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Getting to Know: Fast Facts
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American Express--American Express Internationals office is at 19 Hillel St. (tel. 02/624-6933; fax 02/623-1520). Its open Sunday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and Friday 9am to 1pm, and exchange rates here, especially for American Express travelers checks, are relatively good and there is no commission charge; mail is held for American Express customers. Lost or stolen American Express travelers checks can be reported 24 hours daily by calling toll free tel. 1-800-943-8694.
Area Code--The area code is 02.
Baby-Sitters--Ask at the front desk of your hotel.
Currency Exchange--Banking hours are 8:30am to noon or 12:30pm; on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday also from 4 to 5pm. There are many banks on Ben-Yehuda Street, Jaffa Road, and King George V Avenue. Money changers, which are legal and offer slightly better rates than banks, will change money in less time with no commission. In East Jerusalem, a number of money-changer offices are on Saladin Street; in the Old City, these offices can be found inside Damascus and Jaffa gates; they are generally open daily from 9am to 5 or 6pm. In West Jerusalem, Change Point, a convenient money-changing office, has branches on the Ben-Yehuda Mall near Zion Square, open Sunday through Thursday from 9am to 8pm and on Friday from 9am to 1pm.
ATMs connected to the CIRRUS/NYCE system can be found at Zion Square, and at the City Tower, corner of Ben-Yehuda Street and King George V Avenue.
Dentists/Doctors--Ask your hotel or consulate for a list of English-speaking doctors and dentists. For a centrally located, American-trained and -certified dentist, try Dr. Mat Weiner, 1 bar Kinora St. (tel. 02/567-1167), 2 blocks north of Jaffa Road. For Dental First Aid, call tel. 02/625-4740. Open daily.
Drugstores--The Jerusalem Post lists under "General Assistance" the names and addresses of duty pharmacies that stay open nights and on the Sabbath.
Emergencies--To call the police, dial tel. 100. Dial tel. 101 for Magen David Adom (Red Shield of David), Israels emergency first-aid ambulance service. Magen David Adom has a clinic in Romema, near the Central Bus Station, and also a mobile intensive-care unit (tel. 02/652-3133) on call 24 hours a day. For medical emergencies requiring hospitalization, dial tel. 102.
Hospitals--Hospital emergency rooms are open daily, 24 hours. Bring your passport and have a means to pay the fees. In central Jerusalem: Bikur Holim Hospital, Straus Street near Jaffa Road (tel. 02/670-1111). At the western edge of the city: Shaarei Tzedek Hospital, Sderot Herzl, Bayit Vegan (tel. 02/655-5111; emergency room tel. 02/655-5508). For information on possible Blue Cross-Blue Shield coverage at Hadassah Hospital, Ein Kerem, call tel. 02/677-6029.
Hot Lines--Helpline (Milev Center for Crisis Counseling) (tel. 02/654-1111) offers English speaking counselors for all problems and age groups. You can call the Jerusalem Rape Crisis Center at tel. 02/625-5558 daily, 24 hours. The Mental Health Hotline (Eran) can be reached at tel. 02/561-0303 from 8am to 11pm; if this office is closed, call tel. 03/523-4819 in Tel Aviv. English is spoken, and visitors are welcome to call.
Libraries--The American Cultural Center Library (tel. 02/625-5755) is on Keren Hayesod Street on the block between Agron Street and the Sheraton Moriah Hotel, open Sunday through Thursday from 10am to 4pm. The British Council Library (tel. 02/628-2545) is on Nablus Road next to the East Jerusalem YMCA.
Liquor Laws--East Jerusalem is largely Muslim; Islamic law forbids the use of alcohol. Drinks are served in hotels that cater to Western visitors, but unless an East Jerusalem or Old City restaurant offers a wine list with its menu, assume that alcohol is not available. Do not attempt to drink outdoors or in public places in East Jerusalem or the Old City.
Lost Property--Unattended objects stand a good chance of being zapped by the bomb squad. Check with the local police, and try to retrace your steps.
Luggage/Storage Lockers--Bags are best stored at your hotel. Be prepared for a security check before storing.
Newspapers/Magazines--In addition to The Jerusalem Post and the International Herald Tribune the twice-monthly Jerusalem Report magazine has become Israels English-language answer to Time and Newsweek. Eretz magazine, beautifully written and photographed, focuses on nature, history, and travel in Israel.
Photographic Needs--The downtown King George Street/Ben-Yehuda area abounds with 1-hour photo-developing shops. Prices are comparable to nondiscount developing in the United States. To avoid X-ray problems at the airport, its a good idea to develop film before leaving Israel. Photo Prisma at 44 Jaffa Rd. (tel. 02/623-4796), just across from Zion Square, has an English-speaking staff and a good reputation for stocking fresh film. For fast developing, Take One on Ben Hillel St. between Ben Yehuda and Shamai streets is a good, middle-price-range choice.
Police--Dial tel. 100. Border police in military uniforms carrying highly visible weaponry patrol Ben-Yehuda Mall and other central areas. (They fine jaywalkers.)
Post Office--Jerusalems Central Post Office (tel. 02/624-4745) is at 23 Jaffa Rd., near the intersection with Shlomzion Ha-Malka Street. General hours for all services are Sunday to Thursday from 7am to 7pm; limited services (telephone and telegraph) are open nights and on the Sabbath. East Jerusalem had its own main post office, which is now a branch, opposite Herods Gate at the corner of Saladin Ibn Sina and Sultan Suleiman streets.
In the Old City, the post office is a few steps from Jaffa Gate, up past the Citadel of David and next to the gate of the Christ Church Anglican Hospice. A branch in West Jerusalem is on Keren Kayemet Street half a block from the corner with King George V and the Jewish Agency.
Radio--News in English is on Israel Radio at 7am, 1pm, 5pm, and on AM 575, 1170, and 1458 kHz.
Religious Services--The Christian Information Center (P.O. Box 14308; tel. 02/62-2692), inside Jaffa Gate on Omar Ibn El-Khattab Square near the Christ Church Hospice and opposite the entrance to the Tower of David, has a list of all Christian services. The center is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30am to 1pm; closed Sunday and holidays. This Week in Jerusalem, available free at major hotels, lists Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox Jewish synagogues.
Rest Rooms--In the Old City, signs read "wc" or "oo," and indicate public rest rooms. In West Jerusalem, restaurants and cafes are the best option.
Safety--Jerusalem is a low-crime city, but be aware of pickpockets in the crowd crushes of the Old City and avoid the deserted bazaars after dark. While political demonstrations in West Jerusalem are passionate but usually safe, it is advisable to avoid demonstrations in East Jerusalem or in the Old City. Keep alert at all times. Get away from and report any unattended or suspicious object immediately.
Telegrams/Telex/Fax--There are telex and fax services at the Central Post Office, 23 Jaffa Rd. Inside the Old City, the Bookshelf, Jewish Quarter Road (tel. 02/626-0473; fax 02/627-3889), offers excellent fax service and will even notify you after hours about any fax responses you may receive. For telegrams, dial tel. 171.
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