Protecting Heritage & ‘Jerusalem Syndrome’: Then and now |
“Jerusalem syndrome” is a term referring to a cluster of religiously oriented psychological phenomena and acute psychotic episodes associated with visiting Jerusalem. Individuals affected by the syndrome may develop intense religious delusions, including the belief that they are biblical figures or messianic personalities. In many cases, recovery requires psychiatric treatment and removal from the city and its highly charged religious environment.
Years ago, when I was a young archaeologist, I worked as the Israel Antiquities Authority’s supervisor for the development project that was being conducted in the “Western Wall Tunnels” (the excavations conducted to the north of the open prayer area of the Western Wall (the “Kotel” in Hebrew), in charge of making sure that the archaeological heritage at the site was not damaged. Due to this job, I visited the Western Wall on a daily basis, and I soon became familiar with many of the faces and behavior of the regular visitors and devotees at the Kotel, as well as a large selection of the short-term visitors and pilgrims as well.
One of the things that stood out for me at the time, through the eyes of someone without therapeutic training, was the inordinately large amount of people that seemed to be somewhat neurodivergent, and exhibited behaviors that hinted that they were highly emotionally activated, often with strong religious and even messianic content manifested in their behavior. This included people who were dressed up as biblical figures (such as King David); those who prayed non-stop, at all times of day and night, throughout the year; and several who walked........