Jerusalem copes: How Israel's capital handles the escalation with Iran

First, noticed the eerie emptiness of the street, and as she boarded the bus that on most Fridays was jam-packed with riders and standing room only, she saw only two or three other riders. She wasn’t scared but curious – and couldn’t get over the emptiness of the Jerusalem streets that were usually full of people.

“Shopping on Friday had a completely different vibe,” said the retired schoolteacher and new immigrant.

“There was just a handful of people on the street, and everyone seemed to be in a hurry. At the shuk, no one was schmoozing with each other or asking to taste samples. Vendors weren’t shouting or giving out samples, and there were no musicians playing instruments. It was a really subdued atmosphere. People just made their purchases and quickly left the market. It was even quieter than it was during COVID,” she said.

Maline lives in a new residence for senior citizens, where each apartment has a safe room, and there are generally four or five activities on offer throughout the day. She said that at present the activities were more limited, but in spite of the situation the community still manages to get together with the help of an in-house social worker.

“I had to Zoom my ulpan yesterday. The classes I usually attend are either Zoomed or canceled completely. The activities in my building have been modified to alternate activities that take place in private apartments instead of public spaces. Attendance is capped at no more than eight to 10 people.”

Maline said that even though the women’s section in the synagogue currently hosted only around five women instead of the usual 45, it was nice to be in a sociable and friendly place, especially at times like this.

The following week, though, Maline didn’t leave the building. Just as she had decided to take a short walk to the playground across the street, she received an early warning message on her phone. She curtailed her walk and ran back to her home.

If the shuk on Friday was surreal, the Old City was even more so.

“All the gates were closed,” she said. “I tried the Jaffa Gate, the New Gate, and the Damascus Gate.”

“The issue is if something hits, the police may need to get people out,” said Shoshi Selevan, head of the Jewish Quarter Community Council in the Old City.

“With narrow streets and only one real road to get in and out of the area, if there was a missile we can’t have hundreds of people out on the roads.

“The Old City is a densely populated area,” she added. “We know it isn’t easy and there are a lot of tourists who want to get in, but no one is allowed into the Old City unless their ID card says they live there.”

She said that a Knesset member would be bringing up the closure of the Temple Mount and the Old City at the Knesset, complaining that it impinges on Jerusalemites’ freedom of religion.

“If we have 10,000 people coming in a day, as we often do, in an emergency they will not be able to get emergency vehicles through.”

Selevan added that they don’t have enough shelters for the residents, much less for tourists and visitors. Since the Bat Yam event, she said, more people are running to the shelters that are available.

“Many of our residents use their safe rooms as storage rooms. Because we are a historical area, many buildings can’t accommodate shelters. Which means that residents may have to run down the block to shelter during an attack.

“This is a real problem for older people who have difficulty walking. We have been reaching out to the older and disabled among us, and many have gone to stay with relatives elsewhere.”

She said that walking was how many in the Old City got their cardio workout. “But we keep a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in the freezer to balance it out,” she joked.

She has made some runs outside the Old City – to Osher Ad for food – describing the experience as “nerve-wracking.” Delivery services are allowed into the Old City, she said, but they must keep the numbers down.

As for prayers, Selevan said that small groups manage to congregate in the bomb shelters, and 50 people are allowed into the tunnels beneath the Western Wall, which are considered sturdy and protected. But according to Jeff Seidel, who lives and works in the Old City (running a nonprofit outreach program for visiting college students), the lines to get in are long and out in the open.

Seidel concurred that in some ways, the situation was worse than COVID.

“During COVID, people were allowed to come to the Kotel with masks and practice distancing,” he said. “These days, it’s a ghost town.”

After a day of outreach in areas where there are a few more college students, such as Ben-Yehuda or King George Street, he has returned to the Old City square to find everything closed.

“You can’t eat in a restaurant; they only have takeout,” he said. “Even the coffee shop opens up for take-out only. As I’m talking to you right now,” he said, over the phone, “I’m sitting by the Hurva Synagogue. There are only two other people in the vicinity.”

Seidel said that on King George Street, some food places are open but not the clothing or shoe stores.

“People are afraid to walk around. In Efrat, I offered to take my grandchildren to the playground nearby. But nobody was in the playground. And my daughter was afraid the siren would go off. By and large, people are staying close to home.”

Residents in Ramat Eshkol come out eventually, according to Shulamit Neaman, who has lived in Israel for over 50 years. She stays home mostly with her caregiver, who ventures out for food at the supermarket.

Her building, which is more than 60 years old, has a shelter; but it is down a stairway, which makes it difficult for Neaman to access.

“When we get the warning, we go to the center of the apartment,” she said. “If there is a siren, we make our way to the shelter downstairs.”

She spends her time trying to keep in touch with others, to find out how they are doing. She said that distracts them from “worrying themselves to pieces.”

“I remind them that we know that Hashem is in charge and running the world,” Neaman said.