Another convert to Jerusalem

January 15, 2012 - 12:50 PM by

Jerusalem has received a huge shout out in The New York Times travel section with an extensive 2,000-word travelogue by Matt Gross, the former Frugal Traveler.

Arriving as a Jew with no desire to visit Israel, (he lumps it together with Iraq and Afghanistan on zero interest level) he fell in love with our capital city – from the labyrinths of the Old City to the falafel and funky, smoky underground clubs of the new city to the eccentric character abounding everywhere.

Gross seemed to be delighted with discovering the juxtapositions abundant at every turn.

The Old City did present one problem: I couldn’t get out of it. Not that I couldn’t find the way, but I kept getting distracted, and happily so. I’d come to this place to wander its winding streets without benefit of map or guidebook to let me know what was where, and every discovery of a world-famous landmark stopped me in my tracks. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher? Holy cow, it was right here, mere steps from the Kebab Shop, a vast, stern emblem of Christianity, with none of that Renaissance sentimentality that turns me off churches in Western Europe.

And once he finally escaped the walls and made it to the new city, Gross was equally enthralled.

The transition from Old City to new was striking. Exiting through one of the 16th-century gates that still control access — touristy Jaffa Gate, busy Damascus Gate, historic Zion Gate, where Israeli soldiers entered in 1967 — I leapt forward into a distinctly modern world of crosswalks and traffic lights, 19th-century buildings and chunky apartment towers, green parks and municipal offices, falafel joints, cellphone stores and a brand-new light-rail system. Here secular society predominated, although many college types wore yarmulkes and otherwise fashion-forward girls were dressed in long skirts. Amid the frozen-yogurt parlors and focaccerias, under the bright sun, with Hebrew signage everywhere, Jerusalem could feel like a forgotten city in California populated entirely by Jews.

Even though he expressed no identification with his Judaism during his trip to the ancient capital of the Jewish people, Gross still got what makes Jerusalem one of the most amazing cities in the world.

Tags: • Category: General 

Comments

2 Comments on Another convert to Jerusalem

  1. Noam Jordy on Mon, Jan 16th 2012 11:45 AM

    2. There is no city in the world as unique as Jerusalem making it a special place to visit AND to live.

  2. Joanna on Tue, Jan 17th 2012 7:34 PM

    3. That is a great read indeed! I think a lot of people share his views both before and after if they do get to come here actually. Thanks for the tip about this article, I will definitely send it on to others!

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