Yabetz

• Yabetz is a pedestrian shopping alley running from Derekh Yafo to Ben Hillel. (Its continuation to Histadrut Street has nothing of interest but a public phone.) From Ben Hillel (almost at King GeorgeV – HaMelekh George) go down the steps past the optician. (What is a British king doing on Jerusalem street signs? More on that later.)
• On the right is a small shop with an abundance of dried fruit and nuts. All along both sides of the street are tiny stores packed with interesting clothing for men and women. (See http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/05/daughter-of-salwar-kameez.html ) Colorful shirts, skirts, tunics, and dresses – mainly cotton– are offbeat and come in cryptic sizes. Bat Ayin has a store here, as well as another in the Mahaneh Yehuda shouk (see http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/02/unexpected-february-entertainment.html ).
• About halfway along, on the right, is a garden and patio store. For a city with few private homes, Jerusalem has a lot of garden stores. You see the result on balconies.
• Almost at Yafo St.,on the left are the stairs leading up to Sefer v’Sefel. The sign advertises a coffee shop. There is no coffee shop, but there is an extensive used book store. From science fiction to Judaica through paperback classics, Sefer v’Sefel has a large collection.

Copyright 2006 Jane S. Fox