Marcus James, the ‘spiritual mayor’ of Jerusalem

Marcus James, a man who seems to have brought a piece of Southern California's surf culture to the ancient shores of Jerusalem, has found an unexpected home and purpose in the city. "I'm a Southern California boy," James says, describing his working-class upbringing in Santa Barbara. His youth was marked by hitchhiking across the U.S. and immersing himself in the philosophies of writers like Jack Kerouac and the music of the Grateful Dead, before pursuing philosophy at university.

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I'm a Southern California boy.

"If you had told me 10 or 11 years ago that I'd end up happily at home in Jerusalem," James admits, "I would've asked what drug you were on." Raised without religion, Israel was never part of his envisioned future. However, his perspective shifted dramatically after his daughter, visiting Israel during a planned backpacking trip, decided to stay. "She told me, 'Daddy, I found my people, my place, and my purpose,'" James recalls.

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If you had told me 10 or 11 years ago that I’d end up happily at home in Jerusalem, I would’ve asked what drug you were on.

Driven by a desire to understand his daughter's profound connection, James delved into extensive research on Judaism, Israeli history, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This led him to visit Israel in 2017, and he continued to return, spending significant time exploring Jerusalem's Old City. He formally converted to Judaism in 2020 and made the move to Israel in 2022.

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She told me, ‘Daddy, I found my people, my place, and my purpose.’

Now living within walking distance of the Old City, James makes a living as a window cleaner. He navigates Jerusalem's ancient gates with a familiarity born of daily immersion, able to identify his location by sound and smell alone. Friends affectionately call him the "spiritual mayor" of Jerusalem, a testament to his deep enthusiasm and extensive network within the city. Following the October 7, 2023, attacks and the subsequent decline in tourism, James increased his presence at Café Al Mufti in the Muslim Quarter, forming a bond with the owner, Abu Omar. "At first I was just trying to support local businesses," he explains, "But then the conversations became important."

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At some point, Jerusalem stopped being abstract to me. It was like Jerusalem grabbed me by the collar and said, ‘You’re mine.’