Faces of Jerusalem
Western Wall
Old City of Jerusalem
Judaism's holiest site, the Western Wall — so called because it is the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount. Thereupon were built two Jewish temples in the first millennium BCE, then, in the 7th century CE, the magnificent Dome of the Rock and its more understated al-Aqsa mosque. The ramp at the right leads people to the Temple Mount itself. Excavations not quite visible here reveal one of Jerusalem's main streets from 2,000 years ago, and even the destruction wrought by the invading Romans as they destroyed the Temple in the year 70.
The site welcomes thousands of tourists, pilgrims, and locals — by and large without incident — but the real Jerusalem lies elsewhere.
Young Jerusalemite
Old City of Jerusalem
Despite Jerusalem's external reputation for violence and discord, young children here need no chaperons. Here a child barely old enough to walk makes her way carefree through the world's most contested real estate.
Rooftop
Old City of Jerusalem
An Orthodox Jew walks past the Muslim Dome of the Rock with the Christian Greek Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene in the background. Jerusalem's rooftops highlight quotidian satellite dishes and solar water heaters over millennial landmarks.
Church of the Holy Sepulcre
Old City of Jerusalem
Three guests sit in the courtyard before one of Christianity's holiest sites. Who are they? Tourists? Pilgrims? Locals resting? In Jerusalem, the otherwise clear lines between categories fade.
Merchant
Old City of Jerusalem
A local merchant sells sahlab. The Middle-Eastern delicacy originally contained a flour made from ground-up tubers of the orchid Orchis. Now substitute starches such as cornstarch are common.
Pluralism Writ Large
Old City of Jerusalem
I have no idea what these larger-than-life puppets just inside Jaffa Gate were supposed to represent. Some people, equally uncertain, stopped to watch. For others, this display didn't rise to the level of noteworthy.
A Typical Shop
Old City of Jerusalem
Owned by a man named Heshem, this shop is typical of the Old City's shuk, or market. The wares' origins are as uncertain as the merchandise is eclectic.
Police
Old City of Jerusalem
The automatic weapons deceive foreigners. These are just two policemen, sipping coffee, chatting with friends, and enjoying the bustle of the Old City.
Woman
Old City of Jerusalem
While the Old City's market is a popular tourist destination, it is also where locals such as this woman do their shopping.
Spice Merchant
Old City of Jerusalem
In addition to art, jewelry, and ready-to-eat food, the Jerusalem market offers a dazzling variety of spices and even incense.
Alleyway
Old City of Jerusalem
Jerusalem's ancient alleyways, arches, and staircases are magic. Here they provide the perfect frame for a modern indulgence.
Rooftop Children
Old City of Jerusalem
Two local Jewish children walk carefree on the rooftop of the Old City, oblivious to the City's political divisions and tensions. To their left, should they bother to look, they will see the Temple Mount.
Rooftop Youths
Old City of Jerusalem
Muslim youths play as teenagers do the world over, running and leaping in a way that combines group camaraderie with competition. For them, this isn't the center of a conflict felt the world over. It's their backyard.
Young Jerusalemites
Old City of Jerusalem
Boys will be boys. Here three locals kick a ball as they run through the marketplace.
Marketplace
Old City of Jerusalem
The lives of this Muslim woman and Jewish man might never intersect but for a chance meeting in the marketplace.
Merchants
Old City of Jerusalem
Brothers shoot the breeze surrounded by silver and gold, by authentic art and cheap imports, and even by a lion at their feet.
