Exploring the Old and New Ways in Jerusalem : Besides its ancient religious roots, the ‘City of David’ offers cultural diversity.

As the spring sunshine played off the ancient limestone walls of Jerusalem’s gorgeous Old City, Jews murmured their prayers at the Western Wall, Christian church bells pealed nearby and a muezzin called faithful Muslims to prayer from the slender minaret of a mosque rising into a blue and cloudless sky. Jerusalem’s oldest part, dating back more than 20 centuries before Christ, is a holy site for three of the world’s great religions.

Jerusalem derives its “City of David” name from the Israelite king who conquered it in 997 B.C. and made it his capital by bringing along the Ark of the Covenant. While the route of Christ’s Via Dolorosa has shifted considerably through the centuries, it presently leads through both the Muslim and Christian quarters. And Mohammed is said to have risen to heaven from the Dome of the Rock, where tradition also says Abraham prepared his son Isaac for sacrifice.

While it should be understood by any visitor that some of Jerusalem’s religious sites are based upon faith rather than historic fact, no one of any persuasion can spend a few days here without being overwhelmed by the sheer beauty, splendor and inter-cultural vitality of one of the world’s great and most awe-inspiring cities.

Jerusalem is divided into the walled Old City (with its eight gates), the New City and East Jerusalem. The Old City is of greatest interest to most visitors, since it contains most of the locations important to all three religions. The more modern New City is the site of most hotels, restaurants and night life, as well as museums, theaters, shopping, the university, Israel’s Knesset (parliament) building and some historic sites. East Jerusalem is primarily an Arab district, although the Rockefeller Museum of archeological exhibits and some notable religious sites are also there.

With all the upheavals in the Middle East, some might have misgivings about moving about in Jerusalem. Yet in strolling freely throughout the city, we never once had a feeling of anxiety nor were we treated with anything but respect and welcome by anyone we encountered.

Getting settled in: A short walk from the center of the modern town, and 15 minutes from the Old City, The Windmill hotel is a very comfortable contemporary place with 133 rooms, strictly kosher restaurant, bar-terrace, coffee shop and air conditioning throughout. The hotel is on a quiet side street just off a main thoroughfare, near the landmark Montefiore Windmill.

Just off Zion Square near a lively pedestrian shopping street with outdoor merchants and music, Kikar Zion is another ultra-modern hotel with an excellent location. The Kikar Zion prides itself on Jerusalem’s newest and most modern health club, with most of the high-tech equipment and a handsome indoor pool. There’s also an impressive lobby, replete with leather chairs, plus the very pretty Bella Vista Restaurant.

One of the city’s pleasant surprises is the marvelous YMCA Hotel, a strikingly handsome stone building with lovely grounds and the regal feeling of a Spanish parador in the lobby. Bedrooms, family units and suites are very basic but neat, with colorful coverlets on beds. Guests may also use the pool, tennis and squash courts and exercise room, and participate in folklore evenings. People all over town recommended having lunch in the restaurant or snack bar, although we didn’t get to try either on this visit.

Regional food and drink: Discussing food in Jerusalem is a bit like walking into a culinary caldron, since one starts with Oriental Jewish food (similar to Arab fare) as opposed to the Eastern European variety of goulash and schnitzels, then moves to dairy and a spattering of Western-style fast food.

The important thing to remember is that the region is now made up of people from more than 100 countries, all partial to the foods they left behind.

Salads are a staple, particularly at breakfast when half a dozen may make their appearance, along with glorious fresh fruits, yogurt, eggs, various breads and smoked herring or salmon. Some hotels will even serve a dessert or two at breakfast. Whatever, it will keep one going until supper.

Falafel, available everywhere and often called the “Israeli hot dog,” is ground chick peas blended with oil, herbs and spices, deep fried, then tucked into pita bread with salad and slathered with a piquant tahini sauce.

Goldstar and Maccabee are popular Israeli beers; European brands are also available.

Good local dining: Restaurant Dallas (8 King David St.) describes its menu as Oriental and serves much of the food that may be purchased less expensively at street stalls in a small, cozy and brightly decorated place favored by upscale locals. A $21 fixed menu gives one a smorgasbord of eight cold appetizers, six hot appetizers, and grills of chicken, veal, turkey or kebabs, followed by dessert and coffee or tea. Another $2 moves the main course up to lamb chops, steak or a mixed grill.

