a day and a half in Israel - Jerusalem only or Jerusalem + Tel Aviv?

Do your two days include Friday and/or Saturday?

With the caveat that Shuffaluff asked an important question, I'd vote for the whole time in Jerusalem.

Based on your stated interests, I don't think TA would be anywhere near as interesting.

Good luck.

Good point. No, the dates are from the evening of Monday 26 March till morning of Wedensday 28 March. Thanks for pointing this out.

I agree, spend all the time in Jerusalem, especially as you won't have any Sabbath constraints.

Obviously you'll want to go to the Old City. The Western Wall is a highlight, as are the Holy Sepulchre and the Temple Mount. (Access to the Temple Mount is sporadic and may not be possible when you are there.) Likewise the bazaars in the Christian Quarter. And for people watching, just about anywhere. For varied types of people, of all religions and cultures: outside the Damascus Gate and around the Jaffa Gate, the Jewish Quarter...

The Mahaneh Yehuda market in west Jerusalem is very photogenic. Mainly fruits and vegetables, lots of local colour both literal and figurative. And if you want to see 19th-century houses, still very much lived in, the little streets to the south of Mahaneh Yehuda, between Agrippas and Bezalel streets, are worth a look.

For wonderful views of the Old City, go to the Mount of Olives. There is also a great view from the Haas Promenade to the south of the city, going towards East Talpiot.

For transport from the airport to Jerusalem, take the Nesher shuttle. It's a 10-seater minibus that will drop you anywhere in Jerusalem. It goes when it's full, and fills up quickly. Follow the signs to "taxis" and you'll see them right there. It costs 58 shekels per person.

When you leave Jerusalem to go back to the airport, you need to reserve Nesher the day before. The phone number is 6257227. Tell them what time you need to be at the airport, and they will tell you what time to be out on the street in any place of your choice in Jerusalem. (If you're leaving from the Old City, where there is no vehicle access, it would need to be somewhere outside, close to one of the gates.)

The company has been going for about 60 years and is totally reliable. If it's a bit late arriving, don't panic. It's making the rounds picking up other passengers. It's by far the best means of transport between Jerusalem and the airport, since there is no direct public transport and you don't want to waste your very limited time getting on and off buses.

Where will you be staying in Israel during of your visit?
My point is- Israel is a small country. Assuming that you'll be staying in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa or between, maybe you can visit Tel Aviv after work for the evening during your visit. Begin at the HaBima Theater, walk down Rotschild Blvd., then through Neve Tzedek and finish at the old rail station (HaTachana) near the beach. There are many places to eat, drink and photograph along the way.
Something like this:
http://g.co/maps/q9r9d

Many thanks everyone for your great tips and suggestions, and for taking the time to respond.

It will thus be both days in Jerusalem, but as the business part of my trip is in Tel Aviv, I will also do the route suggested by amirico on one of the days.

A quick question about overnight in J-m. I have an option to stay in the Old Town (ecce homo convent) and right next to the Mahaneh Yehuda market. I am curious of your views on the pros and cons of the two locations. At the moment I am inclined to do one night in one place and the other in the other (I travel light and don't mind the slight hassle of changing locations)

Any views or suggestions ?

You can get very easily from one to the other and on the new light railway they are only around 10 mins apart (from Damascus gate to Machane Yehuda). You should also try and fit in a visit to the Israel museum as there is some great art, history and photo ops in the outdoor sculpture garden. It is open on Tuesday nights so that may be a nice time to go to catch the sunset.

Since transportation is convenient as mentioned above - I'd try to visit both - a completely different vibe separated by a mere one hor drive. Enjoy!

I'd storngly advise you to stay in the Old City, it's a one-of-a-kind experience, and staying in Christian guesthouses is always nice. It will make it easy for you to be in the Old City early morning, before the tourist crowds arrive, when it's especially charming. That way you can also go first thing in the morning to the Noble Sanctuary / Temple Mount and visit the wonderful garden surrouding the Dome of the Rock and the Al Qasa mosque.

I'd also suggest you go to the Austrian Hospice, near Damascus Gate, they have a wonderful, atmospheric view on the Old City and the Dome of the Rock from their rooftop, and a lovely garden where you can have some Austrian pastries.

Mahan Yehuda is just a market like anywhere else in the world. If you go there, try to take a walk in the nearby Nachalot neighborhood, it's lovely with all its old houses and tiny streets; many orthodox Jews live there, right next to a more secular population of students.

I think it's perfectly possible for you to spend 1.5 day in Jerusalem and head to Tel Aviv for the last night. The most interesting part of the town is in the south, with the magnificent Jaffa, the beach, Neve Tzedek and the bars around Rotschild / Lilenblum streets.