Good News for Downtown Jerusalem

For quite a few years, there has been lots of talk in the media and halls of power that downtown Jerusalem is on a never to be reversed downward spiral.

Jerusalem, like many cities throughout the world, "hosts" shopping malls, were one can spend one's money in rain, snow or sleet and never even get sunburned! So the experts, keeping track of the stores and businesses closing have already said their eulogies. Funny, Jerusalem may be Israel's capital and a very ancient city to boot, but it was considered "the pits" until 1967. The bullet-marked wall dividing it between Israel and Jordan was a minute's walk from the busiest and "poshest" of the downtown area.

Ben Yehuda Street was a busy thoroughfare, but nobody would ever confuse it with Fifth Avenue or even Bell Boulevard in my childhood's Bayside, NY. In the early 1970's, Ben Yehuda became a pedestrian mall, even though the local businesses fought it. Things began looking up. Then they began looking down.

Arab terrorism did more than break the glass shop windows and murder innocent passersby. It scared people away from downtown, but once things quieted down a bit, I began noticing more people and renovated and fancier stores.

A few months ago I was surprised to see the Tel Aviv's fashion house, Dorin Frankfurt opened a store on Rechov Yafo, across from the popular Village Green restaurant. And then a couple of weeks ago I was waiting for a bus on King George Street to go to the mall, of all places, when I suddenly noticed that Hagara had moved across the street. Hagara is another quality designer store. I've bought some great outfits in their Malcha Mall branch.

I couldn't take the suspense, so I went in. The saleswoman told me that they had left the mall, and she was very happy with the volume of sales Downtown. "It was a good move." she said.

Besides that, the Machaneh Yehuda Market is getting some great shops, and I'm talking about cucumbers! You can get designer clothes there and have a nice meal, and I'm not talking felafel, nor borekas.

So, if you're in the neighborhood....