Your Go-To Guide for Navigating Life in Jerusalem and Beyond

Cellphone Service in Jerusalem

by | Dec 18, 2024 | Jerusalem

Jerusalem, a city rich in history and culture, also presents unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to finding reliable cellphone service. This guide aims to help residents, students, and visitors navigate the complexities of choosing the best cellular plans and providers for the city, taking into account signal strength, coverage, and affordability. The attached maps provide insights into the locations of cell towers and signal strength across different neighborhoods, so let’s use that data to help make informed decisions.

Overview of Cellphone Providers in Jerusalem
There are several key players in the Israeli telecommunications market, all of which have varying levels of coverage and signal strength in Jerusalem. The main providers include:

Cellcom
Partner (Orange)
Pelephone
Hot Mobile
Golan Telecom
These companies offer a variety of prepaid and postpaid plans, ranging from budget-friendly options to premium packages with unlimited data.

jerusalem cellcom coverage
hot mobile coverage jerusalem

Signal Strength and Coverage
Based on the maps provided, here’s a breakdown of the signal strength and coverage across different parts of Jerusalem:

Central Jerusalem (including Old City, City Center, and Mamilla): The central parts of Jerusalem enjoy strong coverage from all major providers. The red and purple areas on the map indicate that signal strength here is robust, with multiple towers providing excellent 4G and 5G connectivity. This means users should have a seamless experience with any provider, making it easy to stay connected.

Northern Neighborhoods (Ramot, Neve Yaakov, Pisgat Ze’ev): The signal strength is quite strong in most northern neighborhoods, but there may be pockets of weaker coverage (indicated by orange spots). Pelephone and Partner tend to have better signal quality in these areas, so it’s advisable to check these options if you live in or frequently visit these neighborhoods.

Southern Jerusalem (Gilo, Talpiot, Arnona): Southern neighborhoods are well-covered, but some areas, particularly towards the outskirts (closer to Beit Jala and Bethlehem), have moderate signal strength. Cellcom and Pelephone appear to have better coverage in this region, based on the map’s red and purple shading.

Eastern Areas (Silwan, Mount of Olives, and East Talpiot): The eastern parts of Jerusalem have a mix of strong and weak signals. The more remote or hilly areas might experience some issues, especially with Hot Mobile and Golan Telecom, which have a smaller tower infrastructure in these neighborhoods. Cellcom and Partner are more reliable here.

Western Neighborhoods (Mevaseret Zion, Har Nof, and Ein Kerem): These areas have overall good coverage, with strong signals for all major providers. However, since these are slightly more suburban or hilly, it’s a good idea to test your provider’s signal strength before committing to a long-term plan.

Recommended Providers for Different Needs
Best for Overall Coverage: Cellcom and Partner tend to have the most reliable and extensive coverage across all areas of Jerusalem. These providers are ideal for users who want strong, consistent service in both urban and suburban areas.

Best for Budget Plans: Golan Telecom and Hot Mobile offer some of the most affordable plans, especially for students or those looking for prepaid options. However, be aware that their coverage might be less reliable in some neighborhoods, especially on the outskirts.

Best for High Data Usage: Pelephone offers great deals for unlimited data plans, and their coverage is fairly consistent across Jerusalem. This is ideal for heavy data users who need fast internet for work or streaming.

Types of Plans Available
Prepaid Plans: These are perfect for visitors, short-term residents, or those who prefer not to commit to a contract. Providers such as Cellcom, Partner, and Hot Mobile offer prepaid SIM cards that you can easily top up with data, talk time, and SMS as needed.

Postpaid Plans: For long-term residents, postpaid plans offer better value with unlimited talk, text, and data options. Most providers allow customers to choose from a variety of packages, with pricing based on data allowance and added perks like international calls.

Family Plans: Ideal for families or groups sharing a plan, these options provide shared data and discounts on additional lines. Partner and Pelephone offer some of the most competitive family plan packages.

Tips for Choosing the Right Plan
Check Coverage in Your Area: Use the maps provided to check the signal strength in your neighborhood or places you frequently visit. This ensures that you choose a provider with reliable coverage.

