What is the importances of Jerusalem?

Answer 1

Jerusalem is very important. It is the place where Islam says that Muhammad ascended into heaven, the place where Christianity says that Jesus rose from the dead and the place where the two Jewish temples were built.

Jerusalem is considered as a holy city for Islam. After that it is a great place for tourists attraction. It has so many wonderful places to visit.

Answer 2

Jerusalem is very important. It is the place where Islam says that Muhammad ascended into heaven, the place where Christianity says that Jesus rose from the dead and the place where the two Jewish temples were built.

Jerusalem is considered as a holy city for Islam. After that it is a great place for tourists attraction. It has so many wonderful places to visit.

Answer 3

Religious Importance:
All three major monotheistic religions have numerous very important holy sites in the city.

1. For Judaism: The Western Wall and the Temple Mount Complex, Mount of Olives Cemetary, Ramban Synagogue, and the City of Jerusalem itself
2. For Christians: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Via Dolorosa, Golgotha, the Church of All Nations, and Mount Zion, among other smaller churches and places.
3. For Muslims: Al-Aqsa mosque (That is considered one of the three holiest mosques) and the Dome of the Rock mosque . In Islam, the whole site of Al-Qods (Jerusalem) is one of three holiest sites in Islam.

Secular Importance:
Jerusalem serves as the capital of Israel and is the de jure capital of Palestine (even though all Palestinian governmental offices are in either Ramallah or Gaza City). As the Israeli capital, it hosts both the Knesset and the Israeli Supreme Court. It also hosts some of Israel's premier universities and yeshivot (Jewish religious academies).

Answer 4

The holy land for Judaism is Israel (see Deuteronomy 11:11-12), and the holy city is Jerusalem.

• Link: The Promised Land
  

Jerusalem is the center of Judaism. It is important to Jews because it was chosen by God (Zechariah 3:2). It was the site of the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac, in Genesis ch.22) and was later the seat of the Davidic Kings, when King David, Israel's greatest king, founded the dynasty that ruled Judah for much of its history, making Jerusalem the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel during his reign and that of his son, King Solomon.

• Link: Jewish history timeline
  

Most importantly, it was the location of the First and Second Temples, where offerings were made to God and where His presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies (1 Kings ch.8) and was manifested in a number of miracles (Mishna, Avot ch.5).
Jerusalem is called the holy city by the prophets (Isaiah 52:1). It was where Jews would go three times a year to celebrate the holiest festivals (Deuteronomy ch.16). Even after the destruction of the Temple, the Temple Mount and adjacent Western ("Wailing") Wall, which still stands, is the holiest site in Judaism. It is hoped and prophesied (Ezekiel ch.40-44) that one day a third temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and that the Messiah will come to it.

• Link: The Western Wall
  

Jerusalem has become representative of the connection with the Divine. Jerusalem is also seen as the source of Divine Law, as demonstrated in many Jewish prayers: "Ki miTziyon tetze Torah udvar Hashem miYerushalayim - From Zion comes the Torah and the Word of God from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3).

Jerusalem is also representative of the Redemption of the Jewish people from their physical and spiritual exile, because this exile causes the melancholy that the Jewish people experience by being apart from God's presence. The Redemption, which Jews believe will be brought by the Messiah, will result in the Jewish people returning to Jerusalem.

According to ancient Hebrew tradition, Jerusalem is the site where God took the very earth from which Adam, the first man, was formed (midrash Rabbah 14:8). Read Genesis carefully; Adam was not created in the garden of Eden; he was taken there. Jerusalem, because it is the first place on Earth where the spirit of God dwelt, is considered a direct link to God.

Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion and Jerusalem has been its only holy site for over 3000 years. King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by invading Babylonians, and rebuilt at the same site (known as the Temple Mount) about 2500 years ago. It was then destroyed again when the Romans conquered Judea about 2000 years ago, killing a million Jews. All Jews who value their heritage feel ties to Jerusalem and the holy land, where so many of their people struggled for the freedom to practice Judaism. At the same time, Jews believe that all people should be welcome there, regardless of faith.

Jerusalem is the eternal Jewish city, and a symbol of a future time of peace. Jerusalem is also the focal point of prayer of the Jews. When they pray, wherever they are, they face towards Jerusalem (Talmud, Berakhot 30a), with love and longing. The sentiment is aptly expressed in Psalm 137: "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion....If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its wisdom."

For thousands of years we remembered our exile and prayed for its end. Now at least we can do so from "up close."

See also the other Related Links.

Link: Destruction and Diaspora

Link: Beauty of Jerusalem