Visiting Us in Hebron & Idna
Are you travelling to Palestine, or are already here? We are ready to meet you! Our three-stall shop in Hebron’s Old City is open seven days a week from the morning to the early afternoon (we keep Palestinian store hours: show up sometime after 9 and try to get there before 5). You will be able to see our available inventory, have some tea with our shopkeepers, and get to visit with some of the other residents, shopkeepers and visitors in the Old City of Hebron. You can also visit the Ibrahimi Mosque, tour the Old City, and, with advance notice, arrange a time to meet with Nawal, our director.
Our Hebron shop is located near the entrance of the Old City market on the main thoroughfare. We are about a three-minute walk from the Ibrahimi Mosque checkpoint. Purchasing items from our Old City shop is one of the best means to support our work. All items in our shop are fair-trade products made in Palestine, and almost all of the items are made by the women of our cooperative. You can purchase our items in Shekels, Euros, British Pounds, or US Dollars. We can also take Visa, Mastercard, and Debit cards.
Directions to our Shop in Hebron
From Jerusalem and Bethlehem by bus: By bus take either Bus 21 from the Jaffa Gate bus station to the four-way intersection in Bethlehem known as “Babzkak,” or Bus 24 or 124 to the Bethlehem Checkpoint, where you will cross to the Bethlehem side, then take a taxi to “Babzkak” (no more than 15 NIS, and be sure to tell the taxi driver to Babzkak and not “Bab-al deir” – Nativity Church.) At Babzkak, proceed to the southwest corner of the intersection and look for either a bus or yellow service taxis that will be shouting out “al-Khalil,” meaning Hebron. The ride will be approximately 45 minutes. The bus or the service will drop you off at the final roundabout in the heart of Hebron’s commercial center.
You may either wish to continue on foot through the new market to the Old City Souq (market), or take a private taxi for another 10 to 15 NIS. On foot, it will take approximately 10 minutes at a steady pace to reach the entrance of the Old City, which is marked with an IDF watchtower. On entering the Old City, continue for another minute towards the Ibrahimi Mosque. You will see us after the first open pedestrian intersection after you pass some meat and produce merchants.
From Jerusalem or the West Bank by private car: From Jerusalem or Bethlehem, take Route 1 to the northern entrance of Hebron, bypassing Halhoul. You will see the Coca-Cola bottling plant. Follow the brown signs that note the direction to the Ibrahimi Mosque. When you pass Abu Mazen’s Restaurant on your right hand side, you are approximately five minutes away from the Old City. Parking for free is available at the Hebron Rehabilitation Center (look for the mosaic of Yasser Arafat next to a large older building), but out of courtesy, ask the front desk receptionist first. Entering the old city by foot, our shop will be five minutes away, back towards the direction of the new market.
Some reminders: You must have your passport with you at all times. From Jerusalem by public transportation, plan for at least two hours of travelling, even two and a half, to Hebron. Our shop is regularly open until 5 PM, but please try to visit us before 4 PM, especially during the winter months, so as not to have a rushed experience.
Visiting Idna
Idna is located approximately 20 minutes to the southwest of Hebron by car. Service buses run regularly from Hebron bus station for 6.5 NIS each way. Our cooperative center is located just up the hill from where the service lets you out in the town center. Please contact us in advance before coming to Idna so that we have a cooperative member to greet you.
Call Ahead!
For both Hebron and Idna, please arrange visits to the center by emailing or calling beforehand. You can reach us in Hebron by calling 0598-072-267 and Idna at 0598-157-346.
Ahlan wa sahlen…you are welcome!
