Page 10 - Discover Israel Magazine - UK edition 2017

King David Statue on Mount Zion
saw God in their dreams or in a religious
vision, and that they were commanded to
make a pilgrimage to the city. Others came
to believe that they were actually historic
figures. In other words, if you walk around
the Old City and the surrounding area, don't
be surprised if you bump into Jesus or King
David.
According to Dr. Kalian, the thoughts
and problems (if they can be defined as
problems) exist before they arrive, and
Jerusalem is the ultimate stage to express
those feelings or to act on the mission they
received in their home country.
Jerusalem Syndrome is generally diagnosed
when the police are contacted about a
strange case of a person who appears
unstable, engaging in religiously inspired
acts, or a person who is trying to forcibly
go to the Temple Mount to carry out their
religious mission or violently enter a church. the ultimate King of Jerusalem, David.
Some with the syndrome even begin
extreme fasts to purify themselves and end
up in the hospital.
When reports of such extreme behaviour
are made, the person afflicted with the
syndrome is taken to the hospital for a
psychiatric evaluation. If hospitalization is
required, involuntary commitment is possible
D I S C O V E R I S R A E L 10
Mass prayer at the Western Wall before Yom Kippur
through a court order. However, in many of
the cases, the patient is released after the
initial examination, after they have calmed
down. It appears that removing them from
the Old City and the religious site where the
behaviour began - improves their condition.
With psychiatric treatment and medication,
if required, people go back to being their
old selves, and then go back to their
home countries (with an escort), with a
recommendation for continued care. After all,
let's be realistic, recovery, if there is such a
thing, is not absolute.
So when did it all begin?
Modern research has documented
thousands of cases over the past thirty
years. We know of cases in the 19th century
and the Middle Ages, but the first mention of
the phenomenon involves none other than
In 2 Samuel, Chapter 6, the following story is
related quite cynically:
"And David danced before the LORD with
all his might; and David was girded with a
linen ephod. So David and all the house
of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD
with shouting, and with the sound of the
horn. And it was so, as the ark of the LORD
came into the city of David, that Michal the
daughter of Saul looked out at the window,
and saw king David leaping and dancing
before the LORD; and she despised him in
her heart. ... And Michal the daughter of Saul
came out to meet David, and said: 'How did
the king of Israel get him honour to-day, who
uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the
handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain
fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!'"
Years later, Israeli comedy group HaGashash
HaHiver, would sing Mayim LeDavid
Hamelech with the line, "Why did Michal
laugh?" Is this the first historical reference to
the syndrome? Did our very own King David
earn this dubious honour?
Regardless of whether King David was
the first, there is no doubt that people
have always gone mad about Jerusalem.
During my military service in the Old City of
Jerusalem, at some point in the nineties,
I encountered such incidents at several
"hazardous" sites - the Jaffa Gate, the area
around King David's tomb, the Mount of
Olives, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Via
Dolorosa and others.
Now how many of us can say that we have
met Jesus, Mary, John the Baptist, Samson
and King David? I can, but if you spend
enough time in Jerusalem, there's a good
chance that you will too...
www.allaboutjerusalem.com