This week we’re going to take a short break from our run through Israel history, and instead let’s go visit Shuk Machane Yehuda, Jerusalem’s wonderful food market. It finally reopened last week, after being closed since March due to the coronavirus.
It all started back in the 1880’s when the local Arab residents started selling their fruits & vegetables to the Jewish residents in the area, who had recently build their new neighborhoods outside the walls of the Old City. This was done completely out in the open while sitting on the ground. By the 1930’s people starting buying stall space in the Shuk, and this will lead to the first streets that we can today see there- Agas & Tapuach streets. From then until today the Shuk has evolved quite a bit. My childhood memories from there, in the 80’s, is the strong smell of fish in a big dirty market. Wow has it changed since then!
The Shuk, today, is a thriving center in Jerusalem which combines a few things. A food market where the locals come to buy their groceries. A central area where a lot of small delicious restaurants are located with a great variety of food. And last but not least it’s the main night life attraction for Jerusalemites & visitors from out of town & from abroad, who come to enjoy the bars, drinks & music.
A colorful & culinary experience through the Shuk can go through many places. Let’s start at the Tehini King and enjoy the fresh Tehini that’s oozing out of the crushing stones in the store. Something sweet for anyone? Across the way is the Halva King with 100 different types of Halva, just choose which taste you want most. Getting a little tired? Let’s pop in for coffee at Roasters, the best coffee shop in Jerusalem. Now we’re ready for a delicious Knaffe at the Knaffe Bar, yummy sweet cheese with sugary water & orange noodles on top. We can watch Yaki the expert Knaffe guy frying & preparing it so that we can eat it fresh and hot. Don’t forget to pop some falafel balls into your mouth along the way, as they are draped in Humus. We will finish our calorie rich walk by indulging in some chocolate rogalach at Marzipan. These are the legendary rogalach that sell like hot cakes every Friday as the masses rush in from near and far to buy this delicacy for a sweet Shabbat.
So what are you waiting for? The Shuk is open, and hopefully there will be flights to Israel again soon. Once you are able to the Shuk (and myself..) are looking forward to seeing you here 🙂