Rarely has a city evoked so much thought as Jerusalem, Israel. It is a city that is both ancient, yet modern. It's a place that holds a great deal of significance for Jews, Christians, Muslims. Whether you call it Jerusalem, Yerushalayim, or al-Quds, it's a city with a history that goes back two millennia, if not more. Jerusalem has been conquered, destroyed, and rebuilt over and over again. each layer revealing a new chapter in it's history. In a report for the BBC News, Erica Chernofsky looks at why this city is so important to Jews, Christians, Muslims who all traces their shared foundation back to the City of David.
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| Significant locations in The Old City of Jerusalem personal.umich.edu |
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| Church of theHoly Sepulchre biblewalks.com |
Nestled within the Christian Quarter is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, an extremely significant place in Christianity. The church is managed jointly, mainly by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the Franciscan friars from the Roman Catholic Church, and the Armenian Patriarchate as well as the Ethiopians, Coptics, and the Syrian Orthodox Church. It was originally built by the mother of Emperor Constantine in 330 CE in commemoration of the hill of crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus's burial. (http://www.bibleplaces.com/holysepulchre.htm) Inside the church is a rocky outcropping, The Place of Crucifixion, managed by the Greek Orthodox Church. The church is one of the main pilgrimage sites for Christians, of all sects, around the world who visit the empty tomb of Jesus annually.
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| Haram-al Sharif m.harumyahya.com |
Of the four quarters, the Muslim Quarter is the largest and holds the shrine of the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, situated on a plateau known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif-the Noble Sanctuary. Haram-al Sharif encompasses over thirty-five acres of fountains, gardens, buildings and domes. The Al-Aqsa Mosques is located at the southern most end and at the center is the Dome of the Rock. (http://www.noblesanctuary.com) The mosque is the third holiest site in Islam and is under the administration of the Islamic trust-Waqf. Muslims believe the Mohammad journeyed here from Mecca during his night travels and prayed with the souls of the prophets. A short distance away is the Dome of the Rock marking the place where Mohammad is believed to have ascended to heaven. The mosque is visited year-round but on Friday during Ramadan, the place is packed with thousands of Muslims who com to pray.
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| Kotel Hamaaravi flickr.com |
The Wall
The Jewish Quarter is home to the Kotel Hammaravi, commonly known as the Western or Wailing Wall. Point of clarity, the preferred way to refer to The Wall is Western Wall-a more exact translation. The Wall is the sole surviving remnant of the Second Temple, built in c.19 BCE by Herod the Great and destroyed in 70 CE by the Roman Empire. The site is sacred to Judaism because inside the temple stood the Holy of Holies. Jews believe that this was the place from where the foundation stone of the world was created and the place where Abraham attempted to sacrifice his son Isaac. At present, The Wall is the closet place Jews can stand and pray to the Holy of Holies. The Western Wall is managed by the Rabbi of the Western Wall Shmuel Rabinovitch and hosts millions of visitors, of all denominations, each year. The Western Wall is a place of pilgrimage for Jewish people to connect to their heritage, especially during the High Holidays.
Jerusalem is one of the most amazing cities on the planet. Despite the deep divisions that exist within and without the communities, it is a city where you're immediately confronted by thousands of years of history. It surrounds you, burying itself deep within your soul, regardless or your religion. You cannot help but be deeply moved by the experience of walking through the Old City on any given day. Then move through the modern part of Jerusalem and be confronted by the present and future. Whatever your view of Israeli-Arab relations is, you cannot help but be deeply touched by this place from which three religions that forever altered the world sprang from.
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