There’s nothing like a summer in Jerusalem. That’s a catchphrase I find myself uttering frequently to friends contemplating a visit to Israel’s capital. We’ve got the weather (hot during the day – like everywhere – but cool at night – very un-Tel Aviv) and, increasingly, a level of culture and fun that no one can beat – not even that decadent beach bunch down the hill.
Just look at the schedule so far. There was already the Israel Festival, the Festival of Lights, the Jerusalem International Film Festival, Steve Reich’s Different Trains at the Tower of David, a series of intimate theater and dance performances in people’s homes, the Woodstock Revival, and coming up: the annual Wine Festival at the Israel Museum, the Beer Festival, the Arts and Crafts Festival…you get the idea.
And smack dab in the middle is the Balabusta happening at the Mahane Yehuda open-air market, taking place Mondays in July. Balabusta is Yiddish for a “good housewife.” At the market, it’s an excuse for a street party. We went last week and had a great time, as did the many thousands of people who made the narrow walkways of the shuk (as the market is also known) feel like a bullet train at rush hour.
The pay off, though, was worth it: a wide variety of music, theater, kids performances and discount eats. Along the main drag of the market were two stages on the roof. One was a rotating roster of rock bands; the other had a puppet show featuring a massive marionette of a bird so large it needed five puppeteers to operate it. Smaller bands and a DJ corner (featuring Israeli rapper Segol 59) hob nobbed with the fruit and vegetable sellers. Navigating the crowds was slow moving at times, but there was no real jostling between attendees.
Mahane Yehuda has become quite gentrified over the past few years, with upscale cafes and restaurants interspersed with gourmet cheese and nut stands. One shuk stalwart is Itchikdana, a tiny Indian vegetarian restaurant that serves some excellent thalis. For the Balabusta festival, they were offering up a “taster’s plate” for only NIS 10. You could choose from several different types of fried dishes (samosas, tempura-like carrots) and a potato curry along with yogurt and chutney sauces. It was just the right size and very filling. The best deal of the night.
Balabusta continues tomorrow and next Monday night, from 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM. Entrance is free, though expect to buy some “treats” (we found a decent baklava for dessert).
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