Photo: נחום תקום שוב, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Old Katamon's gardens and shuls, and the more affordable Katamonim next door. What living in Katamon is like, and which half suits you.
Short answer: Katamon has two halves. Old Katamon (officially Gonen) is the third leg of the south Jerusalem family triangle with Baka and the German Colony: stone houses with gardens, shuls of every kind and a warm, community-driven atmosphere, at a high price. The Katamonim (Gonenim), further west, are older housing estates with lower prices and a more Israeli mix, useful if you want the area without the premium. Both run on buses.
At a glance
- Who lives here: religious and traditional families, many English-speaking in Old Katamon; a broader Israeli population in the Katamonim.
- Housing: Old Katamon's pre-1948 stone houses and 1950s–70s apartment buildings; the Katamonim's long blocks, many being renewed through urban-renewal projects.
- Price band: high in Old Katamon; mid in the Katamonim.
- Getting around: buses to the centre; the German Colony and Emek Refaim are a short walk; no light rail.
- Everyday shopping: HaPalmach Street and the local centres; Cohen's Deli in Old Katamon, Havruta Books & Judaica, and household shops are in our directory.
- Green space: San Simon Park and the neighbourhood playgrounds.
Community and religious life
Old Katamon has one of the densest concentrations of shuls in the city, from English-speaking minyanim to Sephardi and Israeli religious-Zionist communities, and a strong culture of Shabbat hospitality. Our mikvah directory lists the Old Katamon mikvah, on HaMatzor Street, and the Gonen mikvaot.
Pros and cons
- For: community and shuls, gardens and quiet streets, and the walk to Emek Refaim.
- Against: Old Katamon prices; construction noise from urban renewal in the Katamonim; a bus-only commute.
Who it suits
Religious and traditional families who want community; buyers and renters on a tighter budget who are happy in the Katamonim's renewing blocks.
Before you sign
Visit at different times: a weekday morning, Friday afternoon and Shabbat tell you more than any listing. Check the building's mamad or shelter, the stairs and the heating. The renting guide covers the contract, the bills guide covers arnona and the va'ad bayit, and the city-wide neighbourhoods guide compares every area. Nearby alternatives: Baka, the German Colony, Rehavia and Talbiyeh.
Common questions
What is the difference between Old Katamon and the Katamonim?
Old Katamon is the older, pricier area of stone houses and gardens near the German Colony; the Katamonim are later housing estates further west, cheaper and more mixed, and increasingly renovated.
Is there a mikvah in Katamon?
Yes. Our mikvah directory lists the Old Katamon mikvah and those in Gonen.
Live in Katamon and have a correction? Tell us and we will fix it.
