Mahane Yehuda Market - the largest in Jerusalem and, as many believe, the best food market in Israel. Locals call it simply Shook (Hebrew - the market), and believe that no tourist visiting Suka not understand the life of Jerusalem.

Mahane Yehuda ("Camp of Judah") - the so-called area outside the Old City, formed in 1887. Yehuda - the name of the brother of one of the three partners who built the area. Very quickly on a nearby vacant lot there was a spontaneous market, which grew up with the new quarters. In the days of the British Mandate trade streamlined, built permanent stalls under a roof.

Now the market is located on two main streets intersected by streets with pretty names - Peach, Pear, Walnut ... Since the beginning of the XXI century, much has changed: there were cafes, night bars, restaurants, fashion shops (the changes were initiated by the Board of Directors of the market after the attacks, which killed 23 people - the flow of visitors then temporarily dropped). Since 2010, there is held the annual street festival of music and dance, attracting crowds of people walking.

But the main thing remains the same: a colorful space of a typical bazaar, filled with the sounds and smells. Multi-colored vegetables and fruits are pleasing to the eye; It smells of spices, fresh bread, coffee; salesmen loudly tout buyers traded everything, laughing, shouting. First got here and people can get confused.

Bargain hunters are advised to start with the bakery "Marzipan" - it is on the street Agrippa right of the entrance to the market. Famous bakery not marzipan and traditional Jewish pastries Rugeley (kruassanchiki are small with a layer of soft and sweet). Fortified with several portions of Rugeley (say, the most delicious - chocolate), tourist, diving into the territory of the market, they may drink fresh juice on the street Ha Egots. Here Yemeni Uzi Eli offers juice from the original mixture of ingredients - for example, lemon, sugar cane and quince. On the same street in the ice cream maker "Muslin" you can try another strange product - flavored ice cream with basil and grapefruit simultaneously.

After the tourist turns out Etz Ha-Chaim and permanently freezes to counter with halva. It is with all sorts of additives - a good idea to take some home for souvenirs. Nearby, in the street Shazif Ha, in a cheese shop allowed to try all the cheeses. Shagnёsh to a nearby alley - fresh fish, and here - the olive tree next to the smoked herring and homemade pickles, and nuts, and tea ...

In the Iraqi part of the market is interesting to watch the old men playing backgammon. There is also a part of Georgia, Russian tourists are very fond of her. General market multiculturalism - are trafficked come from Poland, Russia, France, Tunisia, Morocco and other countries, and the majority of merchants family business rooted in history.

Before closing the fruit and vegetable market (in the evening they are no longer considered to be fresh) can be bought cheaply. But the biggest discounts on Friday, before the Sabbath - Shook closed for mandatory Sabbath rest.