Shopping in Jerusalem

The Old City is the focus of attraction in Jerusalem with its Oriental and local atmosphere, where one can purchase artifacts, ornaments made of wood, seashells, leather and straw, blown glass, and traditional clothing. The annual art fair, “Khutsot ha-Yotzer” offers both prestigious works of art and folk crafts created by Israeli artists. There are farmers’ markets in the German Colony and in the moshavim surrounding the city. The historical, renovated city center is filled with coffee shops and stores that sell gifts and souvenirs.

Mahane Yehuda is also known as The Shuk, because it's the largest shuk in Jerusalem. It occupies a whole small neighborhood, between Yafo and Aggripas, and is at the heart of a much large shopping complex which stretches up Yafo towards the Old City or up Aggripas, over King George and into the Ben Yehuda triangle.Mahane Yehuda (pronounced Machne) is as much a place to be as a place to shop. While the prices are about as reasonable as you can find in Jerusalem, it depends on the time of day and week, not to mention the season for produce. Prices are marked with chalk on blackboards stuck in amongst the produce, and what sells for 6 IS (Israeli Shekels) a kilo on Monday morning may be down to 2 IS before the trumpet sounds Friday afternoon for Shabbat. This chaotic atmosphere probably leads to a lot of tourists buying stuff they don't have a clue how or where to cook, just for the fun of it.

As one of the largest and most popular mall in Israel, Malha mall not only provide a focal point for the neighborhood and the city as a whole, it also represents a Jerusalem hub for the suburban communities nearby, which include Beit Shemesh, Ma'aleh Adumim, Gush Etzion and the Tzur Hadassah area. This mall also has a post office, a synagogue, play areas for toddlers, an animal petting corner, and a food court.