DAY 1: Jerusalem - Jerusalem is one of the most ancient cities in the world. Jerusalem is a holy city for three of the world's main religions; Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Today, Jerusalem is the capitol of Israel. During its long history, Jerusalem has been destroyed at least twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times. The city has been taken over and taken over many times -- the Roman Empire controlled Jerusalem for years. Each group that controlled the city brought harsh penalties upon those who were different from themselves --sometimes banishing or murdering those who had a different faith or were a different nationality. Today's five minute video takes you through 4000 years of Jerusalem's history beginning with King David and shows you just how many times Jerusalem changed hands. Jerusalem is mentioned often in Bible and has many important religious sites for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Today all three religions have holy sites in the city. Today Jews, Christians, and Muslims share this incredibly historic city.
DAY 2: Western Wall - The Western Wall is the most significant site in the world for the Jewish people. It is the last remnant of the Temple. Jews from around the world gather here to pray. People write notes to God and place them between the ancient stones of the Wall.
In the year 37 BCE, Herod was appointed king in Jerusalem by the Romans, and he soon began a huge renovation project for the Temple. The Western Wall is the western support wall of that temple.
Throughout the generations since the Temple’s destruction, the Western Wall became a place of prayer and yearning for Jews around the world.
The Western Wall is visited by millions of visitors a year – Jews and non-Jews alike.
Today, millions of visitors come to the Western Wall every year. Soldiers serving in the Israel Defense Forces swear loyalty to their nation and homeland at the Western Wall Plaza. People from all over the world pay their respects to the Jewish people’s magnificent history by visiting this special site.
The ancient, 2,000-year-old stones of the Western Wall have witnessed the Jewish people’s birth, exile, and redemption. This is where the Jewish nation’s past mingles with its hopes for the future.
The Western Wall is a living testimony to the strength and resilience of the Jewish nation.
Pope Francis at the Western Wall which is also called the Wailing Wall...
DAY 3: Dome of the Rock - The Dome of the Rock is known to be the most famous Islamic site in Jerusalem. It is believed to have been built over the sacred rock from which the Prophet Mohammed ascended into heaven.
Before it became a Muslim shrine, the Dome of the Rock was a place of worship for Jews. According to the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament of the Bible, Abraham was commanded by God to offer up his second son Isaac as a sacrifice to Him. The Bible states that just as Abraham was about to carry out the sacrificial rituals, God was pleased with his obedience, and sent a lamb to be used in place of Isaac. According to Jewish belief, this incident took place on the slab of stone over which the Dome of the Rock was later built. The “Rock” for which the Dome of the Rock is named is supposed to have once stood at the center of Solomon’s Temple.
The Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque minaret above the Western Wall.
his closeup photo of the lower exterior of the Dome of the Rock shows the magnificent tilework
This photo shows the interior of the Dome of the Rock outside the center circle.
DAY 4: The Mount of Olives - The Mount of Olives, a long ridge to the east ofJerusalem, is the location of many biblical events. At 820 metres, it is Jerusalem’s highest peak and offers an unrivaled vista of the Old City and its environs. The ridge, also called Mount Olivet --this mount was named for its numerous olive groves --some of the olive trees there today date back to Bible times. In biblical times, gardens were not allowed in Jerusalem proper. So many wealthy people had private gardens planted on the slope which overlooked Jerusalem. According to the Bible, Jesus frequently went here with his disciples to pray and rest. His triumphant entry into Jerusalem was from this mount. His ascension into heaven was from the top of this mount. There are countless shrines and chapels on the mount recognizing important things that happened here.
El Greco's "Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane"
DAY 5: The Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations (Yad Vashem) - It’s hard to imagine a trip to Jerusalem that doesn’t include a visit to Yad Vashem, the national memorial to the Holocaust. The Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations was inaugurated in 1962. Trees, symbolic of the renewal of life, have been planted in and around the Yad Vashem site, in honor of those non-Jews who acted according to the noblest principles of humanity by risking their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Plaques adjacent to each tree record the names of those being honored along with their country of residence during the war. Occasionally Jewish families would find someone who was willing to help them hide from the Nazis. Anne Frank's family hid away for years because of those special people who were willing to risk their own lives to save them. Unfortunately, most of those living in the countries where the Holocaust occurred did not help. But there were those who did. Their bravery and sacrifices saved many Jews. The Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations honors those individuals who saw another in need and reached out a helping hand. The Talmud is an important book in Judaism --it states: "Whoever saves one life saves the world." The Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations" recognizes those who did just that.