Makom Ba-Lev (220 King George St.) is a dairy-vegetarian restaurant on the second floor of a hotel-apartment building at town center. Fish figures into the vegetarian scheme; eight main courses range from Nile perch Oriental ($8.50) to stuffed trout with salmon pate and a Pernod sauce ($13.50). Eight pastas, most in the $7.50 category, include the likes of fettuccine Alfredo, spinach cannelloni and gnocchi al pesto, which we found delicious. This is a bright and modern place, with fresh flowers about and the most cheerful service.

Cheesecake fiends should head for Cheesecake (23 Yoel Salomon), which also serves pancakes, omelets, hash browns, French toast, bagels and lox. This is a simple place with undistinguished decor, but the cheesecake drew raves from New York friends . Choose from the basic variety to superb blackberry, mocha, lemon, peanut butter or a half-dozen other exotics. A hefty slice goes for $3.78, and is worth every shekel.

Going first-class: The King David has been most visitors’ luxury hotel choice for decades, with guests including presidents, prime ministers, kings and queens. It’s a grande dame from the old school--palatial and brimming with fine Oriental rugs, lush furnishings and painted-beam ceilings. There’s also a huge outdoor pool and terrace, several restaurants, sauna and tennis court. It’s the lap of luxury and then some.

Mishkenot Sha’ananim Restaurant (Yemin Moshe) has hosted as many if not more members of governments, royalty and assorted other dignitaries--with good reason. The menu is crammed with a creative selection of Moroccan hors d’oeuvres, nine treatments of duckling (the house specialty), six fish dishes and eight imaginative beef choices. Be sure to try the mixed hot hors d’oeuvres of stuffed vine leaves, pears, figs and prunes at $10.50, and expect to pay about $35 per person, plus wine.

The view of the Old City from Mishkenot Sha’ananim’s dining room is spectacular.

On your own: With all the history, religion and culture teeming from the streets and neighborhoods of Jerusalem, it’s near impossible to decide where to start and how far to go. But a very short checklist would surely include the Israel Museum (Dead Sea Scrolls, Billy Rose Sculpture Garden, fine art and archeology in Jewish history); the National Memorial to the Holocaust; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; the Western Wall; Museum of the History of Jerusalem at David’s Citadel (sound-and-light show); the Jewish Quarter; and the Cardo (the main street of Jerusalem in Byzantine times).

Just outside the Old City are the Garden of Gethsemane and Mount of Olives; Bethlehem is just seven miles south of town.

To help see and understand the most of Jerusalem in the shortest time, we found Hillela Narkiss, a licensed guide with phenomenal knowledge of her hometown and its history, absolutely invaluable. She has a station wagon, will take up to four people, and may be reached by telephoning locally (02) 638705. Hillela is the purest gem to anyone with limited time.

GUIDEBOOK

The Joys of Jerusalem

Getting there: Fly El Al, Delta, TWA or a number of foreign carriers to Tel Aviv, about 32 miles from Jerusalem. From there a bus will cost $3.50, taxi about $30, shared cab (sherut) $9.50. An advance-purchase, round-trip ticket to Tel Aviv is about $1,222 until June 4, then $1,386 until Aug. 16.

A few fast facts: Israel’s shekel recently sold for 2.04 to the dollar, 49 cents each. Best time for a visit is between April and the end of October. And be advised that the Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and ends at nightfall on Saturday, during which Jewish shops and businesses are closed and most public transportation ceases.

Where to stay: The Windmill Hotel (3 Mendele St., $89 double B&B;); Kikar Zion (25 Shamai St., $100 B&B; double); YMCA Hotel (26 King David St., $55-$65 B&B; double), and the King David Hotel (23 King David St., $150-$170 double B&B;).

For more information: Call the Israel Government Tourist Office at (213) 658-7462, or write (6380 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700, Los Angeles 90048) for a brochure on Jerusalem, a city map with description of sites and locations, plus another brochure on 1992 events.