For many visitors to Jerusalem, the colors and sounds of the Mahane Yehuda open-air food and consumer goods public market, the \"shuk,\" as locals call it, are the quintessential Jerusalem experience.

Even on slow days, the market comes alive as Jerusalemites of all stripes and persuasions jostle for fresh fruit and vegetables, old-time shopkeepers sip Turkish coffee as their sons and grandsons shout out prices for cucumbers and tomatoes, and teenagers try to impress each other over lunch at the myriad falafel and shwarma stands.

TuBeshvat special at Jerusalem shuk

The shuk picks up the scents and sights of every seasonal festival in Jerusalem. For example, in mid-winter, but the beginning of the warming cycle in Middle Eastern Jerusalem, Tu Beshvat (usually mid-January) is a special time of year. Because of the agricultural origin of the holiday, known in Jewish lore as New Year of the Trees, dried fruits and nuts have become the traditional holiday fare, giving the market a special role in creating a holiday atmosphere that extends well past Jaffa Road and Agrippas Street, the two streets that border the market. 

One seventh-generation Jerusalemite named Shlomo said his family has been shopping at Mahane Yehuda for as long as he can remember, adding that the market takes on a special feel leading up to special holidays. 

\"My wife used to come every week, but the packages just got too heavy for her to carry,\" said the 70-something grandfather as he leaned on his shopping wagon. \"Now it`s my job, but one I`m happy to do. I like coming out and seeing all the people.\"

Carnival-like atmosphere

In addition to mounds of seasonal goodies, the days leading up to Tu Beshvat enjoyed a distinctive, carnival-like atmosphere, with live music, dance troupes, clowns, and jugglers on hand to add to the market`s holiday feel. A photo gallery of the festivities can be viewed  here.

One tip: Come to Mahane Yehuda with change in your pocket, and a rumble in your stomach. You won`t move far without encountering freshly baked pita bread, mouthwatering pastries, or a shopkeeper offering a slice of orange or melon. And even if you manage to make it past all that, there are several cafes and restaurants inside the market, serving everything from coffee and cake to full-blown meat-and-potatoes meals. 

Mahane Yehuda market is located between Jaffa Road and Agrippas Street, just a 10-minute walk from both the Central Bus Station and Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall. The market is open Sunday-Friday, 7:30 am-dusk. It`s also open late on Thursdays in preparation for the Jewish Sabbath.

- Story by Andrew Friedman
http://www.gojerusalem.com/articles.aspx?articleid=80