# My Israeli Guide — full blog corpus

Samuel Green, licensed Israeli tour guide (Ministry of Tourism license #11659). Tel Aviv. Below are the full texts of every published blog post on myisraeliguide.com, in reverse chronological order. Each section starts with a level-2 heading (##) bearing the post title.

Site: https://myisraeliguide.com/
Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q139973215

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## What to do on Shabbat during your Israel tour

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/shabbat-in-israel/
Date: 2026-07-17

Sometimes tourists tell me they're worried about Shabbat. They've read that the buses stop and the shops shut, and they think they need to arrange their trip around it, like it's a problem to be solved.

I understand the worry but I disagree. If you're looking for a unique Israel experience, Shabbat is it! You can't really experience something like it anywhere else, and if you plan for it, it can be a real highlight of your trip.

I should say up front that I'm Shabbat observant myself, so that colours my point of view. It's also important for me to say that I would never impose my observance on the people I'm guiding. It's for me to fit around you, not for you to fit around me.

But for me, Shabbat is genuinely the highlight of the week. With no phone, no car and no distractions, the conversations get longer, the meals get slower, and I see my family properly. Most guests who try even a piece of it recognise the appeal, whatever they believe.

Challah stacked and waiting, Bnei Brak

### Quick facts & guide tips

What it isThe Jewish day of rest, from sundown on Friday to nightfall on Saturday, about 25 hours.
What closesJerusalem mostly shuts; Tel Aviv largely stays open; Haifa keeps its buses running. National parks, the Israel Museum and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art stay open.
Getting aroundNo national buses or trains (Haifa aside). Taxis, Uber, Gett, sheruts and hire cars all run.
Touring on ShabbatI guide walking tours on Saturdays. It's also a good day for Bethlehem and Jericho, or the Dead Sea and Masada.
Guide tipHome hospitality with a Shabbat-observant family can be a really special and unique experience.

### What is Shabbat?

Let's first take a minute to understand what Shabbat means. It's the Jewish day of rest, running from sundown on Friday to nightfall on Saturday, about twenty-five hours.

The traditional practice is to stop working and stop creating: no driving, no money, no phones, no cooking. The idea comes from the creation story in the book of Genesis, where God rests after creating the world. It's then formally commanded as one of the Ten Commandments given at Mount Sinai, referenced in Exodus and again in Deuteronomy.

That's the theory. The practice varies enormously.

There are many Jewish laws about Shabbat, and even more customs that vary based on Jewish ethnic heritage or religious stream. Some Israelis keep every detail. Others go to synagogue on Friday night and then out to a bar. And many treat it purely as the weekend: the beach, a long lunch, football.

Plenty do nothing at all and only notice because the post office is shut. There's no single Israeli Shabbat, and nobody is checking what you do (a genuinely liberating thing to understand before you arrive).

So when I ask guests what they want from Shabbat, I'm not asking a religious question. I'm asking what kind of day they want.

### Friday, before it all stops

The lead-up to Shabbat is half the experience.

Friday morning in Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market or Tel Aviv's Carmel market is one of the great sights of the country. The whole city is shopping at once, the stallholders are shouting, and by early afternoon the prices start dropping as everyone tries to clear the stock before they close. It's loud, hot and slightly chaotic, and I love it.

Mahane Yehuda market, Jerusalem

In Tel Aviv, drummers gather at Alma Beach (behind the old Dolphinarium) on Friday afternoons and play until the sun goes down. Nobody there would call it a religious act. It's still, unmistakably, a city welcoming Shabbat in, it's very spiritual, and it happens a few minutes' walk from people doing the more traditional version.

One practical thing worth knowing: Shabbat starts at sundown, and sundown moves. In midsummer that's well into the evening; in midwinter it can be mid-afternoon, and visitors sometimes get caught out. If you're arranging anything for a Friday, ask or look up what time Shabbat comes in that week before you plan the day.

### Shabbat in Jerusalem

The divide between East and West Jerusalem is very stark on Shabbat. Because Jewish Jerusalem just stops.

By Friday afternoon the traffic thins, the shops pull down their shutters and a siren sounds across the city. Then the noise simply goes. If you've only known Jerusalem as a hot, crowded, honking place, it's remarkable to witness.

At sundown the Western Wall plaza fills up. There's no single service down there; there are dozens, running at once, and some of them are super lively with raucous singing and dancing.

The Western Wall, Jerusalem

You don't need to know what's going on to join in, and you don't need to join it at all. Standing at the back and watching is also an experience, and I've taken guests of every faith and none who found it very special.

If you'd rather be inside a service, I'll find you one that fits. The Great Synagogue on King George is an occasion more than a service, with a cantor and a full professional choir; Shira Hadasha in the German Colony is Orthodox but gives women a much larger role than most; Kol HaNeshama in Baka is the country's biggest Reform community; Nitzanim, also in Baka, is warm, busy and modern Orthodox.

The little shuls around Nachlaot are the ones I'd send you to if you want to feel like you've stumbled into someone's neighbourhood rather than an institution.

