A few weeks ago we visited the German Colony neighborhood of Jerusalem. On the way we checked out the famous King David Hotel and the Jerusalem YMCA. The YMCA is particularly impressive. It was built in the late 1920s and designed by Arthur Louis Harmon, the same architect who designed the Empire State Building. Its mission is to foster international peace and unity for people of all faiths and ethnicities. The façade is stately with an impressive front which bears an inscription in three languages (Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic, representing the three Abrahamic religions). The lobby is very elegant. To the right is a grand sitting room. On the walls are painting from local artists. At the top of the building there is a tower with four balconies, each facing a different direction. The views from the tower are simply amazing. The photo below is just one – of the Old City’s southern wall.  On the way down from the tower we passed the Tower Bells, which chime periodically.

Jerusalem YMCA front

Reception area ceiling

YMCA tower in the front of the building

One view from the tower

Tower bells – gift from the UK

We then crossed the street to the King David Hotel, another grand building. We took a quick walk through the reception area and onto the veranda, which is an elegant outdoor restaurant with a view of the Hotel’s pool.

Rear view of the King David from the veranda

View of the King David pool

Just behind the hotel down several flights of stairs one comes upon a beautiful community called Yemen Mose (pronounced mosha). Before 1967, this area, which is within a stone’s throw of the Old City Wall, was under heavy gunfire from the Jordanians who controlled the Old City during the war.  The area became a wasteland of dilapidated houses — a slum. After the six-day war, the government gave permission to people and artisans to occupy the area providing that they rebuild the homes and revitalize the area. That they did with artist studios, a music institute and art galleries. To walk these streets and alleys is to walk in a wonderland.

Our walk through Yemen Mose