Jerusalem Mountains, Israel

Photo: The Central Judean Hills, commonly known in Israel as Jerusalem Mountains.

Photo: The urban landscape area around Jerusalem, view from Jerusalem's entrance.

The Jerusalem Mountains is a mountain range spread across Israel and the West Bank. It is also known by names such as Judean Mountains, Judean Hills, Hebron Hills and Jibal al-Khalil. The mountain range has several religious and historical places which are sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Some of the holiest places of Judaism, such as the Temple Mount and the Tomb of the Patriarchs, are located in this mountain range. Also, Jerusalem and several other cities such as Hebron, Bethlehem and Ramallah are located here.

The Judean Mountains is a natural division between the Shephelah coastal plains in the west and the Jordan Rift Valley to the east, and rain shadow region responsible for the formation of the Judean desert is because of this mountain range.

The mountain range spans from north to south, and extends to west and east of Jerusalem and at the southern end is Mount Hebron. In prehistoric times, Judean Mountains was home to animals such as elephants, rhinoceros, giraffes and Wild Asian Water Buffalo, which were not found in the Levant region. The range has Karst topography, typified by landscape shaped by the dissolution of layers of soluble bedrock, including a stalactite cave in Nahal Sorek National Park between Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh and the area surrounding Ofra, where fossils of prehistoric flora and fauna were excavated.

Ruth by Francesco Hayez

Painting: ‘Ruth’ (1835) by Francesco Hayez, oil on canvas, dimensions 139 cm x 101 cm.

The Book of Ruth has a unique significance to Jews, because Ruth, who is celebrated as a convert to Judaism, understood Jewish principles and took them to heart. Also the Book of Ruth is read during the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, due to the fact that the story takes place during the barley harvest season and that Shavuot marks the end of the harvest.

For Christians too the book has great significance because the connection between Ruth and David is very important. Jesus of Nazareth was born of Mary, betrothed to Joseph of the lineage of David. Thus in Christian Biblical lineage Ruth is a foremother of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5). The lineage can be traced as: Boaz, father of Obed; Obed, father of Jesse; Jesse, father of David; David, ancestor of Joseph; Joseph, husband of Mary, mother of Jesus.

The genealogy of Jesus at the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew is a male lineage. Only four women from the Old Testament are included in it, one of whom is Ruth. Many Christians interpret Boaz and Ruth as typical of Jesus and the Church. Many women look upon Ruth as a guideline to their lives.