In Danger-96.Indd

In Danger: Israel’s Sovereignty Over Jerusalem

Inside: Ten Important Articles About Jerusalem

Founded 1897

ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA

Zionist Organization of America www.zoa.org [email protected] Dedicated to Dr. Irving and Cherna Moskowitz Heroes insuring Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem

Zionist Organization of America National Board of Directors

Morton A. Klein, National President Dr. Michael Goldblatt, Chairman of the Board Dr. Alan A. Mazurek, Chairman, National Executive Committee Henry Schwartz, Treasurer Stanley Kessock, Acting National Executive Director

Arnold Aronoff Prof. Malvina Halberstam Dr. Rosalie Reich Janet Aronoff Eli Hertz Stanley Rosenberg, Esq. Dr. Newton Becker Dr. Esther Hirschenbaum Nina Rosenwald Dr. Stanley Benzel Irwin Hochberg * Howard Schaerf, Esq. Bart Blatstein * Larry Hochberg David Schoen, Esq. * Dr. Herbert Caskey Robert Jacobs Henry Schwartz * Dr. Ben Chouake Daniel Katz, Esq. Dr. Zalman Shapiro Lewis Dashe Dr. Jerome Kaufman * Gene Shusman Mel Dubin Hon. Alfred Kleiman Edward M. Siegel, Esq. Congressman Jon D. Fox Jay Knopf Henry Silverman, Esq. Dr. Michael Franzblau Dr. Arthur Kook Samuel (Sonny) Sklar Sylvia Freyer * Joshua Landes Martin Sokol Jack Friedler Joseph Loshinsky * Sandra Stein, Esq. Harvey Friedman Rubin Margules Henry Taubenfeld, Esq.* Dr. Jonathan Gold* Dr. Alan A. Mazurek * Henry Z. Ten Steven Goldberg, Esq. * Joseph Mermelstein Jacques Torczyner * Miriam Goldberger Jay P. Miller Ronn Torossian Dr. Michael Goldblatt * Ms. Cherna Moskowitz Larry Wenig, Esq. Taffy Gould Dr. Irving Moskowitz Al Grossberg Nelson Obus Robert Guzzardi, Esq * Michael Orbach * * ZOA National Ofﬁ cer [ IN DANGER: ISRAEL’S SOVEREIGNTY OVER JERUSALEM ]

In Danger: Israel’s Sovereignty overJerusalem

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3 Why Jerusalem Matters 45 Desecration in the Old City Gary Bauer Haim Shachter

7 Why the American 51 Sixty Synagogues Embassy Should Be Destroyed in Jerusalem Sylvia Mann U.S. Senator Jon Kyl 57 “We’ve Waited a 11 Forgotten Facts Thousand Years” about Jerusalem Colin Simpson Morton A. Klein 61 The Jewish Presence 17 If I Forget Thee… in Jerusalem Daniel Pipes Throughout the Ages Dr. Menashe Har-El 27 “Judaizing” Jerusalem A.M. Rosenthal

31 Jerusalem the Free: An Open Letter to the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Msgr. John M. Oesterreicher

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 1 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:29:391:29:39 AAMM Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.

Psalms 122:6-9 A Song Of Ascents of David

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Why Jerusalem Matters

GARY L. BAUER

oes Jerusalem belong to the Israeli people? Is it the capital of the Jewish nation? May Jews live with their families anywhere in the city they choose? Can other nations decide Jerusalem’s future, with or without the consent of Israel’s government? Is dismem- berment in Jerusalem’s future?

It is a sign of the moral and historical derangement prevalent in our age that such questions can even be asked. But make no mis- Dtake about it—serious, powerful people on both sides of the Atlantic, in and out of governments, are embracing the Palestinian Muslim narrative that de- mands that Jerusalem must at the very least be divided, with East Jerusalem

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 3 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:061:30:06 AAMM becoming the capital of a Palestinian propagandists United States, under- new Palestinian state. and their allies in the stands what is at stake. Middle East have argued He recently wrote this In 1906, Zionist leader for years that Jerusalem about the importance of Chaim Weizmann met is not, and has never been, Jerusalem to the future of with Britain’s Arthur legitimately Jewish. They Israel: Balfour. Britain had make this absurd claim offered Zionists land in even though Jews have East Africa for a Jew- been living in Jerusalem adly, for me as an ish homeland, and the continuously for nearly Zionists turned the offer two thousand years. They American, it has down. Balfour wanted to have been the largest know why. single group in the city become obvious since the 1840s. The holi- S est site in the Jewish faith, that President Obama he preservation the Western Wall of the Temple, is in Jerusalem. increasingly seems of Jerusalem as In spite of the clear his- committed to dividing the political and tory and ongoing discov- T ery of historical relics that Jerusalem, followed by spiritual capital of the essentially conﬁ rm what the Bible tells us about making a dismembered Jewish state is vital to the history of the Jews in Jerusalem, the Palestin- East Jerusalem the Israel’s existence. ian Authority continues to teach Palestinian children capital of a new historical lies that incite Weizmann answered with hatred about Jewish “oc- Palestinian state. this: “Mr. Balfour, if you cupation” of Jerusalem. were offered Paris instead The goal of this invidi- of London, would you take ous campaign is clear: If The preservation of it? Would you take Paris Jews can be delegitimized Jerusalem as the politi- instead of London?” A sur- in Jerusalem, the whole cal and spiritual capital prised Balfour responded, existence of the modern of the Jewish state is “But London is our own!” Jewish state can be called vital to Israel’s exis- Weizmann retorted, “Jeru- into question. tence. This fact was well salem was our own when understood by David London was a marsh!” And Michael B. Oren, Israel’s Ben-Gurion, Israel’s indeed it was. new ambassador to the first prime minister, at

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the time of the state’s Sadly, for me as an Ameri- He reminded the presi- creation in 1948. can, it has become obvious dent that Jerusalem is that President Obama an open, undivided city Though Israel was at- increasingly seems com- and he pointedly told tacked simultaneously mitted to dividing Jerusa- the president, “We can- on all fronts by six Arab lem, followed by making a not accept the idea that armies, with large sec- dismembered East Jeru- Jews will not have the tions of the Galilee and salem the capital of a new right to live and purchase the Negev already lost, Palestinian state. Aston- [property] in all parts of Ben-Gurion devoted the ishing as it may seem, the Jerusalem.” bulk of Israel’s forces Obama administration has to breaking the siege of insisted that construction Prime Minister Netan- Jerusalem. The city, he of new buildings in East yahu is right. Those of us knew, represented the Jerusalem for Israeli Jews who care about Israel— raison d’être of the Jew- be halted, in effect treat- Jews, Christians, and all ish state and without it, ing that part of the city as people of good will— Israel would be merely a “settlement.” must stand together now another miniature Medi- in defense of a united terranean enclave not The reaction of Israeli Jerusalem in a united worth living in, much less Prime Minister Netan- Israel—free, democratic, defending. yahu was swift and ﬁ rm. and safe.

Gary L. Bauer is one of America’s most effective spokesmen for pro-life, pro-family, and pro-growth values. Bauer is a frequent guest on a wide variety of political talk shows and a much-in-demand speaker nationwide.

Bauer served in President Ronald Reagan’s administration for eight years, as Under Secretary of Education and as President Reagan’s Chief Domestic Policy Advisor.

A staunch supporter of President Bush’s war on terrorism, Bauer is also a leading Christian advocate for a strong and secure Israel. Since the atrocities of September 11th, Bauer has devoted considerable time and energy to strengthening the shared values of the Israeli/American alliance.

After the 2000 presidential campaign, Mr. Bauer founded American Values, a non- proﬁ t educational organization.

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 5 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:081:30:08 AAMM This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.

Ezekiel 5:5

Ezekiel the Prophet, Son of Buzi

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Why the American Embassy Should Be inJerusalem

U.S. SENATOR JON KYL

erusalem should remain an undivided city. Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel, and the United States Embassy in Israel should be relocated to Jerusalem.

The United States government has refused ofﬁ cial recognition of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem for various reasons since Israel’s inception, at ﬁ rst in line with the never-implemented 1947 U.N. General Assembly partition recommen- dation for western Palestine. U.S. policy support- Jed a special international status—corpus separa- tum, as it was called—for the city of Jerusalem. The impractical notion actually appealed to neither the Jews nor the Arabs, and in 1948, the Arab Legion conquered east Jerusalem, including the Old City, as part of the general Arab military offensive to prevent Israel from coming

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 7 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:111:30:11 AAMM into being. Israel re- government regarding edly said that we do not tained control over west Jerusalem have, unfor- favor redivision of the Jerusalem. tunately, been somewhat city. Yet the State Depart- inconsistent. ment makes a point of When east Jerusalem was prohibiting United States under Arab rule, many offi cials from visiting east Jews were prohibited from he only thing Jerusalem under Israeli visiting their holy places, auspices. In other words, and the synagogues in the consistent about for purposes of offi cial Old City were razed and visits to Jerusalem, the Jewish burial places were United States United States government desecrated. T distinguishes between east policy on Jerusalem, and west Jerusalem. In 1967, as Egypt and Syria moved again toward unfortunately, is its But as proposals have war with Israel, the been made over the years Israeli government urged antagonism to Israel’s to move the United King Hussein of Jordan States Embassy to west to sit out the fi ghting, claim there. Jerusalem—I note, west and promised the territo- Jerusalem, not east ries he controlled would Jerusalem—the State De- be left alone if he did so. United States offi cials partment refused on the have often explained grounds that we do not The king failed to heed our government’s un- distinguish between east the warning. He attacked willingness to recognize and west Jerusalem, and Israel and, as we all know, Israeli sovereignty over do not recognize anyone’s in the ensuing fi ghting he any of Jerusalem on the sovereign claims to any of lost east Jerusalem and grounds that the city’s Jerusalem. the West Bank. status should be resolved through Arab-Israeli The only thing consistent Israel, under the Labor negotiations, or that at about United States poli- Party leadership at the that particular moment cy on Jerusalem, unfortu- time, declared that Jerusa- in time it was diffi cult, if nately, is its antagonism to lem will remain undivided not a good thing to do, in Israel’s claim there. In my forever, as Israel’s capital, view of the relationships view, this policy is unprin- and all people will have free existing between the par- cipled, notwithstanding access to their holy places. ties at those time. the fact that on many occasions it was urged in Since 1967, the policy On the other hand, our support of positions on and practice of the U.S. government has repeat- which we were supporting

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the government of Israel. tions, based its ac- deny the signiﬁ cance of But I still believe that knowledgment of the the historical connection the policy has not been Jewish people’s nation- between the Jews and viewed as principled, but al rights in Palestine Zion, and to foster hope rather entirely too prag- and the historical con- that someday Israel, per- matic depending on the nection of the Jewish haps then abandoned by circumstances of the time, people with Palestine. its friends and exhausted and that view is unworthy by the unremitting hostil- of the United States and, Though the long war ity and violence of its I believe, unhelpful to the against Zionism and foes, can be made to disap- cause of peace. Israel is now checked on pear, just as the Christian the military level, it con- Crusaders of the Middle Notwithstanding the tinues on the battleﬁ eld Ages were worn down and several peace agreements of ideas. ultimately expelled from that Israel has signed the Holy Land. with its neighbors, Arab That is why the actions enemies of the Jewish of the United States with This belief that Israel’s state continue to insist regard to a very tangible friends are unreliable and that Israel is not legiti- matter, the location of our Israel’s resolve is weak is mate that it has no right embassy, is so very, very a major impediment to to exist on what they important. It matters true Arab-Israeli peace. deem to be Arab land. what position the United Unrealistic expectations States takes in this battle- on the part of Arab The international com- ground of ideas. And in parties about Jerusalem munity, acting through this particular war, Is- make peace harder to the League of Nations rael’s enemies have worked achieve. and in the United Na- to delegitimize Israel, to

U.S. Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona has been one of the leaders in the effort to relocate the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. These remarks are adapted from one of his recent speeches on the ﬂ oor of the U.S. Senate.

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 9 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:121:30:12 AAMM And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the survivors whom the Lord calls.

