West Bank
Posts from across the West Bank. The range spans biblical-narrative sites (Mount Ebal, Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity) through Herodian-period archaeology at Herodion, the early Christian monasteries in the Judean wilderness, and the layered history of places like Gush Etzion and the Jordan Valley.
9 articles
9 articles
Mount Ebal – the altar of Joshua?
A visit to Mount Ebal in the Samaria area of the West Bank: Adam Zertal's archaeological survey, an altar matching the biblical description, and the question of whether Joshua himself built it.
A Return to the Northern Judean Desert
A return trip to the northern Judean Desert with my friend and fellow guide Ori, taking in the Inn of the Good Samaritan, Herodian ruins, Qumran, Kalia beach, the cliffside monastery of St George in Wadi Kelt and the Dead Sea Balcony at Mitzpe Yericho.
Bethlehem
A brief first visit to Bethlehem, just over the line in Area A, to see the Church of the Nativity, shared between Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Catholic communities, and the crypt marking the traditional site of Jesus’ birth.
Gush Etzion / The Etzion Bloc
A field trip into Gush Etzion, the Jewish settlement bloc in the Judean Hills: the Convoy of 35 at Har Tuv, the 1948 massacre at Kfar Etzion, Yeshivat Har Etzion, the Roman-period Biyar Aqueduct, the Lone Oak, and Derech HaAvot.
Herodion
Benjamin and Samaria
A field trip into the West Bank: the archaeological site at Shiloh (briefly home to the tabernacle), a fog-bound viewpoint from Mt Kabir, and Mt Gerizim — holy site of the Samaritans.
South Mount Hebron
Returning from glandular fever for a complex field-trip to the South Hebron Hills: the Cave of Machpela, Tel Rumeida, the Byzantine ruins of Susya and Anim, and the illegal outpost at Avigail. Politics unavoidable, the day deeply absorbing.
The Jordan Valley
A field trip down the Jordan Valley: the Byzantine monasteries of Martyrius, St Euthymius and St Gerassimos; the baptism site at Qasr el Yahud; the Jordan Valley Monument; and an evening sing-song at the Mabua spring.
Northern Judean Desert
First trip of the guiding course took us down into the northern Judean Desert, from the Inn of the Good Samaritan and the Wadi Kelt viewpoint to Einot Tzukim, Qumran and Nabi Musa. Twelve hours, eight sites, plenty of Hebrew vocabulary added to the lexicon.
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