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Doron Bar

Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies - Jerusalem, Land of Israel Studies, Faculty Member

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Professor Doron Bar specializes in cultural-historical geography, researching popular and national sacred sites in the history of Palestine and the State of Israel. He has published numerous books and articles on the history of pilgrimage to Palestine during Late Antiquity and the nineteenth century, and on the development of Jewish and national sacred sites in the State of Israel. He has recently published a book on Landscape and Ideology: Reinterment of Renowned Jews in the Land of Israel 1904-1967 (Berlin: de Gruyter, 2016). At present, Professor Bar serves as the President of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.

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Jacob Ashkenazi

Kinneret College on the Sea of Galilee

Mordechai aviam

Kinneret College on the Sea of Galilee

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Eretz Israel Museum Tel Aviv

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Papers by Doron Bar

הסקר הארכיאולוגי כמקור ללימוד אוכלוסיית ארץ־ישראל בשלהי העת העתיקה

ארץ ישראל בשלהי העת העתיקה, יד יצחק בן צבי, 2023

Kivrei tsadikim as holy places The tsadikification process of Jewish cemeteries in the state of Israel

JOURNAL OF MODERN JEWISH STUDIES, 2023

This paper analyzes the major change in the Jewish sacred space in Israel. It demonstrates the di... more This paper analyzes the major change in the Jewish sacred
space in Israel. It demonstrates the distinct process wherein
pilgrimages emphasizing ancient Jewish history are often
replaced by visits at the tombs of venerated contemporary
figures. In various places throughout Israel (and the
Diaspora), a complex system of sacred tombs has
developed comprising sites that are physically and
symbolically distant from Jerusalem. In recent years,
cemeteries throughout the State of Israel have been
transformed from burial places serving the families of the
deceased to pilgrimage destinations for visitors specifically
seeking to prostrate themselves on the holy graves of
rabbis, public figures, and leaders of communities and
Hasidic dynasties, whether Mizrachi or Ashkenazi. This
tsadikification process has developed almost without
institutional or national political involvement, and is the
result of the activities of individuals and families, non-profit
organizations, Hasidic dynasties, and various organizations
promoting the expansion of the map of Jewish sanctity.

From a Partition to a Barrier: the Separation of Men and Women in Israel’s Jewish Holy Places

Israel Studies Review, 2023

This article examines gender separation at Jewish holy sites in the State of Israel. From a rare ... more This article examines gender separation at Jewish holy sites in the State of Israel. From a rare and sporadic phenomenon just a few decades ago, gender serparation at sacred sites has become normative. Segregation is in part directed 'from above' by the State of Israel's various religious arms, which fund, organize, and oversee the practice. But it also arises 'from below' as a result of the activity of individuals and Haredi groups-both Ashkenazi and Mizrahi-leading to the imposition of increasingly stringent modesty demands on Jewish Israeli women. Gender separation is presented as a religious obligation, and state authorities accept this extreme interpretation as if it represented a monolithic, unchanging religious position.

Changes in Jerusalem's Jewish Holy Places: The Sanctification of the Tombs of the Righteous in Three of the City's Cemeteries, 1967–2017

AJS Review, 2021

Chapter 7. Ze’ev Jabotinsky – “My remains ... may not be transferred to Palestine unless by order of that country’s eventual Jewish government”

Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibli... more

Holy Places or Historical Sites? Defining Sacred and Archaeological Sites in Israel, 1948–1967

History of Religions, 2018

In the following, I discuss a number of Jewish holy places that concurrently served as pilgrimage... more In the following, I discuss a number of Jewish holy places that concurrently served as pilgrimage sites and as historical-antiquity sites after the state was founded in 1948, and where fierce disputes arose due to this duality. The tension between archaeologists and the religious establishment surrounding these places was not only related to the question of how to define them, but also, consequently, the question of who owns the sites, who will interoperate their meaning and determine the way they will be presented to the public. The competition was also about pow

