Learning the Past
Model of Jerusalem
In june 2006, the Israel Museum in augurated the installation of a large-scale model of ancient Jerusalem at the time of the Second Temple, which has been transferred from the grounds of the Holyland Hotel, Jerusalem. The Holyland Model, envisged and built by the hotel's proprietor Hans Kroch in 1964 together with the late Prof. Avi Yonah of the Hebrew University, has been moved to the campus of the Israel Museum as part of the complex that will complement the Shrine of the Book and its new Dead Seas Scrolls Information and Study Center.
The model, which was built to the scale of 1:50 and made mainly from local limestone, enables the visitor to study the city of Jerusalem, its topology and architecture, and to visualise life in the city at the time of the Second Temple, before its destruction in 70 CE by the Romans. The model is based on contemporary Jewish sources, mainly Josephus Flavius, as well as on the Mishna and Talmud, the New Testament, and on information gleaned from archaeological excavations in various parts of Jerusalem.
The Ruth Youth Wing, which is the educational arm of the Israel Museum, views the installation of the model and its close proximity to the Dead Sea Scrolls as an opportunity to enhance understanding about Jerusalem's turbulant history at the time of the Second temple, and its parallels today. With the model serving as an ideal educational aid, Youth Wing staff intends to develop a new learning program for schoolchildren, as well as for the public at large, which will awaken pride and interest in out Jewish historical heritage and reinforce awareness of the dominant Jewish presence in Jerusalem at the dawn of the first millennium.
In order to carry this out, the Youth Wing is seeking $20,000 to develop, produce and implement the program, which will include new educational materials, which will also integrate archaeological site in Jerusalam to complement the visit to the Museum and the model. The funding will also be allocated to publicising the program in order to ensure awareness of its activites and aims.
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