Jerusalem
Jerusalem has been a holy city for 3,000 years for three great religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In 1004 B.C. the Israelites’ King David
captured the city and brought the Ark of the Convenant to Jerusalem from the previous capital, Hebron. He built his palace and declared that Jerusalem would be the new capital. Under the reign of David’s son Solomon, Jerusalem grew in importance. The House of David continued to reign for over 3 centuries. Jerusalem was captured by the King of Babylon in 586 B.C. and he sent the Jews into exile. In 540 B.C. the Jews were allowed to return and rebuild the temple. In 63 B.C. the city fell to the Roman Empire. During this period, rabbinical Judaism was developing and also brought Jesus to Jerusalem to be crucified.
In approximately 325 A.D. Emperor Constantine converted the Roman Empire to Christianity and turned Jerusalem into a Christian holy city.
In 638 B.C. Caliph Omar, second successor to Muhammed, began the Muslim occupation of Jerusalem. Jerusalem continued to change hands many times over the years. Jerusalem is a city rich in faith and history.
Western Wall - Formerly called the “Wailing Wall” because Jews for centuries came here to mourn the loss of their temple. It is the holiest of Jewish sites and is the remnant of the wall that was built by King Herod, enclosing the Temple Mount, before the time of Jesus.
Street of the Chain - Residential street of medieval Islamic Jerusalem
Shrine of the Book - Museum that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Yad VaShem Memorial - Israel’s great memorial for the millions who perished in the Holocaust.
Church of the Pater Noster - Built on the traditional site where Jesus instructed his disciples in the Lord’s Prayer. Tiles of the church are inscribed with the Lord’s Prayer in 44 languages.
Garden of Gethsemane - Courtyard where Jesus prayed the night before
his arrest.
Mount of Olives - Site of one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in the world.
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