The Western Wall

The Western Wall, 2020

The Western Wall-Judaism's holiest site-occupies a prominent position in contemporary Jewish and ... more The Western Wall-Judaism's holiest site-occupies a prominent position in contemporary Jewish and Israeli discourse, current events, and local politics. In The Western Wall: The Dispute over Israel's Holiest Jewish Site, 1967-2000, Kobi Cohen-Hattab and Doron Bar o fer a detailed exploration of the Western Wall plaza's evolution in the late twentieth century. The examination covers the role of archaeology in de ning the space, the Western Wall's transformation as an Israeli and Jewish symbol, and the movement to open it to a variety of Jewish denominations. The book studies the central processes and shifts that took place at the Western Wall during the three decades that followed the Six-Day War-a relatively short yet crucial chapter in Jerusalem's extensive history. Readership All interested in Jewish and Israeli Studies, those who are drawn to Jerusalem's history during the Modern Era, students, academics, specialists, and educated laymen interested in architecture, memory studies, gender studies and the changing Jewish world. For more information see brill.com

From Wailing to Rebirth: The Development of the Western Wall as an Israeli National Symbol After the Six-Day War

Contemporary Jewry, 2018

This article focuses on the changes that occurred in the significance of Israel's Western Wall af... more This article focuses on the changes that occurred in the significance of Israel's Western Wall after the Six-Day War in 1967, when the site became a prominent Jewish and Israeli symbol. We examine the processes that established the Western Wall as a site combining both Jewish and Israeli components of identitya place of national importance in Israeli consciousness. During these processes, the religious and historic contexts of the site remained intact and were even strengthened, but they were now supplemented by modern Zionist-national values and expressions. The new reality created at the Western Wall accorded it a new and extraordinary status as a national holy place. The site continued to represent the past and Israel's religious and historical heritage, and Jews continued to visit it for religious and traditional reasons. The innovation was that the Western Wall was now infused with new content relevant to the post-Six-Day War period and to the social and cultural characteristics of Israeli society during those years. The site served as a source of connection for the diverse expressions of Israeli identity, and it accommodated a relatively wide range of worldviews, from religious-traditional (and perhaps even ultra-Orthodox) perspectives to civil-national perspectives.

Can the two go together? Archaeology and sanctity at the Western Wall and surrounding area, 1967–1977

Journal of Modern Jewish Studies, 2017

Archaeologists, politicians and religious figures competed for the right to dig in the area of th... more Archaeologists, politicians and religious figures competed for the right to dig in the area of the Western Wall, in places that would later be known as the "Western Wall Plaza," "Western Wall Tunnels" and "Western Wall excavations." A struggle would unfold during 1967-1977 between, on one side, the rabbis and religious politicians who received responsibility and exclusivity from the state for the area of the sacred wall, and on the other side, the scientists and archaeologists awarded the right to excavate there by the state. The dispute centred on the question of whether the Western Wall area is only a holy place or also an historic and national monument, and who has the right to operate there. This article, using archival documents and newspaper accounts, focuses on the interaction between sanctity, archaeology and the unique national context of the extensive activity conducted in the Western Wall area during that time. It aims to describe how this space developed during the decade following the Six-Day War, and to discuss the political forces that shaped it during that period.

Continuity and change in the cultic topography of late antique Palestine

Destruction and Renewal of Local Cultic Topography in Late Antiquity, 2008

Many of those who research the history of Palestine during late antiquity 1 assume that the proce... more Many of those who research the history of Palestine during late antiquity 1 assume that the process whereby the local pagan 2 population underwent religious conversion had been completed by the middle of this period. 3 It has been argued that "in no place in Palestine can we recognize the survival of pagan communities later than the fi rst half of the fi fth century." 4 The process of conversion was expedited, so it is claimed, by the vast sums of money invested in building churches, coupled with the density of holy sites and the thousands of pilgrims who made the journey to those places. 5 All these factors jointly contributed to making Palestine unique compared to other provinces in the Roman empire. 6 During the past few decades, various areas of the State of Israel underwent extensive archaeological research. The many surveys and

Aelia Capitolina and the Location of the Camp of the Tenth Legion

Palestine Exploration Quarterly, 1998

La Dixieme Legion (Fretensis) etait la garnison romaine deployee a Jerusalem apres la destruction... more La Dixieme Legion (Fretensis) etait la garnison romaine deployee a Jerusalem apres la destruction du Second Temple en 70 apr. J.-C., comme le confirme Flavius Josephe (La Guerre des Juifs). D'apres cette source, le camp militaire a ete situe par les historiens pres du mur occidental du Second Temple, utilise par les Romains comme fortification. Dans cet article, l'auteur montre, d'apres les descriptions de Flavius Josephe et plusieurs decouvertes archeologiques, que la question de la localisation de ce camp militaire est loin d'etre resolue et remet en question sa situation presumee a l'interieur des limites de la ville

