Israel is called The Holy Land for a good reason. It is filled with ancient sites that are mentioned in nearly all the old books of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Nowhere on earth holds such an important place in the hearts and minds of billions of believers. At the epicenter of this Holy Land is the city of Jerusalem, a small but highly important place full of magnificent history. Even for non-believers, this city holds something extremely special. Its authentic architecture, its religious air make it a must-see destination for everyone and anyone traveling to see real beauty.
Jerusalem is considered by Christians, Jews and Muslims as the Holy City. For all three of these religions, Jerusalem is significant as the site of various saints or prophets such as Abraham, Solomon, David, Zachary and others. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is where Jesus Christ was Crucified and Buried. This sacred site is probably the most important Christian Pilgrimage to undertake.
The Statistical Yearbook of Jerusalem lists 1204 synagogues, 158 churches and 73 mosques in the city. Places, such as the Temple Mount have always been controversial and a cause for conflict. Since the 10th century BC Jerusalem is known to Jews as the site of Solomon’s Second Temple. In the Old Testament, the city is mentioned 632 times. Again and again the city is the center of salvation and court announcements of the biblical God, especially the prophets Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and the Psalms.
In the Bible, both the city of Jerusalem and the land and people of Israel are God’s property; it is significant here is the literary representation of Jerusalem as a foundling, reared by God (Ezekiel 16), and the promises of God to the city in the Psalms. As described in the Mishna and codified in the Shulchan Aruch, daily prayers in Judaism in the direction of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount have to be done. It is important to realize the obvious here, that Jesus Christ was himself a Jew and the old law, or the old testament in the Bible was a collection of books from the Jewish Religion, making them a very important read for Christians.
Jerusalem is holy to Christians, since it is the site of the Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Over 100 times Jerusalem is mentioned in the New Testament. In the Bible, Jesus was taken shortly after his birth to this city. The Last Supper took place here. Just outside the city walls, Jesus was crucified and buried on the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Thousands of Christian come here on a weekly basis hoping to get closer to their God by being present at the site of his crucifixion and death. There is simple no place like it on earth.