Then there's dinner, which is a huge part of what Shabbat is about. The vast majority of Israelis will have a family dinner on Friday night, whether or not they are religious.

I can arrange for you to eat with a local family in their home (there's a cost, and I need decent notice, but it's a standing offer). If that's not for you, there are restaurants open, and there are plenty of hotels which run a Friday-night meal.

For something at the other end of the spectrum entirely: I've taken guests to the Karlin tisch on Yoel Street in Mea Shearim, the main ultra-orthodox neighbourhood of Jerusalem. A tisch is a hasidic gathering around the rebbe's table, and the Karliners are known for praying at a volume that has to be heard to be believed.

This needs to be done with care. Mea Shearim is a residential neighbourhood, not an attraction, and people live there; it needs modest dress, no cameras and a willingness to be a quiet guest in someone else's world. Handled respectfully, it's extraordinary.

Saturday morning is a different city again. I'll happily take you on a walking tour of the Old City. You can also drop into a service and time your arrival for the kiddush (refreshments which range from light snacks to a full-blown meal) afterwards, which is the mildly cynical move every Israeli knows: the prayers are long, the whisky and herring at the end are excellent.

The Israel Museum is also open and can be part of the day.

### Shabbat in Tel Aviv

Unlike Jerusalem, Tel Aviv doesn't stop. It changes gear, and it does several contradictory things at once.

You can have a completely traditional Friday night. You can also have dinner at a busy restaurant, and then go clubbing, because Friday night is the biggest night out of the week in a city that takes going out seriously. These are happening within a few streets of each other and nobody thinks it's strange.

I arrange Friday-night hospitality here just as I do in Jerusalem, and in Tel Aviv many of the host families are personal friends of mine, so I know exactly whose table I'm sending you to.

If you want a service that feels like Tel Aviv rather than like a synagogue, Beit Tefilah Israeli hold a musical Kabbalat Shabbat outdoors at the port, facing the sea. It's egalitarian, it's mostly singing, and a lot of the people there wouldn't describe themselves as religious at all.

My own synagogue is 126 Ben Yehuda. It was built in 1936, before the state, when this end of Tel Aviv was still the edge of town. The community then more or less died away, and around 2010 a group of young people from the neighbourhood brought it back.

The building has a rustic, worn-in feel that a renovation would ruin. The crowd is a real mix of Israelis and foreigners, but it's run as an Israeli institution rather than an English-speaking expat outpost, which I think is exactly why it works. It's friendly and the Shabbat morning kiddush is excellent (it's also packed with around 300 people!).

Yom Ha'atzmaut at 126 Ben Yehuda, my shul in Tel Aviv

For a lot of the year, Saturday in Tel Aviv is the beach, either for the whole day, or for after synagogue. If you'd like to do something, I'll walk you round Jaffa or the Bauhaus streets of the centre, and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art is open. Or you can do what most of the city does and lie on the sand until it's time to eat again.

The Tel Aviv promenade, heading south

The Israeli folk dancing on the Gordon Beach promenade is worth finding. It's free, it's been running for decades, and the dancers are serious about it. Stand near the person leading in the middle and copy them. This is a truly Israeli experience!

### Touring with me on Shabbat

Yes, I guide on Shabbat.

Because I keep Shabbat, I don't drive and I don't handle money on Saturday, so what I can offer is a walking tour. I'll meet you at your hotel and we'll explore the area on foot. In Jerusalem that could be the Old City or Nachlaot; in Tel Aviv, Jaffa or the city centre.

If you'd rather get out of town, Shabbat is an excellent day to go to Bethlehem and Jericho, where everything is open and running as normal. That's a day I arrange with a Palestinian colleague rather than guide myself (my licence doesn't cover the areas under Palestinian control), and it works nicely on a Saturday when Israel is quiet.

The same logic applies to the Dead Sea and Masada, where the national parks and beaches stay open.

And if none of the above appeals, some people just want a day by the pool. And that's a Shabbat experience in itself!

The practical side of all this (transport, opening hours, what closes when) is on my plan your trip page, and there's more on how I work with observant families on the Jewish heritage page.

### When Shabbat ends

At nightfall on Saturday, the country turns back on, and the speed of it is quite something.

The ceremony that ends Shabbat is called havdalah. It's short, taking a few minutes, and I'd be happy to run you through it if you'd like. I've done it with groups in the Western Wall plaza in the dark, which is hard to beat.

Leading havdalah for a group

Then the engine starts. The shops reopen, the buses run, the restaurants fill and Saturday night becomes one of the busiest nights of the week. Sunday rolls around and we're back to touring as normal.

### Frequently asked questions

Is everything closed in Israel on Shabbat?+

No. It depends entirely where you are. Jerusalem closes almost completely: shops shut, buses stop and some streets close to traffic. Tel Aviv stays busy, with plenty of restaurants, bars and cafes open, and the beaches full. Haifa is the one city that keeps its buses running. National parks, including Masada and the Dead Sea sites, stay open, as do the Israel Museum and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

Can I still tour on Shabbat?+

Yes. I keep Shabbat myself, so on Saturdays I offer walking tours rather than driving days: I meet you at your hotel after lunch and we explore on foot. Saturday is also a good day for Bethlehem and Jericho, which I arrange with a Palestinian colleague, or for visiting the Dead Sea and Masada, which I can set up with a colleague.

