgettable experience.

All week long the city speeds along on its tracks. Until Shabbos arrives. 

Or maybe we should say, until erev Shabbos arrives. 

Wait— did we say erev Shabbos? Strike that. Rewind to Thursday night, because you can already feel Shabbos’s entrance on leil Shishi as the city gears up to wind down… As the merchants in the Machaneh Yehudah shuk receive new merchandise for Shabbos Kodesh and all shoppers from near and far converge upon the market, looking for the best produce and the best deals. 

The aroma rising from the ovens of the local bakeries fills the air in the frum neighborhoods. Challos, rolls, cakes and pastries — all with the enchanting scent of Shabbos. Stroll around and breathe in deeply. Shabbos is on the way. 

But a wafting scent hardly suffices. Be sure to make time for toameha. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it! Head into one of the many Jewish restaurants or homestyle delis. There’s nothing like a steaming bowl of cholent on Thursday night, and you’ll find an exciting mix of people sitting together and enjoying some oneg Shabbos early.

The night is long… so would you like to keep going?  The Kosel is always a good place to visit, especially on a Thursday night when the davening takes on an even more soul-stirring tone, and spontaneous kumzitzes tend to break out on the streets of the Old City.

Dawn breaks, and with it you can see chassidim and other lofty souls headed off to the mikveh and then to Shacharis, later followed by pure yingelach going off to cheder for a three-hour day. Slowly the city comes to life. 

Children return home from school, delightful aromas fill the homes, families with suitcases head out to the bus stops. A world that you can imagine, but it’s far more wonderful to experience it. 

And now it’s finally here, Shabbos Hamalka. 

The homes are bathed in light. Traffic dwindles. The powerful kedushah hovers in the air.  The frum neighborhoods put up barricades to block cars and you feel Shabbos spreading across the city. Speaking of which, if you’re coming to stay in Meah Shearim over Shabbos, make sure to arrive early. Minhag Yerushalayim is to bentch licht 40 minutes before shkiyah. So, for years, the neighborhood was closed to traffic at that time, until Sephardi chachamim, who were accustomed to bringing in Shabbos 20 minutes before Shkiya, asked to be accommodated. For that reason, the streets of Meah Shearim are now closed to traffic from 20 minutes after the siren announcing the arrival of Shabbos Hamalka. 

Kabbalas Shabbos in Yerushalayim

Joyous, leibedik tefillos alongside minyanim that are subdued yet powerful. Tefillos held in ornate shuls alongside tefillos held in simple halls, schools, and community centers. You’re sure to find at least one shul or shtiebel on every street, inviting you to step inside and continue your one-of-a-kind Yerushalmi experience. 

If you’d like, you can walk to the Kosel and join any number of minyanim that are davening Kabbalas Shabbos. Take your pick from Carlebach, yeshivish, chassidish, or Sephardi.  

Shabbos has spread its wings over the Ihr Hakodesh. The city is cloaked in extra kedushah and is an island all its own, cut off from the tumult of the week and from the rest of the world. 

There’s simply nothing like Shabbos in Yerushalayim. One Shabbos here and you’ll know why.

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