Jerusalem is a changed city. This can’t be solely attributed to the sleek new tram, but it is a big part of it. Over the past decade, Israel’s capital city has slowly been adapting and progressing, becoming a world-class tourist destination – and not just because of its religious sites. The food scene, which I’ve blogged about previously, is booming with restaurateurs taking full advantage of Israel’s location in the Levant. The market, while still retaining the roughness ubiquitous to Middle Eastern bazaars, has also undertaken an holistic transformation, where restaurants utilize the ingredients on sale at the stalls to create fresh, seasonal dishes. Jerusalem’s calendar is marked with myriad festivals, from live music to wine tastings to independent film. Israeli designers are opening up shop around Jaffa Street, selling hipster fashions and shoes that simply can’t be found elsewhere. (I should know; I always leave with a few pairs!)
Although I’ve been noticing Jerusalem’s slow transformation over the years, the physical presence of the tram on my most recent trip to Israel crystallized the magnificent changes to the city. The nightmare that was Jaffa Road is over, replaced by a European-style mixed use space shared by pedestrians and public transport. I practically feel like I’m in Zurich! Each stop has an updated digital schedule, letting you know when to expect the next tram. Stops are announced in a clear Hebrew, Arabic and English, eliminating confounded “where am I” expressions. And at least for now, the trams are shiny and clean – both inside and out.
Now I do realize that this tram is not all peaches and cream. At the same time that I’m praising the ease of traveling on the Jaffa Road, I would be remiss in failing to mention the utter hell of trying to travel a similar route by bus. As much as the tram is wonderful, it seems to have inversely impacted the buses. Robbed of their main Jerusalem thoroughfare, tens upon tens of buses are jamming up Agrippas Road, previously a side street bordering the back of the market, turning a once short journey into a painful at times 30 minute drive! In his Ha’aretz article entitled “Waiting in Vain“, Gerard Heumann writes a scathing criticism of the tram, mentioning this very issue of cross city travel, as well as the difficulties the new public transport poses for the elderly.
And then there are the issues of a more light-hearted nature, such as ironing out confusion over ticket types, fare eligibility and buggies on board, as Hillel Goldberg pointed out in his spiritual travel guide last week.
Yet despite its detractions, I stand by the tram, because, first of all, since it traverses the main spots, for tourists it’s brilliant, easing the journey from the main station to the Old City. But second and more importantly, the tram is changing the face – or to be more precise – the faces of Jerusalem. It eases travel between West and East Jerusalem, making it easy for East Jerusalem residents to shop in town or at Machane Yehuda. Walking through town I noticed how many more Muslims I saw on the streets, simply running errands, grocery shopping, or perhaps window browsing. On board the tram itself the cornucopia that is Jerusalem’s populace is evident, running the gamut from charedi Jews to hijab-wearing women. The tram is a significant step toward manifesting Jerusalem’s potential to truly become a city shared by its rich and varied citizens.
Jerusalem has indeed arrived in the 21st century.
