We’re back again with a second post on free activities in Jerusalem. if you missed our first one, click here…

Knesset

Israel’s parliament building, the Knesset, is open  for free daily tours, in a range of languages, at different hours (phone to find out which one suits you).

Pic. courtesy of the Jewish Virtual Library

The tour lasts about an hour and will take you through committee rooms and on to the Plenum Hall, where Members of Parliament sit. You need only to take your passport – however, note that a dress code is in effect (no tank/spaghetti tops, cropped tops, shorts or ¾ length trousers, ripped trousers, shirts with political slogans, short skirts and short dresses, flip-flops or open-back clogs).

Bird Watching

A hidden gem in Jerusalem is the Bird Observatory, next door to the Knesset Parliament and run by the Society for the Protection of Nature.

Pic. courtesy of nature israel.org

Consisting of 2 small huts, you can sit quietly, overlooking a large pond, and spy all kinds of feathered friends in this oasis. Diagrams on the wall will help you identify some of the birds and if you arrive early enough, you can watch the staff band bios for identification and tracking purposes.

 Gazelle Park

One of the lungs of Jerusalem, Gazelle Valley, is named after a family of gazelles that live in this area. This beautiful and graceful area is right in the heart of the city and was saved by Israeli environmentalists from a planned construction.

Pic. courtesy of Haaretz.com

Today the area undergone a great deal of replanting and is now complete with a wide variety of trees, planet and watering holes for the local wildlife. A great place to pass a couple of hours.

Yad VaShem

Yad Vashem is Israel’s national memorial to and museum for the holocaust, committed to safeguarding the memory of the past and imparting its meaning for future generations.

Pic. courtesy of Yad Vashem

Emphasizing the experiences of the individual victims through original artifacts, survivor testimonies and personal possessions, at the end of the Museum’s historical narrative is the Hall of Names — a repository for the Pages of Testimony of millions of Holocaust victims, a memorial to those who perished. An essential place to visit.

Mormon University

The Mormon University is a striking building, located on Mount Scopus, over looking the Mount of Olives, the Kidron Valley and the Old City. The 125,000 square-foot, eight-level structure is set amid acres of beautifully landscaped gardens.

It offers free daily tours which will take you through the campus, show you a short introductory movie, and the give you a 20minute classical music concert. You will also be able to see their amazing organ – the largest in the Middle East. The University offers free classical music concerts every Sunday and jazz concerts once a month on Thursdays, at 20.00.