AsiaLIFE

The Old City of Jerusalem is home to some of the world's holiest sites for Jews, Muslims and Christians, but can someone without a connection to religion find a place there too? Ginny Becker visits the Holy Land.

The Jerusalem Syndrome affects an estimated 50 to 200 visitors to the Old City of Jerusalem each year. People become so overwhelmed with the religious significance of the city they begin to think they are biblical characters. Cases include a woman who believed she was the Virgin Mary, travelling to Bethlehem in search of the baby Jesus, and a Samson, who attempted to use his massive strength to smash through a wall. The syndrome lasts for approximately one week after which the person usually returns to normal, often quite humiliated, preferring not to speak of the incident again.

The Old City

Although my chances of acquiring this syndrome would be low, I knew that in order to understand Israel's present, an understanding of its past would be essential. The Old City, which encompasses only one of Jerusalem's 125sqkm, is among the most coveted real estate in the world – not for its desirability as a living destination, but for the religious significance it holds for Jews, Muslims and Christians. Besides being home to some of the holiest and most contentious sites in the world, all three religions believe the Old City is the gateway to heaven – where they can be closest to God.

Entering the Muslim Quarter through Damascus Gate, I'm immersed in a bustling and chaotic Palestinian market. Of the Old City's four quarters, this is the largest and most densely populated. I follow its endless ancient stone walkways to my first destination, an elevated and heavily guarded 14-hectare esplanade.

Gateway to Heaven

Jews know this land as the Temple Mount. Muslims call it Al-Haram-al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary. Its history is complex. The first Jewish temple was built here by Solomon one thousand years before Christ was born. It is said that the Ark of the Covenant was housed here. In 586 B.C. the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. A second temple was built in 515 B.C. and later destroyed in A.D. 70 by the Romans, who erected a temple to Zeus in its place. After that, a Christian church stood here.

During the mid-seventh century, the prophet Mohammed is said to have travelled from Mecca to Jerusalem in one night, leading other prophets in prayers at the Temple Mount. Known as the isra, or the night journey, a mira, or ascension to heaven soon followed, and Mohammed was united with Allah, making this area the third holiest place in Islam, after Mecca and Medina.

The conflict lies in that the Noble Sanctuary was built where the first and second Jewish temples used to stand. Jews believe the land is theirs, since they arrived long before the Muslims. The latter feel the land is their own. The wounds run deep for both groups and it is said that a person's loyalty is determined by the name that they call this area.

Non-Muslims are free to walk around the Noble Sanctuary, which houses a complex of holy shrines and gardens, but are prohibited from entering the Qubbat al-Sakhra or the Dome of the Rock. A prominent gold-domed and blue tiled structure built between A.D. 688 and 691, it was built to cover a tremendous rock that holds massive historical significance for Jews, Muslims and Christians. It is believed that this is the rock where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac to prove his faith to God. Although the names and details of the event vary between the faiths, both Jews and Muslims claim they hold the rights to the rock. Some ancient maps even list this location as the centre of the world. One thing all three faiths agree on is that the rock is a gateway to heaven and a direct connection to God.

The Wailing Wall

Built 2,000 years ago the Ha-Kotel Ha-Ma'aravi, better known as the Western or Wailing Wall is the Jews’ holiest site. It is the retaining wall from the Second Temple on which the Noble Sanctuary now stands. After the second temple was destroyed by the Romans in A.D.70, the Jews were sent into exile and the exact location of the temple was lost. When they were allowed back into Jerusalem, they purposely avoided the Temple Mount because they feared they might step on the Holy of Holies, the sacred inner sanctum of the Second Temple. Instead began to pray at the wall. From 1948 to 1967, Jews were denied access but reclaimed it during the Six Day War, making the wall even more bittersweet.

The wall is 20 metres high and constructed of square stones that measure more than a metre thick and weigh up to 100 tonnes each. The name Wailing Wall refers to the grief that Jews express at the wall in regards to the lost temple. Many Jews say that this is as close as they can get to God. People leave kvitlach or scraps of paper in its cracks with messages and prayers that they hope will be answered by God.

A rabbi approaches me. “Where are you from?” he says, politely sizing me up. “New York,” I answer, smiling. He stares at me a few seconds longer. “You're not a Jew,” he says. “How'd you know?” I answer, hoping he didn't think me disrespectful for touching the wall. He points to the floppy gardening hat I'm sporting. “Most women who visit the wall wear a tichel (head-scarf) or at the very least a fancier hat than that,” he replies.

Sensing my awkwardness he moves in closer and tells me a joke: “A Jew goes to the Western Wall every year and places a prayer in a crack that says: 'God, please help me win the lottery.' Year after year he loses. He doesn't understand why. But still, he returns each year with renewed hopes of a windfall. After several years of unanswered requests, God finally speaks to him: 'Nudnick,' he says, 'just go and buy a ticket already!'” And with that, the rabbi smiles and walks away.

Crucifixion and Resurrection

The Christian Quarter is home to the holiest Christian site, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Many Christians believe this is where Calvary (also known as Golgotha) is located, where Christ's crucifixion and resurrection took place. As with the city's other holy sites, it has a long history of being built, destroyed and rebuilt. The church as we know it today was constructed approximately 300 years after the crucifixion when three crosses were excavated, one believed to be Christ's. For the past 16 centuries, pilgrims have been coming here to get close to God.

The church is quite gloomy, but also impressive. I'm struck by its many levels, altars, doors and columns, but all the while, I can't help but feel a pang of disappointment that the site of the crucifixion and resurrection are in the middle of such a busy city. I had always envisioned Calvary as a barren stretch of wasteland far from Jerusalem's city limits. When I address my concern to a priest standing nearby, he reminds me that 2,000 years ago Calvary was merely an empty plot of land. I find this bit of reassurance comforting and move on.

I queue for half an hour waiting to enter the Tomb of Christ, where it is said Christ rose from the dead. A spectacular ornate altar covers the tomb and its innermost room is just over 1.25 metres high. I crouch low to enter. Before the church was built, the tomb was carved away from the surrounding rock in the hillside. It is said to look much the same today.

The tomb itself is tiny and I am quite cramped. Within 20 seconds I'm asked to move on. I can only describe the experience as surreal. I envisioned the tomb to feel touristy, but it wasn't. I later tried to make sense of it, and realised that it was quite different from my experience at the Temple Mount and Western Wall. I felt an almost physical presence here and a deep sadness within its walls. For the first time, I felt something other than apathy while in a church.

I'm relieved to get back into the sunshine. In the end, I didn't succumb to the Jerusalem Syndrome, but I did leave the city different from when I arrived. I came here for more than knowledge, but not necessarily for God. I'm still the perpetual observer, only now, with an understanding that we're all somehow connected, regardless of whether we worship or not.