More trouble for the Jerusalem Hyatt

The "Jerusalem Hyatt" Hotel is in big trouble. I remember when it was first built and opened, a magnificent luxury hotel in Jerusalem on the "seam" between Jewish and Arab neighborhoods, near the Hebrew University and Hadassa's Mount Scopus Hospital. Not only was the lobby one of the most impressive, if not the most impressive in Jerusalem, high ceiling, waterfalls and unbeatable view, but the hotel originally served "French-style" kosher food.

In those early days, we--the entire family including all five kids--were once treated to a Shabbat there, when my husband was invited to debate Yael Dayan on Shabbat afternoon for the entertainment of visiting Americans. I remember that the kids complained that the food wasn't "Shabbat-style." It didn't taste "Jewish," since it was gourmet.

On the way home, Saturday night, our bus was stoned heavily, and glass got into our youngest daughter's eye.

The hotel never became the popular money-maker the Hyatt company had expected. The foreign journalists still prefered and prefer the ambience and Arab hospitality of the American Colony Hotel. And Jewish guests didn't like the closeness to the Arab neighborhood and the distance to the tourist attractions and other Jewish hotels.

After Israeli Tourism Minister Rachavam Ze'evi was murdered in the hotel, it almost emptied out completely.

It's prices went down, and it became possible to get very good deals there. As a sign of its desparation to fill its rooms, it even became one of the "temporary solutions" for homeless Disengagement victims. Now it has a new problem. It was just announced that it lost its kashrut certification.