Consider Data Usage: If you’re a heavy internet user, look for plans with unlimited data or high data caps. Pelephone and Cellcom often have competitive high-data plans.

Look for Promotions and Discounts: Many providers run seasonal promotions, especially around holidays. Golan Telecom and Hot Mobile frequently offer attractive discounts.

Ask Locals for Recommendations: Jerusalem is diverse, and coverage can vary even within the same neighborhood. Local recommendations can be a great way to understand real-world signal quality and service.

Understanding the Maps
The maps attached show:

Purple Areas: Denote strong signal strength and tower concentration, ensuring excellent coverage.
Red and Orange Areas: Indicate moderate signal strength. These areas may experience occasional signal drops or slower internet speeds, especially indoors.
Green Spots: Represent weak or no signal coverage. If you live or travel frequently to these areas, it’s important to test your provider’s connectivity beforehand.
Conclusion
Choosing a cellphone plan in Jerusalem doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By considering your specific needs, budget, and the signal strength in your area, you can find a plan that offers the perfect balance of coverage, data, and affordability. Use the maps as a guide to identify which provider is the best fit for your daily routine, and don’t be afraid to switch plans if you find a better deal or experience coverage issues.

By staying informed and comparing options, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate Jerusalem’s diverse and dynamic cellphone service landscape.

jerusalem cellcom coverage
Cellcom Coverage in Jerusalem

Mahane Yehuda Market

by | Sep 3, 2022 | Jerusalem

Mahane Yehuda Market

The Mahane Yehuda Shuk (also spelled Machane Yehuda) is a bazaar/farmer’s market that has existed as we know it since the 1920s and had evolved from the Beit Yaakov Market that was established in the late 1800s. Today, it’s a vibrant, thriving marketplace filled with fruit/vegetable stands, butchers, fishmongers, cheese shops, bakeries, artisanal foods, bars, restaurants/cafes, and more.

 

How to Shop at Mahane Yehuda Market:

Any fruit, vegetable, and herb that’s in season will be offered at competitive market prices – at most stalls, at least. There may be a rare produce vendor that accepts credit cards, but you will get a better deal and be better off just paying with cash instead. For the most part, prices listed are by kilo (2.2lbs), but you’ll want to watch out for the occasional vendor that lists their prices either by the 100 gram (גרם) or half kilo (חצי קילו).

When you’re headed to the butcher, make sure you have an idea ahead of time what you want to buy and take a look at a chart to understand how the cut you’re used to is referred to here – they will cut up the meat different from what you’re likely used to. They will ask you if and how you’d like your meat cut; This is a good opportunity to let them do some of the hard work for you – either cut into cubes for stew or flattened out for quick cooking/breading, don’t be shy – it’s included in the price of your purchase. Also, you can ask them to grind up turkey or chicken breast, so even if you don’t see what you’re looking for – just ask!

Take Note! Deliveries of fresh produce and fresh meat will typically come in on Monday or Tuesday – Sunday has leftovers from the previous week and can spoil quickly.

There are bakeries and bread stands all around. If you’re a bit of a germophobe, don’t hesitate to tell them you want something hidden from the open air a bit more. Some places offer specialty breads, and you’ll pay a bit more there, but for a good deal, go to the ones where pallets of pitas are plopped down while piping hot. For a real treat, though, just follow your nose to the scent of chocolate or other warm sugar and you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Other specialty food shops are all around the market, and whether you’re in the mood for cheese, halva, spices, honey, coffee, tea, eggs, or gluten-free delights, your best shot of finding what your heart desires is going to be at Mahane Yehuda market.

In the shuk, there are a number of stands with jewelry, souvenirs, household goods, and packaged foods. The latter can be purchased at grocery stores and are less likely to be expired, but more likely to be cheaper. Jewelry, Judaica and souvenirs are likely something you’ll want to avoid buying here – as the quality is generally questionable, as well as the price. There may be exceptions, but I have yet to see them. Household goods are, contrastingly, often a better deal, but you’ll often find that non-disposable items and higher-ticket ones are not always in the best condition. Always double-check, don’t feel obligated to buy, and don’t hesitate to negotiate.

