Biblical Zoo: The lion and the lamb bringing peace in Jerusalem

The creation account in the first book of the Bible starts with all kinds of birds, fish, and animals, but the entire Bible is replete with wildlife. What more fitting a place could there be for a biblical zoo than Jerusalem?

Just southwest of the city, the Tisch Family Biblical Zoo covers 62 acres and contains more than 140 species of animals with two major themes: animals mentioned in the Bible and endangered species from around the world.

The zoo is near the border between Israel and the West Bank and has proven to be a place of peace that can straddle the Jewish-Arab divide. Jewish and Arab-Palestinian families come together to enjoy the wonders of God’s creation in a peaceful setting. You will find Orthodox Jewish families and school outings, appreciating the animals side by side with Arab families. 

Described as “one of the most beautiful and relaxing places in Jerusalem,” the leisure website funinjerusalem recommends everyone should see “the vast grounds and beautiful landscape along with the wide selection of animals,” adding that “the zoo also has jazz events, juggling and workshops during school vacations throughout the year.”

The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo incorporates many different features and areas including a butterfly house, an aquarium, and an incubation center.

Prof. Aharon Shulov first established the zoo to be a space where residents of Israel would be able to “meet Israeli and Biblical animals up close,” according to their website. Although the zoo is home to other animals, the emphasis is on those native to Israel and is committed to maintaining “a place of respect for Israeli animals mentioned in the Bible.”

In 1945, Yehuda Feliks, an Israeli researcher in the field of biblical zoology, attached great significance to the identification of biblical animals. He wrote in his book, “The Animal World of the Bible,” that the “Prophets of Israel spoke of a nation living on its land and rooted in the land’s nature. They often used parables from the world of fauna and flora. The parable’s subject, the animal or plant, was familiar to the listener and helped him to understand its meaning.”

He continues: “However today, the opposite is true. We understand the parable more than we understand its reference to the animal or plant. Thus, we are unable to decipher the depth of what’s written, if we cannot understand both parts of the parable as one. The Bible’s beautiful chapters of nature cannot be properly understood without acquaintance with the animals and plants of which they speak.”

Identifying biblical animals is not a simple science. Much time has passed and ecological systems are not static. Feliks wrote that the Jewish exile from the land has made it even more challenging.

“As a result of the Nation of Israel’s disconnect from the nature of its land and the tradition of the names of the animals in the Bible, it is clear that we will be unable to identify them today with certainty. We were assisted by ancient peoples and the archeological discoveries of animal sculptures, drawings, and writings. But we mainly depended upon the descriptions of the Bible itself, as well as the literature of the Sages, the Talmud, and the Midrash.”

The very last words in the Book of Jonah (a book that is in large measure also about a huge fish) say that God cares about cattle. The rather abrupt and unexpected ending makes the point: Animals matter to God. Many biblical stories involve animals in wonderful ways.

The prophet Isaiah wrote immortal words that speak of the time that natural enemies in the animal world will live in peace, as a symbol for us all:

“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
    and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
    and a little child shall lead them.

The cow and the bear shall graze;
    their young shall lie down together;
    and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
    and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.

They shall not hurt or destroy
    in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:6-8)

The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo is open everyday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, with shorter opening hours on weekends. Tickets can be purchased on the website.