Joel 2:32 Joel, the Prophet of Judea

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Forgotten Facts About Jerusalem

MORTON A. KLEIN

he propaganda war by the Palestinian Arabs that began as soon as the Oslo agreements were signed has recently expanded to include an all-out assault on the idea that there has ever been any real Jew- ish connection to Jerusalem. Like the “revisionist” historians who claim that the Holocaust never happened, Palestin- ian Authority (PA) ofﬁ cials are attempting to falsify history in order to undermine the Jew- ish connection to the Holy City. Consider this recent posting on the ofﬁ cial web site of the PA, Twritten by Walid M. Awad, director of foreign publications for the PA’s ministry of information:

The city [Jerusalem] took the bulk of its shape, its divine character and historical ambiance since the Muslim Caliph Omar Ibn Al Kattab took Jeru- salem without bloodshed in 639 AD….Almost 30

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 1111 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:181:30:18 AAMM years of Israeli excava- tion of these Palestin- Other notable Jewish tions did not reveal any- ian Arab propaganda sites in eastern Jerusa- thing Jewish, no tangible lies. For example, media lem, dating back to the evidence of theirs was reports routinely refer to 1930s, include the Jewish unearthed….Jerusalem is the parts of the city that National Library, Hadas- not a Jewish city, despite Israel won in the 1967 sah Hospital, and Hebrew the biblical myth im- war as “historically Arab University. planted in some minds. East Jerusalem.” In fact, the accurate description During the Jordanian would be “historically occupation of eastern erusalem is Jewish East Jerusalem.” Jerusalem (1948–1967), the Jordanian authorities not mentioned There has been a Jewish destroyed 58 synagogues, majority throughout Je- tore up the ancient Jewish even once in rusalem since the 1800s. cemetery on the Mount J The Jewish majority of Olives, and used the the Koran, while it is in “eastern Jerusalem” tombstones (including the was interrupted only tombstone of Hadassah mentioned more than by the 1948 Arab war founder Henrietta Szold) against newborn Is- to pave roads and to build 600 times in the Jewish rael, when the Jewish latrines in Jordanian army residents of that part barracks. Torah. of the city were forced to flee for their lives. During the Jordanian oc- Indeed, many homes in cupation of the Old City, In a similar vein, PA what are today mostly- the Jordanians also mis- ofﬁ cial Sari Nusseibeh Arab sections of the treated local Christians. has written that “the city still have on their The Jordanian govern- historical ties and attach- doorposts indentations ment severely restricted ments of Palestinians” to where mezuzahs were the number of Christians Jerusalem “precede any once posted, before their who were allowed to make Jewish claim to it.” Nus- Jewish residents were pilgrimages to Jerusalem, seibeh has gone so far as expelled. Other homes restricted the opening of to accuse King Solomon where Arabs now reside Christian schools in the of “exploiting Canaanite have, in the upper cor- city, required that the labor” in order to build ners of the doorways, Koran be taught in Jeru- the Temple. conspicuously new rock salem’s Christian schools, installed to replace the and abrogated the right Many journalists have old rock that had the of Christian institutions fallen for at least a por- mezuzah-indentation. to acquire real estate in

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Jerusalem. Because of Holy City. His Jerusalem was determined centuries this mistreatment by the in the Nineteenth Century earlier by the signiﬁ cance Arab Muslim authorities, (Tel Aviv: Mod Books) is of the Temple Mount more than 60 percent of truly must-reading. to Judaism.“Thus, the Jerusalem’s Christian mosque is not in the cen- population emigrated Dr. Ben-Arieh notes that ter of the city, as in other from the city during although at ﬁ rst glance cities, but in this place, 1948–1967. Jerusalem seems to have which was determined for a number of Muslim it in the pre-Muslim pe- Recent Christian emigra- features, “these char- riod,” Ben-Arieh writes. tion from Jerusalem is acteristics are, in fact, also the result of pres- external ones.” Dr. Ben-Arieh’s research sure by Muslim extrem- reveals the historical ists who want to “Islami- irrelevance of many of cize” the area, according ven when the the phrases and clichés to Father Georges Abou- that are in vogue today. Khazen, a parish priest Jews were The label “Quarters,” in Bethlehem, writing for instance—referring in the journal Terra forcibly exiled to the Jewish Quarter, Sancta in 1994. (And E Muslim Quarter, Chris- in Bethlehem, Muslims from the Land of Israel, tian Quarter, and Arme- are offering Christians nian Quarter in the Old “astronomical” sums Jerusalem—historic City—was imported to to sell their homes and the Holy Land by Euro- property. Some of those Jerusalem—remained pean visitors during the who refuse to sell are 1800s. The boundaries subjected to assaults and uppermost in their of these quarters were harassment. As a result, often blurred. As Ben- large numbers of Chris- hearts and minds. Arieh shows, there were tians have emigrated, many Jews living in the and Bethlehem now has Christian, Muslim, and a Muslim majority.) The Dome of the Rock Armenian “Quarters” mosque, for example, throughout the 1800s, A powerful but little- is regarded as the third right up until they were known book, by the dis- holiest place in Islam. driven out by Arab po- tinguished Israeli histori- But the holiness of the gromists in the 1930s. “In an, Yehoshua Ben-Arieh, spot on which it is situ- the period of the First sheds important light ated, the Temple Mount, World War,” Ben-Arieh on the crucial historical “is connected to its recalls, “there were more questions surrounding the earlier sanctity,” which Jews living in Hebron

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 1133 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:201:30:20 AAMM Street, which was in the in the early 1800s, of Je- features prominently in Muslim Quarter, than in rusalem from a small town the three daily Jewish the Street of the Jews, in a country district into a prayer services. At every in the Jewish Quarter.” thriving metropolis, which Jewish wedding, a glass is Ben-Arieh also mentions became the most impor- broken to symbolize the that some contemporary tant city in the country Jewish people’s mourn- Arab neighborhoods in by the mid-1800s, took ing over the destruction eastern Jerusalem, such place for one reason: “the of the Holy Temple in as Silwan, were originally intense Jewish yearning Jerusalem. Jewish neighborhoods for the eternal city and whose residents were the ﬂ ow of [Jewish] im- murdered or expelled migrants into it.” by Arab pogromists, he Israeli who then occupied their This Jewish yearning homes and made these focused on the eastern part reuniﬁ cation of neighborhoods de facto of Jerusalem because that Arab villages. part of the city includes Jerusalem in the Western Wall and the T Temple Mount (Judaism’s 1967 has put an end erusalem was holiest site). It was the capital of the Biblical Jew- to Arab mistreatment the capital of the ish kingdoms during the eras of David and Solomon of the city and to the Biblical Jewish and has been the site of J three thousand years of Arabs’ apartheid-like kingdoms during Jewish inhabitation— hence the “Jerusalem policy of banning the eras of David and 3000” celebrations initiated by the government of Jews from residing Solomon and has Yitzhak Rabin. in the city’s eastern been the site of three Even when the Jews were forcibly exiled neighborhoods, thousand years of from the Land of Is- rael, Jerusalem—historic Jewish inhabitation— Jerusalem—remained Napoleon is said to have uppermost in their hearts walked past a synagogue and minds. Jews face on the ninth day of the Ben-Arieh emphasizes Jerusalem when they Hebrew month of Av that the transformation, pray, and Jerusalem (the fast day of Tisha

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B’Av) and heard the But that makes no sense, it neglected to provide sound of weeping and since the Dome of the the city with the most wailing from inside. Rock was not built until basic municipal services. 60 years after the death Eastern Jerusalem’s The emperor’s aides of Mohammed, author residents lacked electric- explained to him that of the Koran. During the ity, plumbing, health the Jews were mourning centuries of Muslim occu- care services, and even a the destruction of their pation of the city, Jerusa- steady water supply. Jor- ancient temple. Napoleon lem was never made into dan established its capital is said to have remarked, a regional or provincial in Amman, not Jerusa- “A people that remembers capital, and no major in- lem. Amman’s popula- to mourn so long the loss stitution of Islamic study tion grew by 500 percent of a city and a homeland was ever established during 1948–1967, while is sure to regain both.” there. More recently, dur- Jerusalem’s population ing the Jordanian occupa- didn’t grow at all. Muslims, by contrast, tion of the eastern part face Mecca when they of the city (1948–1967), The Israeli reuniﬁ cation pray. Jerusalem is not no Arab leader (except of Jerusalem in 1967 has mentioned even once in Jordan’s King Hussein) put an end to Arab mis- the Koran, while it is even visited Jerusalem. treatment of the city and mentioned more than to the Arabs’ apartheid- 600 times in the Jewish What did the Arabs do like policy of banning Torah. Muslims claim with eastern Jerusalem Jews from residing in the that a vague reference in when they occupied it? city’s eastern neighbor- the Koran to “al masjid Did they treat it as a holy hoods, which, like the al-aqsa,” or “the furthest city? Did they beautify city’s western neighbor- place,” actually means it? On the contrary, Jor- hoods, have a solid Jewish the Muslims’ Dome of the dan had so little interest majority. That is truly Rock shrine in Jerusalem. in eastern Jerusalem that something to celebrate.

Morton A. Klein is National President of the Zionist Organization of America.

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 1155 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:211:30:21 AAMM By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. There on the poplars, we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.

PsalmsJews Yearn137:1-5 For Jerusalem

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If I Forget Thee...

DANIEL PIPES

(This article was originally written in 1998.)

he architects of the Oslo peace accords understood Jerusalem’s power. Fearing that even discussing the holy city’s future would detonate the fragile truce between Israelis and Palestinians, they tried to defer the issue until everything else had been settled. But it is now all too clear that this approach has failed. Last September, riots met the opening of a new entrance to the ancient Hasmonean tun- nel, while the recent building of apartments on an empty Tplot in eastern Jerusalem has brought the Netanyahu-Arafat dialogue to a bitter and bloody standstill. And so the international actors must begin to

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 1177 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:251:30:25 AAMM do what they had hoped holy that not just its soil prayer, and kosher-style to postpone: sort through but even its air is deemed dietary laws. Mohammed the Jews’ and Muslims’ sacred. Jews pray in its also adopted the Judaic confl icting claims on the direction, invoke its name practice of facing the city King David entered at the end of each meal, Temple Mount in Jerusa- three millennia ago. and close the Passover lem during prayer. “He service with the wistful chose the Holy House in statement, “Next year in Jerusalem in order that hey built Jerusalem.” the People of the Book [i.e., Jews] would be con- Islam’s fi rst In contrast, Jerusalem ciliated,” notes at-Tabari, is not the place to which an early Muslim commen- grand structure, Muslims pray. It is not tator on the Koran, “and T directly connected to any the Jews were glad.” the Dome of the Rock, events in Mohammed’s life. And it is not even on top of the remains mentioned by name in ven the Crusade the Koran. The city never of the Jewish Temple. became a cultural center conquest of the or served as capital of a sovereign Muslim state. city in 1099 The debate matters. In Jerusalem has mattered E Jerusalem, theological to Muslims only intermit- initially aroused only a and historical arguments tently over the past thir- matter, serving often as teen centuries, and when mild Muslim response. the functional equiva- it has mattered, as it does lent of legal claims. The today, it has been because strength of these argu- of politics. Modern historians agree: ments will ultimately W. Montgomery Watt, help determine who The story begins in 622 a leading biographer of governs the city. Already CE, when the prophet Mohammed, interprets we hear the ritual and Mohammed fl ed his the prophet’s “far-reach- relativistic cliché that hometown of Mecca ing concessions to Jewish Jerusalem is “a city holy for Medina, a city with feeling” as part of his to both peoples.” But, a substantial Jewish “desire for a reconcilia- like many clichés, this one population. He adopted tion with the Jews.” is more false than true. a number of practices Jerusalem stands as the friendly to Jews—a But Jews criticized the paramount religious city Yom Kippur-like fast, a new faith and rejected of Judaism, a place so synagogue-like house of Mohammed’s gestures,

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leading Mohammed ish Arabia at Jerusalem’s ney (isra’), reads: “[God] eventually to break with expense. They sponsored a takes His servant [i.e., them, probably early in genre of literature praising Mohammed] by night 624. The most dramatic the “virtues of Jerusalem” from the Sacred Mosque sign of this change came and circulated accounts to the furthest mosque.” in a Koranic passage of the prophet’s sayings When this Koranic pas- (2:142–52) ordering the or doings (called hadiths) sage was fi rst revealed, faithful no longer to pray favorable to Jerusalem. In in about 621, a place toward Syria, but toward 688–91, they built Islam’s called the Sacred Mosque Mecca instead. (The fi rst grand structure, the already existed in Mecca. Koran and other sources Dome of the Rock, on top In contrast the “furthest only mention the direc- of the remains of the Jew- mosque” was a turn of tion as “Syria”; other ish Temple. phrase, not a place. Some information makes it early Muslims understood clear that “Syria” means it as metaphorical or as Jerusalem.) This episode n 715, the a place in heaven. And initiated a pattern that if the “furthest mosque” would be repeated many Umayyads built did exist on earth, Pales- times over the succeeding tine would have seemed centuries: Muslims have a mosque in an unlikely location, for taken serious religious I that region elsewhere interest in Jerusalem at Jerusalem, again in the Koran (30:1) was times when it has most called “the closest land” conspicuously served right on the Temple (adna al-ard). them politically; and when the political climate Mount, and called it But in 715, the Umayy- has changed, the religious ads built a mosque in interest has fl agged. the Furthest Mosque Jerusalem, again right on the Temple Mount, In the century after Mo- (al-Masjid al-Aqsa, or and called it the Furthest hammed’s death, politics Mosque (al-Masjid al-Aq- prompted the Damascus- al-Aqsa Mosque). sa, or al-Aqsa Mosque). based Umayyad dynasty, With this, the Umayyads which controlled Jeru- not only inserted Jerusa- salem, to make the city They even reinterpreted lem into the Koran, but sacred in Islam. Embroiled the Koran to make room retroactively gave it a in fi erce competition for Jerusalem. prominent role in Mo- with a dissident leader in hammed’s life. For if the Mecca, the Umayyad rul- The Koran, describing “furthest mosque” is in ers were seeking to dimin- Mohammed’s Night Jour- Jerusalem, then Moham-

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 1199 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:281:30:28 AAMM med’s Night Journey and political signiﬁ cance.” “virtues of Jerusalem” his subsequent ascension In fact, even the Crusade appeared. One had it put to heaven (mi’raj) also conquest of the city in words into the prophet took place on the Temple 1099 initially aroused Mohammed’s mouth Mount. only a mild Muslim saying that, after his response: “One does not own death, Jerusalem’s But Jerusalem still mat- detect either shock of falling to the infidels is tered theologically only a sense of religious loss the greatest catastrophe when it mattered politi- and humiliation,” notes facing Islam. cally, and, when the Um- Emmanuel Sivan of the ayyad dynasty collapsed Hebrew University, a Once it was safely back in in 750, Jerusalem fell scholar of the era. Muslim hands after Sala- into near-obscurity. For din’s reconquest, however, the next three and a half interest in Jerusalem centuries, books praising y the early tenth dropped, to the point the city lost favor and where one of Saladin’s the construction of glori- century, notes grandsons temporarily ous buildings not only ceded the city in 1229 to stopped, but existing Peters, Muslim Emperor Friedrich II in ones fell apart (the Dome B return for the German’s over the rock collapsed in rule over Jerusalem promise of military aid 1016). “Learned men are against his brother. But few, and the Christians had an “almost casual” learning that Jerusalem numerous,” bemoaned was back in Christian a tenth-century Muslim quality with “no hands again provoked native of Jerusalem. The intense Muslim emo- rulers of the new dy- particular political tions. As a result, in 1244, nasty bled Jerusalem and Muslims retook the city. the surrounding country signiﬁ cance. The psychology at work through what F.E. bears note: that Christian Peters of New York knights traveled from University calls “their ra- Only as the military ef- distant lands to make pacity and their careless fort to retake Jerusalem Jerusalem their capital indifference.” grew serious in about made the city more valu- 1150 did Muslim leaders able in Muslim eyes. Sivan By the early tenth cen- stress Jerusalem’s im- writes, “It was a city tury, notes Peters, Muslim portance to Islam. Once strongly coveted by the rule over Jerusalem had again, hadiths about enemies of the faith, and an “almost casual” qual- Jerusalem’s sanctity thus became, in a sort of ity with “no particular and books about the mirror-image syndrome,

