Around City Center

Ticho House, 7 HaRav Kook St. (tel. 24 50 68), near Kikkar Tzion about two blocks up the hill, houses numerous scenes of Jerusalem, still life, landscapes, and portraits beautifully painted in watercolors or drawn in charcoal by Anna Ticho. The building that houses the late Mrs. Ticho’s paintings was once her private home, as well as the eye clinic of her husband Dr. Avraham Ticho. Dr. Ticho once said that he healed people’s eyes so that they could see die beauty of his wife’s paintings. The building also shows Dr. Ticho’s large collection of menorahs. A small library (open Sun.-Thurs. 10am-4pra, Fri. 10am-noon) has a large collection of art books. Affiliated with the Israel Museum, the building, restaurant (see Food), and gardens are well groomed and make a relaxing setting for a mid-city respite. (Open Sun.- Mon. and Wed.-Thurs. 10am-5pm, Tues. lOam-lOpm, Fri. 10am-2pm. Free.)

At the northern end of HaRav Kook St. begins Ethiopia St., a surprisingly lush, quiet street in the middle of the town center bustle. The houses are arranged in a checkerboard pattern, with alternating front and back walled-in gardens. At the end of the street on your right is the handsome Ethiopian Church, built around the turn of the century.