Huned Contractor describes his experience of visiting Jerusalem and discovering its connection with spirituality

We drove into Jerusalem from Amman, the capital of Jordan, as part of our tour of the Middle East countries. At the bus stand where Israeli authorities checked our papers, our passports were not stamped, and a permit to enter the city was taken away as soon as we had crossed the border.

“This is because you are on a pilgrimage of Muslim countries and a Jerusalem stamp on your passport will automatically bar you from visiting any other Muslim country,” explained the tour official. But there was no time to waste on such geopolitical complications, considering this hilly city is so full of interesting things that there is hardly a spare moment as you try to catch up with its history, religion and amazing landscape.

History
Jerusalem, according to Jewish tradition, is mentioned in the Torah (Genesis 14:18), as the city of Salem. According to our official tourist guide, the first-known mention of Jerusalem is to be found in Egyptian texts. The name Jerusalem first appears in the Bible the Book of Joshua, in a passage about the king of Jerusalem who allied himself with four other kings from the south against the Israelites, who had recently conquered part of the hill country.

According to Hebrew scripture, Jerusalem was the abode of King David who reigned until 970 BCE. For more than 450 years, until the Babylonian conquest in 587 BCE, Jerusalem was the political capital of the united kingdom of Israel and then the Kingdom of Judah. During its long history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times and captured and recaptured 44 times.

City Of Gates
What adds to the historical intensity of Jerusalem are the eight gates of the wall that surrounds the old city, each with a rich past of its own. “Of these,” explains the tour guide, “Jaffa Gate was always one of the most important portals, along with the Damascus Gate. It marked the beginning of the routes to Jaffa and to Hebron, and therefore, the Arabs also call it Hebron Gate.” Here, we can see the imposing heavy doors that were closed every day at sunset until the 1870s.

The Golden Gate is another spot steeped in history. According to the Christians, Jesus walked through this gate to Jerusalem and therefore it is referred to as ‘The Golden Gate’. According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will come through this gate. It is said that this is the reason why Muslims set up a cemetery in front of the gate, for it is forbidden for the high priest to go through a cemetery. The Christians believe that this is where the Byzantine Emperor, Hercules, entered the Old City after the defeat of the Muslims.

DAVID’S TOMB
This is believed to be the burial place of King David and is situated in a corner, on the ground floor of the remains of the former Hagia Zion, a Byzantine church.

DOME OF THE ROCK
This is the most famous Islamic site in Jerusalem and is built over a sacred stone. This stone is believed to be the place from which Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven. Jews believe the rock to be the very place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac (an event that Muslims place in Mecca). All the critical dimensions are related to the centre circle that surrounds the sacred stone. For example, each outer wall is 68 feet in length, which is exactly the dome’s diameter and exactly its height from the base of the dome.

THE TEMPLE MOUNT
In the 10th century BC, after King David captured the city of Jerusalem and made it the capital of the Israelites, he chose this high place as the site of a great temple to house the Ark of the Covenant. The First Temple was looted of its treasures, including the Ark of the Covenant, between 604 BC and 597 BC and totally destroyed in 587-86 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. Jews were deported to Babylonia between 586 and 582 BC in what is known as the Babylonian Exile. In 538 BC, the Persian king Cyrus II (who had conquered Babylonia) allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.

THE LAST SUPPER ROOM
According to the Christian gospels, this simple room is where Jesus shared his last meal with his Twelve Apostles and disciples before his death. “The vessel which was used to serve the wine is sometimes called the Holy Chalice, and has been one of the supposed subjects of Holy Grail literature in Christian mythology,” says the guide.

THE TOWER OF DAVID
Located near the Jaffa Gate, this is a museum that presents Jerusalem’s story. It details the major events in its history, beginning with the first evidence of a city in Jerusalem in the second millennium BCE, until the city became the capital of the State of Israel, as well as its significance to three world religions.

THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE
Also called the Church of the Resurrection, the site is venerated by many Christians because it is believed to be the place where Jesus was crucified, and is said to also contain the place where Jesus was buried (the sepulchre). What most people come to look at is the Stone of the Anointing, which is just inside the entrance.

A cultural abode:
While it is true that most tourists to Jerusalem come to see the city’s historical and religious sites, it is not as if the city does not have a vibrant culture of entertainment. The Henry Crown Symphony Hall on Chopin Street is the home of the excellent Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. The world-renowned Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, under its famous director Zubin Mehta, rotates performances between its main base in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem.

For the foodies, Jerusalem is a change from other Middle East countries because it offers cuisine from a wide choice of countries and cultures. Our favourite during our four-day stay was Maoz Falafel, a tiny, historic falafel stand that has been a city-center favourite since it opened in 1967.