As a city holy to the Christian faith, Jerusalem can also be proud of its many other historically significant churches. In addition, monasteries are scattered about the city, mostly in sites of particular significance - such as the Old City, the Valley of the Cross (where, it is said, the olive trees grow from which the wood for the “true cross” was taken), and others. Christian visitors to Jerusalem - and that includes just about every one of the more than over two million Christians that have been visiting Israel annually these past few years - will certainly want to experience the sites sanctified by their being a part of the early history of their faith. However, even before wandering about the ancient parts of the city, it’s a good idea to become acclimated to Jerusalem as it was 2000 years ago, by spending some time at the model of Second Temple Jerusalem, which has been moved to the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book complex, where it was also developed and “fine-tuned.” Based on old excavation material, the Talmud, the writings of the historian Josephus and the New Testament, the model was constructed for the main part, of materials used at the time of the Temple - Jerusalem limestone, copper, wood and iron. It was built to a scale of 1:50, i.e., two cm. equals one meter, with an average man, in scale, measuring 3.5 cm. Across the road, Jerusalem’s Bible Land Museum offers a guided tour of part of its exhibition halls, prepared especially for Christian groups. Entitled “From the Chosen
Father to the Chosen Son,” it has been designed to bring to light the most significant and influential civilizations of the ancient world, connect history to the Holy Scriptures and help visitors understand the historical backdrop to the emergence of Judaism and Christianity. For a different type of introduction to Jerusalem, one that is fun-filled as well as entertaining, pay a visit to the city’s “The Time Elevator,” an audio-visual history of Jerusalem presented in a hall outfitted with chairs and a floor featuring motion effects to complement the film and narration. Located within walking distance of the Time Elevator, the Friends of Zion Museum is Jerusalem’s latest attraction with a Christian pedigree. It highlights the contributions of Christian Zionists to the development of the State of Israel and support for the Jewish people over the last 200 years. The museum offers a series of films, three-dimensional maps and exhibits, original musical scores, advanced lighting and video mapping, and more, all produced specifically for the location, to allow its story to be shared. The Western Wall tunnels, left of the Western Wall prayer area, where a model of the Temple Mount can be seen, is also well worth a visit, as is the permanent exhibition of the Tower of David Museum of the City of Jerusalem, at the entrance to Jaffa Gate. Once there, climb to the top of Phasael Tower for a view of the
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