Jerusalem - Guide for Gays, Lesbians and Queers

Jerusalem is a city of very different worlds, and that shapes queer life here too. There is no scene with its own neighbourhood, bars and saunas like in Tel Aviv. The city's only openly gay bar, Video Pub in the Russian Compound, has now closed.

The most important place for the community is the Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance. The community centre has existed since the 1990s, offers counselling, groups and events, and organises Jerusalem Pride every year. If you are new in town or looking to meet people, this is the best place to start.

Going out means going to mixed venues. The former owner of Video Pub runs two other bars in the city centre, HaTaklit and The Cassette, which he describes as open to everyone. Nocturno, a restaurant and performance space in the centre, hosts regular shows by the city's only drag troupe. On top of that there are queer party nights in changing venues, most of them monthly.

In everyday life it pays to read your surroundings. In the city centre and in secular neighbourhoods, same-sex couples hardly stand out. In ultra-Orthodox neighbourhoods such as Mea Shearim, strict rules on dress and behaviour apply, and restraint is the better choice.

For a bigger night out with queer bars and clubs, many people head to Tel Aviv, less than an hour away by train. Jerusalem itself is more a destination for history and culture, with a small queer community that gathers mainly around the Open House.