"Avraham called it Yireh (See) as it says [in the Scriptures], “And Avraham called the name of that place Yireh Hashem” (See God). Shem called it Shalem (Complete) as it says “And Malki Tzedek, King of Shalem.” The Holy One, Blessed be He said “I will call it Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) like both of them called it – Yireh, Shalem – Yerushalayim. " ~~ Midrash, Bereshit Raba 56
"Jerusalem is the very heart of the Jewish State." ~~ David Ben-Gurion
"In Ne”ilah [the closing prayer] of Yom Kippur, what did he [the Cohen] say? “And Hashem will bless you from Zion and you will see the good of Jerusalem all of the days of your life.” " ~~ Talmud, Sotah 40a
"There used to be a very good custom in Jerusalem: a table-cloth was spread at the door – – – so long as it was in place, guests would enter the house. When it was removed, they would not." ~~ Talmud, Bava Batra
"The Divine Presence never quits the Western Wall." ~~ Midrash Tehillilm
"There is no beauty like the beauty of Jerusalem." ~~ Avot Derabbi Nathan
"There were 480 places of worship (Synagogues) in Jerusalem, and each one of them had a school for Scriptures (Bible) and a learning center for the Mishna (the oral law). " ~~ Talmud Yerushalmi, Megilah 3
"Even during the time of Jerusalem’s stumbling, men of faith did not cease from [living] there. " ~~ Talmud: Shabbat 119b
"There were no days as glorious for the people of Israel as the fifteenth of Av [the Hebrew Month] and as Yom Kippur, when the daughters of Jerusalem would come outside with borrowed white garments and dance in the vineyards. " ~~ Talmud, Ta’anit 26b
"The Jerusalem of this world is not like the Jerusalem in the next world [in Heaven]. The Jerusalem of this world, anyone who wants to ascend there, may ascend; but the one of the next world, only those who are prepared for it may ascend. " ~~ Talmud, Bava Batra 75b
"One who stands [in prayer] in Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel) should direct his heart towards Jerusalem, if he was standing in Jerusalem, he should direct his heart towards the holy Temple. " ~~ Talmud, Berakhot 27a
"Jerusalem is like a city that people are friendly together; a city in which all [the people of] Israel are friends when the tribes ascend there for the pilgrimage. " ~~ Talmud Yerushalmi, Hagiga 3