JERUSALEM: The City Rich in History, Culture and Religions
JERUSALEM: The City Rich in History, Culture and Religions Jerusalem, the Holy City, Zion, and Al-Quds: these names represent so much to so many people. The city of Jerusalem is one of the world’s most important and unique cities, with special, although differing, claims on the religious and cultural sentiments by its millions of inhabitants who have called it home for thousands of years. This Holy City has been fought over for centuries do its significance that took place in the city by each of the three major religions- Christianity, Islamic and Jewish. It is therefore important to set out the nature and meaning of Jewish, Christian and Muslim commitments to Jerusalem and their implications throughout the city. We hope the hidden histories within this paper will clarify some of the juxtapositions surrounding these three cultures that have been forgotten by mainstream representation and will reveal just how much they have in common and can inspire us to better understand each other (Martin). To understand the connection as to why so many people have beloved and fought over Jerusalem, we must first go back about 5,000 years. Situated high in the Judean mountains, this extraordinary city has risen and fallen countless times. References to the founding of Jerusalem appear throughout all holy Jewish, Muslim and Christian writings. However, archeological evidence suggests early settlements were established in the area between 4500- 3500 BCE. Further evidence shows that by 1400 BCE, the area had become reunited and expanded under Egyptian rule, but slowly declined during the bronze age. This gradual loss of power gave rise to independent kingdoms in the region whose inhabitants were known as Jebusites, who can be classified as early Jewish peoples. (Bedford). In 1052 BCE, King David conquered the city by defeating the Jebusites and established it as the capital of his kingdom, as well as the religious center for the Jewish people.Some forty years later, his son, Solomon, built the great temple and transformed the city into a prosperous capital of an empire extending from the Euphrates river all the way to Egypt. However, it was eventually split into two separate kingdoms with Jerusalem becoming the capital for the southern Kingdom of Judah and the other independent Kingdom of Israel. From 979 to 586 BCE, the city was ruled by twenty kings, whose reigns lasted as short as three months to as long as fifty-five years! For over sixty years, the kings of Judah tried to re-establish their authority over the northern kingdom and there was perpetual war between the two. Israel continued to exist within the reduced territory as an independent kingdom until around 720 BCE, when it was invaded by Assyria and the rest of the population deported. In 586 BCE, Judah was entirely captured and destroyed by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. The city was left in an economic and population decline for the rest of the 6th century (Grabbe). It was during this time that Jerusalem assumed significance as an Islamic Holy Site during the rule of the Umayyads. Fortunately, when Babylon fell to the Persians, King Cyrus allowed Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. The Temple was rebuilt on the historic site, the city was resettled and resumed its status as the spiritual capital of Judaism. Alexander the Great conquered the city as part of his Macedonian conquests in 332 BCE. The city was immensely influenced by the Hellenistic lifestyle for more than a hundred years. After his death, the city was ruled by the Ptolemies of Egypt and then by the Seleucids of Syria. The Jews defeated the Seleucids, rededicated the Temple in 164 BCE, and re-established their independence under the Hasmonean dynasty, which lasted for more than a hundred years, until Pompey imposed Roman rule on Jerusalem. King Herod was established as leader. Despite building magnificent public buildings, Roman rule become oppressive and heavily persecuted (Kasher). It is here the birthplace of Christianity flourished and most of Jesus’s life and ministry took place.The Church was scattered throughout Asia minor as diasporic groups during the first and second centuries until Emperor Constantine rebuilt Jerusalem as a Christian center of worship (Martin). Numerous patriarchs of Christianity developed from the major and minor splits. The Orthodox Church and its patriarch split away from the Roman Catholic Church in 1054 because of political and doctrinal differences. The Crusaders first conquered Jerusalem in 1099, massacred its Jewish and Muslim inhabitants, and established the city as the capital of the Crusader Kingdom. Through these religious conflicts, the Crusaders destroyed many synagogues, old churches were rebuilt and many mosques were turned into Christian shrines (Martin). Crusader rule over Jerusalem ended in 1187, when the city fell to Saladin the Kurd, a Muslim, whose rule lasted four centuries (Bréhier). They constructed numerous graceful buildings, but treated the city solely as a Muslim theological center and ruined its economy through neglect and crippling taxes.The Ottoman Turks conquered Jerusalem in 1517and ruled for four centuries. After their downfall, authorities in Constantinople took little interest in Jerusalem. During the 17th and 18th centuries Jerusalem sunk to one of its lowest periods. However, Jerusalem began to thrive once more in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Growing numbers of Jews returning to their land, waning Ottoman power and revitalized European interest in the Holy Land led to renewed development of Jerusalem. The British army conquered Jerusalem in 1917. From 