How do I get around on Shabbat?+

Public buses and trains stop nationwide (Haifa excepted). Taxis run throughout, Uber and Gett work, and sherut shared taxis cover the Tel Aviv to Jerusalem route. Hire cars are unaffected. Most hotels run a Shabbat lift that stops at every floor.

Can I go to a Shabbat dinner with an Israeli family?+

Yes, this is something I arrange regularly. Many of the Tel Aviv families are personal friends of mine. There's a cost involved and I need reasonable notice, but it's a special experience and a great way to get to meet real people here.

Do I need to be Jewish to experience Shabbat?+

Not at all, and I've taken guests of every background to Friday-night services and dinners. Nobody will ask what you believe. Do be respectful: appropriate clothing at synagogues, no photography, phones away and on silent.

What time does Shabbat start?+

Sundown on Friday, so it moves through the year: late evening in midsummer, mid-afternoon in midwinter. It ends at nightfall on Saturday. Check the week you're travelling, because the winter times catch visitors out.

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## A new home for My Israeli Guide

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/new-website/
Date: 2026-06-15

I built the first version of this website back in 2014, just before I qualified as a guide. It served me well for a long time, but it had started to show its age, and for a while now I've wanted to give it a proper refresh. Guiding has a way of filling the diary, though, and there was never quite the time. With things quieter than they've been in a long while, I finally had it.

### What I wanted to change

The other thing is that I put that old site together right at the very start, before I'd really done much of anything. In the years since I've guided a remarkable range of people and trips (students and pensioners, families and corporate delegations, pilgrims and journalists), and almost none of that breadth was coming across. I wanted a site that reflected the work as it actually is now, rather than as it looked when I was just setting out.

I also wanted to put the writing in order. Some of my older posts had gone a little stale over the years (broken links, mostly), and a blog is no use to anyone if it leads them to a dead end. So I've been back through them, with the aim of keeping them genuinely useful to the people who find them while planning a trip.

### What I'm most pleased with

The part I'm most pleased with is the new gallery. On the old site it was a small box you scrolled through, rather tucked away in a corner; now it's the immersive thing I always wanted it to be, and I think it gives a real sense of the variety of Israel and of the different kinds of touring on offer. If a photo catches your eye, you can click straight through to the blog post behind it and read more about the place. That's exactly how I'd want to explore it myself.

I've rebuilt the blog posts themselves too, with bigger images, a cleaner layout that's easier to scan and a little tips box on each one. The hope is that they're actually helpful if you're interested in a particular place or subject, and not just pleasant to look at.

A small confession: I build all my own websites. I'm a guide, not a developer, but I genuinely enjoy it (the design, the tinkering with different features, the working out of what might actually be useful to someone planning a trip), and I'd much rather have my own hands on it. So if you come across the odd rough edge, it's entirely mine.

### Preparing for a return to normal

It's an odd moment to be relaunching a tour-guiding website, I'll admit. Things are quiet, and have been for some time. But I've always felt this work is worth doing properly, quiet spell or not, and I'd rather welcome the next group of visitors with something I'm proud of than sit and wait for the world to feel ready again.

The site is really for anyone with half a mind to visit Israel. If you're thinking about coming with a private guide, I'd love to hear from you; and if you're only in the early stages of planning, I hope the blog and the planning pages are useful to you regardless. Either way, please do have a look around the new site. I'd really love to know what you think.

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## How to visit the Gaza Envelope area in the wake of the October 7th massacre

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/how-to-visit-the-gaza-envelope-after-october-7th/
Date: 2025-06-08

Update re group toursIn response to this article I've received quite a few enquiries about joining a group tour to the area.

I only offer private tours (see my Gaza Envelope itinerary), but a company called Abraham Tours do offer regular group trips that anyone can join, and I've heard good things about them.

Here are links to their trips, leaving either from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
Understandably, the Hamas massacres of October 7th and the ensuing war brought tourism to Israel almost to a complete stop. However, despite the ongoing war, the relative calm that we’ve been experiencing inside Israel over the past year or so has led to a welcome resurgence in inquiries about tours.

It’s been interesting to note that now almost all the messages I’ve been getting have been asking for a tour to the area known as the Gaza Envelope (Otef Aza in Hebrew), the area which bore the brunt of the Hamas attacks. Sometimes this is as part of a several-day tour, sometimes the request is just for one day specifically focused on that area.

For a long time I avoided going down to the area. I am still traumatised by the events of that terrible day and its aftermath, and I was afraid to go down to where it actually happened. I wasn’t sure how I would react. I was also torn about whether I should go down or not, for reasons I’ll discuss later in this post. 

But given the clear demand for these tours, I didn’t want my first experience to be with someone I was guiding. For professional reasons, I had to go down, understand the lay of the land, and think about how I would approach this kind of tour. So a couple of weeks ago I travelled south with a tour guide friend and colleague, and we discussed exactly these questions.

