While I have no desire to visit Jerusalem, it is an interesting city. I recall reading decades ago about a riot involving various Christian sects over who should control one of the holiest Churches of Christianity. Literally, it was hermits whacking hermits upside the head over a church.
So this article in AL Monitor caught my eye tonight:
Image: CBN News
A Jerusalem family that holds the keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is resisting community and political pressure to relinquish them. Adeeb Joudeh al-Husseini, who says his family was granted the keys in the 12th century, told Al-Monitor there is no reason he should give them up. The key holder says his family’s custodianship dates back to the time of Saladin, the Muslim leader who liberated Jerusalem.
With some digging, I might be able to name my great-grandfathers on my paternal side. Maybe. After that, no dice. These folks go back to the 12th century, a remark which begs analysis as to whether this is good or bad. But their problems are very much of today:
But at the same time, Adeeb is adamant about his innocence of the accusations leveled against him, saying, “I sold our family home to a respected Palestinian businessman who was recommended by officials from the Palestinian Authority and local leaders.”
Records do in fact show that the house was sold to a Palestinian banker named Khaled Attari who has since disappeared, but it is unclear how the house ended up in the hands of the extremist Jewish group. Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has set up a committee to look into what happened.
Will a cherished family tradition be ground to dust by the cogs of history?