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dear to Muslim hearts.” lem “became the focus Coptic bishop’s crown- of religious and political ing of King Abdullah as The city then lapsed into Arab activity only at the “King of Jerusalem” in its usual obscurity for beginning of the pres- November of that year— nearly eight centuries. ent century, and only but then the usual ennui The Temple Mount sanc- because of the renewed set in. tuaries were abandoned Jewish activity in the and became dilapidated. city and Judaism’s claims Under Ottoman rule on the Western Wailing o foreign Arab (1516–1917), Jerusalem Wall.” British rule over suffered the indignity of the city, lasting from leader came being treated as a tax 1917 to 1948, also galva- farm for non-resident, nized Muslim passion for to Jerusalem one-year (and therefore Jerusalem. The Palestin- N very rapacious) ofﬁ cials. ian leader (and mufti of between 1948 and The Turkish authorities Jerusalem) Hajj Amin raised funds by gouging al-Husayni made the 1967, and even King European visitors, and so Temple Mount central to made little effort to pro- his anti-Zionist efforts, Hussein visited only mote Jerusalem’s econ- raising funds throughout omy. The tax rolls show the Arab world for the rarely. soap as the city’s only restoration of the Dome export. In 1611, George of the Rock. Arab politi- Sandys found that “Much cians made Jerusalem a The Hashemites had little lies waste; the old build- prominent destination; affection for Jerusalem, ings (except a few) all ru- Iraqi leaders frequently where some of their most ined, the new contempt- turned up, where they devoted enemies lived and ible.” Gustav Flaubert, demonstrably prayed at where Abdullah himself of Madame Bovary fame, al-Aqsa and gave rousing was shot dead in 1951. visited in 1850 and found speeches. In fact, the Hashemites “ruins everywhere.” Mark made a concerted effort to Twain in 1867 wrote that But when Muslims re- diminish the holy city’s Jerusalem “has lost all took the Old City with importance in favor of its ancient grandeur, and its Islamic sanctuaries in their capital, Amman. [has] become a pauper 1948, they quickly lost Jerusalem had once served village.” interest in it. An initial as the British administra- excitement stirred when tive capital, but now all In modern times, notes the Jordanian forces took government ofﬁ ces there the Israeli scholar Hava the walled city in 1948— (save tourism) were shut Lazarus-Yafeh, Jerusa- as evidenced by the down. The Jordanians also

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 2211 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:291:30:29 AAMM closed some local institu- Jerusalem’s Arab popu- tion Jerusalem once. tions (e.g., the Arab Higher lation did not increase Committee) and moved as Jordan was focused All this abruptly changed others to Amman (the on building up Amman. after June 1967, when treasury of the Palestin- Amman was chosen as the Old City came under ian waqf or religious the site of the country’s Israeli control. As in the endowment). fi rst university as well British period, Palestin- as of the royal family’s ians again made Jerusa- Their effort succeeded. many residences. Perhaps lem the centerpiece of Once again, Arab Jeru- most insulting of all, Jor- their political program. salem became an isolated danian radio broadcast Pictures of the Dome of provincial town, now the Friday prayers not the Rock turned up ev- even less important than from al-Aqsa Mosque, erywhere, from Yasir Ara- Nablus. The economy but from a mosque in fat’s offi ce to the corner stagnated and many Amman. grocery. The PLO’s 1968 thousands left Arab Je- Constitution described rusalem. Nor was Jordan alone Jerusalem as “the seat of in ignoring Jerusalem; the Palestine Liberation the city virtually disap- Organization.” espite the loud peared from the Arab diplomatic map. Nor were Palestinians assertions that alone in their renewed No foreign Arab leader interest. “As during the Jerusalem is came to Jerusalem era of the Crusaders,” D between 1948 and 1967, Lazarus-Yafeh points essential to Islam, the and even King Hussein out, many Muslim lead- visited only rarely. King ers “began again to religion does contain a Faisal of Saudi Arabia emphasize the sanctity often spoke after 1967 of of Jerusalem in Islamic recessive but persistent yearning to pray in Je- tradition,” even dusting rusalem, yet he appears off old hadiths to back strain of anti- never to have bothered to up their claims. Jerusa- pray there when he had lem became a mainstay Jerusalem sentiment. the chance. Perhaps most of Arab League and remarkable is that the United Nations reso- Palestinian Liberation lutions. The formerly While the population Organization’s founding stingy Jordanian and of Amman increased document, the Palestin- Saudi governments now fi vefold in the period ian National Covenant of gave munificently to 1948–1967, Eastern 1964, does not even men- the Jerusalem waqf. As

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it was under the British of the Rock. Iranian the Washington-based mandate, Jerusalem has, soldiers at war with Council on American- since 1967, again become Saddam Hussein’s forces Islamic Relations, the primary vehicle for in the 1980s received explains: “The Muslim mobilizing international primitive maps marking attachment to Jerusa- Muslim opinion. A fire a path through Iraq and lem does not begin with at al-Aqsa Mosque in into Jerusalem. Ayatol- the prophet Muham- 1969 gave Saudi King lah Khomeini decreed the mad, it begins with the Faisal the occasion to last Friday of Ramadan prophets Abraham, Da- convene twenty-five Jerusalem Day. vid, Solomon and Jesus, Muslim heads of state who are also prophets in and establish the Orga- Since Israeli occupa- Islam.” nization of the Islamic tion, some ideologues Conference, a United have sought to establish Nations for Muslims. the historical basis of n an attempt Islamic attachment to Jerusalem by raising to purify Islam azarus-Yafeh three main arguments, all of them historically of accretions points out, many dubious. First, they I assert a Muslim connec- and impieties, Ibn Muslim leaders tion to Jerusalem that L predates the Jewish Taymiya dismissed “began again to one. Ghada Talhami, a scholar at Lake For- the sacredness of emphasize the sanctity est College, asserts that “There are other holy Jerusalem as a notion of Jerusalem in Islamic cities in Islam, but Je- rusalem holds a special deriving from Jews and tradition,” even place in the hearts and minds of Muslims be- Christians, and from dusting off old hadiths cause its fate has always been intertwined with the long-ago Umayyad to back up their claims. theirs.” Always? Jeru- salem’s founding ante- rivalry with Mecca. dated Islam by about Since the Islamic Revolu- two millennia, so how tion, Iran’s one-rial coin can that be? Ibrahim Second, and equally and 1,000-rial banknote Hooper, national com- anachronistic, is the claim have featured the Dome munications director for that the Koran mentions

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 2233 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:301:30:30 AAMM Jerusalem. Hooper (and Ibn Taymiya (1263–1328), In Jerusalem, these theo- others) argue that “the one of Islam’s strictest and logical and historical ar- Koran refers to Jerusalem most infl uential religious guments are in essence le- by its Islamic centerpiece, thinkers. (The Wah- gal claims, crucial to who al-Aqsa Mosque.” But habis of Arabia are his prevails. In this context, this makes no sense: A modern-day successors.) the fact that politics has mosque built a century In an attempt to purify so long fueled the Muslim after the Koran was de- Islam of accretions and attachment to Jerusalem livered cannot establish impieties, Ibn Taymiya has two implications. what a Koranic verse dismissed the sacredness originally meant. of Jerusalem as a notion deriving from Jews and ome early hadiths Third, some Muslims Christians, and from the deny Jerusalem’s im- long-ago Umayyad rivalry suggested portance to Jews. Abd with Mecca. More broadly, al-Malik Dahamshe, an learned Muslims living that Muslims Arab member of Israel’s in the years following the S parliament, fl atly stated Crusades knew that the specifi cally pray facing last month that “the great publicity given to ha- Western Wall is not as- diths extolling Jerusalem’s away from Jerusalem, sociated with the remains sanctity resulted from the of the Jewish Temple.” Countercrusade—that is, a rejection that still A fundamentalist Israeli from political exigency— Arab leader went fur- and treated it warily. survives in vestigial ther and announced that “It’s prohibited for Jews Recalling that God once form; he who prays to pray at the Western had Muslims direct their Wall.” Or, in the succinct prayers toward Jerusalem in al-Aqsa Mosque not wording of a recent Pal- and then turned them in- estinian protest banner: stead toward Mecca, some coincidentally shows his “Jerusalem is Arab.” early hadiths suggested that Muslims specifi cally back to the Temple area Despite the loud assertions pray facing away from that Jerusalem is essential Jerusalem, a rejection toward which Jews pray. to Islam, the religion does that still survives in ves- contain a recessive but tigial form; he who prays persistent strain of anti- in al-Aqsa Mosque not First, it points to the Jerusalem sentiment. Per- coincidentally shows his relative weakness of the haps the most prominent back to the Temple area Islamic connection, one adherent of this view was toward which Jews pray. that arises as much from

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mundane need as from Mecca, by contrast, is awe in Muslims’ hearts,” the immutable claims of the eternal city of Islam, writes Abad Ahmad faith. Second, it suggests the place where Muslims of the Islamic Society that the Muslim inter- believe Abraham nearly of Central Jersey. Very est lies not so much in sacriﬁ ced Isaac’s brother roughly speaking, what controlling Jerusalem as Ishmael and toward Jerusalem is to Jews, in denying control over which Muslims pray ﬁ ve Mecca is to Muslims. And the city to anyone else. times each day. Non-Mus- just as Muslims rule in an Jerusalem will never be lims are strictly forbidden undivided Mecca, so Jews more than a secondary there, and the city’s “very should rule an undivided city for Muslims. mention reverberates Jerusalem.

Dr. Daniel Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum and editor of Middle East Quarterly.

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 2255 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:311:30:31 AAMM At that time they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the Lord. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.

Jeremiah 3:17 The Prophet of Consolation

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“Judaizing” Jerusalem

A.M. ROSENTHAL

(This article was originally written in 1997.)

The Israelis are trying to Judaize Arab East Jerusalem.” All friends of Israel, of whatever faith, whatever thoughts about achieving Israeli- Palestinian peace, should grasp what meanings lie beneath those words.

They have been used in public often, but until recently only by Arabs for whom control of Jeru- salem is a goal never to be abandoned and hatred of Jews never “forgotten.

Now it pops up in the Western press as a dangerous reality. The December 23 issue of Newsweek,

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 2277 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:331:30:33 AAMM in its “news” columns, The right to live anywhere ton, warned Israel against says as a matter of is separate from the deci- “unilateral” action— regrettable fact that re- sion to exercise that right meaning increasing settle- ligious Jews are “part of at any given time. ments on the West Bank an effort to Judaize Arab or anywhere. East Jerusalem.” Even A case might be argued when the speciﬁ c words that this is not the time are not used, the meaning for more Jews, no mat- eace is feasible is often clear, as in a re- ter how few, to set up cent 60 Minutes segment homes in the eastern part technically on Jerusalem. of their capital or the West Bank.But to deny and even the right of Jews to live P ut to deny the anywhere in Israel makes politically. But under them lesser in nationhood right of Jews to than any other people. Labor or Likud, it will

live anywhere “Judaization.” Those who not endure as long B use the word should say it in Israel makes them more plainly: the Jewing as Palestinians and of Jerusalem. lesser in nationhood their apologists talk I asked a colleague the than any other people. word that sprang to mind of the Israeli Jews as when he heard Judaiza- tion. “Hymietown,” he interlopers. The thrust is plain: Any said. For me, it recalls the plans of Jews to live in antonym—Judenrein. any part of Jerusalem to Arabs are familiar with They certainly do not talk which Palestinians lay that. It is what they ac- of Judaization. But the particular claim at the complished when Jordan warning is that more set- moment is wrong and occupied the West Bank tlers could destroy peace. will destroy the chances from 1948 to 1967—all This amounts to advance for peace. Jews out. justiﬁ cation of any Pales- tinian attack against set- The attitude behind the Eight former secretar- tlers on the grounds, true “Judaization” charge is ies of state and national or false, that they were of utmost importance to security advisers in a newcomers. those who wish Israel to letter to Israel, endorsed live free and proud. quickly by President Clin- Long before Israel’s

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creation and ever since, ordained that the Arabs It is Mr. Netanyahu’s Arabs have been ﬁ ghting would get the oil and the urgent task to explain not “settlements” in any Jews the matzo. that to the world. all who particular place, but the hold worthy the concept very presence of Jews Peace is feasible techni- of Israel must understand among them. cally and even politi- what it means—this talk cally. But under Labor or of Judaization, the Jew- And foreign governments Likud, it will not endure ing of Jerusalem. constantly denounce as long as Palestinians and Israel—a situation that their apologists talk of the arises because it was so Israeli Jews as interlopers.

A.M. Rosenthal, former executive editor of the New York Times, was a syndi- cated columnist.

