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Jerusalem's open-air market is almost 130 years old. In 1877 ten Jewish families established a new neighbourhood in Jerusalem. Arab villagers brought their merchandise to this neighbourhood, and set up tents on an empty field that was owned by the Jewish banker Aaron Valero. This market grew to accomodate Arab and Jewish merchants until the British Mandate. The British administrators said that a disgusting market in the holy city was a thorn in their flesh, and levied fines on the merchants. The desperate merchants turned to the Jewish committee, which eventually purchased the field from Valero's widow and lent the merchants money to build real shops instead of the tents.

Gentilissimi traduttori,
Sto scrivendo una lettera alla mia cara amica Francesca. Voglio scriverle del mercato famoso di Gerusalemme. Cerco un'espressione italiana che corrisponde a "thorn in one's flesh".