Mapping Muslim Sacred Tombs in Palestine During the Mandate Period

Levant, 2013

ABSTRACT The Muslim tombs of local saints and prophets were an integral part of the landscape of ... more ABSTRACT The Muslim tombs of local saints and prophets were an integral part of the landscape of British Mandate Palestine. They were ubiquitous and significant; located in almost all parts of the region, from the slopes of the Hermon Mountain in the north, to the Negev Desert in the south. These shrines were found in cities, towns and countryside, extending from the shores of the Mediterranean to the Great Rift Valley. However, no systematic study of their extent or significant analysis of the monuments has been undertaken. Using British period maps and additional sources from the 1930–40s, this study analyses almost 800 Muslim tombs and sanctuaries. Through comparison with the Palestine Exploration Fund survey of the 1870s and other sources from the Late Ottoman Period, the article identifies patterns associated with these tombs, including their history and, in some cases, their origins and the changes that they underwent during this period. Case studies of different regions and analysis of the physical and geographical location of the monuments also sheds light on their significance in various regions of Palestine and to different population groups.

The Jewish Quarter after 1967: A Case Study on the Creation of an Ideological-Cultural Landscape in Jerusalem's Old City

Journal of Urban History, 2011

ABSTRACT The article explores the reconstruction of Jerusalem&amp;#39;s Jewish Quarter after ... more ABSTRACT The article explores the reconstruction of Jerusalem&amp;#39;s Jewish Quarter after the 1967 war, with an emphasis on the area&amp;#39;s emergence as a symbolic Israeli landscape. The post-1967 Jewish Quarter became a symbol of national renewal and of Jewish control over united Jerusalem. In fact, it was the destruction during the 1948 war and the severe neglect in its aftermath that pro-vided Israel the opportunity to recreate the area&amp;#39;s geography and history, to design and build it anew from both a physical and a symbolic standpoint. After 1967, primarily during the formative years of the 1970s and 1980s, various agents—politicians, planners, contractors, archeologists, clergy, cultural groups, and private people—had their impact on the revival of the Jewish Quar-ter. Together, they crafted a new landscape whose connection to the pre-1948 neighborhood is extremely vague. By drawing from the quarter&amp;#39;s past in a selective manner, these agents created new forms of historical memory, which helped forge and bolster Israeli identity and pride. At the end of this process, it is doubtful whether the symbolic values of the Jewish Quarter as one can experience them today were developed according to ideas that the government agents had in the beginning of its reconstruction.

<i>"Fill the Earth": Settlement in Palestine during the Late Roman and Byzantine Periods, 135–640 CE</i>, and: <i>The "Mother of All Churches": The Church of Palestine from its Foundation to the Arab Conquest</i> (review)

Journal of Late Antiquity, 2009

The Christianisation of Rural Palestine during Late Antiquity

The Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 2003

Focusing on the rural zones of Palestine and exploiting extensive archaeological research permits... more Focusing on the rural zones of Palestine and exploiting extensive archaeological research permits a re-examination of the traditional view that much of Palestine had been Christianised by the late fourth century. This article suggests that the process of adopting Christianity in the countryside was far more gradual than previously believed. While the map of holy sites in Palestine had largely taken shape by the end of the fourth century, the conversion of the population only achieved real momentum during the fifth and sixth centuries. Research on the community churches of Palestine, in particular on their location in the villages, reveals that Christian penetration into the countryside stemmed from internal social developments and was not institutional in inspiration.

Holocaust Commemoration in Israel During the 1950s: The Holocaust Cellar on Mount Zion

Jewish Social Studies: History, Culture, and Society, 2005

Holocaust Commemoration in Israel During the 1950s: The Holocaust Cellar on Mount Zion Doron Bar ... more Holocaust Commemoration in Israel During the 1950s: The Holocaust Cellar on Mount Zion Doron Bar t the end of World War II, once the magnitude of the Holocaust became clear, Jews-organizations and individualsbegan thinking about the most suitable ways to commemorate it. 1 One of the first commemoration sites for the Holocaust's victims was the Holocaust Cellar (Martef ha-Shoah). It is situated on Mount Zion, near King David's Tomb 2 overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem, which, at the time of the site's construction, was under Jordanian rule. The establishment and development of the Holocaust Cellar, mainly by the Ministry of Religious Affairs' director general Shmuel Zanwil Kahana, was part of a broader process of sanctifying Mount Zion and King David's Tomb and turning them into the central holy place in the State of Israel. 3 The activity in the Holocaust Cellar during the 1950s centered on traditional Jewish commemoration and was fundamentally different from the commemorational activities in other sites in the State of Israel; moreover, it was totally distinct from Yad Vashem, which was developed at around the same period but emphasized national-secular A

