Nachlaot is not just another Jerusalem “neighborhood” — it represents a cross-section of the Jewish People.
Referred to by some as “Jerusalem's Soho” area, it is home to a diverse population, which includes the Jerusalem hareidi-religious population, followers of the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, members of the National Religious community and many non-Sabbath observant residents. There are members of both the Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities.
The residents of the community serve as an example to Am Yisrael (the Jewish People), living side-by-side in harmony, including Sabbath observant and non-Sabbath observant families and singles. “Tolerance and good vibes” would well describe life in this increasingly popular area of the capital.
Located in the heart of Jerusalem, opposite the well-known Machane Yehuda outdoor marketplace, Nachlaot is situated in the heart of downtown Jerusalem, serving as a gateway to the Government Complex and Sacher Park, as well as being situated in easy walking distance to major downtown hotels, the city center, and neighborhoods including Rechavia and Shaare Chesed.
There are many synagogues, including Kol Rina, an Orthodox synagogue which offers prayer services modeled after the tunes and spirit of the late Rabbi Carlebach, with spiritual leader Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, who is bilingual, making a concerted effort to make his House of Worship a comfort zone for all those who visit and worship regularly. The same holds true for the N'vei Shalom (Raz) Synagogue, offering an inspiring Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat service intended to not just fulfill one's responsibility to pray, but to stir the heart and spirit.
The neighborhood includes the world famous Addes Congregation, the flagship of the Syrian Halebi community, as well as the synagogues located in the Knesset Alef, Bet, and Gimmel areas, following the tradition of Old Jerusalem, including followers of the Vlina Gaon as well as hassidic tradition. This would include synagogues such as Beis Rachel, Batei Broider and Batei Rund.
Active on the Nachlaot scene is Rabbi Aaron Hurwitz, the Chabad emissary to Rechavia and Nachlaot, who can be seen checking mezuzot, giving a Torah lecture, or just driving by on his scooter.
The neighborhood, once home to Rabbi Aryeh Levine, known as the “Great Tzaddik of Jerusalem,” is rich in its history, diversified in its present state, and promises to offer a magnificent future as construction continues on almost every street. Modest Jerusalem apartments are being transformed into modern-day villas and apartments, catering to a 21st Century standard that is attracting a large crowd of new immigrants, once residents of North America, and foreign investors.
Seeing passers-by carrying a Talmud is as commonplace as those carrying a laptop while tuning into an iPod®.
Please do not remain a stranger . . . stop by for a visit. There are many homeowners who are pleased to welcome Sabbath guests around their table. Don't just read about it . . . take part in the Nachlaot Experience.
For additional information, please contact You may also monitor neighborhood events as well as post to the Nachlaot community list by sending an email to
The Nachlaot Experience — giving you a taste of real Jerusalem hospitality.
The Nachlaot Experience, hosted by Sharon and Yechiel Spira, enables you to join this unique Sabbath atmosphere, dubbed by many as the “Jewish Brady Bunch”.
Join the growing number of visitors from North America opting to spend a Sabbath with the Spiras, whose home is mehadrin kosher, in compliance with strict shmita laws and customs.