Tali Friedman seems to know just about everyone at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem. As she walks among the colorful, crowded and noisy alleys of Israel’s most famous shuk, vendors stop her to update her on bureaucratic issues, ask for advice about their business situations, and sing her praises to anyone who’ll listen.

As the chair of the market’s Merchants Association who has run cooking workshops for visitors for nearly two decades, she believes she understands Mahane Yehuda’s opportunities and challenges as she works with the owners to map out a vision for the future.

“The trick is to maintain the shuk’s balance as it continues to change,” Friedman explained over a cup of iced coffee at one of the market’s trendy gourmet cafes. “There is a danger that the old, authentic market will get lost to the new market vibe, and that would be bad for everyone. We need to preserve the market’s authentic heritage in a way that will ensure that shoppers and tourists continue to come.”

This challenge is central for Friedman and other shuk vendors as they prepare the market for one of its biggest overhauls ever, a NIS 54 million ($17.8 million) upgrade scheduled to start in October 2027.

The plan, funded by the Tourism Ministry and the Jerusalem municipality, will look to dig up and replace the market’s electricity, water and sewage systems, install new floors and lighting, and overhaul the roofing that runs the length of the market’s covered lanes — all without shutting down business operations for even a day.

“We are going to start with the main street in the middle of the shuk, and after that, move on to the other streets, one by one,” explained Ariel Baziz, a Jerusalem City Council member from the Hitorerut party who has been involved with the project. “We’re putting a lot of effort into making sure that businesses can stay open.”

The plan, spearheaded by the late Eyal Haimovsky, who served as CEO of the Jerusalem Development Authority, won’t alleviate the market’s crowding or solve its parking shortage, but it will modernize the infrastructure and help ensure that it can continue to evolve in the future, Friedman said.

The stakes are high to get the upgrade right without harming the current balance, Friedman said. The market is home to more than 450 businesses employing some 10,000 people, she said, citing internal data. It’s also one of the most-visited destinations and tourist attractions in the country, drawing as many as 100,000 people on the busiest Fridays.

“We’ll make sure that every store has an accessible entrance so they can continue working, even if it takes longer,” Friedman said. “Shutting businesses down isn’t an option — too many families need the income.”

The plan will also test whether Jerusalem can modernize one of its best-known landmarks without sacrificing the character that made........

© The Times of Israel