All The Best Answers In This Israel Resource For Jewish Travelers Visiting Jerusalem.
As the capital of Israel, Jerusalem is the largest city in both population and area, with over 800,000 residents in an area of just over 125 km2 or just under 50 sq mi. King David first established Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in 1000 BCE, and his son King Solomon built the First Temple in the holiest place in Israel selected by Almighty G-d, Blessed Be He. It is this very place, as recorded in the holy books of the Jewish People, where Adam was created and where Abraham took his son Isaac to be slaughtered, where Jacob had his dream of angels climbing and descending the ladder to heaven, the spot where the 2nd Temple was to be built and where the Jewish people await the buiilding of the Third Temple, may it come speedily in our days.
Founded as early as the Bronze Age on the hill above the Gihon Spring, the Midrash brings the origin of Jersalem in an ancient story of how two brother lived on each side of the hill. One was poor but had many children, the other was quite wealthy but childless. Each night under the cloak of darkness the brothers would bring a present of wheat stock and other consumables to eachother leaving them as anonomous gifts on the door step not to humiliate the one getting the gift. The wealthy brother felt bad that his sibling with so many children stuggled for sustanance so he would sneak out with his gift in hand only to return bewildered at the kind present waiting on his step. The other, full of compassion for his brother with no off spring to care for him in his old age, would do the same and be equally bewildered upon his return to find what awaited him. One night, each on their own mission of kindness bumped into eachother under the moons glow. They fell into eachothers arms crying with tears of joy from the love they felt for eachother. Just there, at that spot, the Good Lord decided to build his home, a sanctuary where he would dwell with His creations.
In the last century and mostly over the last sixty years, this location in Israel's Judean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea and the northern edge of the Dead Sea has grown far beyond the boundaries of the Ancient Old City of King David. Today's Jerusalem is a modern metropolis, a holy city to the three major Abrahamic religions, first and foremost Judaism, and also Christianity and Islam. Israel's capital showcases spectacular nightlife, world class restaurants and hotels, tourist attractions and entertainment events not to mention some of the finest museums that can be found anywhere.
Visitors to Israel flock to the Western Wall and above it to the Temple Mount. They walk barefoot through the canal built by King Hezekiah under the City of David. Houses and landmarks of historical figures speckle the city of peace in the same way that they cover Jewish History's timeline. Many of Jerusalem's neighborhoods are saturated with archaeology and this is reflected in the architectural design of much of the Jerusalem real estate beit the German Colony, Rehavia, Talbieh, Nacholot, Maya Sharim or the multitude of other city locals.
Sure the Jerusalem visitor comes away with plenty of dead sea cosmetics and first class Judaica Products, a son or daughter's celebration of the Bar or Bat Mitzvah and the aniversay gift of fine Israeli Jewelry destined to become a family heirloom for generations to come. Yet, all of this pales to the emotion that is uncovered from the depth of the heart of every Jew that comes to Israel and sees Jerusalem for themselves. Teddy Kolek, the City's mayor for many years once said, "This heart and soul of the Jewish people engenders the thought that if you want one simple word to symbolize all of Jewish history, that word would be ‘Jerusalem.” And this reveals the truth that the city itself is the symbol and most profound expression of the Jewish people's identity.