Ezekiel's Tomb

Jews at the tomb, 1932

Ezekiel's Tomb, located in Al Kifl, Iraq, is believed by Jews and Christians to be the tomb of the biblical prophet Ezekiel.

On the walls inside appears Hebrew script under a dome with medieval Islamic floral designs.

Iraqi Jewry was once one of the largest and most prominent Jewish communities in the Middle East. Until the mid-20th century, up to 5,000 Jews used to come to the tomb during Passover.[1][2] Muslims believe this tomb to be that of an unspecified personality named Dhul-Kifl. The site was protected under the control of Saddam Hussein.[3]

It was reported in early 2010 that the local authority intends to turn the tomb into a mosque under the guise of 'preservation' of the holy site.[4] That, however, turned out to not be true.[5] A team of journalists from The New York Times visited the tomb in the fall of 2010, and recorded video at the site.

An additional structure also identified as a possible tomb for Ezekiel can be found in Dezful, Iran.

References

  1. ↑ David M. Gitlitz & Linda Kay Davidson ‘’Pilgrimage and the Jews’’ (Westport: CT: Praeger, 2006) 96–97.
  2. ↑ Passover pilgrimage to Ezekiel's tomb in Iraq
  3. ↑ Iraq launches project to renovate Ezekiel's shrine
  4. ↑ Iraq wants to turn ancient Jewish tomb into mosque, Ynet, January 18, 2010.
  5. ↑ Ezekiel unscathed!, The Jerusalem Post, May 16, 2010

External links