Jerusalem

Jerusalam and the surrounding area is an integral part of each religion's (and in the case of the Jews, culture's) history. Various events which are of significance to each occurred there, and so many places there are considered holy that the area itself is simply labelled 'Holy Land'.
It is consideted the place God visited

Yes, with Lebanon and Syria intervening.

The Old City of Jerusalem is known for its sacred sites in the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian faith, solidifying each group's historical claim to the land. Both the Palestinians and Israelis want Jerusalem as their capital.

Address: 3 Hanassi Street, Jerusalem, 92188 Israel

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Yes. For Judaism, see: Jerusalem in Judaism.

Jerusalem is part of the southern Levantine which is called the "Holy Land" and the "Land of Israel". Currently, the city is legally divided between the States of Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

If you are asking from an Israeli Perspective, Jerusalem is part of Israel's Central Region.

It is actually unclear what the name Jerusalem means. The closest anyone has been able to come is "City of Peace", but it is unclear if this is accurate.

In terms of what Jerusalem is, it is the capital of Israel and the de jure capital of the Palestinian Authority and the site of numerous holy sites for all three monotheistic faiths.

Israel conquered it in 1967, but handed it over to the Waqf, or Muslim trust, for administration.

The Dome of the Rock was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik and completed in 691 AD.

The Dome is mainly perceived in the Islamic world as the commemoration of the night journey of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH (al-Isra') from Makkah (or Mecca) to Al-Qods (or Jerusalem) and his ascension to the Heavens (al-mi`raj).

Jerusalem is the capital of the state of Israel and therefore it doesn't have a leadr for itself. Israel's prime minister today (2009) is Benjamin Netanyahu. Jerusalem's Mayor is Nir Barkat.

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Yes, Jerusalem was divided from 1948 to 1967. In June of 1967, during the Six Day War, Israel occupied the entire city.

Jerusalem was the Holy City of Christendom, the reacquisition of which was the purpose of the Pope's authorizing the Crusades against the Moslems. Control over Jerusalem and battles to defend and overrun it were very important in the Early Crusades.

Christianity, Islam, and Judaism

Because mainly all crusaders or Franks/Franj should have been Christians and Jerusalem was were Christ was said to have been most of his life, in that day and age people were very religious and the thoughta Muslims and other non Christians controlling the city also scared and angered them.

There had also been rumours that Muslims had been mistreating Christian pilgrims

and this, again angered them.

The Holy Land, known as Jeruselum to many religious people, can be found in the area of Palestine and Israel. This area of the world has been constantly fighting since the end of WWII and has been fought over since the Crusades.

Bethlehem and Jerusalem are both cities in Israel. The distance from Bethlehem to Jerusalem is 66 miles, or 107 kilometers.

• 1) Jerusalem 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. 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 and was manifested in a number of miracles (Mishna, Avos 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.
• 2) As a result of the historical connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem, it was seen as an intrinsically holy city and a place where God's presence rested. Jerusalem has become representative of the connection with the Divine. In addition, Jerusalem is seen as the source of Divine Law, as demonstrated in many Jewish prayers: "Ki miTziyon tetze Torah udvar Hashem maYerushalayim - 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.
• 3) According to ancient Hebrew tradition, Jerusalem is the site where God took the very earth from which Adam, the first man, was formed. 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 sacred, and a direct link to God.
• 4) Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion and Jerusalem has been its only holy site for 3000 years, ever since King Solomon built the first Jewish Temple there. The temple 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 yrs ago, killing a million Jews, expelling another million and enslaving the remaining million. All Jews who value their heritage feel ties to 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.
• 5) 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...." It continues to say: "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."