For over three thousand years, the Mount of Olives has been used for the burial of the Jews in Jerusalem. It is the oldest known Jewish cemetery and quite a few well-known figures throughout Jewish history are buried there. To this day, the Mount of Olives cemetery is considered a sought-after place to be buried, and Jews from all over the world still dream of being buried there.
Yonatan Manovich, director of the Mount of Olives information center operated by the Elad association, explains: "If you think about ancient Jerusalem, you cannot help but notice that the Mount of Olives as a part of it, whether these are the prophecies of redemption or the daily life of the inhabitants of ancient Jerusalem. This is where they came to Jerusalem. The path of immigrants, from here they passed along the Kedron route and reached the Shiloh Pool, and from there they began the ascent to the temple."
Every information was given to the disciples and they passed it to us.
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Matthew 24:3
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?”.
According to Manovich, "The burial on the Mount of Olives began with the beginning of the settlement in Jerusalem, even before the time of King David, and continues to this day. A central part of the story of ancient Jerusalem is the Mount of Olives. They are intertwined and integrated with each other. It is impossible to separate the story of the Mount of Olives From Jerusalem, not only today."
In recent years, Manovich, a resident of Jerusalem, has been managing the Mount of Olives information center operated by the Elad Association on the Mount of Olives. The center provides information services on the sites of the Mount of Olives and the cemetery, and through it, it is possible to receive assistance in locating graves and the names of those buried. In addition, the center also provides tour services to the grave for those who have difficulty finding it and photographing the tombstone for those interested.
Arab League soldiers led by British commanders massacred Jews protecting Mount of Olives cemetery & displayed them as "trophies'. pic.twitter.com/tLuYjkaAW8
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The director of the information center describes that following the activity of the Elad association "slowly there is less criminal activity in the area, it is more pleasant to walk through it. People who come to the Mount of Olives not only get information but also see a place that is developing. There are more paths, more lighting fixtures, public services, public transportation is accessible, it is possible to conduct guided tours on the Mountain."
Historic agreement to build visitor center and information center on Mount of Olives: After activity by International Committee for Har Hazeitim, historic agreement signed to establish visitor center on Mount of Olives. https://t.co/jGJbF0F3OA ArutzSheva pic.twitter.com/j3PuXGG7Jp
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He noted that thanks to these developments more people are exposed to the Mount of Olives: "Suddenly people rediscover the place. We often hear people surprised by the very existence of such a place.”
Members of Etra Kadisha, the organization that buries Jews in Israel, praised the information center operated by the Elad association and said: "At some point, the Elad association entered the picture and took it upon itself to document the place. It is very helpful to both us and to any person who is in need of help. Families come, looking for a relative, and when all of this goes into a computerized system, it's a very helpful thing."