1922 to 1948 Jerusalem was the administrative seat of the British authorities in the Land of Israel (Palestine), which had been entrusted to Great Britain by the League of Nations following the dismantling of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. The city developed rapidly, growing westward into what became known as the "New City" (Fromkin).Upon termination of the British Mandate on May 14, 1948, Israel proclaimed its independence, with Jerusalem as its capital. Opposing its establishment, the Arab countries launched an all-out assault on the new state, resulting in a 1948-49 war. The armistice lines drawn at the end of the war divided Jerusalem into two, with Jordan occupying the Old City and areas to the north and south, and Israel retaining the western and southern parts of the city (Guinn). Strict segregation let to walls, barbed-wire fences and a desolated strip of non-man's land cutting through the very heart of the city (Martin). Muslims were denied access to the Al Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock. Jews were denied access to the Western Wall, the Jewish cemetery and all religious sites in eastern Jerusalem. Christians, unlike Jews, were allowed access to their holy sites, but they too were subject to restrictions under Jordanian law. There were limits on the numbers of Christian pilgrims permitted into the Old City and Bethlehem during Christmas and Easter. The armistice lines were sealed as Jordanian snipers would perch on the walls of the Old City and shoot across the lines (Hollander).However, Jerusalem was reunited in June 1967, as a result of the Six Day War in which the Jordanians attempted to seize the western section of the city. East Jerusalem was captured by the Israel Defense Forces. The Jewish Quarter of the Old City, destroyed under Jordanian rule, had been restored and all Israeli citizens were again able to visit their holy places. The status of East Jerusalem remains a highly controversial issue. The international community does not recognize the annexation of the eastern part of the city, and most countries, including the US, accept the idea to partition Palestine into a zone for the Jews (Israel) and a zone for the Arabs (Palestine). Palestinian Arabs refused to recognize. To them, the area the Jews call Israel, will always be Palestine. To the Jews it is Israel. These disputes over national identity have led to very few years of peace in the region since 1948. Efforts to reach peace accords are continuously derailed by hostilities. Throughout present time the economy of Israel grows, as does its military, and there is a steady stream of migrants to the land from all over the world. As we can see, the history of Jerusalem has been in the focus of the world for thousands of years, with special, although differing, claims on the religious and cultural sentiments for millions of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Therefore, it is important to review the nature and meaning of these three monotheistic religions for which Jerusalem is incredibly unique and multicultural; looking specifically at the social and cultural identity of the people (Martin). The traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were all born in the Middle East and are all inextricably linked to one another. Christianity was born from within the Jewish tradition, and Islam developed from both Christianity and Judaism. While there have been differences among these religions, there will always be a rich cultural interchange between Jews, Christians, and Muslims that took place over millennia- where the Jews raised the first temple to keep the Ark of the Covenant safe, where Jesus was crucified and rose again, and where the prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven to receive God's word. These cultural-group histories help us understand the identities of the various religions. It is amazing how the area serves to be a region that has unity within diversity and yet to this day, it is sacred to over half of the world’s population.JudaismJews believe in one god and his prophets, with special respect for Moses as the prophet to whom God gave the law. Jews do not believe in the prophets after the Jewish prophets, including Jesus and Muhammad. Therefore, they do not subscribe to the idea that Jesus was the Messiah and the son of God. Jewish law is embodied in the Torah. Jewish law covers matters such as prayer, diet, personal status (marriage, divorce, birth, death etc.) and observance of holidays. Several variations in belief exist within Judaism today. Orthodox Jews believe that Jewish law is unchanging and mandatory. Physical appearance is an important nonverbal code held by many Orthodox Jews. For example, women cover their heads at all times with scarves. The Jewish Quarter within Jerusalem is home to the Kotel, or the Western Wall, a remnant of the retaining wall of the mount on which the Holy Temple once stood. Jews believe that this was the location from which the world was created, and where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. Many Jews believe the Dome of the Rock is the site of the Holy of Holies. Today, the Western Wall is the closest place Jews can pray to the Holy of Holies.ChristianityChristianity started as an offshoot of Judaism in the first century C.E. Although, Christians believe that God is revealed through three dimensions: The Father, The Son (Jesus Christ), and The Holy Spirit. Jesus is considered the son of God, born to the virgin Mary and come to Earth to offer redemption for mankind's sins. He was crucified by the Romans, he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, where those who have lived a good life will reside in heaven