Machane Yehuda Market Herbs, Spices, and Tea Infusions

Coronavirus Lockdown in Israel: WTF?

by | Sep 28, 2020 | News

Nearly one million people have died around the world from Covid-19, and Israel’s death count is quickly closing in on 1,500 grandparents, parents, and children who have passed away due to complications stemming from the coronavirus.

Daily Coronavirus deaths in Israel

source: Google

When the pandemic showed itself to be a globetrotter, Israel was one of the first countries outside of China to clamp down on its residents, in efforts to stop the virus in its tracks. It began as a beacon of light and an example unto the nations on the effectiveness of lockdown and strict measures could be the best way to keep citizens safe. However, that glow of success quickly faded away from a bright, guiding light and turned red.

Enough people thought that because the country reopened following the first lockdown that the risk of the virus was over or not as serious as initially thought. Well, that mindset is what has led us into a second lockdown.

The demonstrable science is simple: wear a mask, wash your hands, socially distance, and we’ll be good in a shorter amount of time than without those measures. If only we actually knew what life would be like if people lived by science.

Here are the lockdown rules this time around (from the Ministry of Health guidelines):

Regulations for the Holiday Closure

Regulations for the Lockdown in Israel

source: Ministry of Health

Restrictions on Commercial, Recreation, and Leisure Activities

Business Closed to the Public:

  • Retail, except essential stores (see below)
  • Pools
  • Gyms
  • Salons, barbershops, beauty parlors
  • Farmers Markets (Shuk)
  • Fairs
  • Hotels and guesthouses (including AirBnB) are closed to vacationers
  • Other places of recreational and leisure activities
  • Businesses who are typically open to receiving the general public

Lockdown Exceptions (Businesses Allowed to Stay Open):

  • Essential stores (grocery, optical, pharmacies, household maintenance, electrical appliances, laundromats, communications, and device repair services)
  • Places used only for practice by professional athletes
  • Businesses that sell religious supplies for the Sukkot (Feast of the Tabernacles) holiday
Coronavirus Rules Israel

source: Ministry of Health

Limitations on Visits

  • It is forbidden to visit the residence of others (except in the permitted cases, such as fixing an urgent issue or helping someone in need)
  • It is forbidden to go to the beach, except for the purpose of permitted sport activities (including one person or persons living together swimming, and those who can reach the beach without using a car)

Rules of Conduct in Public Spaces

  • Gatherings of up to 20 people outdoors or 10 people indoors, in the case of immediate family only
  • Prayer – in accordance with the 1000 meter distance limitation. It is not permitted to pray with another person (whom you do not live with) indoors.
  • Prayer services may only be held outdoors, with up to 20 total participants.
  • Maintain a distance of 2 meters between people.
  • In vehicles, up to 3 people may travel together (unless they all live together, in which case it can be more). One additional passenger is allowed per each additional rear row of seats.
Coronavirus Lockdown Rules Israel

source: Ministry of Health

What is allowed beyond 1 kilometer from your residence?

  • Travel to work for essential workers and soldiers.
  • Procurement of medicines, food, and essential products or services.
  • Provision of aid of a person in need
  • Reception of medical, psychological, alternative medicine, social, and welfare treatments (1 patient at a time).
  • Travel to the Knesset (parliament), judicial proceedings, and blood donations
  • Exercise (alone or those who live together) that doesn’t require travel in a car
  • Participation in a funeral or circumcision
  • Arrival of a woman at a religious ritual bath (mikvah)
  • Critical treatment for animals
  • Transfer of a minor between parents who do not live together
  • Transfer of a minor to a guardian/caregiver when a single parent leaves for an essential purpose
  • Travel to permitted educational activities (special education, children of essential workers)
  • Travel of residents of welfare facilities or people with disabilities to visit immediate family, or for immediate family to visit them
  • Moving residence
  • Flights/public transit in accordance with published regulations

What’s the Status of Covid-19 in Israel?

According to statistics presented on data.gov.il, 10.4% of all SARS-CoV-19 tests conducted between August 15th and September 24th, 2020, were positive for the virus.