Rural Monasticism as a Key Element in the Christianization of Byzantine Palestine

Harvard Theological Review, 2005

In Palestine, Christian monasticism began early in the fourth century C.E. The first monks known ... more In Palestine, Christian monasticism began early in the fourth century C.E. The first monks known to us by name are Hilarion of Thavata, who lived in the region of Gaza; Epiphanius, who settled near Eleutheropolis, in the Shephelah; and Chariton, a native of Iconium in Asia Minor who became the founder of monasticism in the Judean Desert. The monastic movement spread throughout Palestine during the Byzantine period (324–642 C.E.), and the remains ofmonasteries have been found in diverse areas. Many monasteries were establishedin or around large cities, or at holy places and sites of pilgrimage, while others were set in desert areas.

Population, settlement and economy in Late Roman and Byzantine Palestine (70–641 AD)

Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 2004

This paper outlines the centrality of the Late Roman period in the settlement history of Palestin... more This paper outlines the centrality of the Late Roman period in the settlement history of Palestine, and the marginal contribution of the Christian establishment to the development of the land. Settlement momentum during these periods resulted from the fact that Palestine was part of the Roman Empire. The historical trends in Palestine should be regarded as part of a broader political settlement drive that characterized the eastern parts of the Roman realm during the period under discussion. The argument that the process of expansion was unique and stemmed from Palestine's holiness in the eyes of the Christian world is unfounded.

Jerusalem inside a museum? The Tower of David Museum and the dilemmas behind it, 1967–89

Israel Affairs, 2021

ABSTRACT In 1989, The Jerusalem Citadel (or Tower of David) was inaugurated as the Museum of the ... more ABSTRACT In 1989, The Jerusalem Citadel (or Tower of David) was inaugurated as the Museum of the History of Jerusalem. The museum’s establishment stretched over two decades, highlighting the different dilemmas that were tied to the State of Israel’s attitude towards Jerusalem generally and the Old City in particular. The museum displayed Jerusalem using a historical-chronological approach, avoiding adapting it to the city’s multicultural, vibrant, diverse, and multihued society after the Six-Day War. This spared and precluded the possibility of focusing on the city’s many dilemmas, its complex population and the city’s many political questions and schisms following 1967.

הסקר הארכיאולוגי כמקור ללימוד אוכלוסיית ארץ־ישראל בשלהי העת העתיקה

ארץ ישראל בשלהי העת העתיקה, יד יצחק בן צבי, 2023

Kivrei tsadikim as holy places The tsadikification process of Jewish cemeteries in the state of Israel

JOURNAL OF MODERN JEWISH STUDIES, 2023

This paper analyzes the major change in the Jewish sacred space in Israel. It demonstrates the di... more This paper analyzes the major change in the Jewish sacred
space in Israel. It demonstrates the distinct process wherein
pilgrimages emphasizing ancient Jewish history are often
replaced by visits at the tombs of venerated contemporary
figures. In various places throughout Israel (and the
Diaspora), a complex system of sacred tombs has
developed comprising sites that are physically and
symbolically distant from Jerusalem. In recent years,
cemeteries throughout the State of Israel have been
transformed from burial places serving the families of the
deceased to pilgrimage destinations for visitors specifically
seeking to prostrate themselves on the holy graves of
rabbis, public figures, and leaders of communities and
Hasidic dynasties, whether Mizrachi or Ashkenazi. This
tsadikification process has developed almost without
institutional or national political involvement, and is the
result of the activities of individuals and families, non-profit
organizations, Hasidic dynasties, and various organizations
promoting the expansion of the map of Jewish sanctity.

