The Knesset
Jerusalem has tons of options for fun activities, holy sites, restaurants, shopping, and museums.
The possibilities are endless.
One of our favorite places to visit to learn more about the State of Israel is none other than The Knesset, otherwise known as the House of Representatives of Israel. The Knesset is the legislative authority of Israel and is the only government body with legislative power. It also supervises the executive branch of the government and is involved in some judiciary decisions, as well as electing Israel's president. The Knesset is made up of 120 members, and it sits in Jerusalem, with its members coming from the different parties that make up Israel's democratic coalition.
The Knesset is one of Israel's most essential governmental bodies, and ensures that our democracy is upheld!
The word "Knesset" has biblical roots, coming from the term "great assembly" found in the ancient religious Knesset of 120 members! Of course in modern times, the only similarity is the number of members in the Knesset! Each of the 120 members of Knesset serves for four years. The members are divided into "committees", such as the housing committee, finance committee, economic affairs committee, etc. These committees are the ones that propose and change bills. They pass laws by a simple majority!
The Knesset building itself is reminiscent of an ancient Greek structure, with 10 huge columns surrounding each side of the building, making it just as impressive as the members themselves. The building is also home to many beautiful and symbolic works of art by some of the most famous artists-all of them Jewish. In the building's courtyard, the Knesset's famous brass Menorah stands tall among other sculptures, and on the inside, a whole art wing is dedicated to Jewish artist Marc Chagall with some magical murals of his!
The Knesset is a place of democracy, of Israeli culture, unity, and strength. It is the place where our nation comes together!
Learn more about the Knesset here:
Want to visit the Knesset to experience it firsthand?
Tours
You can tour the Knesset in six different languages! Tours are on Sundays/Thursdays.
For Hebrew: 10:00, 11:00, 13:00
For English: 8:30, 12:00, 14:00
Location: Givat Ram, Western Jerusalem
**Keep in mind there is a dress code when you visit the Knesset, so you will want to wear something comfortable but nice! (No tank tops, shorts, ripped jeans, flip flops, etc.)
