History
At the beginning of the nineteenth century Jerusalem was an old city, ruined and neglected. Only poor people lived there and they suffered from the filth and from sickness. The living conditions in the old city were terrible, but Jews were afraid to move out. They felt safer inside the walls.
The area that is called Nachlaot was settled when the sixth neighborhood, Even Yisrael was established, pushing Jerusalem's boarder to the west.
The neighborhoods called Nachlaot are actually many different neighborhoods that are built side by side. They were set up for different reasons, they had different codes of behavior and even attracted different types of people. Every few streets resembled a different Diaspora, each ran by a different code and had its own synagogue with its special decor, prayers and atmosphere. Nachlaot, was in fact, a mosaic of many different communities living side by side.
Location
Located in the heart of Jerusalem, opposite the well-known Machane Yehuda outdoor marketplace, Nachlaot is situated in the heart of downtown Jerusalem, serving as a gateway to the Government Complex and Sacher Park, as well as being situated in easy walking distance to major downtown hotels, the city center, and neighborhoods including Rechavia and Shaare Chesed. It comprises small neighborhoods of differing real estate values, each with its own rich history. Some sections were established as early as 1880 and others in the 1920s.
100 synagogues
There are many kinds of synagogues; big or small; fancy or plain; famous or unpopular. Some are started by new groups and communities; others are neglected looking for the tenth man to complete the "minyan". In Nachlaot, where the community is changing, so are the synagogues.
Each synagogue has its own décor, own founders and own tradition.
A hundred of synagogues make hundreds of stories. They describe the Diasporas, the people, the contributors and the atmosphere of the original settlers of Nachlaot.