Of those tested, 88% of results confirming coronavirus infection were in people under the age of 60 years old.

Among males and females who tested positively, the divide was nearly equally, with men accounting for 50.5% of positive tests, compared to women accounting for 49.2%, while 0.3% of positive tests indicated ‘null’ for gender.

35.8% contracted the virus from a known infected carrier, while a mere 0.4% contracted the virus after returning from abroad.

Symptoms included in the dataset were:

  • Cough 15.1%
  • Fever 19.2%
  • Shortness of Breath 2.5%
  • Sore Throat 8%
  • Headache 16.2%
  • None of the Above Symptoms 63.8%
  • All of the Above Symptoms 0.2%

According to a Haaretz report published on July 13, 2020, Dr. Amir Onn, the pulmonology oncology chief at Sheba Medical Center, “said that with most infectious diseases, recovered patients can soon resume a normal life, but with COVID-19, the lingering symptoms tend to be more significant.” Just because you made it through, it doesn’t mean it’s over. In the same report, they spoke with ‘recovered’ patients of Coronavirus, including:

Niv Dashat of Tel Aviv, 27, also lists a host of symptoms she still experiences since officially recovering in April. “I still get a rapid pulse,” she says. “My sense of smell isn’t back to normal, and sometimes I feel dizziness even when I’m resting, along with unexplained fatigue.” Dashat, who is training to become a Pilates instructor, says she was in excellent physical condition before she became ill. “Today when I run it’s very hard for me to breathe,” she says. “I’ve also experienced drops in blood pressure. I absolutely don’t feel the same as I was before.”

Sidebar Some food for thought: The World’s poorest-performing countries when it comes to the Pandemic are led by right-wing populists and “self-centered authoritarians.” (Haaretz)

What’s the Status of Covid-19 in Palestine?

The Palestinian Authority governing body was quick to shut down schools and parks at the beginning of the pandemic. They had a number of cases in Bethlehem initially, and were swift in putting the towns with a cluster of cases under lockdown. Nonetheless, Palestine has seen a growth in cases over the latter half of the summer season, just like Israel.

Based upon reported infections and currently available data, Palestine currently has an approximate Coronavirus infection rate of 0.95%, while Israel currently has an approximate Coronavirus infection rate of 2.6% of the overall population.

daily covid cases palestine

source: Google

The deaths per cases rate for Palestine, according to the latest available data, currently stands at 0.67%, with the current death count at 322. This is compared to Israel’s 1,466 deaths, but very similar 0.64% morbidity.

daily covid deaths palestine

source: Google

The United Nations published the following infographic on September 3rd, 2020:

The vast majority of Coronavirus cases in Palestine are located in the Hebron area, according the the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health. People under the age of 30 account for 45.9% of Covid-19 positive test results in territory under Palestinian control.

Have a happy harvest festival season and healthy, safe lockdown. Don’t forget to wear your masks and socially distance!

 

Self-Sanitation 101 – Hand Washing

by | Sep 26, 2020 | Offbeat

Learn, by demonstration, the best way to clean your hands after using the work restroom.

Welcome to the Self-Sanitation 101. In this course, you will learn how to properly care for yourself and others by way of hygiene.

This lesson demonstrates the best way to wash your hands after using the work restroom. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen (emphasis on the gentlemen), you are supposed to wash your hands after they go places we really don’t want to think about.

Step 1: Soap

You’ll want to pump out the soap. One time is usually enough, but go for two if you feel it necessary.

Step 2: Water

It’s time to lather up the soap. Make sure the soapy water reaches all over your hands and wrists. Rinse.

Step 3: Dry

Grab a paper towel piece for the drying segment. Only take what is necessary, and try to use recycled paper always.

Is it Possible Upside-Down? Reviewing Four Hot Cafes in Israel

by | Jul 13, 2010 | Tourism

Roladin – רולדין

Initial Thoughts: I was rather excited to see the brand-new Roladin cafe while searching for a place to grab a sandwich and/or salad for lunch. Not for any special reason, however, other than my desire to not only eat Kosher, but eat at places that have a certification from the Rabbis.

