BUS line 163: A Public Pilgrim Bus to Rachel’s Tomb in Jerusalem

Buses are networks for both physical and social mobility. They permit people to become part of temporary communities of individuals whose goal is to travel along linear routes, which connect multiple stops and reach certain destinations. Through an ethnographic case study of Bus No. 163, which is designated for Jewish pilgrims traveling to Rachel’s tomb in Jerusalem, this paper focuses on the interactions between travelers that took place on this bus during December 2019 and February 2020. The interactions of people on Bus No 163 helps us better understand this liminal phase of pilgrimage. The findings of the research, as recorded by participant observation, analyse the liminal stage of a Jewish pilgrimage by taking into account the social dynamics on this bus. Although there are several ethnographies on different bus systems, this recent paper focuses on a public-pilgrim bus, bringing a new understanding not only to pilgrimage but also to transportation studies.