Jerusalem

        Religion. Many people consider themselves religious. In modern society, religion is a cornerstone of many people’s lives. There are few sites that can boast of being as holy or religious as Jerusalem is today. Faith is something that many people hold to heart dearly and the city of Jerusalem has a key link to many of those religions. There are not many places, cities, or countries that can be considered one of the most holy sites in the world for 3 key religions, but Jerusalem can. Jerusalem is a city that is holy to Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. It expresses that holiness not only through vital ancient sites, but also the feelings, thoughts, and love that countless people have expressed at those sites.   

             Jerusalem is the holiest city in all of Judaism and is the center of the Jewish people. The Temple Mount, located in Jerusalem is considered the most important site in the Jewish religion. It is Jewish belief that it is from the Temple Mount that the world expanded from. This is a vitally significant part of Judaism. In addition, the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem has become the most sacred spot in Jewish religion. It is a centre of mourning over destruction of the Second Temple and all of Jerusalem that left only the wall standing in the first Jewish-Roman War. During Rosh Hashanah, countless numbers of Jews from around the world gather at these holy sites to pray and worship.

               

The Wailing Wall

             Christianity is another Abrahamic faith that has deep roots in the city of Jerusalem. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is considered to be the location of the crucifixion of Jesus. In Christianity, this is one of the most important events as that is when he took away all our sins. It is also considered the location of the death and Resurrection of Jesus. These events are colossally vital to the religion of Christianity and thus make Jerusalem very holy to Christianity.  

      

   The Holy Sepulchre 

              Islam is another major faith with considerable roots in Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock, located on the Temple Mount is a very significant location for the Islam religion. At the heart of The Dome of the Rock, there is the Foundation Stone. The Islam belief is that it is from the Foundation Stone that Muhammad ascended into Heaven. This makes The Dome of the Rock, and therefore Jerusalem, extremely holy to Islam. Additionally, Jerusalem is the location of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, known as one of the most holy sites in Islamic religion. It is Islam belief that Muhammad was transported from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to Al-Aqsa during the Night Journey. This confirms the Al-Aqsa Mosque as a vital site of Islam. Both The Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque have considerable ties to the Islamic religion and its historic past. Therefore, these sites corroborate Jerusalem as being very holy to Islam.  

Dome of the Rock

              In conclusion, through these major sites and their current events, and old histories, Jerusalem is clearly identified as a holy site to the Abrahamic faiths.