Senior American and Israeli officials attended the inauguration Sunday evening of the ancient Pilgrims’ Road, which served as the main thoroughfare for pilgrims walking from the Pool of Siloam, where they would ritually purify themselves on route to the Temple, during the Second Temple Period. The event comes after six years of painstaking archeological excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority.
The list of officials in attendance from Israel and abroad included: US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, US Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt, The Prime Minister’s Wife Mrs Sara Netanyahu, Minister of Education Rafi Peretz, Minister of Transportation , Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel, Minister, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, Israel Antiquities Authority Director Israel Hasson, Director General of the Nature and Parks Authority Shaul Goldstein, Israel Prize Laureate and Director of the City of David Foundation David (Davidle) Beeri.
US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said: “The City of David brings biblical Jerusalem back to life. It enables every one of us to stroll the corridors where the ancient prophets of Israel gave voice to revolutionary ideals of freedom, liberty and human dignity, establishing values which became the intellectual and constitutional basis of our republic. It is our unique privilege as Americans to walk together with our Israeli counterparts on the just unveiled Pilgrimage Road, where our shared ancestors ascended the flagstone steps in prayer and blessing.”
Director of the City of David and Israel Prize Laureate, David (Davidle) Be'eri stated "In ancient times, the Pilgrimage Road paved the way for tens of thousands of pilgrims from across the land of Israel and the four corners of the globe on their way to the Temple. Soon millions of visitors from Israel and abroad will be able to walk once again on those very same stones. The Romans thought they had brought an end to Jewish life in Jerusalem, but today nothing could be further from the truth. The Jewish people have returned to Zion and reestablished our united capital here in Jerusalem."
Yisrael Hasson, Director of Israel Antiquities Authority said: “The stepped road project is an integral part of the unearthing of ancient Jerusalem which was approved at a cabinet meeting. The plan seeks to look at the sites of ancient Jerusalem from a comprehensive governmental planning and budgetary perspective, which will create a structured and complete visitor experience through this unique space. We are currently in the second phase of the plan, which will be a total game changer. This entire endeavor is part of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s new vision to initiate new ways to showcase our national heritage and culture.”
Shaul Goldstein, Director of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority said: “It is extremely moving to walk on the road on which Prophets, Kings, Cohanim and the entire Jewish nation walked on to reach the Temple Mount in ancient times. It’s been said that these stones have a human heart. The City of David National Park has uncovered a lot, but there is still so much more to discover. Together with the Israel Antiquities Authority and the City of David Foundation we will continue to improve and develop the site for the good of the hundreds of thousands of visitors. In the near future we will also add Shaaraim –Khirbet Qeiyafa where David fought the enemy of his generation, the Giant Goliath.”