From a Partition to a Barrier: the Separation of Men and Women in Israel’s Jewish Holy Places

Israel Studies Review, 2023

This article examines gender separation at Jewish holy sites in the State of Israel. From a rare ... more This article examines gender separation at Jewish holy sites in the State of Israel. From a rare and sporadic phenomenon just a few decades ago, gender serparation at sacred sites has become normative. Segregation is in part directed 'from above' by the State of Israel's various religious arms, which fund, organize, and oversee the practice. But it also arises 'from below' as a result of the activity of individuals and Haredi groups-both Ashkenazi and Mizrahi-leading to the imposition of increasingly stringent modesty demands on Jewish Israeli women. Gender separation is presented as a religious obligation, and state authorities accept this extreme interpretation as if it represented a monolithic, unchanging religious position.

Changes in Jerusalem's Jewish Holy Places: The Sanctification of the Tombs of the Righteous in Three of the City's Cemeteries, 1967–2017

AJS Review, 2021

Chapter 7. Ze’ev Jabotinsky – “My remains ... may not be transferred to Palestine unless by order of that country’s eventual Jewish government”

Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibli... more

Holy Places or Historical Sites? Defining Sacred and Archaeological Sites in Israel, 1948–1967

History of Religions, 2018

In the following, I discuss a number of Jewish holy places that concurrently served as pilgrimage... more In the following, I discuss a number of Jewish holy places that concurrently served as pilgrimage sites and as historical-antiquity sites after the state was founded in 1948, and where fierce disputes arose due to this duality. The tension between archaeologists and the religious establishment surrounding these places was not only related to the question of how to define them, but also, consequently, the question of who owns the sites, who will interoperate their meaning and determine the way they will be presented to the public. The competition was also about pow

The Western Wall

The Western Wall, 2020

The Western Wall-Judaism's holiest site-occupies a prominent position in contemporary Jewish and ... more The Western Wall-Judaism's holiest site-occupies a prominent position in contemporary Jewish and Israeli discourse, current events, and local politics. In The Western Wall: The Dispute over Israel's Holiest Jewish Site, 1967-2000, Kobi Cohen-Hattab and Doron Bar o fer a detailed exploration of the Western Wall plaza's evolution in the late twentieth century. The examination covers the role of archaeology in de ning the space, the Western Wall's transformation as an Israeli and Jewish symbol, and the movement to open it to a variety of Jewish denominations. The book studies the central processes and shifts that took place at the Western Wall during the three decades that followed the Six-Day War-a relatively short yet crucial chapter in Jerusalem's extensive history. Readership All interested in Jewish and Israeli Studies, those who are drawn to Jerusalem's history during the Modern Era, students, academics, specialists, and educated laymen interested in architecture, memory studies, gender studies and the changing Jewish world. For more information see brill.com

From Wailing to Rebirth: The Development of the Western Wall as an Israeli National Symbol After the Six-Day War

Contemporary Jewry, 2018

This article focuses on the changes that occurred in the significance of Israel's Western Wall af... more This article focuses on the changes that occurred in the significance of Israel's Western Wall after the Six-Day War in 1967, when the site became a prominent Jewish and Israeli symbol. We examine the processes that established the Western Wall as a site combining both Jewish and Israeli components of identitya place of national importance in Israeli consciousness. During these processes, the religious and historic contexts of the site remained intact and were even strengthened, but they were now supplemented by modern Zionist-national values and expressions. The new reality created at the Western Wall accorded it a new and extraordinary status as a national holy place. The site continued to represent the past and Israel's religious and historical heritage, and Jews continued to visit it for religious and traditional reasons. The innovation was that the Western Wall was now infused with new content relevant to the post-Six-Day War period and to the social and cultural characteristics of Israeli society during those years. The site served as a source of connection for the diverse expressions of Israeli identity, and it accommodated a relatively wide range of worldviews, from religious-traditional (and perhaps even ultra-Orthodox) perspectives to civil-national perspectives.

Can the two go together? Archaeology and sanctity at the Western Wall and surrounding area, 1967–1977

Journal of Modern Jewish Studies, 2017

Archaeologists, politicians and religious figures competed for the right to dig in the area of th... more Archaeologists, politicians and religious figures competed for the right to dig in the area of the Western Wall, in places that would later be known as the "Western Wall Plaza," "Western Wall Tunnels" and "Western Wall excavations." A struggle would unfold during 1967-1977 between, on one side, the rabbis and religious politicians who received responsibility and exclusivity from the state for the area of the sacred wall, and on the other side, the scientists and archaeologists awarded the right to excavate there by the state. The dispute centred on the question of whether the Western Wall area is only a holy place or also an historic and national monument, and who has the right to operate there. This article, using archival documents and newspaper accounts, focuses on the interaction between sanctity, archaeology and the unique national context of the extensive activity conducted in the Western Wall area during that time. It aims to describe how this space developed during the decade following the Six-Day War, and to discuss the political forces that shaped it during that period.

