This Sunday, we will celebrate the 49th Jerusalem Day, and this is a great time to go out and discover what's new in our capital city. Over the last few months, despite the troubling security situation, a number of tourist sites have been launched, which I will discuss further below. And of course, Jerusalem is abounding with activities and sites that will be open for the holiday. In my opinion, the best way to celebrate Jerusalem Day is to spend the day in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. The Jewish Quarter, with its narrow alleyways that are filled with visitors on holidays, is one of my favorite places in the Old City. A number of light cosmetic changes have been made lately, such as the newly enlarged Madaba Map mosaic in the Cardo, the street that was lined with two rows of columns that began at what is now Damascus Gate and went all the way through the city toward what is now Zion Gate. Today, a small portion of this street is visible, and the old mosaic map on the floor has been replaced with a larger one that also shows Bethlehem, the Eila Valley and other areas around Jerusalem. Aside from the cosmetic changes, there have also been a number of recent discoveries related to King Hezekiah, which you can see at the Davidson Center Archeological Park. For example, a 2,700-year-old royal seal that reads “Hezekiah son of Ahaz, king of Judah” was discovered by chance. This ceramic seal that was found at an excavation site near the Temple Mount is more proof that Jews lived in Jerusalem thousands of years ago. The Broad Wall And if we're already talking about proof that the Jewish people lived in the Land of Israel during King Hezekiah's reign (8th Century BCE), then I recommend going to see remnants of the Broad Wall. The uncovered stones, located in the courtyard next to the Hurva Synagogue, can be viewed free of charge and at any time of day. For years, Bible scholars debated how large ancient Jerusalem was and proponents of the theory that the city was not much larger than it had been in King Solomon's day were discredited when the Broad Wall was discovered in the 1970s. The Broad Wall, which is 7.5-meters thick and 65-meters long, was built by Hezekiah in preparation of the siege laid by the Assyrian Sennacherib. I am Jerusalem Many tourists flock to Mamilla to shop at the high-end, stylish stores, but what many people don't know of is an interesting new tourist attraction, “I am Jerusalem,” a 25-minute, artistic multimedia performance that takes you on a multisensory experience through the different layers of Jerusalem. This new attraction was designed to illustrate how the city holds great significance for everyone, no matter if you're Jewish, Muslim or Christian, or whether you live here or just happen to be passing through. I am Jerusalem is a time capsule that takes visitors on a journey of sights, sounds and scents in the Jerusalem of yesterday, today and tomorrow. The film shows that everyone can connect to Jerusalem in her or his own way, and includes animation of historical scenes, authentic video of modern events, including a ride on the light rail that passes by the city center and Mahaneh Yehuda shuk. The film ends with a peek into the future of the city. Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday, from one hour after Shabbat until 11 p.m. Price: NIS 64 Details: 02-583-5580 The Museum of Jewish Music Another incredible place that recently opened is the Museum of Jewish Music, which was created by musician Eldad Levy and businessman Laurent Levy. The goal of the museum is to introduce the community to a diversity of musical culture. Located in a renovated building in the heart of a new project called Kikar Hamusica on Yoel Solomon Street, the museum is divided into seven sections, each of which focuses on a different geographic region and its impact on Jewish music culture. In just a few steps, you can move from Morocco to the Balkans, from Eastern Europe to Central Asia, from Egypt to Syria and Iraq, and then all the way to India. At the museum you will encounter ancient musical instruments and rare items connected to the world of music. Each guest receives a tablet at the entrance to the museum to use as a guide to learn about the exhibits and hear what each of the instruments sounds like. Kids will love Saba Levy, a 3D animated character they can watch on the tablet as he explains all the different places where Jews have lived throughout history. Some of the rooms contain interactive games. The highlight of the visit is definitely being able to wear the virtual reality glasses and then take a musical journey through the Holy Temple. Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Price: NIS 25-30 Details: 02-540-6505 Location: 10 Yoel Solomon, Nahalat Shiva, Jerusalem Spiritual and physical fulfillment After such a busy day, you're probably starving. But,don't worry – a number of young talented chefs have decided to set their sights on Jerusalem, and a number of restaurants have opened recently in the capital. Michael Katz, the chef at Aluma, a kosher restaurant that recently opened at the Crowne Plaza, studied three years at the Cordon Bleu cooking school and was previously the head chef at Adom and Trattoria Haba in the capital. Aluma offers classic European cuisine, with a touch of modern Israeli cuisine. Some of their best dishes include Bouillabaisse fish stew, pickled sardines, beef carpaccio, hot sabih salad, and pastry-wrapped salmon. Located at Ha'aliya 1, Jerusalem Translated by Hannah Hochner.
'Street art' on Yoel Moshe Salomon Street in the center of Jerusalem(photo credit: MEITAL SHARABI)