Photo: Hagai Agmon-Snir حچاي اچمون-سنير חגי אגמון-שניר, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Leafy, central and prestigious. Rehavia's 1930s streets and Talbiyeh's grand houses, and what living there is like.
Short answer: Rehavia and Talbiyeh are Jerusalem's most central leafy neighbourhoods, between the city centre and the German Colony. Rehavia was planned in the 1920s as a garden suburb, with 1930s apartment buildings on tree-lined streets; Talbiyeh has the grandest houses in the city, the Jerusalem Theatre and the President's residence. Both are walkable to the centre, the Old City and the museums, quiet, and among the most expensive places to live. They suit couples, retirees and academics more than young families.
At a glance
- Who lives here: academics, professionals and a large older English-speaking population; fewer young families than the south.
- Housing: 1930s international-style apartment buildings in Rehavia; villas and elegant apartment buildings in Talbiyeh.
- Price band: the highest in the city.
- Getting around: a walk to the centre and King George Street; buses everywhere; the light rail's City Hall and Jaffa Center stops are 10–20 minutes on foot.
- Everyday shopping: Azza Street and the Rehavia centre, King George Street and the city centre.
- Culture and green space: Liberty Bell Park, the Museum for Islamic Art, the Train Theater and the Jerusalem Theatre.
Community
A mix of established English-speaking and Israeli communities, shuls from traditional to Modern Orthodox, and a lively cultural life on the doorstep. Our mikvah directory lists the Rehavia mikvah on Ha'Ari Street.
Pros and cons
- For: location, quiet streets, walking to almost everything, culture, and flat streets that suit older residents.
- Against: price; older buildings, many without lifts or a mamad; and central-city traffic and security around the official residences.
Who it suits
Retirees, couples, academics and anyone who wants to walk everywhere and can afford it.
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: the German Colony, Katamon, Nachlaot.
Common questions
Is Rehavia a good place for retirees?
Yes; it is flat by Jerusalem standards, central, quiet and full of services, with a large older English-speaking population.
Is there a mikvah in Rehavia?
Yes, on Ha'Ari Street. Our mikvah directory has the details.
Live in Rehavia or Talbiyeh and have a correction? Tell us and we will fix it.