Continuity and change in the cultic topography of late antique Palestine

Destruction and Renewal of Local Cultic Topography in Late Antiquity, 2008

Many of those who research the history of Palestine during late antiquity 1 assume that the proce... more Many of those who research the history of Palestine during late antiquity 1 assume that the process whereby the local pagan 2 population underwent religious conversion had been completed by the middle of this period. 3 It has been argued that "in no place in Palestine can we recognize the survival of pagan communities later than the fi rst half of the fi fth century." 4 The process of conversion was expedited, so it is claimed, by the vast sums of money invested in building churches, coupled with the density of holy sites and the thousands of pilgrims who made the journey to those places. 5 All these factors jointly contributed to making Palestine unique compared to other provinces in the Roman empire. 6 During the past few decades, various areas of the State of Israel underwent extensive archaeological research. The many surveys and

Aelia Capitolina and the Location of the Camp of the Tenth Legion

Palestine Exploration Quarterly, 1998

La Dixieme Legion (Fretensis) etait la garnison romaine deployee a Jerusalem apres la destruction... more La Dixieme Legion (Fretensis) etait la garnison romaine deployee a Jerusalem apres la destruction du Second Temple en 70 apr. J.-C., comme le confirme Flavius Josephe (La Guerre des Juifs). D'apres cette source, le camp militaire a ete situe par les historiens pres du mur occidental du Second Temple, utilise par les Romains comme fortification. Dans cet article, l'auteur montre, d'apres les descriptions de Flavius Josephe et plusieurs decouvertes archeologiques, que la question de la localisation de ce camp militaire est loin d'etre resolue et remet en question sa situation presumee a l'interieur des limites de la ville

Mapping Muslim Sacred Tombs in Palestine During the Mandate Period

Levant, 2013

ABSTRACT The Muslim tombs of local saints and prophets were an integral part of the landscape of ... more ABSTRACT The Muslim tombs of local saints and prophets were an integral part of the landscape of British Mandate Palestine. They were ubiquitous and significant; located in almost all parts of the region, from the slopes of the Hermon Mountain in the north, to the Negev Desert in the south. These shrines were found in cities, towns and countryside, extending from the shores of the Mediterranean to the Great Rift Valley. However, no systematic study of their extent or significant analysis of the monuments has been undertaken. Using British period maps and additional sources from the 1930–40s, this study analyses almost 800 Muslim tombs and sanctuaries. Through comparison with the Palestine Exploration Fund survey of the 1870s and other sources from the Late Ottoman Period, the article identifies patterns associated with these tombs, including their history and, in some cases, their origins and the changes that they underwent during this period. Case studies of different regions and analysis of the physical and geographical location of the monuments also sheds light on their significance in various regions of Palestine and to different population groups.

The Jewish Quarter after 1967: A Case Study on the Creation of an Ideological-Cultural Landscape in Jerusalem's Old City

Journal of Urban History, 2011

ABSTRACT The article explores the reconstruction of Jerusalem&amp;#39;s Jewish Quarter after ... more ABSTRACT The article explores the reconstruction of Jerusalem&amp;#39;s Jewish Quarter after the 1967 war, with an emphasis on the area&amp;#39;s emergence as a symbolic Israeli landscape. The post-1967 Jewish Quarter became a symbol of national renewal and of Jewish control over united Jerusalem. In fact, it was the destruction during the 1948 war and the severe neglect in its aftermath that pro-vided Israel the opportunity to recreate the area&amp;#39;s geography and history, to design and build it anew from both a physical and a symbolic standpoint. After 1967, primarily during the formative years of the 1970s and 1980s, various agents—politicians, planners, contractors, archeologists, clergy, cultural groups, and private people—had their impact on the revival of the Jewish Quar-ter. Together, they crafted a new landscape whose connection to the pre-1948 neighborhood is extremely vague. By drawing from the quarter&amp;#39;s past in a selective manner, these agents created new forms of historical memory, which helped forge and bolster Israeli identity and pride. At the end of this process, it is doubtful whether the symbolic values of the Jewish Quarter as one can experience them today were developed according to ideas that the government agents had in the beginning of its reconstruction.