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 2299 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:361:30:36 AAMM In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Psalms 51:18 For theA DirectorPsalm of of David Music,

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Jerusalem theFree

MSGR. JOHN M. OESTERREICHER

An Open Letter to the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

(This article was originally written in 1972.)

everal weeks ago, two friends of mine received from you a recorded message of His Majesty, King Hussein of Jordan, entitled “Jerusalem in Captivity.” I understand that you sent the same record to members of Congress and “other leaders of public opinion.” Though I was not so honored, I assume that your personal request “to listen… carefully” was also addressed to Sme. From the moment I heard the King’s voice, I lent him a willing ear. Yet, while I listened with an open mind, I felt more

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 3311 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:371:30:37 AAMM and more embarrassed; I ishment for their refusal King Hussein’s attempt to felt I was eavesdropping to accept the Prophet’s win the support of Chris- on a soliloquy. message (V, 15). With tians by telling them that the exception of a few, “to us [Muslims] Jesus Still, King Hussein is Jews are deceitful (V, Christ was more than a dead serious: He wishes to 14). Worse than that, the prophet.” I cannot claim win Christians to his side. Jews of Eilath, the Koran any special Islamic schol- I will not dispute his right tells, not only broke the arship, Mr. Ambassador, to seek allies in his battle laws of the Sabbath but but I can read. And this for regaining the power scornfully persisted in is what Allah is made to and reputation he has their wrongdoing; hence say in the Koran: “Jesus is lost in the last four years they were severed from nothing but a servant on but I question the means society and “changed into whom I bestowed favor” he employs. He tells his detested apes”(VII, 167). (XLIII, 60). In fact, the hearers that to Muslims, Jesus of the Koran is little “both Christians and The Koran calls both more than the forerunner Jews are People of the Christians and Jews “in- of Mohammed: “I am… Book.” fi dels.” Time and again, bringing the good tidings Allah’s true followers are of an apostle who is to warned against making come after me, and whose he Koran calls friends with them (V, 52). name shall be Ahmed” They are even bidden: (LXI, 7). both Christians “Believers, wage war against the infi dels who Stranger still is the way and Jews dwell around you. Deal the Koran explains away T severely with them” (IX, the death of Jesus. The “infi dels.” 123). Please, do not think Koran considers it a that I wish to cast asper- monstrous falsehood to sions on Islam’s sacred maintain that Jesus was This is indeed Islam’s book; I am sure there are crucifi ed; it asserts that stance. Yet why does the mitigating circumstances a double of his was slain King hide from us less for these harsh sayings. It instead. friendly sayings of the is not the sayings them- Koran? There, Jews are selves that gall me; what I This is not said to protect seen as cursed, Christians object to are King Hus- Jews against the horrible as hate-ridden. Allah sein’s efforts at obscuring accusation of collective Himself is said to have the Koran’s fi erceness guilt (IV, 159). The reason stirred hostility and strife toward non-Muslims. for this remarkable twist- among various Christian ing of facts is Islam’s communities, as a pun- Again, I am disturbed at fi rm opposition to any

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doctrine of redemption. ted as evidence. Who tive” ﬁ at, the wasteland However much Judaism gave him the mandate he and the fertile grounds and Christianity differ in speaks of? When and how were united; in other their interpretation of did he receive it? words, Transjordan an- redemptive events, they nexed the occupied terri- are one in their belief The King seems to have tory, and the “Hashemite that God is not only the forgotten that only a few Kingdom of Jordan” was Maker of the universe years ago his country born. With Great Britain and its Lord, but also its was largely barren land, and Pakistan as conspicu- Redeemer. physically and morally ous exceptions, the com- unable to make any claim munity of nations refused I have no intention of whatever. In fact, it did to accept the unilateral entering into a religious not become a separate act of Transjordan—no controversy or reviving entity until the Brit- plebiscite had ever been the charges and counter- ish government in 1922 held to allow the native charges of the past. Yet carved it out of Pales- population to determine I cannot sink into silence tine—which the League their own destiny. Much when King Hussein woos of Nations had entrusted more disastrous for the Christians with alluring to it as a Mandate for King’s claim is the fact words that cannot stand the express purpose of that the “Arab League” careful examination. Un- carrying out the Balfour vehemently protested fortunately, the King does Declaration—and severed against the annexation, not stop at his selective it from the area meant that its members even use of the Koran; he also to become the Jewish na- considered Jordan’s ex- writes “optative” history. tional home and put Emir pulsion from their ranks. His recorded message pro- Abdullah in charge, one claims: “My people and of the desert chieftains That the threat was not I regard ourselves as the who during World War I carried out, Jordan owes guardians and custodians fought, not oversuccess- to the intervention of of Jerusalem on behalf fully, the Ottoman army. Iraq—today its most of the entire Muslim Thus “Transjordan” came bitter foe. These facts world as well as on behalf into being. certainly do not establish of the Christian and Mus- a claim to guard the Holy lim populations of the During the 1948–1949 City, in the name of the city and all Palestine.” I Arab-Israeli War, the Islamic world or of any have no doubt that this country’s British-trained other group. The events self-portrait is part of the “Jordan Legion” occupied leading to, and following King’s dreams; mighty the Old City of Jerusalem on the creation of, the though their magic may and the West Bank of the State of Jordan, Mr. Am- be, they cannot be admit- Jordan River. By “legisla- bassador, compel me to

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 3333 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:381:30:38 AAMM consider King Hussein’s of the Old City’s thirty- While Jordan controlled claim to be the appointed fi ve synagogues were East Jerusalem and the guardian of Old Jerusa- dynamited. Some were West Bank, Jews were not lem and its Holy Places turned into stables, others permitted to approach, illegitimate and thus into chicken coops. There much less to pray at, unacceptable. seemed to be no limit to the Western Wall of the the work of desecration. Temple Court, Rachel’s Many thousand tomb- Tomb, or the Cave of uring Jordanian stones were taken from Machpelah, the burial the ancient cemetery on place of the Patriarchs rule, thirty- the Mount of Olives to near Hebron. serve as building material four out of the or paving stones. A few This prohibition violated D were even used to surface not only the basic right Old City’s thirty-fi ve the footpath leading to of any man to worship a latrine in a Jordanian according to his con- synagogues were army camp. science but also the obli- gations Transjordan had dynamited. Some were With the fi nancial assis- taken upon herself when tance of Pan American she signed the Armistice turned into stables, Airlines, Jordan built the Agreement in 1949. Hotel Intercontinental— others into chicken a plush hotel on the hill In Article 8, Paragraph of Jesus’ agony! Obvi- 2, the Jordanian authori- coops. There seemed to ously a road was needed, ties pledged themselves, worthy of the trium- among other things, to be no limit to the work phant showpiece. Of all the “free access to the the possible routes, the holy places and the use of desecration. one chosen cut through of the cemetery on the hundreds of Jewish Mount of Olives.” In the graves; there were torn light of the desecrations Would that the King and open and the bones scat- I have just described, the his people had, at least, tered. An Israeli col- King’s assurance: “It is lived up to the respon- lection of photographs thanks to us, for example, sibility that he wrongly of the mutilated grave- that the Wailing Wall of maintains is theirs. The yard bears this lament: the Jews was preserved execution of this duty “Because of this is our throughout the centuries speaks an unmistakable heart made sick; for of Muslim rule” appears language. During Jorda- these things our eyes are to be highly ironic, not nian rule, thirty-four out dimmed” (Lam. 5:17). to say insulting. His “for

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example” is particularly accepted by the Christian years, trouble broke out graceless, since the Wall Churches. It was to Arab among their own ranks. is the only example of families of Jerusalem, for Turkish generals rebelled an exclusively Jewish example, that the keys of against their Arab lords. site of worship that was the Holy Sepulcher were In the struggles that left intact. I am sure, Mr. and still are entrusted. followed, two churches Ambassador, that King This is our responsibility, were destroyed while Hussein did not wish to and we will not surren- the Church of the Holy offend, but it is exactly der it.” As so often in his Sepulcher was severely this insensitivity that brief speech, the King damaged. In the 960s, compels me to write. writes his own history, the Byzantine emperor one based not on facts but Focca defeated the Arabs Space does not allow me on wishful thinking. in battle; in retaliation, to discuss in detail the Muslim assassins slew various curtailments of In 636, Arab armies the Patriarch John VII Christian activities by conquered Jerusalem in 966, thereby profaning Jordan. To mention only for the ﬁ rst time. For a the Church of the Holy a few: Petty restrictions period, Christians in the Sepulcher once again. were imposed on pilgrims; Holy Land remained These few sketches do not institutions were pro- undisturbed. But like the quite square with King hibited from acquiring rest of the non-Muslim Hussein’s boast: “The new property; Christian population, they were Arabs have for centuries schools were subjected to treated as second-class been worthy custodians of control of the education citizens. They were forbid- the whole city. It was they they offered. Nor can I den to build new churches who built and preserved do more than mention or display the cross; the the Holy Sepulcher…” the crudity with which supreme rule that gov- Jordan, together with erned their lives was not King Hussein seems to Saudi Arabia, for many to offend Muslim suscepti- believe—I have no doubt, long years barred their bilities. No Christian was honestly—that through- fellow Muslims from allowed to marry a Mus- out the centuries the making their traditional lim, ride on horseback, Christian Churches ac- pilgrimages to Jerusalem, or carry a sword. Public cepted Muslim custodian- Medina, and Mecca. But I prayer was restricted. No ship. The big question is must deal with the King’s tapers could be kindled or how the verb “accepted” notion that destiny has church bells rung. is understood. If it means forced the guardianship “tolerated,” the King of the Holy City upon After the Arabs had ruled is right; if its connota- him. “For centuries our the Holy Land for a little tions are “favored,” he is custodianship has been more than three hundred wrong. His story about

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 3355 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:391:30:39 AAMM the key to the Church Toward the end of the to his land a signifi cance of the Holy Sepulcher is thirteenth century, the that goes far beyond its typical of his rewriting of Saracen rulers of the size or history. Created history. When one listens time, tired of the persis- on a drawing board, the to the King, one gets the tent disputes, decided to former Transjordan was impression that Chris- put an end to them. They the least important of tians eagerly commit- turned the key over to the Arab states: It could nei- ted the key to two Arab Judeh family and charged ther point to a great past families. the Insaibe family with nor boast of momentous opening and closing the achievements. door. The Muslim door- he senseless keepers, occupying a Yet, if King Hussein divan in the vestibule of could prove his claim to a and shocking the Church, are reim- providential mission, if he bursed for their “work.” could once more pose as destruction of Until 1831, they even ex- the protector of Muslim, T acted entrance fees from Jewish, and Christian Jewish houses that pilgrims. When I refl ect sacred sites, his country on these not exactly up- would assume the stat- could have been used lifting realities, I fi nd the ure of a spiritual giant. King’s pathos, “This is Strong though this search temporarily for Arab our responsibility, and we for meaning and status will never surrender it” (I may be, the King must at refugees, and the am sorry, Mr. Ambassa- the same time realize that dor), a bit ludicrous. his title to the “posses- obscene desecration of sion” of the Old City and Earlier in this letter, I to his “mission” is vulner- Jewish synagogues… spoke of the King’s desire able, indeed untenable. to regain the annexed How else can we explain simply because they territories he had lost his use of “Jordanians,” during the Six-Day War. “Arabs,” and “Muslims” were Jewish. Now I wonder whether as if these were inter- his motives are not much changeable designations? more psychological than In reality, Christian political. I hope you will The King knows, of communities constantly not take it amiss if I course, that Arab rule quarreled among one an- suggest that he wishes over the Holy Land after other about the time and not only to secure again its conquest in 636 lasted duration of their respec- his hold on the Old City only until 1099. The Mam- tive services. but, most of all, restore luks (1291–1517), who

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followed the Crusaders in Turks, exposed almost as Does he rely on the short holding sway over Pales- much as the non-Muslim memory of his listeners? tine, but also over Syria population to the harsh Does he think that most and Egypt, were certainly methods of Ottoman tax of them will no longer not of Arabian stock, collectors. The several pe- remember how his grand- even though they fi rmly riods of Muslim domina- father annexed the West established the Islamic tion in no way strengthen Bank and the Old City, hold over the Middle East. the King’s case; they offer even though the Armi- The Turks who succeeded the most tenuous argu- stice Agreement was then them (1517–1917) were ment, the most fragile ba- in force? Even Great Brit- Muslims, too. They ap- sis for the King’s alleged ain, Transjordan’s fairy peared on the scene of tenure as Jerusalem’s godmother, who gave her history at the beginning warden of peace. The blessing to the union of of the 13th century, as a switch from “the Arabs” the West Bank with Tran- band of tribesmen whom to “we Muslims” and then sjordan, withheld her ap- the Mongols had driven to “my people and I” is proval from the inclusion from their native land in but a device to deaden of Old Jerusalem. central Asia. In all likeli- our judgment. hood, they were not mere King Hussein regards the victims of a Mongolian Mr. Ambassador, since present status of Jerusa- advance but rather “Ghaz- King Hussein has taken lem with gloom. I do not. is,” fi ghters for the faith, his case to the American The King is, no doubt, en- or, as the Encyclopaedia public, I, too, think it titled to the view that the Britannica puts it, “men my obligation to state unifi cation of Jerusalem sworn to wage ceaseless publicly that I fi nd his is a near disaster. Yet it ill war on the infi del, through brief unconvincing. Far becomes a king to decry, motives of religious zeal from having shaken my and blame others for, a or greed for loot or both” trust in Israel, it has situation that he brought (XXII, 590). confi rmed my opposition upon himself. Most listen- to a divided Jerusalem. ers to the King’s message The warlike spirit of the King Hussein begins his are, I fear, unaware of Turks did not stop at appeal to the sentiments Prime Minister Eshkol’s the attempt of conquer- of the Christians in the efforts to keep Jordan ing Christian countries; United States by accusing out of the Six-Day War. Syria and Egypt were Israel of having annexed The late Prime Minister conquered as well and in- “Jerusalem against the assured the King of Is- corporated into the Otto- repeated resolutions of rael’s peaceful intentions man Empire. Thus Arabs the United Nations.” This and warned him against became the subjects of is a strange argument on making common cause their fellow Muslims, the the King’s part. with President Nasser.

