Three Faces of Monotheism

The Bible Lands Museum presents a new ecumenical exhibition, dedicated to the symbols of the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, which heralded the belief in one god, Christianity which developed from it but turned to a different path, and Islam which was influenced by the two preceding faiths and created a path of its own.

Symbols provide an important key to understanding the religious world. Through symbols we trace the spread of the belief in one god through our region and the history of religious belief in the ancient world. The exhibition presents various artifacts which bare Jewish symbols such as the menorah and the mahta (incense shovel), objects decorated with Christian symbols such as the cross and the christogram, as well as Islamic objects decorated with symbols such as the star and other important motifs.

On display are architectural elements, jewelry, ritual objects and more ranging from the 3^rd – 13^th Centuries CE. The exhibition reveals the great similarities in how each religion represented itself to the outside world. For example, the menorah is associated as an exclusively Jewish symbol, however in the past it served Christianity and Islam as well, representing a message of light and hope in each one of the three religions.

The Bible Lands Museum, located in the heart of Jerusalem's museum row, has dedicated itself to exhibitions and programs which highlight the history of our region. It was the vision of its late founder, Dr. Elie Borowski, to present a universal institution where people of all faiths would be welcome to learn and understand our shared history.  

This exhibition has been made possible by a contribution from the Lila Gruber Foundation, and Mrs. Daryl Kulok, who have donated many of the artifacts for the exhibition. According to Mrs. Kulok, archeology gave her life a new meaning, and her shared vision with the museum’s purpose made the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem the most natural home for her donation.  

The exhibition catalog has been published in Hebrew, Arabic and English, and the entire exhibition is presented tri-lingually, including a multi-media computer program installed in the gallery, to enable all of Israel’s citizens to appreciate this important exhibition.