Names of Jerusalem Neighborhoods

Shoshana Damari’s classic song שובי בת ירושלים [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /] gives a melodic tour of many of Jerusalem’s Jewish neighborhoods.

This post sheds some light for English speakers on what the names of these neighborhoods mean.

בית הכרם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
House of the Vineyard – בֵית[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /] is the construct “of” state of the word בַית[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /] meaning house or home.

ניות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
ניות is the plural of the word נווה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /] meaning abode.

גונן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
More typically called by its Greek name Katamon (next to the monastery), גונן comes from the root ג.נ.נ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /] meaning defending.

תלפיות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
This flowery word for high place appears in the biblical Song of Songs. Ulpan La-Inyan’s Jerusalem branch is located in this southern neighborhood.

קוממיות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
This is the Hebew version of the Arabic name for the neighborhood, Talbieh. קוממיות means independence or sovereignty. Its root is ק.ו.מ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /] meaning standing.

גילה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
This neighborhood is named after a biblical village of the same name.

מאה שערים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
This neighborhood is named for the success of the biblical Isaac in finding wells in the desert. Contrary to popular belief, מאה שערים does not mean one hundred gates, but rather one hundred measures or a hundredfold.

עיר גנים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
“City of Gardens”, located at the southwest corner of Jerusalem

רמת רחל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
This kibbutz-within-a-city is named after the biblical Rachel, whose tomb is located in nearby Bethlehem. רמת רחל means literally Height(s) of Rachel.

ימין משה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
In the late 19th century, Sir Moses Montefiori established the first neighborhoods outside of the Old City walls. ימין משה is named after him, meaning literally right (hand) of Moses.

משכנות שאננים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
Next to ימין משה, this was the first neighborhood that Sir Moses Montefiori established. The name means dwellings of tranquil ones.

עין כרם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
Vineyard Spring – best known for hospital located here, הדסה עין כרם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /].

רחביה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
Close to the city center, רחביה is named after a biblical figure whose name alludes to abundant blessing from the Divine.

רוממה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /]
Located at the main entrance to the new city, רוממה appears in the biblical Psalms 118: “ימין ה’ רוממה”[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/שכונות-ירושלים-#.m4a” /] – The right hand of God is lifted high.”

שובי בת ירושלים – Return O Daughter of Jerusalem

by Shoshana Damari