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 3377 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:391:30:39 AAMM King Hussein brushed the weapons—against any information that Israel warning aside, waged war Israeli attempt or even an was massing troops at the on Israel, and lost. Instead American attempt in favor Syrian border. When one of taking, with nobility of Israel which seeks to day, in the latter part of and moral courage, the use the gulf and pollute May, the Soviet Ambas- responsibility for having [sic] its Arab waters. We sador to Israel called on fi red the fi rst shells and have prepared the Gulf of Prime Minister Eshkol, in bullets, he puts the blame Aqaba to be a graveyard the dead of night, to de- on Israel. In his book My for Israel and a graveyard, liver Moscow’s protest, the War with Israel, however, too, for American gang- Prime Minister offered to he admits that President sterism against peoples. take him instantly to the Nasser did not hold him We challenge you, Israel. Galilean border so that he to their mutual “defense No,…we challenge you, could see for himself how agreement”: “Nasser gangsters of the Bay of untrue the charge was. never called on us. It was ‘Pigs’….” In this vein, the The Soviet Ambassador, we who called on him.” broadcast continued but however, declined. I wish after the Sinai desert had I could say that deceit This seems a rare admis- become the graveyard of stopped right then and sion, for the beginning of the “invincible” Egyptian there. But the game was the Six-Day War is oth- army, Nasser posed as an carried to its bitter end. erwise covered by a web innocent victim of Israeli of lies. In the spring of aggression. When the Israeli High 1967, Egypt had closed Command realized that all international water- Egypt was getting ready ways to Israel, in itself an uring the for total war, it knew that act of war. Yet a broad- to save Israel it had to cast from Radio Cairo’s Jordanian anticipate the Egyptian “Voice of the Arabs,” on threat. It went all out to May 23, made it appear occupation, the annihilate Egypt’s fi ght- that Arab integrity was D ing power. On June 5, the being violated: “The Gulf number of Christians fi rst day of the war, in a of Aqaba is Arab. To well-timed attack, Israel’s defend its Arab character dropped from 25,000 to air force hit Egypt’s elev- is the responsibility of en key bases, pounding Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the 10,800. them steadily for eighty Jordanian Kingdom, and minutes and destroying all Arab states. over four hundred planes Again, Nasser was only on the ground. Though We are determined to too eager to “believe” a the Egyptian authorities defend it—by destructive Syrian alarm and Russian were aware of this mortal

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blow, they permitted President Nasser and get a living wage, in fact Radio Cairo to continue King Hussein, in which the same pay as Jews. its extravaganzas—if I the two rulers agreed Thousands, incidentally, may use this theatrical to denounce the United have become members term, this expression of States and Great Britain of the Federation. Jews gaiety, for a most tragic as fi ghting side by side and Arabs have embarked propaganda. The “Voice with the Israeli air force. on joint commercial and of the Arabs” encouraged If press reports are cor- industrial projects; they the soldiers in the fi eld rect, the King later, when have banded together in with wild fantasies of addressing the National clubs devoted to sports victory and illusions of Press Club, regretted his or cultural pursuits. Does omnipotence: “Welcome complicity in circulating this really give the im- to the jihad, ‘the holy the allegation. pression that Jerusalem war,’ waged to recover today is a city in which Palestine. Your eagles, To be candid, Mr. Ambas- the rights of men are my brother soldiers, sador, as I look at King trampled on? shot down twenty-three Hussein’s accusations, aircraft. Brothers, haul I am startled by their I think the King was down the fl ag of Israel in vagueness. The King ill-advised to speak of Tel Aviv.” charges that “the rights the violation of rights. of [Old Jerusalem’s] Arab Does he not remember The climax of deception population” are infringed the uprisings against his came on June 6. Unable upon. Which rights? One rule? On April 23, 1963, to hide the defeat suf- of the fi rst acts of the for instance, several dem- fered the day before and municipal government onstrations in favor of a unwilling to credit Israel of the united city was to Jordanian-Arab republic with its superior strategy, have the Arab inhabit- took place, which the Jor- President Nasser charged ants of East Jerusalem danian army suppressed that United States and share in the water supply ruthlessly. In Jerusalem British planes had en- of West Jerusalem. The alone, eleven demonstra- tered the war on Israel’s Jordanian administration tors were killed and one side—a charge which the had neglected to install a hundred fi fty wounded, two powers promptly modern system of piped seventeen girl students denied. Unfortunately, water. All public facilities, among them. Or take the Mr. Ambassador, your like sanitation, public way Jordan ushered in King helped fabricate this health, electricity, serve its occupation of the Old story. On June 8, the Is- Arabs as much as Jews. City. In the words of an raeli government released Histadrut, the Israeli English writer, C. Witton- tapes of an intercepted Federation of Labor, sees Davies: “It was the Arab conversation between to it that all Arab workers Legion that advanced on

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 3399 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:401:30:40 AAMM [it]….What followed? not seem to be as upset vote to the Jewish mayor, The senseless and shock- as the King by Israel’s Teddy Kollek. ing destruction of Jewish humane policy. houses that could have Again, King Hussein been used temporarily Ten thousand of them, complains that “the for Arab refugees, and men and women, defi ed religious sensibilities the obscene desecration the threats of terrorists of over seven hundred of Jewish synagogues… and voted in the munici- million Muslims” are simply because they were pal election. violated. Why? Because Jewish” (The Tablet, Lon- two shrines dear to Islam don, June 12, 1971). are on Jewish territory, hough the Holy in the land of the “infi - How does King Hussein del”? If this is indeed the dare blame the Israeli City is indeed King’s feeling, he unwit- authorities for trying to tingly undermines his reconstruct the Jewish “the symbol of own position. How can Quarter of the Old City, T he, with an attitude like in which at the turn of God’s universal rule,” it this, demand a return of the century 15,000 Jews the Old City to Jordan? lived? The ruins created is a Jewish city. It was Jews and Christians have by the Legion and the their sensibilities, too. slums that sprang up a Jewish singer, not a What if they followed around them had to be the example of Muslims cleared. Incidentally, why Muslim or Christian, and considered offensive should the Jerusalem mu- the location of their holy nicipality not undertake who prayed: If I forget sites on “alien” territory? slum clearance? Perish the thought! For you, Jerusalem, may Catholics, it would mean It is, after all, one of a return to the Crusaders’ the major tasks of every my right hand lose its mentality, a mentality decent city government. contrary to the gospel Thus housing is now be- grip. and the spirit of the sec- ing provided for Arabs ond Vatican Council. and Jews whose homes are dilapidated. There By the way, in the last With his preference for are at least fi ve thousand election under Jordanian imprecise statement, Arab and four thousand rule, only 3,500 went to King Hussein speaks of Jewish families who live the polls. In the eyes of “thousands of acres of in substandard dwellings. all political analysts a de- land belonging to Arab Jerusalem’s Arabs do cisive majority gave their families and religious

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foundations [having] been pensation,” to explain in the Israeli Parliament, expropriated.” He gives the needs as clearly as on June 30, 1971, Jeru- no names, no exact fi g- possible, and to describe salem harbored 25,000 ures, no location, nor does the plots in great detail. Christians in 1948—that he discuss the question of Most of the plots are is, prior to the Arab-Jew- compensation. May I ask unsettled and untilled ish war. you, Mr. Ambassador, to wasteland. Of the houses compare the obscure lan- in question, about twenty During the Jordanian oc- guage of the King with belong to Arabs, while cupation, the number of the plain style of the Is- the homes of three hun- Christians dropped from raeli government? A deci- dred fi fty Jewish families 25,000 to 10,800. Since sion of that government, are involved. Neither 1967, their numbers have dated August 20, 1970, agricultural land nor land risen: In 1970, there were declares that the Minis- belonging to the Muslim 12,465 Christians in the ter of Finance has been religious endowment Holy City. Some enemies empowered to expropriate (waqf) are included in of Israel like to tell that “plots of land in the Jeru- this plan; similarly, holy the government seeks to salem district of a total places and public proper- strangle Christian life. area of some 3,000 acres. ty have not been part of The opposite is true. Not They are located”—I am this program. Whom am only are the Christian quoting verbatim—“in I to believe, Mr. Ambas- shrines open to all who the Jerusalem commercial sador, your King with his wish to pray there, but center North Northwest, obstructionist attitude the number of pilgrims Southwest, and Southeast or the Israeli government is increasing from year Jerusalem, the proposed with its creative outlook to year. Contrary to national park at Shama’a and its desire to heal? the assertions of hate- and Ramat Rahel.” The Have you ever seen King peddlers, the government government decree gives Hussein or his govern- of Israel and the mu- as its purpose “to permit ment propose any project nicipality of Jerusalem the competent authorities that would help Jew and have not hindered but to develop the Jerusalem Arab alike? I am sure you helped the work of many district systematically have not, you could not Christian institutions. and progressively. The have witnessed such care, All those whose build- development is designed for Jordan has, long ago, ings were damaged by to serve the overall popu- been made Judenrein. the war between Jordan lation of the city—Arabs and Israel—even those and Jews alike.” Christians did not fare fi red upon by the Jorda- well either. According to a nian army—seventeen in The decision goes on to statement by Israel’s For- all, were compensated. promise “generous com- eign Minister Abba Eban Furthermore, many

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 4411 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:411:30:41 AAMM religious institutions have to worship in the place others, it has to protect received fi nancial aid. To of their choice, unlike itself against the terror- speak only of the Chris- the situation that per- ists who have been threat- tian ones, the Armenian tained during the period ening the lives of its and Greek Orthodox from 1948 to 1967.” I can citizens. I watched armed Patriarchates, Franciscan testify to the truth of this guards near the Western Friars and Sisters, the statement from personal Wall search the briefcases, Sisters of Sion, for their experience and join the handbags, and bundles of convents in Jerusalem signers of this declaration those who wished to enter (“Ecce Homo”) and in in their demand: “The the area. I was moved by En Karem, the Catholic unity of Jerusalem must the delicate courtesy with Church and Community be preserved at all costs.” which they handled their Center at Beit Hanina, diffi cult task. I could not St. Peter in Gallicantu, King Hussein has asked help feeling that the city the Lutheran Church at me, together with other was in good hands. Beit Jalla, the American believers in God, to raise Institute for Holy Land my voice “to save our No, I cannot agree with Studies, and others have common heritage.” I am the King that Jordan enjoyed offi cial support. happy to raise my voice or the Arab world is the but not to clamor for the City’s “rightful owner.” Mr. Ambassador, when I restoration of Jordanian Biblically speaking, keep in mind all the facts rule over the Old City. Jerusalem is God’s city, mentioned in this letter, The Jerusalem of today is as the land is God’s land. I cannot but agree with not a city “in captivity,” Men are but tenants. The those evangelical Church as the King likes to think. glory of the Israelis is to leaders who, on June 17, It is free, as it has never have been good stewards, 1971, issued a statement been before. to have been worthy of in support of unifi ed His trust. Though the Jerusalem as the capital Whoever has walked its Holy City is indeed “the of Israel. They declared streets during these last symbol of God’s universal themselves “committed four years must have rule,” it is a Jewish city. to the integrity of Jeru- felt as I did that he was It was a Jewish singer, salem, the Holy City, the privileged to breathe the not a Muslim or Chris- birthplace of our faith”; air of holiness, of God’s tian, who prayed: they thanked the State of special presence. He must Israel for the “scrupulous have perceived that it was If I forget you, Jerusalem, care” of “Christian places a city in search of peace, may my right hand lose its and people.” “Since the not one given to strive grip (Psalms 137:5). Six-Day War,” they con- and hate. Of course, the tinued, “all people are free city has problems; among Again, not Muslim or

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Christian but Jewish pil- this is my conviction, I her deliverance like grims pleaded: must decline the King’s a blazing torch… offer to assist him in his Pray for the peace of Je- struggle for the return to You shall be a glorious rusalem! May your friends Jerusalem; I must stand crown in the hand of the be secure! Salutation be by the people of Israel, Lord, a royal diadem within your walls, And so that it may live within held by your God (Isaiah peace within your towers secure boundaries, and 62:1,3). (Psalms 122:6,7). by the men, women, and children of Jerusalem, May I, despite our dis- Finally, for generations, Jews as well as Arabs, so agreements, ask that you Jews, not Muslims or that they may continue kindly convey to King Christians, kept hope to dwell in peace and Hussein my thanks for his alive: “Next year in Jeru- harmony. I must take this beautiful parting words salem!” (Passover Hag- stand; it is not blind im- in Arabic? May I answer gadah). pulse but my conscience with the Hebrew greeting: that makes me echo the Shalom u’berakhah! God’s Today, these words are passion of the prophet: peace, salvation, and no longer a devout wish; blessing be with us all! the people whom God For Zion’s sake I will not made His own, out of be silent, for Jerusalem’s Yours devotedly, sheer love, has gathered sake I will not be quiet, in Zion; the divided city Until her light shines forth Msgr. John M. is one again! Because like sunrise and Oesterreicher

Monsignor John Maria Oesterreicher, born Johannes Oesterreicher (February 2, 1904 – April 18, 1993) was a Roman Catholic theologian and a leading advocate of Jewish-Catholic reconciliation. He was one of the architects of Nostra Aetate or “In Our Age,” which was issued by the Second Vatican Council in 1965 and which repudiated antisemitism.

In 1953, Oesterreicher founded the Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University. He was appointed a Papal Chamberlain, with the title of monsignor, in 1961. In the 1960s, Oesterreicher was in a group of 15 priests who peti- tioned the Vatican to take up the issue of antisemitism.

He was the author of several books and numerous scholarly articles. His books include The New Encounter Between Christians and Jews; Racism, Anti-Semi- tism, Anti-Christianism; and God at Auschwitz?

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Isaiah 52:1 The Prophet of Vision

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Desecration in theOld City

HAIM SHACHTER

(This article was originally written in 1967.)

hen Israel granted freedom of access to the holy places of all religions, a hue and cry was raised throughout the non-Jewish world. Many governments, inﬂ uenced by the Soviet Union, that protec- tress of religious liberty, expressed deep perturbance over the fate of the holy shrines. Yet the world had kept silent when the safe-keeping of the places in and around Jerusalem sacred Wto Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, fell to Jordan 19 years ago.

The destruction and desecration of the centuries-old Jewish cemetery on the

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 4455 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:441:30:44 AAMM Mount of Olives—the command, began demol- majority of these were resting place of some of ishing and burning the razed to the ground while the nation’s most re- synagogues and houses of the few remaining build- nowned saints, sages, and Jewish learning, while the ings were desecrated and scholars down the ages, Iraqi forces began pillag- defi led, some of them be- as well as of the many ing and plundering Jew- ing converted into dwell- synagogues in the Old ish property in the city. ing quarters or worse City of Jerusalem, failed still, stables for draught to arouse one voice of animals. protest from those who he destruction are now perturbed over The oldest extant syna- Israel’s authority over the and desecration gogue at the time of the Old City. surrender was the Sephar- of the centuries- di synagogue known as In the War of Liberation T the Synagogue of Rabban in 1948, the Jews of the old Jewish cemetery Yohanan Ben-Zakkai. Old City of Jerusalem put According to tradition, up a heroic and desperate on the Mount of Olives it had been built on the struggle against over- foundations of the home whelming odds. They held as well as of the many of Rabban Yohanan Ben- out for several months, Zakkai, the Jewish sage but fi nally were forced to synagogues in the Old and leader of the time of surrender. The combatants the Second Temple and and all males of military City of Jerusalem, failed the revolt against the age were taken prisoner Romans. According to and transferred by the to arouse one voice of legend, a hidden subterra- Arab Legion to a POW nean passage led from the camp in Jordan, while the protest from those who site of the synagogue to aged and infi rm, the wom- the Temple Mount. en and children were left are now perturbed over to the mercy of the Arab It is believed that the mob who, in many cases, Israel’s authority over synagogue destroyed by molested them. They were the Arab Legion had been then transferred to the the Old City. erected in the 15th centu- Jewish part of Jerusalem. ry on the foundations of a still more ancient struc- Razed to the ground: No There were 57 synagogues ture in the Holy City. sooner had the Jews been and houses of study in This was the Cathedral evacuated, then the Arab the Old City of Jerusa- Synagogue of Sephardi Legion, under British lem. The overwhelming Jewry in Eretz Israel.

