No matter if a mother is carrying a baby and groceries, our idea of courtesy on public transportation, such a giving up a seat to someone else, does not exist in Israel. I am probably more courteous than the average Israeli, but I, too, have pushed my way through the crowd to grab an empty seat!
I really love taking the lightrail through the city because such a diverse group of people use it. The bus routes are fairly segregated, since some drive strictly through Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods, while others drive through the Arab neighborhoods. The lightrail goes through the center of the city, so everyone uses it. Boundaries seem to start breaking down when a veiled Muslim woman sits next to a covered Orthodox Jewish woman on the lightrail.
Although the buses can sometimes be delayed, or arrive earlier than scheduled, and the lightrail only goes through certain parts of Jerusalem, I love using all of it. I have so much fun!
No public transportation runs during the hours of Shabbat (from sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday), as this is the Jewish day of rest. This practice encourages the city to truly take a day of rest. If public transportation ran during Shabbat, I am sure more people would be roaming the city. Instead, Shabbat turns Jerusalem into a ghost town with few cars on the road and many people walking to services on Saturday mornings.
Public transportation also showcases the diversity of the city. On a bus or lightrail train, the many faces of Jerusalem can be seen; Muslims, ex-patriots, Christians, Arabs, Jews and more. Though there may be discrimination and racism in Israel, but it does not exist on the buses.
