Business as usual in Jerusalem as online mall opens for locals
The mall, an initiative of the Jerusalem Municipality, is free for local businesses to join and will be promoted by the municipality through a variety of platforms.
By TZVI JOFFREThe Mamilla shopping mall in Jerusalem(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
As the coronavirus pandemic shuts down commerce around the country and the world, Jerusalem has created a new business as usual with an online mall for local businesses to continue trade on.The mall, an initiative of the Jerusalem Municipality, is free for local businesses to join and will be promoted by the municipality through a variety of platforms in order to publicize it to all of the city’s residents.On the new website, residents can find businesses selling everything from jewelry to rogelach. Shoppers are redirected to the businesses’ websites to shop and purchases are delivered straight to their homes.“Especially in this time, this is a tool with high importance that can help and promote businesses in the city,” Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion said in a statement. “The launch of the mall will increase the operations of businesses and work, even now, with home deliveries. The Jerusalem mutual guarantee and the Israeli Start-Up Nation connected to create a platform to strengthen the local economy and small businesses. Together we will succeed!”Jerusalem residents can order a variety of different products from local businesses with delivery straight to their homes by visiting the website .Additionally, the municipality has joined forces with the Israeli company and application “easy” to create two additional virtual resources for Jerusalem residents.“Buy Jerusalem – Buy Safe” will give practical information to residents about all open businesses and business offering deliveries in the city, while allowing businesses to update information about their services. The resources will be available through the easy app.With “Jerusalemites for Jerusalemites,” residents can request help and leave their contact details and other residents can enter the site and help out those in their area through the “easy” app. Jerusalem is one of the cities being hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak with 650 confirmed infections and multiple deaths.
