The Jewish Quarter occupies the southeastern section of the Old City, a neighborhood of honey-colored stone, clean streets, and archaeological discoveries at every turn. The quarter has been destroyed and rebuilt more times than any other part of the Old City, most recently after the 1948 war when Jordan captured the Old City and demolished most of the quarter’s synagogues. After Israel recaptured the Old City in 1967, the quarter was rebuilt, and the reconstruction uncovered some of the most important archaeological finds in Jerusalem.
Archaeological Discoveries
The rebuilding of the Jewish Quarter in the 1970s and 1980s was accompanied by extensive archaeological excavations. The discoveries were extraordinary: the Broad Wall from the 8th century BCE, the Burnt House from the Roman destruction of 70 CE, the Herodian Quarter with its palatial mansions, the Byzantine Cardo, and the ruins of the Nea Church. The quarter is as much an open-air museum as a residential neighborhood.
Synagogues
The Hurva Synagogue, with its white dome visible from across the city, is the quarter’s most prominent landmark. But the quarter also contains the Four Sephardic Synagogues, a cluster of 16th-17th century synagogues that served the Sephardic community for over 300 years. The Ramban Synagogue, established in 1267 by the great rabbi and scholar Nachmanides (Ramban), is the oldest synagogue in the Old City still in use.
The Siege
When the British Mandate ended on May 14, 1948, the Jordanian Arab Legion crossed the Jordan River and entered the West Bank. By May 19, Jordanian forces had encircled the Old City and begun shelling the Jewish Quarter. The defenders fought from house to house, using the narrow streets and stone buildings as cover, but they were outnumbered, outgunned, and cut off from reinforcement. Several attempts by Jewish forces outside the walls to break through and relieve the quarter failed.
The Surrender
On May 28, 1948, after two weeks of fighting, with ammunition exhausted and casualties mounting, the rabbinical and civilian leaders of the quarter negotiated a surrender with the Arab Legion. The terms allowed civilians to be evacuated and fighters to be taken as prisoners of war. The photograph of the elderly residents walking out of the quarter, carrying bundles of belongings, is one of the most poignant images of the war. 1,300 civilians were evacuated. 300 fighters were taken prisoner to camps in Jordan.
The Destruction
After the surrender, the Jordanian forces and local residents systematically destroyed the Jewish Quarter. 58 synagogues were demolished or desecrated. The Hurva Synagogue was blown up. The ancient cemetery on the Mount of Olives was vandalized, with tombstones used as paving stones and latrines. For 19 years, from 1948 to 1967, no Jew was permitted to visit the Western Wall or the Jewish Quarter, in violation of the armistice agreement.
Return
On June 7, 1967, Israeli paratroopers entered the Old City through the Lions’ Gate and reached the Western Wall. The Jewish Quarter was in ruins. The rebuilding, which began in the 1970s, transformed the quarter into the neighborhood that stands today, and the archaeological discoveries made during reconstruction were among the most important ever found in Jerusalem.
Today
The rebuilt Jewish Quarter is home to about 2,000 residents, numerous yeshivot (religious academies), and a thriving community of artists and scholars. The streets are clean and well-maintained, the architecture blends modern construction with ancient stone, and the atmosphere is noticeably quieter and more orderly than the other quarters. The concentration of archaeological sites, synagogues, and museums makes it one of the richest areas in the Old City for visitors.
Visit with Hoshen Tours
The Jewish Quarter connects 2,800 years of history in a single walk. Hoshen Tours visits the Broad Wall, the Burnt House, the Herodian Quarter, the Cardo, and the Hurva, building the story of Jerusalem from the First Temple to the modern State of Israel.