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Narrow lanes, hidden courtyards, a shul on every corner and the shuk next door. What it is really like to live in Nachlaot.
Short answer: Nachlaot is a cluster of about thirty small neighbourhoods in the centre of Jerusalem, built from the 1870s onwards around what is now the Mahane Yehuda market. It is a place of narrow lanes, stone courtyards and small shuls, home to a mix of young singles and couples, artists, long-time Sephardi and Kurdish families, students and a large religious and spiritually searching community. Apartments are small and often old; the rent is mid-high for what you get, because the location is hard to beat. The light rail, the shuk and the city centre are a few minutes' walk away.
At a glance
- Who lives here: young singles and couples, students, artists, long-established families, and a large and varied religious community, including many English-speakers.
- Housing: small apartments in old one- and two-storey courtyard buildings, many renovated, some not; very few lifts and few mamads.
- Price band: mid-high for the size; renovated courtyard apartments are expensive.
- Getting around: on foot. The Red Line stops at Mahane Yehuda and HaDavidka are a few minutes away, and the Green Line starts nearby on Jaffa Road.
- Everyday shopping: the Mahane Yehuda market for food, with the city centre's shops beyond it.
- Green space: Sacher Park, the largest park in central Jerusalem, is on the neighbourhood's south-western edge.
The courtyards and the shuls
Each of Nachlaot's small neighbourhoods was built by and for one community, many of them around a shared courtyard, a well and a shul. Nachlaot once had one of the densest concentrations of synagogues anywhere, and around a hundred small shuls remain, of every tradition: Sephardi, Ashkenazi, Chassidic, Yemenite, Kurdish and newer Carlebach-style minyanim. On Friday night the lanes fill with people walking between them.
Living next to the shuk
Mahane Yehuda is Nachlaot's grocery store: produce, fish, cheese and bakeries during the day, and bars and restaurants at night. That is the draw and the drawback: Thursday nights and Friday mornings are crowded, and the streets nearest the market are loud until late. Our directory lists the market's restaurants, cheese shops and delis; see restaurants and bakeries and speciality food.
Community and religious life
Nachlaot has one of the city's most varied religious communities: long-time traditional families, young Orthodox couples, a large Carlebach and Breslov influenced scene, and newcomers exploring. Many English-speakers live here, especially singles and young couples. Our mikvah directory lists the nearest mikvaot. Finding your community explains how people plug in.
Pros and cons
- For: the location (walk everywhere), the shuk, character and community, the light rail next door.
- Against: small, old and sometimes damp apartments, few lifts or mamads, noise near the market, almost no parking, and rent that is high for the space.
Who it suits
Singles, couples and students who want to walk everywhere and live in the middle of things; people who want a varied, open religious community. Families with small children often move on for more space. The student guide covers renting a room.
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: Rehavia and Talbiyeh, the German Colony, Katamon.
Common questions
Is Nachlaot a good place to live?
For singles, couples and students who want to be central, yes: it is walkable, full of character and close to the light rail. It is less suited to families who need space, a lift or parking.
Is Nachlaot noisy?
The streets closest to Mahane Yehuda are busy and loud on Thursday nights and Friday mornings, and the bars stay open late. The inner lanes are much quieter.
Is Nachlaot on the light rail?
It is a few minutes' walk from the Red Line stops at Mahane Yehuda and HaDavidka, and from the Green Line on Jaffa Road. The light rail guide has the map.
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