Visiting Jerusalem And Tel Aviv, A Tale Of Israel's Two Cities

Forbes

13-05-2025

Citadel and Tower of David (founded in 2nd century BC), Old City of Jerusalem (UNESCO World Heritage ... More List, 1981), Israel. (Photo)
Peace is in the air, and tourists may soon return to Israel, a small country with a lot to see and do. For most visitors, their stay in Israel will be a tale of two cities, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Visitors should see and experience both. An efficient train system and buses connect the cites with just an hour's travel time, at a cost of less than ten US dollars each way. Taxis, shared rides, and, for the bold, rental cars are also available.
Jerusalem is one of the world's oldest and most historic cities. The city of King David dates back more than 3500 years. Although there has been a Jewish presence throughout, rulers of Jerusalem include the Canaanites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantine Christians, the Muslim Caliphate, the Mamluks, the Ottoman Empire, the British, and since 1948, the state of Israel.
Jewish, Muslim and Christian history all converge in Jerusalem. The Temple Mount, also known as Mount Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to bring his son Isacc as a sacrifice, is believed to be the site of the Jewish Second Temple. The area around the Western or Wailing Wall near where the Temple stood is now a sacred Jewish site known as the Kotel. The site is adjacent to the beautiful Dome of the Rock, which according to Muslims, is the spot from which the Prophet Muhammad was taken up into heaven.
The Old City of Jerusalem also home to the Via Dolorosa, the path that Jesus is said to have walked on the way to his crucifixion. The Garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives, is where Jesus prayed before the crucifixion. The Mount of Olives itself is home to many historic churches and a large, historic graveyard, which locals call the most expensive property in Jerusalem.
Nearby is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Many believe this is the most significant Christian site, as it is said to be the location of Jesus' crucifixion and burial. Also within the walled city are the reputed site of the Last Supper and the tomb of King David. Many of these sites are within walking distance of each other, making it easy to explore.
Light seeping from the dome oculus hits the altar, set up in front of the Edicule, traditionally ... More believed to be the burial site of Jesus Christ, prior to mass on Easter Sunday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on April 4, 2021. (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)
The history of the city is shown through artifacts and amazing animation at the updated Tower of David. A light show showing the city's history is also available in the evenings. The iconic tower is now accessible by elevator until the very last floor. Another museum, the City of David, shows the archeological history of the city, including what may be David's palace and the drainage system where Jewish survivors took refuge from the conquering Romans.
Much of Jerusalem's story is immediately apparent to visitors through its walls and towers. Iconic structures like the Western Wall and the walls of the Old City are built with Jerusalem stone, locally quarried limestone with a golden hue.
Even the newer buildings look classic, thanks to a Jerusalem stone regulation imposed by the British as part of a master plan to maintain the city's aesthetic character. Whether new construction or renovation, regulations mandate the use of Jerusalem stone on the exterior of all buildings. The thick blocks of limestone provide some protection from the city's summer heat. The blocks of stone may also have limited damage caused by shelling during Israel's War of Independence in 1948 and the fighting in the Six Day War of 1967.
Tel Aviv, on the other hand, is a new city. Its inhabitants often seem dedicated to enjoying life, without the pressing weight of history and religion. It is also Israel's business center and home to many.
Tel Aviv was founded on April 11, 1909, on sand dunes north of the port city of Jaffa along the Mediterranean coast. Its long beachfront attracts millions of visitors each year, whether they come to bike, soak up the rays, play the Israeli paddle ball game called matkal, or even surf or parasail.
Israelis hang out on Tel Aviv's beach on May 16, 2021 (Photo by)
The city is home to many European-style cafes and pubs, as well as innovative and outstanding new restaurants driven by a new generation of chefs. Cafes like those on Nahalat Binyamin street stay open late into the night as people comfortably socialize outdoors. Tel Aviv has also been called the 'LGBT Capital of the Middle East' for its tolerance and nightlife.
Tel Aviv also boasts many concerts, clubs, theaters, bookstores and museums like the newly revamped ANU, or Museum of the Jewish People. The museum, located on the campus of Tel Aviv University, tells the story of the Jews, including the various diasporas from Israel to the lands of the Middle East and Europe, with text, illustrations, photos, music and video. The models of synagogues around the world, from the wooden shuls of Eastern Europe to the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Elkins Park temple outside Philadelphia, are particularly unique.
The architectures of Tel Aviv range from 770-foot skyscrapers like the Azrieli Sarova Tower to low-slung non-descript two story buildings.
Tel Aviv also has one of the largest collections of Bauhaus buildings. Bauhaus, developed by Walter Gropius and associates in Germany in 1919, called for minimalist design and clean lines. Hitler, suspicious of modern art and design he called 'cultural Bolshevikism,' closed the Bauhaus school in 1933.
However, for the development of a new city like Tel Aviv, the timing was perfect as Jewish architects influenced by Bauhaus migrated there. Many prominent Bauhaus buildings appeared in the 1930's and 1940's in Tel Aviv. Forbes wrote 'the so-called 'White City', where a considerable number of these bright-white apartment blocks are located, was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.' The Bauhaus Center Tel Aviv offers self-guided tours and a history of the movement in Tel Aviv.
A house in the typical Bauhaus style stands on Rothschild Boulevard in the Israeli capital Tel Aviv. ... More It belongs to the White City, with 4000 buildings the world's largest collection of houses in the style of classical modernism. Since 2003 they belong to the Unesco World Cultural Heritage. Developed by Walter Gropius in Weimar in 1919, the Bauhaus style became internationally accepted in the 1930s and became the basis of modern architecture after the Second World War. (Photo by Stephan Schulz/picture alliance via Getty Images)
While geographically close, the personalities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are quite different. The residents of Jerusalem tend to be more religiously observant while Tel Aviv can appear beachfront casual, with T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops, a common uniform.
On the other hand, it has been said that Jerusalem comes to a standstill on the Jewish Sabbath, from Friday evening to sundown Saturday night. While I saw a handful of cars while walking from the excellent Hotel Orient through the Old City, the silence was truly deafening.
Tel Aviv is more vibrant, as many restaurants and bars remain open every day. And of course, Tel Aviv's long, beautiful beach will be packed. However, public transport doesn't run on Shabbat.
While Jerusalem and Tel Aviv each have a unique vibe, both are well worth visiting. And the close proximity of these wonderfully different secular and religious worlds make both easy to savor on even a short trip to Israel.
Israel, Jerusalem: the Western Wall in the Jewish quarter of the Old City. Here, the area reserved ... More for women. Woman praying on a Friday evening of Shabbat. (Photo by: Andia/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)