What I Bought: A small green salad that came with dressing. The dressing destroyed the simple salad that consisted of cherry tomatoes and iceberg lettuce. I also picked up a salmon sandwich, choosing it over the Bulgarian cheese sandwich only because that one contained mushrooms (icky). It is utterly fishy and lacking on any real taste besides the salmon. Maybe with the right seasonings it could have worked. To finish it off I bought a Kinley Soda Water.

Final Thoughts: Perhaps I should’ve bought a cake or some sort of pastries. This bakery should stick just to that and avoid anything else, besides coffee (which I didn’t try yet). The service was rather efficient, although nothing particularly spectacular. The atmosphere inside is nice, but the food was a major let-down.

Arcaffe – ארקפה

Initial Thoughts: I’ve always been rather intimidated when considering going into any Arcaffe. It gives off an “upper-class gal”s dress down spot,’ which really means it’s stuck up and you expect to see a gold-digger housewife (who does no housework) sitting with her girlfriends sipping bottles of Voss water and picking at a frisee salad. I didn’t allow myself to go in until I knew I was looking 100% and had my new, shiny credit card on me.

What I Bought: A mozzarella/pesto/basil/tomato sandwich (carbs!), which was rather good because they toasted it. I had to grab their small cup of chocolate mousse (more carbs!) that I saw sitting in the case with the sandwiches. It was alright, rather rich. I was going to buy mineral water, but I saw the free filtered water tank and decided to go with that, instead.

Final Thoughts: It is a nice place for a business lunch, blind date (I did meet one up there), and yes, even for some stuck-up gals to get together and drink iced tea. The set-up is a nonchalant sort of luxury, and you feel odd if you go in just to take something to go, so sit! Expect the servers to be stuck-up, though, and the only real help you’ll find is with the busboys (who are usually foreigners). The sandwiches and coffee are good, but I’d stay away from the sweets and their salads.

Aroma – ארומה

Initial Thoughts: Cool, a coffee shop. Thought of it as the main and one of the only Israeli coffee shops when I first came here. They’re spread out all over and seem to be acceptable for all income levels to be seen at.

What I Bought: I usually pick up the chicken salad (comes in 3 sizes) with 1000 Island lite dressing. It’s good, nothing amazing, but very edible and a good default choice if I’m not in a risky mood. In the winter, I loved the warm roast beef sandwich and tomato soup, but never get the bean soup (it really looks disgusting and is bland). The iced coffee my friend likes from here, but I find it lacking enough flavor and don’t like that it’s sitting in one of those little machines (I’m a former Starbucks type of gal).

Final Thoughts: The food is good, but not gourmet. I usually prefer to take away what I order, but sitting down is also doable. The servers/cashiers at most Aromas can be rude, so it’s important to be firm with them when ordering and ask to make sure they gave you all of your dressings and plastic ware. I don’t recommend buying coffee from here, however, just lunch.

Coffee Bean

Initial Thoughts: Awesome, American style coffee! (This is when I still thought American coffee was good…) Well, screw the hot coffee, I’m going for the Ice Blend because Starbucks made me an addict of Frappy-type drinks. Added benefit? They for sure have to speak English, since the owners are Americans from Los Angeles.

What I Bought: I’ve had nearly every flavor of the Ice Blend they have to offer here in Israel. Most are pretty good, what you like will depend solely upon your preferences, but you usually can’t go wrong if you like fresh blended drinks. The food isn’t so bad, though I don’t prefer their salads, since there’s always those terrible dried tomatoes. Mini sandwiches are a perfect choice with a drink. Get desserts (overpriced) only if you’re going to split them with someone else, they are extremely rich (this is from the owner of the ultimate sweet tooth).

Final Thoughts: If you go here, you will be tossed into one of two categories: American, or a wannabe American. Neither are good in my opinion, but I don’t really care because I get my favorite drinks (most iced drinks in Israel taste terrible and are sitting in those rotating machines for the entire day, sometimes for days at a time, even). The sandwiches are a good bet, and the service is usually up to basic American standards.