THE HOLINESS OF JERUSALEM - ASSET OR BURDEN

Since the 1967 war, Jerusalem and the Jewish holy places have acquired a new centrality even in the traditionally secular Labor Zionist visi on. After noting a parallel shift toward religiosity among the early C hristians following the excavation of the Holy Sepulchre, the author d iscusses the connection between sacred relies and identity as well as the impulse to demolish rival artifacts and claims. Drawing numerous e xamples from history and scripture to illustrate her points, the autho r traces the city's changing importance to the three faiths over the c enturies, correlating the intensity of feeling with perceptions of thr eat or loss. Finally, she examines the differing concepts of holiness, contrasting the traditionally pluralist Muslim vision of holiness wit h Judaism's and Christianity's more exclusivist cult of the city's san ctity. The article ends with a discussion of David's conquest of Jerus alem, which leaves scope for greater inclusiveness than is generally a ssumed.