Ein Karem - The Picturesque Village in the Heart of Jerusalem

On the southwestern edge of Jerusalem, at the bottom of a green valley ringed by terraced hills, lies Ein Karem - an ancient stone village that over the years became one of the most beloved and picturesque neighborhoods in the city. First-time visitors tend to be surprised: the winding lanes, the tiled roofs and the flowering courtyards feel a world away from the pace of the city, even though they sit inside Jerusalem's municipal boundaries.

History and character

Ein Karem ("the spring of the vineyard") sits on the foundations of a settlement thousands of years old, going back to the Canaanite period. From the 14th century until the War of Independence an Arab village stood here, whose residents left or were expelled during the fighting of 1948. The empty houses were settled by new immigrants, and the village was gradually absorbed into the city as a Jerusalem neighborhood. Over the following decades writers, artists and intellectuals moved in, restoring the old houses and preserving the village character - and so Ein Karem became an unofficial "artists' village", with a studio or a gallery on almost every corner.

Alongside its Jewish history, Ein Karem is also one of the holy places of Christianity: according to Christian tradition this is the birthplace of John the Baptist, and the place where Mary, mother of Jesus, met her relative Elizabeth. That sanctity is why some of the most impressive churches and monasteries in Jerusalem were built here.

What to see and do

The main street, HaMa'ayan Street ("Spring Street"), is the natural starting point for a walk - from it you can see the churches on the hillsides. At its center is Mary's Spring, next to an old mosque, still a destination for Christian pilgrims. Among the notable religious sites: the Franciscan Church of St. John the Baptist, the Church of the Visitation with its wall paintings, the Greek Orthodox Church of St. John the Baptist, and the Russian Orthodox Gorny Convent on the slope below.

Anyone who loves art and culture will find open studios and small galleries in Ein Karem, as well as the Eden-Tamir Center for chamber music, which hosts concerts and workshops. And not far from the neighborhood, down the hill, is Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital - the pavilion where you can see the famous Chagall Windows, Marc Chagall's stained glass depicting the twelve tribes of Israel. Around the neighborhood runs the "Ein Karem Circuit Trail", a walking route created on the residents' initiative to preserve the old village and its landscape.

Food and cafes

Along HaMa'ayan Street and the lanes around it are cafes and small restaurants on a village scale, many of them with seating in shaded stone courtyards. The mood here is far slower and more relaxed than in the city center - right for a long lunch, or for a coffee stop between one walk and the next.

Getting there

Ein Karem is a short drive from the Old City and central Jerusalem, at the southwestern edge of the city, next to Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital and not far from Jerusalem's western entrance. Because it sits in a valley, walking around the neighborhood means going up and down between the lanes - comfortable shoes recommended.

Planning a visit to Ein Karem, or to any other corner of Jerusalem? Check livejlm.com for what is on in the city this week - events, tours and running updates to help you time your visit right.