There are a lot of opinions about tourism in the Gaza Envelope. In this post I'll discuss some of the debate about whether or not people should go at all, share some of the main sites that people visit, and offer some suggestions for how to build an itinerary plan.

### Quick facts & guide tips

Where
The Gaza Envelope (Otef Aza), southern Israel, along the border with Gaza.

Time needed
Half a day to a full day, depending on the sites included.

Best approached as
Part of a longer Israel itinerary, with time to prepare beforehand and process afterwards.

Pair with
A non-October-7th site such as the Baba Sali tomb in Netivot, or the Salad Trail.

### The key sites

#### The Nova memorial

The memorial to the Nova festival
The most common request I’ve been getting is to visit the site of the Nova festival. Located roughly 5km (3 miles) from the Gaza border, this music festival was the scene of some of the worst attacks by the Hamas terrorists. 

Nearly 400 people were killed, including my friend’s cousin Sigal Levy (you can watch my interview with Sigal’s brother to learn more about her life). Many hundreds more were wounded and 44 people were taken hostage.

Today, the Nova site has been turned into a moving memorial by the bereaved families, some of whom take time regularly to go down to the site and talk to groups about the people they lost. 

It’s developing all the time, with new installations and new information. It’s surreal…you’re close to the border, there’s still a war going on, and every now and again we’d hear huge explosions. Did that maybe bring it home a bit more? I certainly found the visit very moving, and incredibly, incredibly sad.

#### Protective shelters along Route 232

A protective shelter at a bus stop in the Gaza Envelope
Route 232 is the main road that runs along the border between Israel and Gaza, connecting the many small communities that are based in the area. In the aftermath of the October 7th massacres, many have started to call it the Highway of Death, a macabre moniker which I still find it hard to say (and I deliberated editing it out of this article, but I don’t think it can be avoided at this point).

The problems between Israel and Gaza didn’t begin on October 7th, Hamas have been firing rockets on and off at Israel since 2001. For those living close to the border, you have 15 seconds (or less) from hearing a warning siren to get to a safe space, so the bus stops along Route 232 all have a small protective shelter that you can go into if you’re caught with a siren while you’re waiting for a bus.

On October 7th, many people squeezed into these shelters as a place of refuge, because in addition to the Hamas infiltration (which for a long time people didn’t understand was happening), there was a huge amount of rocket fire. Unfortunately, they became death traps as the terrorists found the people hiding there and murdered them.

These shelters have now all been turned into makeshift memorials, covered in graffiti, stickers, poems, candles. Some of them are identified with stories of great heroism or some of the hostages who became particularly well known (such as Hersh Goldberg-Polin). 

#### The burnt car memorial

Along Route 232, many people were caught by the terrorists in their cars, and murdered by gun fire or RPGs. The cars were burnt and their frames twisted beyond all recognition. Apparently disposing of these cars is an environmental hazard, and so they’ve all been collected into one area close to the highway, where they’re now on display as a testimony to Hamas’s barbarism.

Some of the cars have the stories of those who were in them, and the site has a general feeling of being more institutionalised, particularly compared to the Nova site, which feels more organic.

#### The Shuva Achim rest stop

One of the Trablisi brothers at the Shuva Achim rest stop
On October 7th, three brothers from a small community called Shuva, about 7km (4 miles) from Gaza, set up a simple coffee stand at the junction outside their village to support Israeli soldiers rushing to the front. As the war intensified, their simple gesture grew into a full-scale grassroots operation known as Shuva Achim (“Return of the Brothers”). 

What began as coffee and comfort quickly expanded into a 24/7 rest station providing thousands of hot meals daily, clean clothing, toiletries, and anything else needed to IDF troops. 

When we went there we met one of the brothers who insisted on showing us around and telling us the full story, and said that he really wants tourists to come and visit (and even volunteer by helping serve meals). It’s an amazing and inspiring story amongst all the tragedy of that terrible day.

#### Sderot

The memorial at the police station in Sderot
Sderot is the closest town to the Gaza strip, and suffered heavily when Hamas terrorists arrived on October 7th in pick-up trucks, armed with machine guns and RPGs. The terrorists took over the police station and hunted down citizens on the streets. It was some of the most terrifying imagery from that day.

The police station was destroyed as part of the attack and today a beautiful and touching memorial stands in its place. A short walk away, it’s possible to watch a short but powerful movie where people from the town talk about their experiences (and in many cases, heroics) on October 7th. There’s also a newly developed lookout on the edge of the town, called the Kobi Lookout, where you can see deep into Gaza (and get a sense of how close everything all is).

#### Visiting a kibbutz or local community

We didn’t go into a kibbutz on our trip but many people are keen to visit the places that saw some of the worst attacks, massacres and destruction, such as Be’eri, Kfar Aza, Netiv Ha’Asara, or Nir Am.

Before the war you could just drive into most of these places; now the gates are shut and visitors are only through prior arrangement. It is possible to have members of the kibbutzim take you around and share the details of what they experienced. For us, it felt a bit too much to handle.

