"The most special city in the world" a Jerusalem Travel Page by iblatt

What can I say about Jerusalem that has not been said before?

I think it is the most interesting and wonderful city in the world.
Well, of course I can't be objective. This city means so much to me.
It's the capital city of my country, but much much more than that. Its name and image have resonated in the hearts and minds of Jews since the days of the Bible, wherever they lived, in the Land of Israel or in the diaspora all over the world.

My earliest memories are of Jerusalem: I spent all my early childhood in Jerusalem, till 3rd grade.
The city was different in those days: It was prior to the Six-Day War, the city was divided with a border of barbed wire running through it, a border which could not be crossed by anybody except for UN personnel. Fortunately, this is no longer the situation now.

I remember my excitement when I first entered the Old City gates, walked all around it on the Ottoman city walls, visited the holy places of different religions, got a panoramic view of it from the Mount of Olives...

Nowadays my daughter is living and studying there, and I enjoy seeing how she connects to the special Jerusalem atmosphere and rhythm of life, how she is becoming part of it...

I realize Jerusalem means so much not only to me, and not only to the Jewish people. No other city in the world has such a universal appeal.

Its unique spirituality is a blend of memories, stories, legends and beliefs ingrained in the minds of every Jew, Christian and Moslem.
Every inch of it is connected to one of these stories and memories, and often to more than one (and this is when the troubles begin...).
Temple Mount, where the Jewish Temple once stood, with the Holy of Holies in its core, is now the site of the Al Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest places to Islam.
Via Dolorosa, so significant to all Christians, runs through the Moslem Quarter right on the border of Temple Mount...
When will Jerusalem also be a symbol of peace and harmony for the whole world?..