with God, and those who have lived an unrepentant life of sin will be punished in hell.Christian scriptures are the Old Testament (the Jewish Torah with additions), and the New Testament (written by the apostles of Jesus after his death and containing the life story of Jesus and other early Christian writings).Inside the Christian Quarter is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Jesus was crucified there, on Golgotha. His tomb is located inside the sepulcher, as well as the site of his resurrection.IslamIslam developed from both Judeo-Christian traditions and the cultural values from early Nomadic tribes who were encountered throughout Arabia. As a result, Muslims in different areas of the world created for themselves a wide array of cultural traditions (Sunni vs Shiite).Muslims believe that Allah sent his revelation, the Quran, to the prophet Muhammad in the seventh century C.E. to proclaim it to mankind. The Quran contains verses that tell Muslims to worship one god, and explains how they should treat others properly.Muslims practice the five pillars: orally declaring their faith; praying five times a day; fasting during Ramadan; giving to the poor; and making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.The Muslim Quarter is the largest and contains the shrine of the Dome of Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the third holiest site in Islam.As you can see, Jerusalem is synonymous with religious significance, but it is also a city of culture and a fast growing modern hub for art, museums, public transportation, world renowned schools, top eateries and plush hotels that dot the metropolis from east to west. Despite being over 4,000 years old, it’s much more than an ancient city. One might even go into culture shock do to an overwhelming unfamiliarity with the environment all at once (Martin). However, fear not, Jerusalem, is a great city for tourists! This safe city where crime is nearly nonexistent is a wonderful example of a true melting pot coming together with so many immigrants from different cultures making up the population (Martin); Israel is one place where you won’t stand out like a sore thumb. However, due to the mixture of religions, tensions can be sometimes high. There are a few are guidelines one should be mindful of:Dress. When visiting any holy site or religious neighborhood one should dress modestly. For men this means long pants, a closed shirt with sleeves, and a head covering. For women, it means a skirt that falls below the knee, a shirt with elbow-length sleeves and no exposed cleavage or stomach. This applies to churches, mosques, and synagogues.Religion. Although all of Jerusalem is accessible to members of all religions, there are some problems with religion-specific discrimination. The main issue involves Muslims and Jews, and the dispute is an old and very territorial one. It is not always safe, for example, Muslims to enter Jewish concentrated areas, especially on Sabbath, as well as those obviously of a Jewish faith to enter Muslim concentrated areas, especially at night.Security. Security is tight in Israel: you will find security checkpoints in most public places. You’ll go through metal detectors at every mall, government building or train station. You’ll be asked to open your bags for a security check before entering most stores or restaurants.Israel is exceptionally safe for women traveling alone, even at night. Of course, you have to use common sense precautions as you would anywhere.The US government advisories warn against travel to Gaza and the West Bank – but generally they do not discourage travel to Israel.In conclusion, few cities are as historically, spiritually and culturally rich as the City of Jerusalem. The city’s residents continually build the future with constant reminders of the rich history of Jerusalem, creating a bridge between their ancient ancestors to their future generations, while the embracing of distinct cultures, nationalities and religions. As Jerusalem continues to modernize, growing in wealth and beauty, the ancient structures remain intact as a symbol of the triumph and endurance of the peoples and their survival. While the majority of the city’s modern appearance does not attest to its rich and ancient history, there is no way to detach the ancient essence, which obviously unifies Jerusalem’s diverse peoples and traditions and makes it impossible to divide this sacred place.Works CitedBréhier, Louis Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099–1291) Catholic Encyclopedia 1910Cline, Eric. “Speak Tenderly to Jerusalem” Jerusalem Besieged: From Ancient Canaan to Modern Israel. Ann Arbor University of Michigan, 2004. Pg 299-310.Fromkin, David. A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East. Owl Books. pg. 312–313.Grabbe, Lester L. A History of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period. T&T Clark International, 2004 pg. 28.Guinn, David E. Protecting Jerusalem's Holy Sites: A Strategy for Negotiating a Sacred Peace Cambridge University Press, 2006 pg.35.Hollander, Ricki. "History of Jerusalem." . Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, 6 June 2005. Web. 01 Oct. 2016.Kasher, Aryeh. King Herod: A persecuted persecutor: a case study in psychohistory and psychobiography, Walter de Gruyter, 2007. pg. 229.Martin, Judith, and Thomas Nakayama.?Intercultural Communication in Contexts. S.l.: Mcgraw-Hill Education, 2017. Print.Khalifa, Rashad. Quaran: The Final Scripture. Tuscon, AZ: Islamic Productions, 1981. Redford,Donald B. Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times, Princeton University Press, 1992 pg.268-270. ................
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