#### Other sites

Before the war, when guiding in the Gaza Envelope, I often used to take people to the Black Arrow memorial as it offers a good view into Gaza and is a good place to discuss some of the geography and history of the area. On the day we visited, the military had closed it to the public.

There’s also a memorial to the (female) lookout soldiers, who suffered terribly on October 7th (despite having warned the army about what looked like an impending attack). This was also closed on the day we visited for military reasons.

### Beyond October 7th in the Gaza Envelope

#### Netivot and the tomb of the Baba Sali

A selection of souvenirs at the Baba Sali tomb in Netivot
During our day we went over to Netivot, a town that’s about 7km (4 miles) from Gaza. But…we didn’t go there to visit October 7th sites. Netivot has a couple of nice spots for lunch (we had a great sabich sandwich) and is most famous for hosting the tomb of the Jewish mystic known as the Baba Sali.

The Baba Sali was a beloved Moroccan-Israeli rabbi and kabbalist known for his deep spirituality, humility and reputed miracles. He died in 1984 but is loved and revered to this day, making his tomb a major site of pilgrimage, particularly (but not exclusively) for Jews of north African descent.

We visited the tomb and loved the positive energy, with many celebrations going on in parallel, and a general hustle and bustle. It was a big contrast to the vibe of the rest of our day and we thought it was nice to have that change of tone and remember that despite the horrendous attacks, life goes on, and joy is still possible.

#### The Salad Trail (Shvil HaSalat)

Before the war, this was often a place I’d love to stop at. The interactive agricultural tour explains how Israel was able to make the desert bloom through pioneering farming techniques, allowing you to pick and taste fresh produce from the fields. See more on The Salad Trail's website.

#### The ancient synagogue at Maon

As discussed in my post from the tour guiding course, this is a beautiful mosaic from a 6th century synagogue with some unusual motifs; a testimony to the long history of Jewish settlement in the area.

### Ethical considerations for touring the Gaza Envelope

Very soon after the war began, people (initially, mostly Israelis) began heading down to the area of the Gaza Envelope to see things for themselves, and immediately a debate began as to whether this was an ethical/appropriate thing to do. 

In the guiding community, a debate erupted on social media and in WhatsApp groups, which has largely died down, but the arguments are still there. Let’s take a look at the considerations for and against, and then I’ll share my thoughts.

#### The importance of bearing witness

Almost as soon as the massacres happened, the denials began around the world. Despite the overwhelming evidence, much of it filmed by Hamas terrorists themselves, a huge disinformation campaign was unleashed on social media to minimise the horrors of the attacks and discredit what Israel was saying.

At a time where Holocaust denial is growing more prevalent, many make the argument that going and seeing these things with your own eyes, and even more so, sharing your experiences on social media, is an important contribution in the information war, now and in the years to come. Because in 10 years, 20 years, when the denial is still around, you’ll be able to say “I know it’s true as I saw it with my own eyes”.

#### Emotional and economic solidarity with local communities

As part of our day, we stopped just outside Kibbutz Be’eri at a small rest stop they’ve built there, where amongst other things, they sell cheese from the kibbutz’s boutique cheese factory.

We asked the people there what they thought about tourists coming to visit the area and the October 7th sites. I was surprised to hear unanimous approval. They appreciated the solidarity, they saw a value in the economic impact (eating lunch in the area, or making donations to local causes etc), and also in people coming to bear witness. 

This did come with caveats though. They said that some guides had been very insensitive, going into graphic descriptions of the events in full earshot of kibbutz members who had personally experienced the horrors. Honestly, I was shocked that anyone would do this, but it was an important takeaway about how to approach the guiding for a day like this.

#### And yet, what is the motivation?

How much of the trip is about going to bear witness and show solidarity, and how much is it about you? Are you going so that you can tell / post that you went, or are you going to really give of yourself and find ways to help? Are you a so-called ‘dark tourist’, seeking out gruesome stories for shock value?

Social media has made the world so narcissistic and there have been numerous stories of people taking inappropriate selfies in memorial sites or coming to visit with perhaps not the purest of motivations.

I’m sure this is a minority of people but it is a reason that there has been criticism of this tourism (and also a driving factor in the kibbutzim closing their gates to visitors without prior appointment and approval).

#### Is this a way to make a living?

Some guides feel deeply uncomfortable about "profiting" on the back of this disaster by leading tours to the area. And I share the discomfort. Because that's not why we got into this. And also, frankly, these types of tours are emotionally very challenging.

Having said this, I want to be clear that this is not a judgement on those guides who are taking this work. Because travel to the Gaza Envelope is arguably very important for the reasons I outlined above. And with so little guiding work available, and families to support, you don't always have the luxury of being able to make this choice.

But do be prepared for guides to turn this work down and react with sensitivity if they do. It's not a reflection on you, or the value of the day, but it's just not right for them. If it's part of a bigger programme, it might be a different conversation, or they may help you find a replacement for that specific day.

### How to approach a day in the Gaza Envelope: my thoughts

Overall, particularly given the clear support of the locals we met and spoke with, I think there is a value in putting a day like this into your Israel itinerary, but here are the things I would take into account.