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There, all Sephardi Chief the city had refused ish Jerusalem took place. Rabbis were inducted permission for its repair Some of the older resi- into offi ce. On the night or reconstruction. In the dents of Jerusalem still of Shavuot (the Feast of ’60s of the last century, recall the Sabbath when Weeks) worshippers from the Ashkenazi communi- the fi rst British High all parts of the country ty in Jerusalem obtained Commissioner of Pales- would converge to this a fi rman (royal permit) tine, Sir Herbert Samuel, synagogue to observe the from the Sultan to build walked the whole of the traditional Shavuot vigil a house of prayer of distance from Govern- of study and prayer. their own. ment House, then on Mount Scopus, to the Old The Cathedral Synagogue The idea of constructing City and was called to of Ashkenazi Jewry was a synagogue worthy of read a portion of the Law the “Hurva” or, to give the Jewish community in the Hurva Synagogue. it its full name, “Hurvat of Jerusalem fi red the Rabbi Yehuda Hehassid.” imagination of every Jew, Here, too, were depos- The spiritual center of Je- rich and poor, young and ited the standards of the rusalem Jewry for many old alike. The work of Jewish Legion of World decades, this minor sanc- construction continued War I. Its ornate Ark of tuary was inaugurated on for fully eight and a half the Law and impressive the eve of Rosh Hashana years, and every Jew cupola and murals left an 5624 (1864). It had been in the city contributed, indelible impression on all erected on the site of whether in money or in visitors. The courtyard what had been, a cen- labor, to its erection. The of the Hurva Synagogue tury previously, a house small Jewish community housed Jerusalem’s lead- of worship built by the of Jerusalem at the time ing Torah institution— disciples of Rabbi Judah realized that in erect- the “Etz Chaim” Yeshiva. the Pious, a 17th-century ing this central house of Emperor’s gift: Shortly saint of Shedlits, who had prayer in the Holy City before the inauguration come over to Jerusalem in they were strengthen- of the Hurva Synagogue, the year 1700. ing the foundations of which was the religious the Jewish Yishuv in the center of the “Perushim,” The ruins of that syna- whole of Eretz Israel. or opponents of Has- gogue, which had been sidism, the construction built on the foundations In the Hurva Synagogue, was commenced of a of a still earlier place of all Ashkenazi Chief Rab- large synagogue for the worship, had remained bis of the Holy Land followers of Hassidism. uncleared for almost were inducted into offi ce; The construction of this a century because the there, too, all the central synagogue, called “Tiferet Muslim authorities in events in the life of Jew- Yisrael,” after Rabbi

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 4477 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:461:30:46 AAMM Israel, the founder of the peror asked. before sufficient money Rizin Hassidic dynasty, was raised to finish the took fourteen years. “I, myself, your Majesty,” structure. Back replied. This synagogue, popu- Thousands of worship- larly known in Jerusa- “And have you studied pers were in the habit lem as the Nissan Back architecture?” of praying at the Nis- School, was inaugurated san Back Synagogue, in 1973. Nissan Back, “Yes, your Majesty, in my particularly on the three a prominent communal own private room.” Pilgrimage Festivals, leader in his time, the because from its lofty son of Israel Back, who The Emperor smiled, height a clear view was had established the first and inquired why there to be had of the Temple Hebrew printing shop in was no roof to the build- Mount, to which the Jerusalem, took a leading. “The synagogue has worshippers turned in ing part in the founda- doffed its hat in deference their prayer. tion and completion of to your Majesty.” this impressive house of The “Beth El” syna- worship. gogue was not only a he Yeshiva house of worship but the Pinchas Grayevsky, cultural center for the the history of the old and all that it Kabbalists of Jerusalem. Yishuv, relates that on Founded in 1737, Beth Thursday, November contained was El was the meeting place 14, 1869, the Emperor T of followers of the Kab- Franz-Josef of Austria set on ﬁ re by the Arab balistic school founded visited Jerusalem and by Rabbi Isaac Luria, was conducted around Legionnaires the day who wielded consider- the Jewish Quarter by able influence on life in Nissan Back, who was after the fall of the Old Jerusalem. Its members an Austrian subject. Af- lived a life of seclusion, ter visiting the Rabban City. renouncing all worldly Yohanan Ben-Zakkai pleasures. Synagogue, he took the monarch to Tiferet Yis- Pleased at this answer, The “Porat Yosef” Ye- rael, which still lacked the Emperor there and shiva, a famous seat of a roof. then donated the sum learning in the Old City, of 1,000 gold francs to- which included a splendid “Who is the architect of ward its completion. It and ornate synagogue, this building?” the Em- took another four years was founded through

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the muniﬁ cence of a rich served as living quarters the day after the fall of Jewish merchant from for the students, while the the Old City. Calcutta, India. Situated remaining rooms served as on the way to the Western classrooms and a library A movement has now Wall and facing the Old of many thousands of been set on foot to rebuild City walls, the building volumes of priceless value. some of the synagogues consisted of sixty rooms The Yeshiva and all that and shrines in the Old and a large auditorium. it contained was set on ﬁ re City. Forty of these rooms by the Arab Legionnaires

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 4499 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:471:30:47 AAMM ﬂ icting the people, Enough!

When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was af Withdraw your hand.

2 Samuel 24:16 First Major Jewish Prophet

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Sixty Synagogues Destroyed

SYLVIA MANN

(This article was originally written in 1968.)

he War of Independence in 1948 took a heavy toll on the Israeli nation. Scarcely a single family in what was then Palestine escaped unscathed, and property damage was severe. Jerusalem suffered most of all. Under siege for six months, its many casualties included the historic synagogues of the Old City’s Jewish Quarter. What was not destroyed by the ﬁ ghting was razed by the Jorda- Tnians during their nineteen years of occupation of the Old City.

The Jewish Quarter in itself is something distinct and apart in Jerusalem just as Jeru-

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 5511 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:471:30:47 AAMM salem is something very found to be little more owned property—its special in Israel. From than a shambles. To be black iron door opens the moment the Jews sure, some of the syna- into a small vestibule and were banished from the gogues remained standing an unimposing chamber Holy City in 70 CE, they but their interiors were with two squat marble lived in undying hope of completely destroyed. pillars. returning. Through the Others were mere heaps centuries, despite war, of rubble. Its unimpressive appear- famine, pestilence, and ance cannot detract from oppression, they suc- its fascinating history. ceeded in making their nly the few high It goes back to 1267, way back to Zion. And when Rabbi Moses ben when they returned, as walls that survive Nahman left his family though drawn by a huge and friends in Spain and magnet, they converged and a few lofty came to settle in Jerusa- on the Temple’s last O lem. Writing to his son, remaining wall. Here, at window arches recall he lamented, “Jerusalem the southeast corner of is in ruins, especially the the walled city, the Jew- the majestic Ashkenazi holy places,” but no whit ish Quarter slowly and discouraged, he found an steadily grew—except for synagogue that stood empty hall “with marble a brief period in the 12th pillars and a ﬁ ne cupola.” century when the Crusad- here until 1948. He vigorously dedicated ers forced a sparse Jewish himself to the task of community to relocate in converting the shell into a northern section near Three of the best known a synagogue and joyously the Lions’ Gate. were the 700-year-old climaxed his efforts by synagogue of Rabbi bringing to it Scrolls of Today, Zion Gate, open- Moses ben Nahman, or the Law from Shechem. ing out from Jerusalem’s the Ramban; the famous southern ramparts, leads Hurva Synagogue; and In 1488, Rabbi Ovadia of directly into the former Tiferet Israel. Bartenura wrote to his Jewish Quarter, where father, “The synagogue of almost sixty synagogues, Ramban Synagogue is Jerusalem is long, narrow Talmud Torahs, and other situated in the Street and gloomy, with no light religious and charitable of the Jews, immedi- except from the entrance, institutions still existed in ately inside Zion Gate. and there is a well-mouth May 1948. When Jerusa- Least damaged of all the in it.” Presumably the lem was reunited after the structures—for it was cupola, with windows Six-Day War, they were surrounded by Muslim- around its supporting

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drum, had been destroyed least 13 feet below the and began to build. Rabbi and the roof closed over, present level. Yehuda died shortly sealing off the light. afterward and the struc- Adjacent to the Ramban ture was left unfi nished Rabbi Moses Basula, who Synagogue stands the for fi fteen years, thereby visited the Holy Land in wreckage of the Hurva— earning its name of the 1523, reports, according the Ruins (in Hebrew, Ruins of Rabbi Yehuda to an article by the late Hurvot)—of Rabbi Ye- the Hassid. President of Israel, Yit- huda the Hassid. Its de- zhak ben-Zvi, that “the struction has been thor- In the latter part of the Jewish community under ough. Only the few high 19th century, a fresh the Turks is growing. walls that survive and a start was made, and in There is but one syna- few lofty window arches 1864 the synagogue was gogue in Jerusalem—a recall the majestic Ashke- ceremonially opened by beautiful synagogue with nazi synagogue that stood Sir Moses Montefi ore four pillars in a row… here until 1948. and Baron Alphonse de with no light except for Rothschild. More luxuri- a small window over the ous than any other in door. Candles are kindled ll of the Jerusalem, its large all around.” square prayer hall was synagogues fl ooded with light from Apparently the struc- a dome rising to a height ture taken over by the of the Jewish of 79 feet. A wide ter- Ramban in 1267 was in A race circled the outside of excellent condition—it Quarter suffered severe the dome and a narrow may have been a Crusad- balcony ran around the er church or possibly a damage between 1948 inside, while the women’s synagogue of the Byz- gallery lined three sides antine era. Sixty-six feet and 1967. of the hall. The ark was long, its two aisles were sumptuously ornamented separated by a central with fi ne wood carvings row of massive columns, It was in the year 1699 and colorful paintings of which only the upper when Rabbi Yehuda and covered the vaulted ceil- third of two can now many of his disciples ings and the eastern wall be seen. It is believed to left Poland for the land behind the ark. have harbored a double of their ancestors. Soon ark on the eastern wall after their arrival in Tiferet Israel stood close and a central pulpit, over Jerusalem they bought by the Hurva. Also which rose a high dome. an empty plot adjoining known as Nissan Bak The original fl oor was at the Ramban Synagogue Synagogue, after the

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 5533 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:501:30:50 AAMM builder who completed it back as the eighth cen- or so of the courtyard of in 1873, it was dedicated tury CE. Here can still the Karaites is a com- by Nissan’s father, Rabbi be seen the steep, narrow pound of four Sephardic Israel Bak, the fi rst Jew stairway descending to synagogues—Rabbi to set up a printing press the underground syna- Yohanan ben Zakkai, in Jerusalem in 1839. gogue established, ac- the Istanbuli, Elijah the cording to tradition, by Prophet, and the small Today, its reconstruc- Anan ben David, founder Middle Synagogue—the tion has begun, but it of Karaism. interiors of which were will be a laborious task, completely destroyed dur- for when the city was History relates that in ing the Jordanian occupa- reunited last year only 767 CE, the Exilarch— tion and the area used as four graceful arches ris- head of the Babylonian a midden. ing above a pile of stones Jewish community—died, bore witness to the leaving his nephews, As one enters the Istan- former beauty of Tiferet Anan and Josiah, as can- buli Synagogue under Israel—the Pride of didates for the high offi ce. a lintel decorated with Israel. The late Dr. Jacob Josiah was appointed, a pair of hands raised Pingerfeld described it whereupon Anan, in in blessing, it is easy to as having a large prayer fury, left Babylon with imagine how handsome it hall surmounted by a 33- a group of his disciples must once have been with foot round cupola, while and settled in Jerusalem, its four massive piers sup- in the basement was an founding a community porting the lofty vaulted elaborate mikvah—ritual which lasted until 1948. ceiling and its high dome. bath—with a heated On the right are three central pillar to warm Today, 1,200 years later, rounded steps leading up rainwater collected from no Karaites remain in to a recess where the ark the roof. A richly orna- Jerusalem but their was located. mented ark and central synagogue still exists, hexagonal pulpit made and one can see above the A doorway leads to the Tiferet Israel one of the entrance a clearly incised long narrow Middle Syna- most attractive of all inscription which reads: gogue, from where one 19th century synagogues. turns into a tiny enclosed …he was afraid, and court, and then into the Immediately opposite said, How terrible is this light, spacious synagogue was the courtyard of the place!...This is none of Rabbi Yohanan ben Karaites, a medieval sect, other but the house of God Zakkai, the sole building the fi rst Jewish commu- (Genesis 28:17). in the group again being nity from the diaspora to used as a place of wor- settle in Jerusalem as far Within a hundred yards ship. No trace is left of

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the ornate double ark that erected at the beginning suffered severe damage graced the two alcoves on of the 16th century, between 1948 and 1967. the eastern wall, nor of when Jews fleeing the Some—like the Hurva the ﬁ ne central pulpit, the Inquisition in Spain and Tiferet Israel—lie women’s gallery, the fur- settled in Jerusalem, entirely in ruins, a num- niture, lamps, and drapes. it is high-ceilinged and ber of empty shells, while However, the carved stuc- domed like the others. several have completely co fragments on the ceiling Two small chambers de- disappeared. An impor- and the faded paintings serve special comment— tant task lies ahead for over the ark recess afford the partitioned-off Israel and world Jewry: clues to the appearances geniza, or repository for to rebuild and restore to of the synagogues as they disused religious docu- these synagogues their used to look. ments, and the tradi- splendor and beauty. tional Elijah’s cave. Oldest of the four is the synagogue of Elijah All of the synagogues the Prophet. Originally of the Jewish Quarter

Mrs. Sylvia Mann is a well-known writer on historic sites in the Holy Land.

