Jerusalem, the sacred city of two faiths

Title

Language

English

Source

Young Citizen, 7 (9) September 1941

Year

1941

Subject

Religious diversity

Jerusalem in literature

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

SEPTEMBER, 1941 THE YOUNG CITIZEN 323 . HISTORY SECTION JERUSALEM. THE SACRED CITY OF TWO FAITHS Wailin9 Place of the Jews in Jerusalem - "IF I FORGET THEE, 0 Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her ·cunning!" So sang the Hebrew psalmist as he thought with passionate devotion of the holy city from which he was exiled. In the Middle Ages the Crusaders, who had . toiled the long weary way from their homes in Europe -to wrest the city of Christ from Mohammedan rule, knelt in the dust and wept with joy as they beheld from afar the city .of their dreams. Today, Jerusalem still draws hosts of pilgrims who come to kiss its crumbling ruins, to look upon the place of Christ's death and resurrection, and to approach with reverent awe its other holy places. Standing on a rocky plateau, 2,500 feet above sea level, in the mountain region of Palestine between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea, Jerusalem as seen from · the neighboring hills is still as the Bible describes it, '°beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole ·earth." j erusalem is a natural fortreS$, and few cities have suffered more terrible sieges. Had it not been for the lack of water within its walls, it would in ancient days have been almost impregnable, for deep-cut ravines protect it on three sid~s. Separatin.g the city from the famous Mount of Olives on the east and noriheast is the ancient valley of Kidron. On the west and south .is the hated valley of Gehenna. This ravine was accursed in ancient times, for here at one time human sacrifices were made to the ·Phoenician god Moloch, and later the bodies of criminals were thrown there. For this reason the name Gehenna was used to mean Hell; a place for torment after death. In ancient times there was another valley which separated western Jerusalem from Zion, the city of David, and the Temple hill. But during the centuries this ravine has been filled by rubbish. The walls surrounding Jerusalem have b'een many times destroyed and rebuilt. Portions of the present walls probably The Garden of Gethsemane . 324 THE YOUNG CITIZEN SEPTEMBER, 194t rest upon more ancient foundations. Of the splendid Temple, which was the center of Hebrew worship, no part remains standing today. A Mohammedan place of worship, the Mosque of Omar, now stands on the holy spot. Eight gateways open into its courtyard, within which is ihe Dome of the Rock. This famous ·rock - is said to have been used by ancient Hebrew priests when they slaugh. tered animals for sacrifice, and where Abraham offered to sacrifice I~aac. To Moh.ammedar.s it is a very holy place. The spot in J erusalem most visited by Christian pilgrims is / ing the whole city is the Mount of Olives, associated with many scenes in the history of Christianity. The history of Jerusalem .goes back to the ·15th' century before Christ, when it was occupied, we are told, by the Egyptians. When the Israelites entered 'Palestine, it was held by the J ebusite"s, a Canaanite tribe. David conquered the city and made it the capital of his kingdom. It reached its greatest splendor under Solomon. After the division of the Israelite kingdom, it remained the capital of Judah until destroyed by the Romans under Titus in 70A. D. the Church of the H o 1 y Sepulcher, built over the sup• posed tomb of Jesus. No one knows for certain the exact spot w h e r e Jesus was crucifiedo r the place of the tomb of Jesus; but for ages men have made long, long . pilgrimages to visit. these holy places, and have struggied a n d suffered a n d Church of the Holy Sepulcher About 130 A. D. the Roman emperor Hadrian rebuilt the city. Its history from that time until the 4th century is . obscure, when Constantine the Great, after h i s conversion to Christianity, gave orders for the recovery of the holy places and the erection of two inagnifi-. died for them. So we look with feelings cent churches. of awe and reverence up!:>n these places. In 637 Jerusalem was captured by the. Franciscan monks tend with loving Mohammedans. It was recaptured by . care the place which they believe is the the Crusaders in 1099 and held by them Garden of Gethsemane. Here several until 1187, when it was reconquered by ancient olive trees are pointed. out as the · the Saracens (Mohammedans) . It revery ones in whose shadow Jesus knelt mained in the hands of the Mohammeand prayed in .anguish the night before dans most of the time until it was taken His de~th. by British forces in 1917. · Rising above the garden and overlook- (Pleau turn to page 334.) 334 THE YOUNG CITIZEN SBPTBMBBR, 1941 GREEDY HERON PIED PIPER JERUSALEM (Continued from page 315) (Continued from page 322) (Continued from page 324) "Get out of my way, and the children went on One of the famous places you!" ordered the Crab. their way to the mountain of J erusalein is known as "No, sir,'' said the Heron is called the "Street of the the Wailing Place ·of the proudly. "I have eaten the Children." In this street Jews. This is a wall o~ very Frog; I have eaten the old there is set up a large stone. ancient stones, once supMudfish, and I have eaten On its side is cut the date posed 10· have been a part the old Snake. 'Yhat is t~ "June 26, A.D. 12 a4." Tha; of the temple erected by stop me from eatmg·you? is the day on which the Solomon but nqw kno~n to But b~fore the Heron P.iper is said to have lead belong ~o later· tllll.es. could finish what he was th b d . 1 Every Friday ] ews gather saying, the Crab raised up U e h oys an t; sf aw:y. at this wall, kiss the ancient his two mighty pinchers, P 1 e.stre.et a itt e art er stones, mourn the loss of and pinched the· Heron's th.ere is a statue of the ] erusalem, and pray. There neck. Piper. are Hebrew carvings on Every year, when · the these ston·es · · these are the twenty-sixth of ] une comes prayers of pilgrims. SOME QUESTONS the around, all the. people who Except for its memories I. Do you think Heron was polite? live in ·Hamelin have a of the past, ] erusalem is l;leron great holiday in memory of not an attractive city today.· the children who followed The streets are narrow and the Piper. dirty, shut in by the high 2. What did the do to the Frog? MOUSIE On that day, the whole ?loomy walls of the build(Gontinued. from page 317) town is full of rats again. mgs, and often ONerarch~d, (They bury _the treasure But these are not live rats. so that they seem almost hke again; cover it with soil and Instead they are little cakes. passages through caves. run toward a clump of trees and co~kies made into the The houses are square and nearby. They climb a tall shape of a rat. And all the ~at-topped, with few outone). . stores in town have for sale side courts .. The streets are MOUSIE: (E:mfedly) r 1 fl 1.k h h crowded with traders, begL k d di Th , 1tt e utes, 1 et e one t e gars and p·1gr· s and oo , a e y v e p· 1 d , 1 1m changed theii course. They iper P aye · . travelers from all o:ve_r the aren't coming here. The. boy~ and girls .of world. M o u s I E'S DAD: Sure Hamelin sull love _music, Old ] erusalem is buried enough, son. I thought they and they sing and play it deep in the ground; modern would land and ·make us all the year round. But no Jerusalem is partly an old prisoners once more-with one is ever allowed to sing Crusaders' town with Mothe treasure we found. or play . any music on the hammedan additions, and MousIE: Let's get down. street through which the par'tly an uninteresting It's safe now. Then we can children followed the travel resort, but to the folget the treasure again and Piper, so long ago. That lowers of.two faiths Jerusasail for home. is to be a silent street for- lem will •ever be a sacred CURTAIN ever. city.

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