RAMADAN IN JERUSALEM

It’s holiday season here in Jerusalem. Parts of the Old City are decked out for Ramadan in paper lanterns of yellow, red, and green. On the first Friday of the holiday, the often quiet streets of the Muslim Quarter are packed. Experience a mouth-watering iftar on the compound of Al Aqsa surrounded by friends and families. A typical meal would include traditional dishes like maqluba, which literally means upside down, a Palestinian dish of rice, chicken and fried vegetables, and atayef, sweet pancakes stuffed with cheese or nuts.

The Muslim Quarter is the largest of the Old City’s four quarters. Here you’ll find mazes of alleyways, cobblestone streets, a vibrant shuk and architectural relics from centuries ago. It’s an unmissable destination.During Ramadan the area buzzes with the energy of the celebrations. The smell of food from the nearby market permeates the balmy night sky as Arabic music plays, and locals enjoy traditional delicacies, such as kataif pancakes, and freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. Ramadan spent in this city is a memory never to be forgotten.