About Approaching Jerusalem
Approaching Jerusalem is for everyone, like myself, who has spent time in Jerusalem and left wanting more. This newsletter aims to be a trove of accessible writing about the ancient and living city, including its geographical setting, history, exploration, archaeology and excavation history, architecture, peoples, and more. This platform is both an extension of the modern quest to understand ancient Jerusalem and a reflection on how our fascination with the city’s past has influenced its urban structure and dynamics that we experience today.
The title, Approaching Jerusalem, is an epistemological encouragement to consider how we ought to think about such a city, as well as a reminder that no matter our experience or expertise, Jerusalem can never be fully mastered. On the other hand, the city’s global importance and rich context is sufficient for each of us to develop our own rootedness and sense of belonging within this storied, all-consuming, and singular place.
About Chandler
Chandler lived, studied, and worked in the historic basin of Jerusalem for more than five years. His research and explorations have taken him to unfrequented corners of the city. He returns to the Holy Land several times a year to teach student groups.
Chandler is a Ph.D. candidate in Hebrew Bible at Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel. He holds two M.A. degrees that overlap the fields of Semitic languages, Hebrew Bible, and archaeology from Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL. He is a faculty member and the former Dean of Administration at Jerusalem University College. Chandler is also a member of ARCH Jerusalem, an NGO devoted to preserving at-risk cultural heritage in Jerusalem. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his family.
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