We’ve often said that Mount Zion, and what we’ve been doing of the past few years with Window to Mount Zion – can truly be an example for the rest of the world.
Thanks to our board member, Sharon Rosen, it’s becoming just that. Sharon is Global Director of Religious Engagement for the international NGO Search for Common Ground, and she recently testified to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom in late October, about the protection of holy places.
Sharon Rosen testifying at US Commission
Here’s a video of the whole hearing, Sharon’s testimony begins at 1:15. She starts talking about Mount Zion at 1:36 (one hour and 36 minutes in).
She also submitted a written testimony, where Window to Mount Zion and its accomplishments was described in more detail. Here’s that part of her written testimony:
Mount Zion, Jerusalem: In the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict and frequent violence around holy sites, Search’s Jerusalem program, together with the Jerusalem Intercultural Center based on Mount Zion and with the endorsement of the Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land, worked to reduce interreligious tensions, build cooperation, protect places of worship, and turn Mount Zion into a center that celebrates the heritages of all three religions attached to it – Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Just outside Jerusalem’s Old City walls, Mount Zion is the location of a highly sensitive shared holy site for the Abrahamic Faiths – the Tomb of King David/Nabi Daud, the Room of the Last Supper and a Minaret, all in one building. Centuries-long conflict over ownership and religious rights, fueled by rivalry and intolerance, had resulted in an atmosphere of suspicion and violence. This initiative aimed at changing this atmosphere by building trust and cooperation on issues of common interest. Activities included: engaging religious actors with representatives from government ministries, the municipality, and law enforcement agencies to identify shared concerns and find collaborative solutions; establishing a body of volunteers to help maintain a harmonious atmosphere and assist with religious services; and organizing workshops and site visits for Jerusalem Old City’s law enforcement authorities and youth to increase interreligious sensitivity.
The results have been quite spectacular given the initial mistrust and intermittent violent behavior. For the first time ever, a 2016 desecration of the Dormition Abbey, located on Mount Zion, elicited a joint public condemnation by religious leaders living on the Mount;4 local authorities were enlisted to repair safety hazards; law enforcement improved; and there was a reduction in violence. Over one thousand Jewish youth and hundreds of Palestinian youth have taken part in tours to expand understanding of the attachments of different religions to their sacred spaces. In one specific example of the project’s influence, an interfaith group of volunteers cleaned up years of garbage and restored tombstones in the famous Muslim Dajani-Daoudi Cemetery on Mount Zion while supplied with refreshments from the local Ultra-Orthodox, politically right-wing Jewish seminary overlooking the cemetery. These types of acts may seem like small steps, but they build trust across hardened divides, foster critical discussions about protecting spaces for all faiths, and promote mutual acceptance that undermines acts of hate in the long run.
Many thanks Sharon, for your words here. Many thanks, too, for your partnership in helping us launch and continue this wonderful project!
