Chabad of the Cardo

In 1985, the city of Jerusalem finished excavating the area under the Tzemach Tzedek synagogue, extending for several hundred yards to the north.  This north-south street, beginning with the pit containing tall Greco-Roman pillars on the south end and extending nearly to the Moslem quarter, is the ancient “Cardo,” or market street established by the Romans after their conquest of Jerusalem.

Since the four stores directly underneath the Tzemach Tzedek synagogue very likely constituted the “cellar” floor of the synagogue (it would appear there may have been a mikveh there), the Jerusalem municipality granted one of the stores to Chabad, on condition that Chabad utilize the area.  R’ Mendel Deren, one of the previous directors of the Chabad House, took over and has been the director of Chabad of the Cardo since that time.

It would appear that the main focus of Chabad of the Cardo is to interact with tourists as they pass through the old city, promulgating the philosophy of Chabad as well as raising money.

For more information, go to http://www.chabad.org/centers/default_cdo/aid/119382/jewish/Chabad-of-the-Cardo.htm