#### Make it a part of a bigger itinerary

One of my tour guide colleagues who, like me, has a background in informal education, told me that he won’t take days like this by themselves, and he had a good rationale. 

He said that you need to build time to prepare for, frame, and also process the trip, and I think he’s right.

When I was taking groups of Jewish youths to Yad Vashem, the Israeli national Holocaust memorial, we used to do a preparation session the night before and built in a good chunk of time for processing the visit afterwards. 

And that was for a memorial about the Holocaust, a terrible terrible event, but one that happened well before they (or their parents) were born. Not one they lived through.

So if you’re planning a day like this, I recommend you make it part of a longer itinerary, and don’t put it at the beginning or the end, so you have the time to get ready for it properly and process it afterwards.

#### Go beyond October 7th

After our day together in the Gaza Envelope, as we processed it for ourselves, my friend and I both agreed that a day should include something not related to the massacres. A visit to the tomb of the Baba Sali example. An opportunity to see life being lived, to see these communities at their best and not just at their lowest moment. Consider how to build this in. There are a few suggestions earlier in this article.

#### Consider what to see, and what should remain unseen

The survivor and writer Primo Levi grappled with an idea that is still much debated when it comes to description of the Holocaust: the inadequacy of language to convey the horrors of what happened. This idea can also be extended to visual arts such as photography and film.

In fact, some argued that not clearly depicting or describing things was more appropriate; putting things into words or images, given that these media were inadequate, could have the effect of belittling what happened. Sometimes by not saying/showing, you empower people’s imaginations, and it helps them understand quite how awful things were.

Apologies for this philosophical aside, but it is relevant here, because how much do you want the gruesome details? Do you really want to see the burnt out cars? The bullet holes in the shelters by the bus stops? 

I would suggest that hearing stories about the people we lost, rather than the details of their final moments, in many cases may be more meaningful and powerful, but that’s not to say it’s the right approach for every situation, every person, or even overall. Still, it is worth considering as you make your plans.

#### Be respectful of the people and the places

At all of these sites, you’re likely to encounter people who experienced terrible things on October 7th. Consider what questions you want to ask, where and how you want to ask them. Think about what if any photographs/videos you want to take, and if they include people, ask their permission.

If you go with a guide, bear in mind that it’s very challenging for many of us to relive these moments, and try to be sensitive and gentle.

#### Be flexible

It’s impossible to predict how you will react to these sites. You may feel nothing, you may be overcome with emotion. One of them may speak to you more than others. All these feelings, and more, are legitimate. But they may impact your day. 

Don’t feel the need to do things just because they’re in your plan. Read the room, understand the people you’re travelling with, consider what your needs are and what their needs are, and make adjustments accordingly.

### Final thoughts

A trip to the Gaza Envelope can be a meaningful and powerful part of your trip to Israel. But make it a part of your trip; don’t make it the only tour you do. Consider what places you would like to visit, and think about how to experience the living communities in the area, and not just the terrible events of October 7th

I hope this post has been helpful and if you have any questions, you’re welcome to reach out. As noted above, I only provide private tours. If you're looking to join a group tour, the Abraham Tours company is a good bet.

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## Private tour company of the year award

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/private-tour-company-of-the-year-award/
Date: 2022-03-11

I'm thrilled to announce that despite all the COVID-associated challenges, I was recognised by the annual Travel and Hospitality Awards as Private Tour Company of the Year for Israel.

The award is judged based on the following criteria:

• Experience – Memorability is the cornerstone of any trip, so providing an unforgettable tour, activity, or adventure is invaluable.
• Hospitality – A high-quality service combined with a degree of flexibility is usually why clients return.
• Service – Whether it be a single activity or a range of options the service must match or overperform needs and expectation. 
• Rating & Reviews Online – A key factor, online feedback is important. What clients say online can break or make you.

I'm honoured to have received this award and hope that the coming year will see a strong revival in tourism with many more wonderful tours in Israel.

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## Private tour specialist of the year award

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/private-tour-specialist-of-the-year-award-for-israel/
Date: 2021-09-30

 

It's not been an easy period for tourism anywhere in the world and particularly in Israel. Since March 2020 non-citizens have not been allowed into the country (except if they meet special conditions). But I did still manage to do some tours and also made some online presentations for people overseas.

So it's very special to be recognised by the Luxury Travel Guide as the Private Tour Specialist of the Year for Israel.

I understand that this year the awards have taken into account past performance given the drastic reduction in numbers of tourists, together with how travel businesses have adapted to COVID regulations and restrictions.

I'm grateful for the award and look forward to welcoming many tourists on private tours to Israel as soon as the government allows!

