Urban Aesthetics in Jewish Religious Law: Thoughts on the Role of Jewish Law in Urban Planning

The purpose of this article is to examine the halakhic view of maintaining a physically attractive urban environment, and to explore how the Levitical city beauty ideal has been incorporated into the planning of the modern neighbourhood of Talpiot, Jerusalem. Based on two Geodesign workshops for Talpiot, this paper examines the negotiation process for the future of Talpiot regarding green infrastructure and agriculture. Balancing the various interdependent land uses of the city as reflected in the Levite’s utopia, through Kaufman Plan up until the current Jerusalem’s planning, have been embedded in the proposed planning scenarios of Talpiot.