The Shrine of the Book, housing the Dead Sea Scrolls, at the Israel Museum Outside the Children's Memorial at Yad Vashem Although Jerusalem is known around the world for its religious significance, the city is also home to many artistic and cultural venues. The Rockefeller Museum, located in East Jerusalem, was the first archeological museum in the Middle East. It was built in 1938 during the British Mandate. Ticho House, in downtown Jerusalem, houses the paintings of Anna Ticho and the Judaica collections of her husband, an ophthalmologist who opened Jerusalem's first eye clinic in this building in 1912. Another prominent cultural institution in Jerusalem is Yad Vashem, Israel's national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Yad Vashem operates as both a research and educational institution. The Jerusalem Theater, located in the Komemiyut (Talbiya) neighborhood, hosts over 150 concerts a year, as well as theater and dance companies and performing artists from overseas. Other prominent facilities for the performing arts include the International Convention Center (Binyanei Ha'ooma) near the entrance to city, where the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra plays, the Gerard Behar Center in downtown Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Music Center in Yemin Moshe, and the Targ Music Center in Ein Kerem. The Temple Mount, site of the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock, sacred sanctuaries for Judaism and Islam. Jerusalem It is mentioned in the Bible 632 times. The main entrance to the Church of the Holy SepulchreChristianity reveres Jerusalem not only for its role in the Old Testament but also for its significance in the life of Jesus. Muslims believe Muhammad was miraculously transported one night from Mecca to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, whereupon he ascended to Heaven to meet previous prophets of Islam. The first verse in the Qur'an's Surat al-Isra notes the destination of Muhammad's journey as al-Aqsa mosque, in reference to the location in Jerusalem. Today, the Temple Mount is topped by two Islamic landmarks intended to commemorate the event al-Aqsa Mosque, derived from the name mentioned in the Qur'an, and the Dome of the Rock, which stands over the Foundation Stone, from which Muslims believe Muhammad ascended to Heaven. Sports The two most popular sports in Jerusalem, and Israel as a whole, are football and basketball. Beitar Jerusalem Football Club is one of the most popular teams in Israel. In basketball, Hapoel Jerusalem is higher up on the scale. Jerusalem's religious landmarks today remain the top draw for foreign visitors, with the majority of tourists visiting the Western Wall and the Old City, but in the past half-century it has become increasingly clear that Jerusalem's providence cannot solely be sustained by its religious significance. The campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem atop Mount ScopusJerusalem is home to several prestigious universities, with courses offered in Hebrew, Arabic, and English. Numerous religious educational institutions and Yeshivot are based in the city, with the Mir yeshiva claiming to be the largest. There were nearly 8,000 twelfth-grade students in Hebrew-language schools during the 2003--2004 school year. However, due to the large portion of students in Haredi Jewish frameworks, only fifty-five percent of twelfth graders took matriculation exams and only thirty-seven percent were eligible to graduate. | 
Jerusalem