<i>"Fill the Earth": Settlement in Palestine during the Late Roman and Byzantine Periods, 135–640 CE</i>, and: <i>The "Mother of All Churches": The Church of Palestine from its Foundation to the Arab Conquest</i> (review)

Journal of Late Antiquity, 2009

The Christianisation of Rural Palestine during Late Antiquity

The Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 2003

Focusing on the rural zones of Palestine and exploiting extensive archaeological research permits... more Focusing on the rural zones of Palestine and exploiting extensive archaeological research permits a re-examination of the traditional view that much of Palestine had been Christianised by the late fourth century. This article suggests that the process of adopting Christianity in the countryside was far more gradual than previously believed. While the map of holy sites in Palestine had largely taken shape by the end of the fourth century, the conversion of the population only achieved real momentum during the fifth and sixth centuries. Research on the community churches of Palestine, in particular on their location in the villages, reveals that Christian penetration into the countryside stemmed from internal social developments and was not institutional in inspiration.

Holocaust Commemoration in Israel During the 1950s: The Holocaust Cellar on Mount Zion

Jewish Social Studies: History, Culture, and Society, 2005

Holocaust Commemoration in Israel During the 1950s: The Holocaust Cellar on Mount Zion Doron Bar ... more Holocaust Commemoration in Israel During the 1950s: The Holocaust Cellar on Mount Zion Doron Bar t the end of World War II, once the magnitude of the Holocaust became clear, Jews-organizations and individualsbegan thinking about the most suitable ways to commemorate it. 1 One of the first commemoration sites for the Holocaust's victims was the Holocaust Cellar (Martef ha-Shoah). It is situated on Mount Zion, near King David's Tomb 2 overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem, which, at the time of the site's construction, was under Jordanian rule. The establishment and development of the Holocaust Cellar, mainly by the Ministry of Religious Affairs' director general Shmuel Zanwil Kahana, was part of a broader process of sanctifying Mount Zion and King David's Tomb and turning them into the central holy place in the State of Israel. 3 The activity in the Holocaust Cellar during the 1950s centered on traditional Jewish commemoration and was fundamentally different from the commemorational activities in other sites in the State of Israel; moreover, it was totally distinct from Yad Vashem, which was developed at around the same period but emphasized national-secular A

Rural Monasticism as a Key Element in the Christianization of Byzantine Palestine

Harvard Theological Review, 2005

In Palestine, Christian monasticism began early in the fourth century C.E. The first monks known ... more In Palestine, Christian monasticism began early in the fourth century C.E. The first monks known to us by name are Hilarion of Thavata, who lived in the region of Gaza; Epiphanius, who settled near Eleutheropolis, in the Shephelah; and Chariton, a native of Iconium in Asia Minor who became the founder of monasticism in the Judean Desert. The monastic movement spread throughout Palestine during the Byzantine period (324–642 C.E.), and the remains ofmonasteries have been found in diverse areas. Many monasteries were establishedin or around large cities, or at holy places and sites of pilgrimage, while others were set in desert areas.

Population, settlement and economy in Late Roman and Byzantine Palestine (70–641 AD)

Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 2004

This paper outlines the centrality of the Late Roman period in the settlement history of Palestin... more This paper outlines the centrality of the Late Roman period in the settlement history of Palestine, and the marginal contribution of the Christian establishment to the development of the land. Settlement momentum during these periods resulted from the fact that Palestine was part of the Roman Empire. The historical trends in Palestine should be regarded as part of a broader political settlement drive that characterized the eastern parts of the Roman realm during the period under discussion. The argument that the process of expansion was unique and stemmed from Palestine's holiness in the eyes of the Christian world is unfounded.

