(Information and sources for this article are culled from material put out by Ir David as well as Dr. Eyal Meron’s book “Jerusalem, a Walk Through Time.”)
Yerushalayim is surrounded by mountains (Tehillim 125). The valley separating Har Tzion from the adjacent mountain is Gei Ben Hinom. The Hinom valley is mentioned in Sefer Yehoshua as the border between Shevet Yehuda and Shevet Binyamin (Yehoshua 15:8). This Hinom Valley has a notorious reputation as a place rampant with idol worship and immoral behavior. The Navi Yirmiyahu rebukes the Jewish people for the altars they built in the Hinom Valley to pass their children off (sacrifice their children) to the Molech (Yirmiyahu 32:35). As part of Yoshiyahu’s religious reforms in the 7th Century BCE, Yoshiyahu destroys the “Tofet” in Gei Ben Hinom so people could no longer pass their children off to the Molech(Melachim B 23:10).
Chazal relate the Hinom Valley to Gehinom, Hell. The Gemara teaches that “there are two date palms in the Valley of Hinom, and smoke rises from between them….this is the entrance to Gehinom” (Sukkah 32b).
Despite all of these ominous references, Gei Ben Himon now hosts a spectacular ropes bridge which spans about 660 feet from Mount Zion to the slope of the adjacent mountain. It stands almost 100 feet above ground and took ten months to build. The bridge is an excellent activity for visitors of all types who are not scared of heights! Standing on the bridge gives one an excellent view of Yerushalayim, from the ancient (buildings?) on one side, to the modern windmill of Mishkenot Sha’ananim on the other side. Standing on the bridge also gives one a greater appreciation for the topography of the ancient city of Yerushalayim.
The building of this bridge was subsidized by Israel’s Ministry of Tourism, the Jerusalem municipality, as well as other organizations. The goal was to create an impressive and unique tourist attraction both for Israelis as well as foreign visitors. Visitors of all ages will enjoy the thrill and excitement of this new adventure that opened to the public only a few months ago.
Where did the idea for such a concept come from? Perhaps it was inspired by the French acrobat Philip Petty who walked a tightrope over the Hinom Valley in 1987. With cheers from onlookers, he completed his act from the Jerusalem Cinematheque to Mount Zion. Or maybe it comes from the cable car that stood over the Hinom Valley in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence? It was through this cable car that the Israeli forces were able to secretly provide aid and resources to the Jews of the Old City under siege.
As we look down below, let’s point out that in the 19 years between the founding of the State of Israel and the unification of Yerushalayim in 1967, the border between Israel and Jordan, between West and East Jerusalem, passed through the Hinom Valley.
As we stand on the bridge, we can also talk about the incredible archeological finds that were discovered in the Hinom Valley down below. Jugs, kamias and colorful jewelry were all found from the time of the First Beit Hamikdash. Of course, we must mention the most incredible find discovered in the tombs of Katef Hinom. It was there that a silver amulet containing the text of Birkat Kohanim (almost identical to the one we have now) from over 2600 years ago was discovered by archeologist Gabi Barkay!
It’s important to note that since the Hinom Valley was located outside the ancient city of Yerushalayim, it is full of graves that are constantly being discovered. Kohanim who want to plan a visit are advised to first consult a Rabbinic authority.
This new attraction which connects Israel’s past and present is a great place to visit on your next trip to Israel!
Hava Preil is an enthusiastic Licensed Israeli Tour Guide. She grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and holds an MA in Judaic Studies. Hava has developed and taught accredited courses in Tanach and Jewish Ethics for Naaleh/Woodmont College and Cybersem. She currently lives in Givat Ze’ev, Israel with her family. Hava can be reached at IL:054-844-1579, USA: 845-391-0438 or at [email protected] Visit her new website Home – Hava Preil Tours havapreiltours.com. Reach out to learn about various one-day group tours for Summer 2024!
