Negev
The Negev is Israel’s southern half by geography but a fraction of its population. The posts here include desert hikes (Ein Avdat, Mitzpe Ramon), the Nabatean and Israelite-period archaeology along the old spice routes, Ben Gurion’s settlement vision, and visits to the Gaza Envelope kibbutzim in the wake of the October 7th attacks.
16 articles
16 articles
Campus Eilat Day Two: Eilat and the Eilat Mountains
Day two of Campus Eilat: starting at Umm Rash Rash and the story of the Ink Flag, hiking the Red Canyon and ascending Mt Tzefachot for the four-countries view, before ending at the Eilat Underwater Observatory.
Campus Eilat Day One: Northern Arava and Ovda Valley
Day one of Campus Eilat: heading south through the northern Arava and into the Ovda valley, taking in Ein Hatzeva, the Peace Route lookouts, Shacharut, the Leopards Temple and the Kasui sand dunes.
Settlement of the Negev in the Modern Period
A field trip through the north-western Negev and Gaza Envelope: water and security at Nir Am, the Black Arrow memorial, the RAF and ANZAC memorials in the Beeri Forest, the Maon Synagogue mosaic, Mitzpe Gvulot, the Nachal Besor bridge and Kibbutz Ruchama.
Shivta and Nitzana
Nabatean Cities in the Negev
A field-trip to two of the Nabatean cities of the Negev, Mamshit and Avdat, now a UNESCO world heritage site: the ingenious cisterns, the spice and wine trade, the assimilation into Roman and then Byzantine Christian culture.
Archaeology of the Biblical Negev
A field-trip day through the biblical Negev — the Joe Alon Centre for Bedouin culture, then south to the UNESCO-listed Tel Beer Sheva and the early-Canaanite ruins of Tel Arad.
If you are going to Israel, you would be mad not to give him a call.
Amol Rajan, BBC presenter and broadcaster
Having been on trips in Israel with seven different tour guides, Samuel stood above all the rest.
Seasoned Israel traveller
Samuel is one part walking encyclopedia, one part storyteller, one part stand-up comedian.
Berkeley Haas Business School student