Jerusalem inside a museum? The Tower of David Museum and the dilemmas behind it, 1967–89

Israel Affairs, 2021

ABSTRACT In 1989, The Jerusalem Citadel (or Tower of David) was inaugurated as the Museum of the ... more ABSTRACT In 1989, The Jerusalem Citadel (or Tower of David) was inaugurated as the Museum of the History of Jerusalem. The museum’s establishment stretched over two decades, highlighting the different dilemmas that were tied to the State of Israel’s attitude towards Jerusalem generally and the Old City in particular. The museum displayed Jerusalem using a historical-chronological approach, avoiding adapting it to the city’s multicultural, vibrant, diverse, and multihued society after the Six-Day War. This spared and precluded the possibility of focusing on the city’s many dilemmas, its complex population and the city’s many political questions and schisms following 1967.

Yad Vashem: The Challenge of Shaping a Holocaust Remembrance Site, 1942–1976

In this fascinating book, the planning and building of Yad Vashem, Israel's central and most impo... more In this fascinating book, the planning and building of Yad Vashem, Israel's central and most important institution for commemorating the Holocaust, merits an outstanding in-depth account. Following the development of Yad Vashem since 1942, when the idea to commemorate the Holocaust in Eretz-Israel was raised for the first time, the narrative continues until the inauguration of Nathan Rapoport's Warsaw Ghetto Uprising memorial in 1976. The prolonged and complicated planning process of Yad Vashem's various monuments reveals the debates, failures and achievements involved in commemorating the Holocaust. In reading this thought-provoking description, one learns how Israel's leaders aspired both to fulfill a moral debt towards the victims of the Holocaust a well as to make Yad Vashem an exclusive center of Holocaust commemoration both in the Jewish world and beyond.

קדושה בעין הסערה: הכותל המערבי בין יהדות לישראליות 2000-1967 The Western Wall: Jewishness and Israeliness 1967-2000

Magnes Press, 2021

The Western Wall: The Dispute over Israel's Holiest Jewish Site, 1967–2000

Brill, 2020

The Western Wall—Judaism’s holiest site—occupies a prominent position in contemporary Jewish and ... more The Western Wall—Judaism’s holiest site—occupies a prominent position in contemporary Jewish and Israeli discourse, current events, and local politics. In The Western Wall: The Dispute over Israel's Holiest Jewish Site, 1967–2000, Kobi Cohen-Hattab and Doron Bar offer a detailed exploration of the Western Wall plaza’s evolution in the late twentieth century. The examination covers the role of archaeology in defining the space, the Western Wall’s transformation as an Israeli and Jewish symbol, and the movement to open it to a variety of Jewish denominations. The book studies the central processes and shifts that took place at the Western Wall during the three decades that followed the Six-Day War—a relatively short yet crucial chapter in Jerusalem's extensive history.

Landscape and Ideology: Reinterment of Renowned Jews in the Land of Israel (1904–1967): New Book in English

The book deals with the formative years of Israel’s evolving symbolic landscape (1904–1967). It c... more The book deals with the formative years of Israel’s evolving symbolic landscape (1904–1967). It covers the stories of a few dozen Jews who passed away in the Diaspora and later their remains were taken to be buried for the second time (and sometimes for the third) in Israel. These were Zionists and politicians, writers and poets, heroes and public activists whose common denominator was that they all passed away in the Diaspora, far and detached from the national homeland that they fought for before their tragic death. Only later, in an act of repair, their coffins were sent to be buried in the “sacred” Zionist soil, in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or Dgania. These graves became pilgrimage sites and contributed to the design of Israel’s landscape. The book examines how and why such great effort was made to bring their remains to Israel for reinterment, and how the funerals and graves of the public figures became state symbols and national instruments for establishing Israeli sovereignty over the land.

Landscape and Ideology in the Reinterment of Renowned Jews in the Land of Israel, 1904-1967 (Hebrew, Magness Press)

Sanctifying a Land: The Jewish Holy Places in the State of Israel: 1948-1968, Jerusalem: Ben–Gurion Institute in the Negev and Yad Ben Zvi, 2007 (Hebrew).

Studies in the Cultural-Historical-Geography of Jerusalem, K. Cohen-Hattab, D. Bar, and A. Zeltzer (eds.), Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 2011 (Hebrew).

Planning and Conserving Jerusalem: The Challenge of an Ancient City 1973-2003, D. Bar and E. Meron (eds.), Jerusalem: Yad Yizhak Ben Zvi, 2009.

'Fill the Earth': Settlement in Palestine during the Late Roman and Byzantine Periods 135–640 C.E. Jerusalem: Yad Yizhak Ben Zvi, 2008 (Hebrew).