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 5555 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:501:30:50 AAMM Then Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai—but Joshua spent that night with the people.

Joshua 8:9 First General Of Israel

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We’ve Waited aThousand Years

COLIN SIMPSON

(This is an excerpt from a report by British journalist Colin Simpson, who was present in the Old City of Jerusalem immediately after Israel liberated the city.)

n the Mosque square, more and more Israeli troops were pouring in. All wanted to ﬁ nd the Wailing Wall. Many asked me where it was, and we went together.

There was already a crowd there, and an Army Chaplain was playing a sacred instrument, a Shofar. Then General Moshe Dayan arrived to say his prayers and give thanks.

I felt embarrassed to intrude at such a moment, but as he left I asked him how Ihe felt. His reply was simple: “We deserve this city.”

Other dignitaries showed up but it was the ordinary soldiers who were the most impressive. Sweating, frequently wounded, they patiently waited their turn at

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 5577 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:521:30:52 AAMM the wall—covering their ship in this city—that heads with anything this city will be open to available, even pieces of all.” paper. My handkerchief, and most of my note- I replied I would tell book, went this way. They them how his soldiers stood there often weeping opened it. At that mo- with emotion, or bright- ment a burst of ﬁ ring eyed and unsmiling, their came from the commer- faces stiff with the day’s cial sector. Eshkol did tension. not even turn his head. “Tell them,” he said. “Tell It was an electric and them that.” disturbing experience, and for a minute I began At last, we reached the to get a glimmer at the Wailing Wall. The soldiers driving, all-consuming kept coming up to me and love that the Jews have saying the same thing, for this city—a city they “You’ve seen the most have been kept from for historical event you will so many years. ever see…we’ve waited a thousand years for this.” Toward evening Pre- They were hugging and mier Eshkol and the kissing each other, and Chief Rabbis of Israel lifting each other off the and the Army arrived. ground. They were doing Eshkol hopped through all this while the snipers St. Stephen’s Gate with were still ﬁ ring, and every the same aplomb as his now and again a bullet soldiers strode briskly would ricochet off the through, the soldiers wall itself. greeting him. He was shaking hands with as many as he could reach. He shook mine, and addressed me in Hebrew. I explained who I was.

“Tell them,” he said, “Tell them that all may wor-

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Moslem Quarter

Temple Mount

Christian Western Quarter Wall

Jewish Quarter

Armenian Quarter

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 5599 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:531:30:53 AAMM Now when the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.

Ezra 3:1 The Scribe Who Brought the Jewish Exiles Back to Jerusalem

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The Jewish Presence inJerusalem Throughout theAges

DR. MENASHE HAR-EL

(This article was originally written in 1971.)

hroughout history, and particularly under Jewish rule, Jerusalem has been the main city in the Judaean Hills, and the chief reason is its geography. Jerusalem stands atop a range of hills, encircled and protected by deep valleys, at the junc- tion of mountain highways, and has always enjoyed an excellent economy, between grain ﬁ elds to the west and the desert to the east, and with a good Tsupply of water. The Canaanite Period (330–1200 BCE)

The city is called “Rushalmam” in Egyp- tian execration texts of the 19th century

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 6611 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:571:30:57 AAMM BCE; Kathleen Kenyon an alliance of the kings of Israel did it become discovered a nine-foot- of the mountains and the the national and political thick wall of this period plains, banded together capital of Jewry, the very near the Spring of Gihon. to fi ght the Tribes. heart of its faith and phi- In the days of the Pa- losophy, symbolizing the triarch Abraham, Jeru- The First Temple Period unity of the Tribes. salem was governed by (1200–586 BCE) Melchizedek, described The Second Temple Period in chapter 14 of Genesis In the reign of David, (586 BCE–70 CE) as “King of Salem” and Jerusalem was a Jebus- “the priest of the most ite city (II Samuel 5:6). Jewish authority in Jeru- high God,” a description David brought the Ark of salem and Judah became suggesting its importance the Covenant from Kiryat fi rmly entrenched again and holiness even in Ye’arim to Jerusalem, after the return from the Abraham’s time and hint- and bought a threshing Babylonian Exile. Under ing at identifi cation with fl oor from Araunah the the Hasmoneans, sov- Mount Moriah. Jebusite as site of an altar ereign Jewish sway was (II Samuel 24:24). By this extended over the entire It probably gained its act, he made Jerusalem Land. Nehemiah had sacred character from the the center of worship of repaired the city walls in Spring of Gihon, the larg- the Tribes, but the Temple fi fty-two days (Nehemiah est source on the hilltop was built by his son Solo- 4). Hasmonean Hyrcanus and held by the ancients to mon, and thenceforward rebuilt them and their be of miraculous property, Jerusalem became the watchtowers. as its waters rise and fall at unique focus of Jewish regular intervals. Hence, creed and nationhood. Ten thousand builders too, several kings of Judah and a thousand priests were crowned beside it. Solomon did more: He toiled to build Herod’s launched a vast building Temple, a thousand Jerusalem is mentioned program and concluded chariots hauled the in the Tell el-Amarna let- pacts with the kings of building materials. The ters, written in the 14th Egypt, Ammon, Moab, courtyard and colon- century BCE, as the prin- Tyre, and the Hittites, nades took eight years cipal town of Canaan. At that gave the city inter- to fi nish, the Sanctu- the time of the Israelite national renown. From its ary itself only eighteen entry into the Promised foundation and through- months. The Sages could Land in the following out the Canaanite period, rightly say, “Who has not century, its Amorite king, Jerusalem had been a seen the Sanctuary has seemingly a vassal of provincial capital and no not seen a magnifi cent Egypt (Joshua 10), led more; only under the kings building.” But the total

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rebuilding of Jerusalem everywhere regarded it, perhaps, that the anti- and its walls in Herod’s nonetheless, as a Divine Jewish decree was not, days took approximately behest to make their in fact, enforced, and forty-six years. devotions in a Jerusalem the soil of the Land that lay in ruins. was still sacred to Jews. During the Second Defying Roman edicts, Temple period, a span of The Roman Period synagogues were es- about six hundred years, (70–324 CE) tablished in the third Jerusalem drew the century on Mount Zion prayers and commanded Jews lived on in Jeru- in Jerusalem itself and the allegiance of every salem and worshipped throughout the Land, Jew in the Land and their God amid the particularly in Galilee. the Diaspora alike; the wreckage of the Temple First Temple had been a Mount. Such was the The Byzantine Period center of veneration and strength of this passion- (324–637) national liturgy for Jews ate attachment that, in the Land alone. The when the Emperor Had- Jerusalem had become sanctity of the city was rian sought to establish holy to a rising Christi- evident in learning of a Roman town upon the anity, and, early in the the Torah, pilgrimages, Mount, defiling the holy fourth century, Con- the establishment of city, rebellion broke out stantine the Great and schools and synagogues. under Bar-Kochba and his mother Helena built Synagogues were built the Jews recaptured it magniﬁ cent churches for public worship, but for a time (132–135 CE). there, but now Jews were the Temple was the hub The revolt was blood- excluded, and for a time of communal life in Je- ily suppressed and the Jerusalem was the only rusalem and the supreme Romans forbade Jews to city in the Land with national institution of dwell in Jerusalem, on a Christian majority. Jewry throughout the pain of death. Jerome, writing in the world. fourth century, mentions Yet, the lament entitled that Jews might only en- Jews were under reli- Arzei Levanon (“Cedars ter on the Ninth of Av, to gious commandment not of Lebanon”), written mourn the quenching of only to make pilgrimag- immediately after the past glory: “Silently they es to the Holy Land, but rising collapsed, tells come and silently they go, to settle there. Chris- that a certain “Rabbi weeping they come and tians and Muslims were Hanina ben-Taradion weeping they go, in the content with pilgrimage. gathers after him con- dark night they come and Even when the Temple gregations in ravished in the dark night they no longer stood, Jews Zion,” an indication, go,” as the Sages told.

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 6633 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:581:30:58 AAMM The Traveler of Bor- Manifestly, Jews were ing of Jerusalem and deaux, writing in 333, being vouchsafed to dwell the Temple, the Persians speaks of that marked peacefully in Jerusalem. needed Jewish help stone on the Temple St. Cyril of Scythopolis to gain control of the Mount whither Jews records that St. Sabbas eastern Mediterranean. went to pray. In 362, at journeyed to Constanti- A Jewish administration least, the Emperor Julian nople in 512 to persuade was, indeed, established promised a delegation the Emperor to exempt in Jerusalem and worship of Syrian and Cilician the poor of Jerusalem renewed. But, in 629, the Jewry: “I shall rebuild from taxation while a cer- Byzantine Emperor Her- the Sanctuary of the tain Marianus went to the aelius seized the city and most high God with all Emperor to denounce the decreed the expulsion of vigor.” But a mysterious exemption of the Jews: It the Jews to a distance of ﬁ re that broke out on the may be inferred that the three miles. In 638, it fell Temple Mount during the Jewish population en- to the army of the Caliph early stage of the build- joyed a modicum of equal Omar. ing operation brought the rights. project to an abrupt halt, The Early Muslim Period: and it was never renewed. But Justinian, in the The Umayyad Caliphate In 443, heartened by the early sixth century, en- (638–750 BCE) goodwill of the Empress acted discriminatory laws Eudocia, Jewry again and Jews were denied the Jewish soldiers had dreamt of the Day of holding of government served in Omar’s victori- Redemption, and from ofﬁ ce: Humiliation was ous army, and he coun- Jerusalem a message went carried to such lengths tenanced the renewal to the Diaspora: that their stone of prayer of Jewish settlement in on the Temple Mount was Palestine and Jerusa- The time of the Exile of littered with garbage. lem, declaring that the our people has already Muslims had come to the passed and the Day of The Later Persian Period country because they the Ingathering of the (614–638) were kinsmen of the Isra- Tribes come. The kings of elites, both being scions the Romans have bidden Upon the Persian con- of Abraham. Contempo- that our city, Jerusalem, quest of Palestine, a pact rary Arab writers record be returned to us. Make was concluded between that stones were piled on haste and come up to the Persians and its Jews, the Temple Mount by the Jerusalem for the Feast one mutually desirable: Jews, in readiness for the of Tabernacles, for our The Jews hoped for the rebuilding of the Temple; Kingdom in Jerusalem restoration of Jewish the Muslims did, in truth, shall be established. autonomy, the rebuild- deliver the Mount into

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Jewish hands, and Jews quarter—or market—lay Hebron, and as far south could celebrate the Feast near the Western Wall. as the Jewish settlement of Tabernacles upon it. of Eilat. Jews flocked to Under the Umayyad Jerusalem after the Mus- So now Jerusalem was a Caliphate, Syria and lim conquest, and their city holy to three faiths, Palestine were the major community had quickly if not in equal measure. provinces of the Muslim become the more impor- Arabia was to Islam empire with its capital in tant in the country, so what the Land of Israel Damascus. Between 691 that Jewry everywhere was to Judaism, and, in and 697, Abd al-Malik looked no longer to Tibe- any event, Palestine was built the Dome of the rias but to Jerusalem. never independent under Rock in Jerusalem as Muslim aegis; its gover- monument rather than The Abbasid Caliphate nance throughout that mosque, and his elder son (750–969) period was entrusted to al-Walid built the mosque overlords in Damascus, of al-Aqsa beside it, and Baghdad, not Damascus, Baghdad, Cairo, or Con- in al-Aqsa, since Mecca was the capital now. In stantinople. was far away, the Muslims the Abbasid heyday, the of Syria and Palestine importance of Jerusalem But Omar at least pro- began to hold their festal dwindled by reason of claimed the Temple services. its remoteness from the Mount to be a place of “metropolis,” and Mecca Jewish prayer. By the Mughir ad-Din says became the magnet of the Jews this was eagerly that Jewish families Muslim devout. Haroun and happily interpreted were actually appointed al-Rashid made that as a sign of the begin- guardians of the Haram pilgrimage every second ning of Redemption. of Abd al-Malik. Sulei- year, but never once to “Omar asked the Jews— man, his second son, Jerusalem, for the Ab- where do you wish to live chose to live in Palestine basid Caliphs, in general, in the city? And they and built Ramla to be its neglected Jerusalem; only answered—at the south- capital, relegating Jeru- Mamoun (813–833) gave ern end of the city, which salem to humble provin- money to repair Muslim is the Jews’ market. And ciality. The townsfolk of institutions on the Tem- [the reason for] their plea Palestine consisted of ple Mount. The viceroys was the proximity of the Jews, Arabs, Persians, of the Abbasids and of Temple and its relics and and Samaritans, all liv- their successors, the Fa- the waters of Siloam for ing side by side—in Ti- timids, governed Palestine immersion. And the Emir berias and its surround- from Ramla. Meanwhile of the Faithful gave this ings, in Dan, Haifa, Jewish life went on. It is to them.” The Jewish Jaffa, Jerusalem, and of this period that Rabbi

