Jewish Quarter
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For the article on Jewish Quarters throughout the Jewish diaspora, see Jewish Quarter (diaspora)
The Jewish Quarter (Hebrew: הרובע היהודי, HaRova HaYehudi or the Rova) is one of the four traditional quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem. It lies in the southeastern sector of the walled city, and stretches from the Zion Gate in the south, along the Armenian Quarter on the west, up to the Cardo in the north and and extends to the Western Wall and the Temple Mount in the east.
The quarter has had a rich history, with a nearly continual Jewish presence since Roman times. In 1948 its population of about 2,000 Jews was besieged, and forced to leave en masse. The quarter had been completely sacked, with ancient synagogues destroyed.
The quarter remained under Transjordanian occupation until its capture by Israeli paratroops in the Six-Day War of 1967. The quarter has since been rebuilt and settled, and has a population of 2,348 (as of 2004) [1], and many large educational institutions have taken up residence.
Before being rebuilt, the quarter was carefully excavated under the supervision of Hebrew University archaeologist Nahman Avigad. The archaeological remains, on display in a series of museums and outdoor parks to visit which tourists descend two or three stories beneath the level of the current city, collectively form one of the world's most accessible archaeological sites.
