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PHOTO ESSAY: A visit to Ramla, a city not to be missed

From the marketplace and its cats to the mosques and churches of a mixed (majority-Jewish) city, this place offers a snapshot into the complexity of Israel

(All photos, courtesy)

(All photos, courtesy)

Ramla is an ancient city in the center of Israel, and a great place to visit as a day trip. It’s got a rich history, a mix of cultures, a terrific market (shuk), and unique ancient architecture. The town had an Arab majority before most of its Arab inhabitants were expelled or fled during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The town was subsequently repopulated by Jewish immigrants. Today, approximately 80 percent of the population is Jewish and 20% Arab (Muslim and Christian).

The shuk in Ramla is one of my favorite markets in Israel. I make it a point to visit it whenever I’m in Israel. I arrived as they were closing for the day. Some of my images from my visit…

Of course if there’s a shuk then there have to be cats…

Places of worship including mosques and churches can be found in the city…

While walking around the city I came across some ancient ruins. I’m not sure from what periods they come from but they are quite interesting…

I hope you get a chance to visit the interesting city of Ramla.

About the Author

I first came to Israel in 1971 and stayed with friends Eileen and Ami. Eileen and I grew up in Brooklyn, NY and were friends there before she moved full-time to Herzliya. Six years ago we reconnected on Facebook, met again in New York, fell in love and got married. I've been making images ever since I was 6 years old. I have an extensive personal image library and love to travel around Israel to record my impressions of this wonderful country so that folks abroad get a real idea, through my thoughts and ideas about living here.

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