Abu Tor
Abu Tor (Arabic: أبو طور or الثوري , Hebrew: אבו תור) (lit. "Father of the Bull") is a mixed Jewish and Arab neighborhood in central Jerusalem, Israel, south of the Old City. Abu Tor is bounded by the Valley of Hinnom on the north, Hebron Road and the old Jerusalem Railway Station to the west, and the Sherover Promenade, Armon Hanatziv and Peace Forest to the south.[1]
Etymology
The Arabic name Abu Tor may be related to the worship of Ba'al, a god who assumed the form of a bull.[2] The official Hebrew name of the neighborhood is Givat Hananya ("Hananya's Hill").[2]
History
From the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 until 1967, the border between Israel and Jordan ran through Abu Tor. The first four roads beyond Hebron Road were Israeli and the remaining roads were Jordanian.[1] In January 1949, Israel and Jordan, represented by Moshe Dayan and Abdullah el Tell, held talks on the status of Jerusalem. Dayan presented the partition of Jerusalem as a common interest, and offered to give back much of the territory conquered in the 1948 war, including the military post in Abu Tor, but his offer was turned down.[3]
Demography
Abu Tor is one of the few Jerusalem neighborhoods with a mixed Arab and Jewish population. Many journalists and United Nations employees live there.[4] While the Jewish section of Abu Tor is predominantly secular, the neighborhood has two synagogues - Har Refaim Synagogue for Ashkenazi Jews on Nachshon Street,[5] and Shalom V'Achva Synagogue for Sephardi Jews.
References
- ^ a b About Abu Tor - Har Refaim Synagogue, Abu Tor, Jerusalem
- ^ a b Studies in Historical Geography and Biblical Historiography by Zecharia Kallai
- ^ Jerusalem: A city and its future, Marshall J. Berger and Ora Ahimeir
- ^ NJ.com: Special Projects
- ^ http://www.harrefaim.com Har Refaim Synagogue - Abu Tor, Jerusalem
31°45′49.1″N 35°13′57.5″E / 31.763639°N 35.232639°E
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1686801,00.html