Mishkenot Sha'anannim means "tranquil residences." After a visit to this neighborhood, it is clear how it received its name. It was the first Jewish suburb built outside Jerusalem's Old City, and is home to tree-lined cobblestone paths, artists galleries, and finely architectured houses. Yemin Moshe is a picturesque quarter which tells another chapter in Jerusalem's story.

Sir Moses Montefiore was a Jewish philanthropist of British origin and a dignitary in the upper echelons of society. Before Montefiore initiated the building of Mishkenot Sha'anannim, the Jewish presence in Jerusalem had been confined to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. In the Jewish Quarter, citizens had endured terrible sanitary conditions amidst overcrowding and rampant diseases. In 1855, Montefiore purchased a plot of land opposite the Old City walls, and in 1860, began his building program.

For a century, Yemin Moshe stood magnificently. However, during the 1948-1967 years of Jerusalem's partition, when Mishkenot Sha'anannim lay on the border between Israel and Jordan, the area began to began to fall into disrepair. After 1967, a reconstruction plan was put into action, and both the Mishkenot Sha'anannim and Yemin Moshe neighborhood were rebuilt.

Begin your tour of Mishkenot Sha'anannim by entering the gate near the Sultan's Pool in the valley opposite the Old City Walls. To the left of the steps is a long building which was the first structure in the new neighborhood. Today, this structure has been renovated and is a municipality-owned guest house reserved for visiting artists and dignitaries. Its list of distinguished guests includes musician and composer Isaac Stern and author Milan Kundera.

Turning right here, follow a row of more than 20 houses, the original dwelling places in the new Mishkenot Sha'anannim.

Upon reaching the steps at the edge of the row of houses, look left, and begin your climb up the steps towards Yemin Moshe and the neighborhood's most famous landmark, the Windmill. This Windmill, a noticeable feature in Jerusalem's skyline, was built by Moses Montefiore as a source of livelihood for tenants in the area.

Unfortunately, despite tremendous efforts and investment on Montefiore's part, the mill was largely unsuccessful, mainly as a result of the introduction of steam-powered flour mills in Jerusalem, which rendered Montefiore's mill obsolete. Nevertheless, more than a century later, the Windmill remains a popular tourist site and Jerusalem landmark.

Inside the Windmill you can visit the Sir Moses Montefiore Museum (open Sun. - Thurs. 9 am - 4 pm; Fri. 9 am - 1 pm) which depicts Montefiore's life, his contacts with world leaders, and activities on behalf of Jews worldwide. The Museum also houses photographs of Jerusalem in the mid-19th century, which portray the physical conditions and desolation which reigned outside the Old City walls.

After visiting the Windmill, wander down to the streets of Yemin Moshe, which begins just beyond the stairs next to the Windmill. Yemin Moshe, named after Moses (Moshe) Montefiore, was built in the 1890's on land adjacent to that which he had purchased 40 year's earlier.

After the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967, Yemin Moshe underwent an experiment in urban renewal which proved to be very expensive. Thus many of the poorer residents were forced to move out (they were compensated), and their houses were sold to painters, artists, and affluent individuals. The area is conserved and no construction which violates the project's original character is permitted. Walk down the charismatic flagstone streets - closed to motor vehicles, and with all utility lines underground. Appreciate the reason why this area is known as the 'tranquil residences.'

The Jewish Quarter Rehavia Mea Shearim Mount Scopus