Mount of Olives

The Mount of Olives (also Mount Olivet, Hebrew: Har HaZeitim הר הזיתים, sometimes Jebel et-Tur, "Mount of the Summit," or Jebel ez-Zeitun, "Mount of Olives") is a mountain ridge to the east of Jerusalem. It is named from the olive trees with which its sides are clothed. At the foot of the mountain is the Gardens of Gethsemane where Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives is the site of many important Biblical events.

Related Topics:
Hebrew - Jerusalem - Olive tree - Gardens of Gethsemane - Biblical

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In, the Book of Zechariah, the Mount of Olives is identified as the place from which God will begin to redeem the dead at the end of days. For this reason, Jews have always sought to be buried on the mountain, and from Biblical times to the present day the mountain has been used as a cemetery for the Jews of Jerusalem. There are an estimated 150,000 graves on the Mount, including many famous figures. Just a few of these include Tomb of Zechariah the Prophet (who prophesized there), Yad Avshalom, and a host of great Rabbis from the 15th to the 20th centuries including Abraham Isaac Kook, the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel.

Related Topics:
Book of Zechariah - God - End of days - Jew - Zechariah - Yad Avshalom - Rabbi - 15th - 20th centuries - Abraham Isaac Kook - Ashkenazi - Israel

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Vandalism of graves on the Mount has long been a problem. Major damage was suffered when the Mount was occupied by Jordan during the early history of Israel.

Related Topics:
Vandalism - Jordan

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