jerusalem (; ; ) is one of the oldest cities in the world that people have lived in continuously. it is important to many major religions. jews consider jerusalem a holy city because it was their religious and political center during biblical times and was the place where the temple of god stood. christians consider jerusalem holy because many events in the life of jesus took place there. muslims believe that muhammad rose to heaven from jerusalem, and the al-aqsa mosque is the first qibla of muslims after mecca.