Holy Places of Jerusalem

Why are they holy places to the Jews?

How did they become holy places? What's the story behind them?

Does something special happen in that place? Is there holiday connected? If so, what do they do?

How do Jews worship there?

My Research

Questions

I answered most of these questions for each place, though not every question.

Jerusalem is not only mentioned

multiple times in the bible (600 times), it hosted the Ancient Temple and the Second Temple, the holiest places in Judaism. Although the second temple was reduced the Western Wall and the Ancient Temple is no longer existing, they are still very important in Judaism.

There are also other places of significance in Jerusalem for example, Temple Mount.

King David is also believed to be burried in

Jerusalem.

Why is it Holy to Jews?

Some history of Jerusalem is that it is where the Ancient Temple was built (by King Solomon) which was where the Arc, with the Ten Commandments was kept.

Jerusalem is not only holy for Jews, it's also holy for Christians and Muslims.

How Did They Become Holy Places? What's They Story Behind Them?

Few Ways Jews Worship in Jerusalem:

- Most Jews try to make pilgrimage to

Jerusalem, at least once in their life.

- Orthodox Jews pray 3 times a day. One of the things they pray for is to repair the Second Temple.

- All synangogues that are outside of Jerusalem, face Jerusalem. Jews also pray facing Jerusalem.

How Do Jews

Worship There?

The Western Wall is the remains of the Second Temple, which is why Jews make pilgrimage to the Western Wall, to see one of the most holiest places. It's also a small glimpse into what Jerusalem was like back then.

Why is it Holy to the Jews?

The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E., because of the Jewish Revolt. The Western Wall was also added later to the Second Temple.

How Did They Become Holy Places? What's They Story Behind Them?

Few Ways Jews Worship The Western Wall

How Do Jews

Worship There?

- Jews make pilgrimage to the Western Wall

- Jews write their prayers on a piece of paper and stick it in the cracks of the wall

- Jews pray that the wall is restored back

to its former glory, the Second Temple

The Temple Mount was located where the Dome of the Rock is today. Temple Mount is an archeological site that no longer exists.

On the Temple Mount is where the First Temple (Ancient Temple) was built by King Solomon. It is where the Arc, Ten

Commandments was kept, and is the

holiest place in the temple. The Western Wall is on top of it.

Why is it Holy to Jews?

One of the reasons Temple Mount is holy is because that's where Abraham sacrificed his son, Isaac, in the Bible. The Western Wall, Ancient Temple, and the Second Temple were/are there.

How Did They Become Holy Places? What's The Story Behind Them?

-Orthodox Jews don't set foot in the Holy of Holies because they don't want to stain the holiness of the place.

- Back then the Kohen Gadol would sacrifice animal blood and then incense in the Holy of the Holies.

How Do Jews

Worship There?

In earlier times, Jews weren't allowed to set

foot in the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies

was a place inside the Ancient Temple. It was the holiest place inside the temple, a room with no windows, and where the Arc with the Ten Commandments were kept.

But once a year, the Kohen Gadol (highest priest) stepped inside and sacrificed animal blood and incensed it. The Kohen Gadol could this so that they can pay for their sins. This is called Yom Kippur which is still celebrated by Jews today, through different methods.

Does something special happen in that place? Is there holiday connected? If so, what do they do?