The documentary recounts the history of the Jerusalem from about the fourth millennium BCE to the birth of Jesus in nearby Bethlehem. Depicting the city as the spiritual and cultural capital for the ancient Hebrews, it tells of King David's heroic defeat of the Jebusites in 1,000 BCE, of the construction of the first temple, and finally of its fall to the Romans in about 63 BCE.

With vibrant footage of many of the city's most significant historic sites, the documentary offers a glimpse of the city's ancient and legendary past. It is recommended for high school students.

Vocabulary

• Knesset
• Hanukkah
• monotheistic
• diversity
• orthodox
• messiah
• crusaders
• archeologist
• pagan
• irrigation.

Discussion Questions

1. What does Jerusalem symbolize to Jews, to Christians, to Muslims?
2. What is the significance of the Dome of the Rock to Jews? to Muslims?
3. What do archeologists do? Why does the narrator call archeology "the weapon of discovery"?
4. List some of King David's accomplishments. Why did he make Jerusalem the capital of Israel?
5. How were the Israelites of Solomon's day able to raise agricultural goods in a climate that received no rain for approximately six months of the year?
6. What does the Menorah symbolize? Why is a Menorah outside the Knesset?
7. What was Jerusalem like when Jesus arrived there? What were some of the city's significant sites in Jesus' life?
8. Why was the second Temple destroyed?

Research Projects

1. Islam, Judaism and Christianity are all monotheistic religions, and they share a faith in some of the Old Testament prophets. Compare the Muslim, Christian, and Jewish belief systems. How are they similar? How do they differ? Write an essay in which you compare and contrast the three religions, and discuss why followers of any one of the three might have trouble understanding the beliefs of the others. Or create a chart showing these differences in outline form.
2. Make a drawing or scale model of ancient Jerusalem and its water system. Be sure to highlight irrigation tunnels and bridges.
3. Imagine you are one of the ancient olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane. Describe what you saw on the night of the Last Supper and Jesus' last hour of prayer.
4. Imagine you have traveled in time back to a market place in ancient Jerusalem. Write a journal about your experiences there. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell?