Jerusalem: Jerusalem and Israel Museum Essay

Submitted By lostcaptains
Words: 821
Pages: 4

Jerusalem.
Filled with facts and religion.
Jerusalem is a place many people have fought over. It seems to be the one focal point for many religions. I am going to talk about the main places in Jerusalem you may visit in your lifetime, and the times you might visit them.
Judaism
The Western Wall.
The builders of the Western Wall could never have imagined that one day their most humble creation would become the most important religious symbol for the Jewish people. Indeed, when it was built some 2000 years ago it was only a retaining wall supporting the outer part of the Temple Mount, upon which stood the Second Temple. (The Second Temple was constructed around 520 BC.) Many Jews come to celebrate their Bar Mitzvah.

The Hurva Synagogue
The debris of the Hurva Synagogue are on the west side of Hurva Square in the Jewish Quarter. Very little is left of the synagogue except for a striking, slender arch. Erected in 1977, the arch is 13m high and spans what was the central hall. The ruins have been made safe for visitors to wander around and information boards help them imagine the great edifice that once stood here.
Israel Museum
Opened in May 1965, the Israel Museum is a world-class museum and an outstanding example of modern Israeli architecture. The most popular part of the Israel Museum is the Shrine of the Book, with its distinctive onion-shaped top. The roof was designed by American architects Kiesler and Bartos to resemble the jar covers in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947. Inside, a long, subtly lit passageway, designed to bring to mind the environment in which the scrolls were found, has an everlasting exhibition on life in Qumran when the scrolls were written.

Christianity
The Church Of The Holy Sepilchre
Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre visitors will find the place where the Virgin Mary received her son's body. This spot, marking the thirteenth post on Christ's journey to his death, symbolically features a statue of Mary with a silver dagger wedged into her chest. Christ's tomb marks the fourteenth and last post on the Via Dolorosa, and features a massive marble structure believed to be Jesus' original tomb.

The Church Of St John The Bapsist
Nested in the hills of Ein Kerem, visitors to the church of St. John will also enjoy its picturesque surroundings. Ein Kerem is known for its charming winding streets, artisan stores and homely cafes. Two other churches are within walking distance of St. John's church, and are well worth a visit when on a Christian tour to Israel. The birth and life of Saint John the Baptist appear in the Gospel of Luke, where his family lineage and prophetic abilities are professed. It is in the Gospel of Luke that reference is made to John's birthplace in Jerusalem.
Church Of All Nations
Sometimes referred to as the Basilica of Agony, the Church of All Nations is situated at the feet of the Mount of Olives. It is believed to be the place where Jesus was last seen praying before he was betrayed by Judas and captured by the Romans.
The Garden