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## Going off the beaten path in northern Israel

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/going-off-the-beaten-path-up-in-northern-israel/
Date: 2021-09-26

A couple of weeks ago I decided to take a couple of days to explore some more of northern Israel. One of the amazing things about this country is that despite the fact that it’s very small and despite the fact that I’ve travelled around it so much, there’s always something more to discover. It’s really quite remarkable.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Galilee Panhandle and the Golan Heights, in Israel’s far north.
Time neededTwo days to cover both areas at a relaxed pace.
HighlightsThe Hunin Crusader fortress, a sealed Hezbollah tunnel near the Lebanon border, the Roman temples at Hurvat Omrit, the Hexagon Pool at Nachal Meshushim, and the Yom Kippur War memorial at Tel Saki.
PaceDrive between sites; expect a few short hikes (Yiftach Crevices, Nachal Meshushim, Ein Tina).

### Day One: The Galilee Panhandle

A spelt snack at the Pitputim Bakery in Rosh Pina

I left Tel Aviv early in the morning and after a brief stop at a delicious bakery in Rosh Pina (which specialises in only baking from spelt flour), arrived in the area of the Galilee Panhandle, the area of Israel which sticks up into the north and is surrounded by Lebanon on one side and the Golan Heights on the other.

#### Yiftach Crevices

I began at the Yiftach Crevices, some small fissures in the ground which you can clamber through with the help of some metal handholds that have been helpfully left in the rocks for that very purpose. I was also able to catch sight of a whole bunch of rock hyraxes that were enjoying the peace and quiet until I showed up.

Clambering through the Yiftach Crevices in Israel's Upper Galilee with the help of iron handholds

#### Hunin Fortress

From there I ventured further north, hugging the border with Lebanon, until I arrived at the Hunin Fortress. Built around 800 years ago as part of a series of Crusader fortifications in the area, it’s largely unexcavated, but what is visible is still pretty impressive and you also have stunning views into the Hula Valley.

The Hunin Crusader Fortress

#### Metulla and the Good Fence

The next stop was in Metulla, Israel’s northernmost town which is almost entirely surrounded by Lebanon. I visited the area that was known as “The Good Fence”, a border crossing from when Israel occupied southern Lebanon. It was so called because Lebanese would cross over to work in Israel, and it was also a point at which Israelis could meet their friends and family who were serving in Lebanon. When Israel withdrew in 2000, the crossing was shut, leaving behind a set of now-ruined buildings, next to a beautiful and touching memorial to members of the South Lebanon Army who helped Israel fight the PLO and then Hezbollah.

Memorial to the South Lebanon Army on the Israel/Lebanon border

#### The sealed Hezbollah tunnel

Then it was time for something of an adventure. A friend had advised that it was possible to find the entrance to one of the tunnels that Hezbollah had dug underneath the Israeli border, and was later sealed by the IDF. I followed his instructions, driving past numerous warning signs (“border ahead”, “no entry” etc), but was reassured by the fact that plenty of the local farmers were doing the same. I eventually found the tunnel entrance and it was quite remarkable to see it in person - and consider what the results would have been had the IDF not discovered it.

The blocked-up entrance to a tunnel that Hezbollah dug under the Israel-Lebanon border (the border is in the background) with the objective of conducting terror attacks within Israel.

#### Horvat Omrit

It was time to head east towards the Golan heights. After a brief stop to cool off in the refreshing spring waters at Horshat Tal National Park, I went for a short walk to the ancient Roman ruins at Horvat Omrit. This was a really remarkable site, consisting of three partially excavated and very impressive temples from around 2,000 years ago. It was a lovely way to cap off the day.

A stream flows through Hurshat Tal National Park in the Hula Valley

Ruins of three Roman temples at Hurvat Omrit in the Golan Heights

The sun was now setting. I headed further east into the Golan Heights and towards the Syrian border; I had booked accommodation in a kibbutz called Ein Zivan. But I couldn’t resist stopping off in Merom Golan for a pilgrimage to HaBokrim, one of my favourite steak houses, for a delicious dinner en route.

A sizzling steak at HaBokrim restaurant in Merom Golan

### Day Two: The Golan Heights

Nachal Meshushim (the Hexagon stream) flows through the Golan Heights

#### Nachal Meshushim and the Hexagon Pool

It’s still pretty hot in September so I got up early to grab a hearty breakfast and then head off on my first hike of the day: Nachal Meshushim. This trail takes on a walk through beautiful scenery down into a valley where you can see the remarkable hexagonal formations in a large basalt rock pool. It’s normally a good opportunity to cool off in the waters but the Ministry of Health had reported the waters had been temporarily polluted (probably by cows upstream) and had warned against swimming - this did not seem to stop other locals from plunging into the water but as warm as it was, I didn’t want to risk it.

Remarkable geological formations at the Hexagon Pool in the Golan Heights

#### Ein Tina

Some water did await though at the next stop, Ein Tina. This is a full-on water hike, wading through fast flowing water and clambering over stones in the river bed. It was very refreshing indeed and very popular with the locals (probably also because there is no entry fee!).

Hiking up the Ein Tina stream in the Golan Heights with the assistance of some helpful hand railings

#### Bell Ofri

Feeling refreshed, I checked out a very interesting spot for lunch called Bell Ofri. It’s hard to describe...part farm, part winery, part ceramics workshop and more. The couple who run the place are lovely and served up a delicious homemade lunch while recounting their quite fascinating life story.

