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| Re: PHOTOS & REPORT: Jerusalem Light Rail Opening Day (Part 3) (1096933) | |||
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Re: PHOTOS & REPORT: Jerusalem Light Rail Opening Day (Part 3) |
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Posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Tue Aug 23 19:25:36 2011, in response to Re: PHOTOS & REPORT: Jerusalem Light Rail Opening Day (Part 3), posted by CentrolinerDD on Tue Aug 23 18:43:49 2011. With some planning, you can have a very productive day as a tourist in Israel on a Saturday. Christian and Muslim sites in Jerusalem are open as usual, as are some museums in western Jerusalem. Bethlehem is an easy half day trip from Jerusalem and things are open there as usual on Saturdays. The Arab buses (in Jerusalem) and taxis (everywhere) run normally on Saturdays (but taxis charge higher fares during Shabbat). Shared taxis run between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv 24/7, including Saturdays, though as I said before, I have no idea what you could do in Tel Aviv once you got there (aside from going to the beach). Things in Haifa are supposedly open, there is a large Arab population there and the city's liberal attitudes (in this regard) have meant that transit and other city functions have stayed open on Shabbat for years. Of course, if you have your own car, there aren't rules against driving (though it is prohibited in some ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods) so you can use it as a travel day. The airport is open for arrivals and departures on Shabbat, but there are no El Al flights (the airport shuts entirely on Yom Kippur, there are no fights in or out on any airline).Israel is a religious country. Even secular Jews are aware of when the holidays are and why fast days occur, even if they don't keep them strictly or at all. People quote the Bible at unexpected moments, including fairly secular Isarelis. Many people keep kosher out of habit. Kosher restaurants have sinks for ritual handwashing prior to meals and usually also have copies of the Grace After Meals for patrons to use. Newspapers will print the letters zayin lamed after the name of a deceased person, standing for a Hebrew saying that "the memory [of the deceased] should be for a blessing." About two weeks ago on the hourly newscast, it was reported that the prime minister has a new grandson and the report ended by announcing when the brit mila (circumcision) would be. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. |
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