Mount Zion is one of Jerusalem’s most significant shared spaces, bringing together Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities in a single, highly sensitive environment. With religious institutions, pilgrims, residents, and visitors all using the same space, even small misunderstandings can quickly become sources of tension.
Through its Welcome to Mount Zion initiative, JICC works to strengthen communication, coordination, and mutual understanding among the diverse communities that share the mountain. Led by JICC’s Director of Partnerships, Tami Lavie, the project creates regular opportunities for dialogue between religious institutions, community representatives, and other stakeholders who rarely have structured opportunities to meet.
A key component of the initiative is a quarterly forum that brings together Jewish and Christian representatives to address practical issues such as accessibility, visitor experience, safety, and the shared use of public space. By creating direct channels of communication, many challenges can be addressed before they escalate into larger conflicts.
The project also works to improve intercultural understanding through training programs for security personnel and other frontline staff, while promoting greater accessibility to important religious and historical sites on Mount Zion.
At its core, Welcome to Mount Zion is based on a simple idea: shared spaces function best when relationships exist before problems arise. Through ongoing dialogue, trust-building, and practical cooperation, the initiative helps ensure that one of Jerusalem’s most sacred places remains welcoming, accessible, and respectful for all who visit.