Jerusalem: A Holy CityJerusalem, the capital city of Israel, is considered a holy city by three major religions:Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. For centuries, Jerusalem has been a spiritual center. Thethree religions can be seen in the cultural landmarks (human made buildings thatrepresent an idea or specific place) of Jerusalem and in the symbols used around theworld to represent these religions.All three religions describe Abraham as an important figure in their early history.Muslims (followers of Islam) call Abraham, Ibrahim. Abraham and his family werenomads. They lived in tents and traveled from place to place in order to provide goodgrazing for their sheep. Abraham and his people are believed to have traveled in what isnow the country of Israel, as well as areas that are now part of Syria, Turkey, Jordan, andIraq.All three religions describe Abraham as the father of two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Jewsconsider Isaac to be their ancestor, and Arabs consider Ishmael to be their ancestor. Jesus,whom Christians believe to be the son of God, lived in this area also. Knowing that thethree religions share a common history and geography, it is not surprising that Jerusalemis considered holy by all three religions.Three-fourths of today's population of Jerusalem are Jews (followers of Judaism).Jerusalem has been of religious and political importance to Judaism since Biblical times.To honor God, the Jews built over the ages a series of Temples in Jerusalem, whichbecame the focus of Jewish religious practices and beliefs. The Jewish holy book calledthe Tanakh describes how important Jerusalem is for Jews. Today, a very importantcultural landmark in Jerusalem is the Western Wall (formerly called the Wailing Wall)which is a symbol of the ancient Temples. Today, Jews say prayers at this stone wall, andoften prayers are written on small pieces of paper and left in cracks in the wall. Otherimportant Jewish religious sites in Jerusalem are King David’s Tomb, the JewishCemetery, and Tombs of the Prophets. A cultural symbol used to recognize Judaism is asix-pointed star like the one on Israel’s flag.Jerusalem is Islam’s third holiest city, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Muslimsbelieve that Muhammad visited heaven from a site in Jerusalem. Muhammad was anArab prophet who preserved the word of God (called Allah) in a sacred book called theQuran. At this spot in Jerusalem, a golden domed shrine called the Dome of the Rock wasbuilt. This cultural landmark covers the stone from where Muhammad ascended toheaven. Today, Muslims visit the Dome of the Rock for religious purposes. AnotherIslamic religious site in Jerusalem is an ancient mosque (a building where Muslims pray)called Al Aqsa. The green and white flag of Pakistan shows a cultural symbol forMuslims. It is a crescent moon and a star. Christians (followers of Christianity) also consider Jerusalem a holy city. Many sitesmentioned in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible (the holy book of the Christians)are located in Jerusalem. Jesus taught his followers and performed miracles in this city.The Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrows) was the path Jesus walked while carrying a cross toCalvary. Calvary is the site where Jesus's body was nailed to the cross, and where hedied, and was resurrected (ascended to heaven). In this location, a cultural landmark wascreated called the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Therefore, this spot is very special toChristians. Christians also use a symbol to identify their religion. This symbol is a crossas shown on Norway’s flag.The presence of three religions has also led to violence. Each religion has at times soughtto be in control of the area. Currently, Israel and Jerusalem are dominated by a Jewishleadership; however, work is continuing on allowing tolerance and political rights forthose of other religious groups especially the Palestinian Muslims and Christians living inIsrael.Assessment Worksheet Name_________________________Jerusalem Period________Directions: Read the article “Jerusalem: A Holy City,” then answer the following questions. Questions1-5 should be answered in COMPLETE SENTENCES.1. Which religions consider Jerusalem a holy city? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2. Which religion has as a cultural landmark, the Dome of the Rock?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________3. Which religion uses a cross as a symbol?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4. Why is the Western Wall of such special significance to the Jews?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________5. Why would a country put a cross, a six-pointed star, or a crescent moon and a star on its flag?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6. Which of the following is an important cultural landmark for the Christians?A. Mecca and MedinaB. the Tombs of the ProphetsC. the ancient mosque of Al AqsaD. the Via Dolorosa______7. What is the author’s purpose in writing this selection? A. to inform people about JerusalemB. to persuade people to be ChristiansC. to explain about JudaismD. to create a travel guide to Jerusalem______8. What is the main idea of this selection?A. Jerusalem is the third holiest city, after Mecca and Medina. B. Cultural landmarks are human-made buildings that represent an idea or characterize a specific place.C. Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel, is considered a holy city by three major religions.D. Many sites mentioned in the Old and New Testament of the Bible are located in Jerusalem.______9. Which of the following statements is the best conclusion for this selection?A. The cross, the Star of David, and the crescent moon and star are ancient symbols.B. The presence of three religions has led to violence in Jerusalem.C. The Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher can still be seen today.D. Most of the tourists who visit Jerusalem are Christians.Assessment KEY Name_________________________Jerusalem Period________Directions: Read the article “Jerusalem: A Holy City,” then answer the following questions.