Jerusalem will once again host its main cultural city-wide event during the first three weekends in December. The event is known as 'Hamshushalayim' - Hamshush is Hebrew slang for the long Israeli weekend of Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Tourists and visitors to Jerusalem will enjoy free entry (or for a nominal amount) to tens of tourist and cultural attractions in the city, including, among many others, the Israel Museum, the Science Museum, the Bible Lands Museum, the Museum of Italian Jewry, the Museum of Islamic Art, the Tower of David Museum, the City of David, the Davidson Center and the Old City Walls Promenade. Many of the sites will host live performances, attractions and special activities that are unique to the Hamshushalayim event, such as the a-capella concert in the Shrine of the Book and live jazz beneath the Temple Mount.

Many sites, museums and places of entertainment will remain open on Thursday nights till the early hours of the morning. In addition, there will be hundreds of special guided walking tours, many free of charge, and some in English. Tours on Saturday are suitable for the Sabbath-observant.  

Hamshushalayim 2008 also includes a giant culinary festival, with dozens of the city's leading restaurants, cafes and pubs offering fixed price menus for 62 NIS and 92 NIS per person, as well as Happy Hour on Saturday evenings. Other gourmet events will also take place throughout the capital.

About 20 participating Jerusalem hotels will offer special rates over the three weekends. During Hamshushalayim 2007, hotels registered over 90% occupancy rates and over 500,000 people participated in the various cultural events, 60% of whom came from outside the city.

Hamshushalayim 2008 is an initiative of the Jerusalem Municipality's Tourism Authority, in cooperation with the Tourism Ministry, the Jerusalem Development Authority , the Jerusalem Hotels Association  and the various cultural and tourist sites in the capital, produced by the Ariel Corporation.  

Tourists can receive detailed information on the Hamshushalayim 2008 program by contacting the Tourism Ministry's Tourist Information Office inside the Jaffa gate (tel: 02 6280403; 02 6271422; 02 6276429.) In addition to the regular office hours (Sun-Thurs 08:30 – 17:00), the office will operate special opening hours during the three weekends of Hamshushalayim: Thursdays from 20:00 – 01:00 and Fridays from 08:30 to 13:00.  

www.jerusalem.muni.il