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 6655 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:591:30:59 AAMM Ben-Meir, principal of after four hundred years the lines of those stand- the Palestinian Academy, of Muslim rule in Pales- ing today. Godfrey de tells that the courtyard tine, “the scholar of reli- Bouillon always stressed of the Temple Mount was gious law is forsaken, and that the territory which a meeting place for Jews. the secular scholar is not he had conquered was to be seen…the Jews and the Land of Israel; the The Fatimid Caliphate the Christians have long letter in which he in- (969–1071) since superseded them, formed the Pope of his and the mosque is empty taking of Jerusalem bore Al-Hakim, Fatimid of worshippers and of the the superscription: “de despot of Egypt, fi rst secret of study.” Terra Israel.” But in the ordered that the syna- ravaging of Jerusalem, gogues and churches of Salah Ben-Matzliah, a the Crusaders slaugh- Jerusalem be destroyed, resident in Jerusalem at tered Muslims and Jews but in the end relented the end of the previous indiscriminately, and set and Jews and Christians century, writes: “Our fi re to the Jewish quar- were permitted to rebuild brothers knew that Jeru- ter, in those days sited to them. Salmon Ben-Yeru- salem in this time was a the north of the Temple ham, the Karaite, writes sanctuary for every fugi- Mount, burning its syna- in the middle of the 10th tive, a comfort for every gogues, one of them with century: “When the mourner, and a repose all its worshippers. Kingdom of Ishmael ap- for every pauper, and the peared, Israel was given worshippers of the Lord A Crusader ordinance license to enter and live congregate within it, one specifi cally banned Jew- there [Jerusalem] and the from the town and two ish and Muslim settle- courtyards of the House from the family [mean- ment in Jerusalem as of the Lord were handed ing, in large numbers]…” profane, and the wrecked back to them, and there and deserted Jewish for years they prayed.” Never again—from the quarter was given over Seljuk conquest until the to Syrian Christians. The Seljuks took Jerusa- 20th century—was Jeru- But Benjamin of Tudela lem in 1071 in an assault salem to be under Arab (1170) could report: “And of unbridled devastation. hegemony. there is a dye factory As Seljuks and Fatimids there, which the Jews fought thereafter, the citi- The Early Crusader Period rent yearly from the zenry of Palestine grew (1099–1187) king, so that no man but less and less. The Arab the Jews shall do any historian, al-Muqadassi, Crusader Jerusalem was dyeing work in Jerusa- who lived in Jerusalem in circumscribed in area, lem, and there are about that century, writes that, and its walls followed two hundred Jews living

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below the Tower of Da- turn in any numbers until Muslims sought to seize vid at the limits of the the coming and encour- from them.” City-State.” agement of Nahmanides. In 1267, he had found The Mamluks ruled The Late Crusader Period two lonely Jewish fami- Jerusalem from Cairo. (1187–1260) lies, and wrote to his son: Accordingly, many Jew- “Only two Jews, brothers, ish citizens left what was The Ayyubid Sultan dyers by trade, did I ﬁ nd. again a provincial city, Saladin and his succes- And behold, we pressed and went to Damascus sors favored the dwell- them, and we found a and Egypt, and thence, ing of Eastern Jews and ruined house with marble on to Turkey. Christians in Jerusalem. pillars and a beautiful That great soldier and dome, and we took it [to Earthquake, epidemic, statesman recognized the serve] as a synagogue… drought, locust, plagues, Jewish right to the Land, and they already began to and famine precipitated but was also mindful that build, and we went to the this migration; but there Jews had fought in the town of Shechem [Nab- were, as well, the tyran- Arab ranks to take Jeru- lus] to bring thence the ny of the court in Cairo, salem from the Crusaders. Scrolls of the Law, which persecution by petty Alharizi (1170–1235) re- had been in Jerusalem satraps governing from counts that, after Sala- and had been smuggled Syria, and the cruelty din’s proclamation, “three out when the Tartars of local emirs, whereof hundred rabbis” from came, and, behold, they the upshot was anarchy, France and England came built a synagogue and peasant uprisings, and to live in Palestine, and they will pray there, for Bedouin raids. Arab Jews from North Africa, many come to Jerusalem writers speak of Mam- accompanied by Muslims, all the time, men and luk recognition of the to live in Jerusalem itself. women, to see the site of links between the Jew- the Temple and weep over ish people and its Land, The Mamluks it…” and of Mamluk plans (1260–1516) to discuss the restora- A. Lunz notes that “the tion to it of the whole of Saladin had permitted Jews then established Palestine. All the same, Muslims and Jews once a special quarter in the Jews had to wear yellow more to live at least in the south of the Old City turbans, Samaritans red hilly parts of Palestine, near Mount Zion, and ones, and Christians blue and the ban on Jewish the life of the Jewish ones; the Muslim turbans residence in Jerusalem settlement centered were white. was formally lifted, but around the synagogue of Jews did not begin to re- Nahmanides, which the But the Mamluks op-

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 6677 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:30:591:30:59 AAMM pressed their Muslim the city’s water supply; tax, a tax on gifts at fes- subjects in Palestine no like his predecessor, Se- tivals, a government aid less: According to a Mus- lim, he employed Jewish tax, and a land tax. lim account, the fate of physicians at his court. a slave was preferable to In the late 16th century, After the massacres in a farmer’s. When Rabbi Sultan Bayezid II called the Caucasus in 1648 and Ovadia of Bartenura upon Jews to settle in 1656, Jews made their (1415–1510) settled in Je- his new domain; Span- long way to Palestine rusalem, things improved ish Jews from Salonica, from Russia and Poland. for the Jewish commu- Constantinople, Adri- In 1700, Rabbi Judah nity under his inspiring anople, and other Turkish Hehassid assembled his leadership, and there was centers responded to the disciples and set out for an infl ux from Spain and call, settling in Tiberias, Palestine with fi fteen Portugal. At this stage, Safed, and Jerusalem. hundred of them, to has- the Ottoman conquest of Palestine’s status as the ten the coming of the Re- Constantinople, the end spiritual home of Jewry demption. He bought the of the Byzantine empire, rose momentously. plot of land upon which and the expulsion of the Nahmanides had built his Jews from Spain marked With the arrival of Span- synagogue, and on it set a turning point in the ish refugees, the Jewish up his own conventicle, history of Jewish congre- population rose, and this which, after his death, gations in the Land of Sephardic element was came to be known as the Israel, and signifi ed a new to characterize Jewish “Hurva.” In 1721, the and large return. settlement for virtually Arabs burnt it down with the next four centuries. its forty Scrolls of the The Ottoman Period It was now that the Law, and the Ashkenazi (1516–1917) splendid complex of Jews then prayed in the four Sephardic houses of principal Sephardi place The Turks ruled Pales- worship came into being of worship; the Hurva tine for four hundred on the traditional site of was rebuilt in 1837. years. Though still denied the Academy of Rabbi autonomous statehood, Yohanan Ben Zakkai. Yet In 1777, the Hassidic Palestine now entered the the community in Jeru- Rabbi Menahem Mendel global scene of merchant salem began to contract of Vitebsk brought three and trader. Suleiman as a result of burdensome hundred of his followers the Magnifi cent repaired taxation and confi scation from the Ukraine, Lithu- and rebuilt the walls of property, until only ania, and Romania. and gates of Jerusalem the poor were left: The (1537), restored the Cita- Ottomans levied a poll After Sir Moses Mon- del of David, improved tax, a watch-and-ward tefi ore visited Palestine

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in the mid-19th century, under Jewish rule did it ment in respect to water the condition of the Jews expand, and its popula- supply and neighborhood of Jerusalem became tion, Jewish and non- farming. After the death better and their area of Jewish, increase. of Herod, and until the settlement wider. The Bar Kochba revolt, the fi rst Jewish quarters were Population and Extent of Roman governors ruled established outside the the City Throughout the Judaea from Caesarea, city walls, and Jewish Ages and, from Hadrian’s reign hospitals and educational onward, the limits of the institutions founded. Under Melchizedek, in neglected city shrank to the days of the Patri- two hundred acres. Yitzhak Ben-Zvi wrote: archs, and under the “There were periods of Amorites at the time The Byzantines, too, devastation and ruin in of Joshua, Jerusalem dignifi ed Caesarea as the Jerusalem, as occurred was the capital of the capital of Palestine, al- in Safed; yet the Jewish southern region of the though Christendom held population withstood the Hills of Judah and the Jerusalem—now peopled onslaught, and settlement plain. Jebusite Jerusalem by only eighty thousand was never abandoned.” covered only ten acres. souls—in holy regard. Under Solomon, it was The Muslim conquerors For, in truth, no town the capital of the Land shifted the capital to in Palestine could be of Israel and, under the Ramla, as we saw, and likened unto Jerusalem. kings of Judah, the upper at its peak was a Muslim Jerusalem was the only and lower cities extended city under the Fatimids in city in which Jews had over an area sixteen times the 11th century. Jerusa- succeeded in holding as large. Jerusalem was lem’s population was no out for two thousand constricted under Persian more than thirty thou- years after the fall of the rule, but expanded again sand and its area less than Second Temple, despite under the Hasmonean a square kilometer, not religious and economic dynasty, and attained its half its dimension in Sec- sanctions, pain of death zenith in the late Second ond Temple days. When for entry, and widespread Temple period, to cover the Crusaders entered, havoc. The Jews always four hundred fi fty acres the count of citizens was believed that they were and house a population about the same—Arabs but regaining what had of two hundred thou- and Jews, but thereafter been taken from them by sand (equal to the total it dropped to a handful of force. Under alien domi- population of Palestine three thousand, even in- nation Jerusalem was at the end of the 19th cluding Syrian Christians never a great city; on the century). It was at its and the Christian Bedou- contrary, it lost size. Only highest level of develop- in attracted to Jerusalem

IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 6699 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:31:001:31:00 AAMM by Baldwin by pledges of earliest railways in the proximately two hundred tax exemption. True, the Middle East, began to thousand, equal to the Crusaders had regarded run. Toward the end of population in the late Jerusalem as a sacred city, the 19th century, Jeru- Second Temple period; and expelled its Jews and salem had a population the Arab population was Muslims, but they chose of twenty-fi ve thousand; unaltered at sixty-fi ve Acre as their political and with Zionist aliyah it rose thousand, twenty-four economic capital. At its to seventy-fi ve thousand, thousand residing in the peak, Crusader Jerusa- fi fty thousand of them Old City. lem’s population reached Jews. At the close of the thirty thousand. century, 60 percent of all Palestinian Jewry lived Under Mamluk control, in Jerusalem. Thereafter, Jerusalem’s fertile hin- the Arab population also terland was ruined by rose, both in Jerusalem systematic robbery, so and throughout Palestine that, from the fi nal Mam- and Transjordan. luk period, and through the era of Ottoman rule At the termination of the up to the 18th century, British mandate in 1948, the population of the there were one hundred city swung sparsely from sixty-fi ve thousand resi- ten to fi fteen thousand. dents in Jerusalem as a By the end of the cen- whole, of whom one hun- tury, the total population dred thousand were Jews; was only two hundred of the Arabs and others, thousand, a density thirty-three thousand lower than any since the lived in the Old City. The Canaanite period. area of the Jewish city was 25.76 square kilo- From 1860 onward, Jew- meters, double its size at ish and Christian quarters the beginning of the 20th were established outside century. The Arab part Jerusalem’s walls. The had an area of 2.6 square city was linked to the kilometers, of which the telegraph network and Old City constituted a a carriageway built to third. Twenty years later, Jaffa and other towns. in a reunifi ed Jerusalem, In 1892, the Jerusalem- the Jewish population Jaffa line, one of the had doubled to ap-

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Dr. Menashe Har-El taught historical geography at Hebrew University.

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IInn DDanger-96.inddanger-96.indd 7722 33/22/2010/22/2010 111:31:011:31:01 AAMM About the Zionist Organization of America

The Zionist Organization of Israel’s Prime Minister Benja- ZOA works to counter the exis- America (ZOA) is the oldest, min Netanyahu said: “When I tential threats that Israel faces. and one of the largest, pro-Is- think of the ZOA, I think of an The ZOA is the leader in making rael organizations in the United organization that refuses to a serious issue about the Pales- States. Founded in 1897 to compromise on the truth regard- tinian promotion of hatred and support the re-establishment less of prevailing fashion... The violence against Jews in their of a Jewish State in the ancient Zionist Organization of America, schools, media and speeches. Land of Israel; its presidents under the leadership of Morton have included such illustri- Klein, has done important work The ZOA has also played a ous Jewish leaders as U.S. in explaining Israel’s case to major role in fi ghting anti- Supreme Court Justice Louis the American public, media, Semitism and Israel bash- D. Brandeis, Rabbi Dr. Abba and Congress. The ZOA has ing on college campuses. Hillel Silver, and Rabbi Stephen performed a vital service by ZOA’s testimony on campus Wise. The ZOA was the princi- documenting and combating anti-Semitism led to landmark pal organization mobilizing the anti-Israel media bias; and by fi ndings and recommendations support of the U.S. government helping Americans understand to combat this problem by and the American public which the shared values and mutual the U.S. Commission on Civil “I urge you to support the ZOA and its efforts on behalf of Israel.” --Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led to the establishment of the strategic interests that are the Rights. We triggered an inter- State of Israel in 1948. basis of U.S.-Israel friendship... nal investigation at UC Irvine The ZOA has been a bulwark in to examine the possibility that With a national membership the defense of Israel and the a student group was illegally of over 30,000 and active Jewish people... I urge you to soliciting funds on campus to chapters throughout the support the ZOA and its efforts support Hamas. United States, the ZOA works on behalf of Israel.” to strengthen U.S.-Israel rela- We bring in speakers, dis- tions through our Divisions of The Wall Street Journal said tribute literature, and set up Government Relations, Campus “The ZOA is the most credible programs at colleges across Activities, and our Center for advocate for Israel on the Ameri- the country. We teach students Law and Justice. ZOA leaders can Jewish scene today.” The how to respond to anti-Israel frequently appear on TV and ra- Jerusalem Post called the ZOA propaganda and each year we dio programs including O’Reilly “one of the most important and bring a large group of students Factor, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, infl uential Jewish groups in the to Israel including visits to Fox, NPR, BBC and others. U.S. today.” The New York Times Judea, Samaria, and the Golan We also publish articles and wrote that the ZOA “ferrets out Heights, the only major Jewish letters in the New York Times, anti-semitism wherever it is.” organization to do so. Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Jerusalem Post and The ZOA’s Government Rela- The ZOA’s Kfar Silver School, on elsewhere. The ZOA produces tions department continues to a 400-acre campus near Ash- and disseminates publica- educate members of Congress kelon, has provided education tions such as “The Dangers of about the truth of the Arab War and vocational training to more a Palestinian State” and “In against Israel and the mistaken than 50,000 new Jewish im- Danger: Israel’s Sovereignty policies pressuring Israel to migrants and others, and has a over Jerusalem.” make one-sided concessions. current student body of 1,000.