Mt. Scopus

Mt. Scopus is at the northern end of the Mt. of Olives ridge. Just by its name ‘scopus’ = viewer we can learn that it is a strategic point with an all-round view.

The ridge of Mt. of Olives and Mt. Scopus is the watershed line – meaning that half of the rains that fall on this mountain ridge flow towards the Mediterranean on the west and the other half to the east towards the Dead Sea.

This strategic place was the place that the Romans, the army of Titus 70 AD, started their attack on Jerusalem and conquered and destroyed the Holy Temple, as is described in Jesus’ prophecy of the destruction of the Holy Temple that he so loved: “…there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down…” (Mathew 24 1-2).

The Hebrew University is located on top of Mt. Scopus. It is the 1st University erected in the Middle-East and was established in 1921. 4 years earlier, during World War 1 (1917), this area was captured by the British Forces from the Ottomans.

To date there is a very big and impressive cemetery where all the casualties of this battle have been buried (approximately 3,000 people). This year is the 100th anniversary of the end of the Ottoman rule and the beginning of the Mandate of the British Empire over the land of Israel.

This ridge is located between the Kidron Valley on the West and the desert on the east. This further reinforces that Jerusalem is located on the border of the desert.

You will be able to see in the video the magnificent view from Mt. Scopus of old and new Jerusalem in the west; and eastwards the Judean desert and the Dead Sea; and in the south the Kidron Valley and the Mt. of Olives; and in the north the Samaritan mountains.

To learn more on Temple Mt., Mt.of Olives & the Kidron Valley, you are welcome to relevant posts on my blog.