Its been 3 and half years since the Waldorf started a project in Jerusalem and its still not much more than an ugly whole in the ground! Do finish one before you start the other!

Not mega expensive mega hotels! get real already...most pilgrims and visitors to Israel are middle class and need good clean rooms at good low prices not these mansions for the rich!

I've said it 1000 times..Israel is primed to becoming a very wealthy nation. As the west (USA) is slowly descending into the abyss of third woldism along with its equal opportunity president, Israel is rising due to two special factors. 1) The realization by wealthy Jews around the world that Israel is here to say. They are putting their money into Israel big time. 2) The absolute decline of the west including my once beloved Quebec. I live in Montreal and it saddens me greatly how this once great city is falling into the abyss of poverty, crime and neglect. The flight of the white French Quebecois along with the massive influx of thirld world Muslims is strangling this once great city to nothingness. It is indeed sad and quite frankly...its time to go.

There are opposite forces pulling Israel in different direction. On the one hand - a 1st world country with high tech and science and technology, free and open society. On the other hand an ultra-orthodox population with a birthrate of 12 children per family with crazy rabis who take us quickly and surely to the middle ages, to a 3rd world backward theocracy . Many Israelis see only dark future a head despite the current situation of the economy which is good.

I have lived in Israel, USA, Ontario, and some other places. I can tell you that Montreal is the most livible place of all! I don't know where you are coming from to talk such nonesense. Compared to other places the cost of living is lower in Montreal, it is a cultural hub (you probably don't even speak decent French to enjoy the local culture), Montreal has always been a top gastronomical destination in North America, we are blessed here with a geography that allows us to be in the country in no more than half an hour to enjoy skiing, fishing, hiking, and finally Montreal is one of the safest cities in North America (just compare with Toronto where there is almost every day at least one murdr.). What else can you ask for?

I am from Ottawa and my relatives lived in Montreal. I would go there regularly in the 1960's , 1970's and 1980's. Al, is right. Montreal has changed alot and unfortunately for the worse. The Jewish community has especially gone way down hill. In the 1960's and 1970's there was more Jews in Montreal than Toronto and now Toronto has 2x as many Jews.

Didn't you know that Montreal has one of the strongest Hassidic Jewish community in North America living comfortably in a most expensive French neighbourhood? The fact that some Jews did leave does not mean anything about the quality of life in this wonderful city often chosen by major quality of life surveys as one of the best 10 cities in the world. It only says that they did not want to learn French and felt left on the fringes of a rich culture. Speaking about Ottawa, God forbid if you need to find a restaurant after 10pm in that city...

If indeed Montreal is the most livable place in NA then you have simply proven my point NA is in rapid decline. Montreal is the welfare child of Canada. Were it not for endless transfer funds from the Rest of Canada Quebec would be broke. As it is Quebec is broke. Yes you can go skiing, blah blah blah. That doesnt pay the rest dude. Montreal is in rapid decline. I am older than you kid...been around a long time. Montreal was a hell of lot more than Schwartes Smoke Meat once upon a time.

would be an exaggeration. The French Quebecois in their zeal to establish themselves in the French World, have embarked on an immigration policy that can be described as suicidal. They have wholeheartedly adopted the North African Arab community as their own. Them along with the Haitians have become the new Quebecois. The Jews who build so much in terms of business and public institutions have been relegated to the 'ethnics' and are tolerated as long as the host government can suck them dry. Tell me how many Jews are employed in the Quebec civil service? Exactly very very few. Well I can read the writing on the wall better than most. I read history and history tells me that Jewish life in the diaspora is tenuous at best. Quebec for the Jews is over..Its history.Its time to move on.

All of my Montreal relatives who left are fluent in French. They left because of the political situation. As for Ottawa. I left it 10 years ago so I really do not care what you say about it. I am perfectly happy living in the Jewish homeland. If you want to stay a diaspora Jew then thats fine with me. By the way whats toinghts temperature in Montreal?

The Jerusalem Waldorf is on schedual. it is much more than an ugly whole in the ground and it has nothing to do with any of these other Hilton projects as they are independently owned and leased by Hilton.

The fact that many Jews left Montreal for political reasons does not make the city any less interesting or less attractive. They left because they were afraid that Quebec would separate. Most of the Jews left here today (and most of the other Anglophones) are now perfectly bilingual and have very well integrated. Today the separation issue is on the backburner, and Quebec is a thriving society in every way. Obviously you are still living in the "passé`'. Regarding the temperature in Montreal today it`s +1C and I don`t mind it at all. I prefer cold winters (where wintersports abound) to almost yearround scorching and humid weather. But don`t misunderstand me. I love Israel and I visit almost every two years. But please don`t tell me that the quality of life is better there.

but here is the math...Take out your calculator. 25-30 Jews are being buried by Parerman each and every week. Less then that are either being born here or immigrate here. Montreal is home to the largest oldest Jewish population in Canada. CSL which has the largest Jewish population in Montreal, has a population that is for the most part elderly and getting older quickly. Most Jewish kids, once they graduate from University leave Montreal.Their parents actively encourage them to leave for they know full well that Montreal is in decline. This been going on for 35 years. Montreal as a Jewish spot is in decline. Eating a smoked meat sandwich at 11:PM or boozing till 3:00 AM on St Denis doesnt pay the bills. Yes it was 1C yesterday this morning its -5. Its winter dude and most of us dont ski 24/7. Rather most of us have to wait for the frigiin bus while freezing our ass off. I dont for I drive. As Montreal loses its Jewish population, more Jews leave. Thats how it works. All of the above coupled with the suicidal immigration policies of Immigration Quebec, wherein a large influx of Muslims is the rule, Jews have no real future in Quebec. If you want to say in Montreal by all means no one will stop you. Its your choice. What I am saying is that Montreal as far as Jews are concerned is done. Its over. Its time to move on.

I was about 8 years old when they built that huge cross atop Mt. Royal - around which Montreal was built. I told my parents then that I wasn't going to live my life with that cross over my head. You're just a child, they said. I moved to Israel in 1959 and have lived here ever since. When my parents were still alive (living in the CSL area of Montreal) a visit to the Cavendish Mall or Cote St-Luc Mall - or even WallMart - you had the feeling that you were in an old people's home. Bill 101 banning the public exposure of every language other than French was all that was needed to send the non-Catholic and Jewish populations out of Quebec. It was only the Social Security, pensions and Health Insurance that kept the elderly to stay behind in the city. So no surprise that it became the city that permitted Moslems to riot at my old university and not permit Netanyahu to lecture there at the university's invitation. Montreal has never been the same since. If you still have feelings for Montreal as it once was go to: http://montrealwrestler.com

There simply aren't enough cheaper lodges in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv! Higher rates mean less to spend on the shops and restaurants.

Name it the Wailing Waldorf! :D

Daniel, I have lived here in Montréal for 5 years. I speak a few languages and French is my 4th. Montréal is AWESOME and an international city because it is francophone. And I am an anglophone who speaks French, and Québec is a French place. Much in the same way Israel is a Jewish state where the majority speaks Hebrew. I am SICK of the racism against Québec. And I feel that if anyone, especially anglophones have a problem with Québec being francophone then they need to leave. And while most Jews I know don't hate Québec, especially the francophone sephardic and French askhenazim, but the anglophone Jews who hate Québec so much and still live here like white Rhodesian parasites, then you need to do aliyah and leave.