Jerusalem To Receive Prestigious Hilton Hotel

Often known throughout the world for their style and class, the Hilton Hotels corporation is planning on building one of their hotels within Jerusalem.

But instead of establishing one of their regular building inside the holy city, Hilton is instead going to erect a prestigious brand that has only been constructed in three countries.

(Globes Online) IPC Jerusalem Ltd., a joint venture Hilton Hotels Corp. and IPC US REIT (TSX:IUR), controlled by Canada's Reichman family, has signed a management agreement to manage Jerusalem's Palace Hotel under the Waldorf Astoria brand. IPC is investing $100 million in renovating the historic building, which will have 220 rooms and suites and 30 residential apartments in an adjacent building. [...]

Hilton Hotels has 2,645 hotels worldwide, including two in Israel. The Waldorf Astoria brand, named for the original legendary hotel in New York, is the Hilton's most prestigious brand. There are five Waldorf Astoria hotels in the world, four in the US and one in Saudi Arabia. The decision to establish the brand in Jerusalem is a vote of confidence in Jerusalem by Hilton.

With tourism in Israel rising (especially over the holidays), Hilton's addition to Jerusalem should help compliment Israel's capital (that is, if you can afford it. ;-))

Sovereignty Is Sweet! Jerusalem To Add 10,000 More Apartments

It looks as if the Israeli government is finally realizing that Israel, not the international community should dictate where Israeli's build their homes.

While some may wonder what Bush may say about this when he visits the holy land, it is certain that Israeli's will be glad to know that they can finally build on lands they owned before the modern Jewish state was birthed.

(Israel National News) The new neighborhood, in an area near the Kalandia checkpoint and the Separation Wall which includes the area of the abandoned Atarot Airport, will contain more than 10,000 apartments, making it the largest Jewish neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem. The zone is included in regions which were annexed to Israel following the Six Day War, and is part of lands which were owned by Jews before the establishment of the State of Israel. Boim is awaiting permission from the Israel Lands Authority (ILA) for the project. The ILA says it plans on approving a permit.

Hopefully construction of these apartments will begin soon, as many of these residents are probably anxious about moving into their new (long overdue) homes.

Update (12/28): Sadly, it looks as if these homes will not be built due to US pressure.

East Jerusalem: Queen Helene's Mansion Unearthed

(Image Credit: Ron Peled, via Ynet News)

It looks as if Queen Helene's mansion has been discovered in a parking lot located in eastern Jerusalem.

While her mention may draw scratching heads from some, Queen Helene played a minor role in Jerusalem's history, not only as a woman who helped feed the poor, but also regarding Jerusalem's temple.

(Ynet News) Josephus and Jewish texts, Helene was from a royal clan that ruled Adiabene, a region now in northern Iraq. Along with her family, she converted to Judaism and came to Jerusalem in the first half of the first century A.D.

Helene merited grateful mention in the Mishna, the written version of Judaism's oral tradition, where she is praised for her generosity to Jerusalem's poor and for making contributions to the Second Temple, the center of the Jewish faith, which was just a few hundred meters (yards) uphill from her house. She was buried in an elaborate tomb not far away.

The discovery of Helene's mansion helps cement the idea that Jerusalem was (and still is) a Jewish city about 2,000 years ago, around the time that Jesus Christ appeared on the scene.

Hopefully Bush will take note of this, as he is planning on visiting Israel for a few days next month.

Jerusalem Lions To Enter Israeli Baseball!

(Image Credit: Israel Baseball League)

After nearly 4,000 years of waiting, it looks as if the spiritual capital of Israel will finally have its own Baseball team. The Petach Tikva Pioneers have recently decided to migrate to Jerusalem, and will be renamed the Jerusalem Lions.

But the question remains, can they defeat the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox?

(Israel Baseball League) This is about to change for the 2008 season, as the IBL announced that it is moving the Petach Tikva franchise to Jerusalem for the coming year. The team, to be known as the Jerusalem Lions, will play its maiden season in Gezer Field, about a 25 minute drive from the center of Jerusalem. By the 2010 season, the league expects the team to have a home field in Jerusalem itself. [...]

"Our problem was finding a site in Jerusalem that could accommodate pro baseball requirements," said Ami Baran, the IBL's Director of Israeli Operations. "However, we have been working under the leadership of the Jerusalem Foundation in getting a particular parcel designated as a baseball field and it is clear that enough progress has been made on that score for us to start planning for baseball in Jerusalem," Baran continued.

The move towards Jerusalem should help improve the teams fan base, as well as raise the status of the league overall internationally.

The Israel Baseball League has recently released a schedule for 2008, which includes 40 games to be played throughout the season, giving each team plenty of time to spar against each other in the hot summer.

Note: With Jerusalem now formally having a team, I wonder whether or not the Haredi (or Orthodox Jews) will consider joining the fun? (especially if it means beating the Tel Aviv Lightening)

Jerusalem: American Stars Ready To Rock Holy City

It looks like one of the world's holiest cities is about to receive some musical entertainment-rock n' roll style!

(Forward.com) Several high-profile musical acts are set to rock the holiest city in the Holy Land. The concert, "Jerusalem Rocks!" will take place September 9 at Teddy Kollek Stadium. Billboard Top 40 powerhouse the Black Eyed Peas (who have won three Grammys in the past three years) will headline the bill, which also features progressive hip-hop collective Arrested Development (the group, which won two Grammys in 1993, will release a long-awaited reunion album October 30). The event’s organizers hope to re-establish Jerusalem as an international center of culture.

This is one of two concerts being planned in September, with another one taking place in Tel Aviv. Hopefully I'll be able to find a video snippet of the event online, although I wonder whether or not the musicians will actually sing some songs in Hebrew?

Israel Spending Over A Billion Dollars To Woo Jews To Jerusalem

(Image Credit: RomKri of Jerusalem Shots)

Despite the fact that many Jews are proud that Jerusalem is once again in Jewish hands (as the capital of their nation), many Israeli citizens for some strange reason are reluctant to relocate within the capital.

The government, unsatisfied with the current status of "Jerusalem immigration" has decided to spend approximately $1.45 billion in order to see more Jews live within what many regard as the holiest spot on earth.

(Israel National News) Jewish areas of Jerusalem are expected to receive extra attention with the allocation of some $1.45 billion toward development aimed at improving the capital’s Jewish demographics.

Media reports quoted Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as saying the government would approve NIS 5.75 billion to upgrade the city's infrastructure while strengthening its Jewish majority.

Although I have heard of many Jews desiring to keep Jerusalem 100 percent in Jewish hands, I have seen various conversations online where a few of them would decline actually living in the Holy City.

If anybody who is Israeli is reading this, I would be curious as to why so many Jews are avoiding living in their capital city, and whether or not the incentives would attract them towards reconsidering?