לוחLuach

Mizrach · Washington, DC

Which way is mizrach in Washington, DC?

Face 52° from true north northeast, which is 38° north of due east. The Temple Mount is 9,497 km (5,901 miles) away.

NESW52° from north
Bearing
52°
Compass point
NE
Distance
5,901 mi
9,497 km
Off due east
38° north of due east

Use your phone as the compass

Tap “Use live compass” and turn until the arrow points straight up. It starts from Washington, DC and switches to your exact position if you allow location access.

NESW
✡ Jerusalem

52° NE

Direction to the Temple Mount, Jerusalem from Washington, DC · 9,497 km / 5,901 mi

If the live compass isn’t available, hold a magnetic compass and face 52° (NE).

Questions

Which way is mizrach in Washington, DC?

From Washington, DC, the direction to Jerusalem is 52° measured clockwise from true north — northeast, or 38° north of due east. That is the great-circle direction to the Temple Mount, 9,497 km (5,901 miles) away.

Is mizrach exactly east in Washington, DC?

Not exactly. The shortest path over the globe from Washington, DC runs 38° north of due east, not along due east. The difference is why a compass bearing and a flat map can disagree about which way Jerusalem is.

How far is Washington, DC from Jerusalem?

9,497 kilometres (5,901 miles) in a straight line to the Temple Mount.

Why do synagogues sometimes face plain east?

Many communities orient the mizrach wall to approximate east rather than to an exact great-circle bearing, and practice varies. The figure above is the geometric direction to the Temple Mount; follow your community’s custom.