The city of Jerusalem, the center of the 3 monotheistic religions has always been in the center of world discussion and more so in recent months. This month we are celebrating 50 year to the reunification of Jerusalem and in honor of this occasion, we bring to you ten fact and stories about Jerusalem. Test yourselves, how many of these facts did you know?
1. Jerusalem has always been regarded as a prize possession - The city has been conquered 40 times, destroyed 18 times, and repopulated endlessly Through Israel history, the city has been the witness of more than 100 battles for its control.
2. The Jews in Jerusalem represents the majority of the population with 5,6 million people, which, in 1840 made this community, the largest ethnic group in the city. Yes, the Jews have been the majority ethnic group in the city for 100 years before the state of Israel was established.
3. The local cobble stone, sourced from Jerusalem Mountains was the cheapest and most accessible building material at the time of King David, it then became a staple of Jerusalem. Later the municipality of the city decided that all buildings, including new ones, in the city must be covered by the Jerusalem cobble stones. This is an expression of the desire to preserve the historical look of the city.
4. The word “Jerusalem” is mentioned more than 660 times in the Hebrew bible and 146 times in the New Testament. Jerusalem, by his name is not mentioned in the Quran.
5. Jerusalem has more than 2000 active archeological sites. In January 2018 a discovery in Jerusalem confirmed that the Jerusalem which appeared in the bible is the same city referred as Jerusalem today. A clay seal three millennia old was found in Jerusalem close to the Western Wall, a proof of the existence of the “city governor” so far only mentioned in the Old Testament. It dates back from the 6th or 7th century before B.C. On this artifact it can be read inscriptions in old Hebrew saying “to the city governor”.
6. As a cradle of many religions, the city has more than 50 Christian churches, 33 Muslim Mosque and 300 Jewish Synagogue.
7. Jerusalem is known for its rich history and less for its poor population. Jerusalem is the poorest city of Israel. Jerusalem has the highest rate of poverty in both Jewish and non-Jewish population.
8. Some of the Olive trees in Jerusalem are more than 800 years old.
9. The Kraft Family, owner of the New England Patriots inaugurated the American football stadium and offered 6 million dollar toward the sport complex. “My life is about only doing things I’m connected to. To share this with great players who are here, and see how special this country is, is an honor and a privilege.” Said Mr Kraft. American football is not very common in Israel. The league has 8 teams, only two of them from Jerusalem- the Jerusalem lions and the Jerusalem Kings.
10. Jerusalem has its own unique mental disorder- “The Jerusalem Syndrom”. This Syndrome effects tourists on religious pilgrimage in the Holy City and is characterized by patients believing they became biblical figures such as Jesus, Moses or others. Anxiety, stress, desire for isolation, obsession to purify the body, are the main symptoms. The condition is very real and effect a few dozen tourists a year, but the most famous patient is actually a cartoon. When the Simpson family visited Jerusalem in one of the episodes, Homer Simpson was struck by the syndrome and firmly believe that he was the messiah.
One more final fact. When the famous astronaut Neil Amstrong visited Jerusalem he said “I am more excited stepping on these stones than I was stepping on the moon.”