The memorial at Tel Saki in the Golan Heights to Israeli soldiers who fell in the Yom Kippur War

#### Tel Saki

As a final stop for the day, I headed to Tel Saki. It seemed appropriate in the lead up to Yom Kippur, given that it was the location of a particularly vicious battle at the beginning of the 1973 Yom Kippur war. The site contains a moving memorial and a good view into Syria as it’s right next to the border.

De Karina chocolatier in Ein Zivan, the Golan Heights

There was just time to stop at my old favourite, De Karina, for some chocolate to take home for the family. For dinner, I tried out a restaurant called Suzana. I was tempted to try their wagyu burger (kosher wagyu beef is something of a novelty) but when in the Golan...you need to go local, and their sirloin steak was truly excellent. A great way to end another great day.

### Day Three: Reality Bites

I had another full day of adventure planned but woke up in the morning to a message from my daughter’s nursery that there had been a COVID case - Israeli law meant that the nursery had to close and all the kids had to isolate at home. The adventure had to be put on hold as I headed swiftly home to help out with the family...but I’ll be back - there’s still so much to explore and discover.

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## Family Fun in the Desert Surroundings of Mitzpe Ramon

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/family-fun-in-the-desert-surroundings-of-mitzpe-ramon/
Date: 2021-04-20

When we had an opportunity for a day off for all the family, we headed south for some desert scenery, flavours and wildlife.

I love the desert. Actually, I should probably refine that. I love the Israeli desert. I haven’t been in enough other deserts to compare.

Growing up in the UK, there were not really any opportunities to get to know desert scenery other than from TV. And because most deserts that I had seen on TV were of the Saharan variety, with huge sand dunes and not much else, I thought that’s what deserts were.

But it turns out that a lot of desert is not like that at all. Israel has two deserts, the Judean Desert in the east, the Negev in the south. And you’ll be hard pressed to find sand dunes in either. They do exist in the Negev, but you have to look pretty hard for them.

So instead, you have a rocky landscape, and a lot of it is spectacular, the results of millions of years of shifts in local tectonic plates and erosion from flash floods and other geological processes. It’s easy to disappear on hikes into this scenery where you won’t see another soul for hours and can enjoy the sound of absolute silence — apart from your own footsteps.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereMitzpe Ramon, perched on the edge of the Ramon Crater in the Negev, southern Israel.
Key sitesThe Ramon Crater (Makhtesh Ramon), Lasha Bakery, the alpaca farm, the coloured sands area in the crater, the Hai Ramon nature reserve and the Ramon Visitors Centre.
Best forFamilies with younger children; desert scenery and wildlife without long hikes.
AccessDriveable from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem in around 2.5–3 hours; for the coloured sands bring your own bottle/jar and a spoon.

### A day in and around Mitzpe Ramon

With tourism drying up, I hadn’t been to the desert for over a year, and my daughter had never been at all. I was excited to share this new landscape with her. Hiking with a 3 year old is challenging, so I opted to plan a day that she would love in and around Mitzpe Ramon.

Perched on the edge of the stunning Ramon Crater, Mitzpe Ramon is a small town that was originally founded with the idea that people would stay overnight on a drive to/from the Red Sea resort town of Eilat at Israel’s southernmost tip. That doesn’t happen so much these days (and I’m not sure it ever did), particularly as the most direct and quickest road to Eilat now bypasses the town, but there are a few fun things to do to grab the attention of passing tourists (and also one of Israel’s most luxurious hotels — Beresheet).

### Lasha Bakery and the alpaca farm

First things first though. On arrival, we wanted to get some food, and made a stop at Lasha Bakery. It’s a place with an interesting backstory, founded by someone who left the city to follow their passion in the desert, and everything we tried was absolutely delicious.

Bellies filled, we headed off to the local alpaca farm. Alpacas are native to South America, not the Middle East, but the owners of this farm have been tending them here for years. Our daughter loved feeding the alpacas and also seeing the other animals on the farm.

### Into the Ramon Crater for coloured sands

Stunning look out over the Ramon Crater

Next, we headed down into the Ramon Crater itself. This type of crater is technically known as a makhtesh and is only found in Israel, the Sinai and I believe one or two in North Africa. The Ramon Crater is the largest, at 40km (25 miles) in length. These craters weren’t formed by meteor impacts, but by complex geological processes over millions of years. One of the by-products is lots and lots of beautifully coloured sands.

We brought this bottle from home and filled it with layers of different coloured sands from the Ramon Crater, Israel

The crater is a nature reserve and you can’t just wander around taking the sand, but there is a specific area where it is allowed. Note: come prepared with your own bottle/jar and spoon/spade. We went around the different colours of sand and added different layers to our bottle. It was a huge hit with our daughter and a lovely souvenir to take home.

### Ibexes and the Hai Ramon nature reserve

We came across these ibexes wandering in Mitzpe Ramon

It was time to scope out more wildlife. One of the most beautiful animals that can be found in the desert is the nubian ibex. And there’s normally a few of them hanging around Mitzpe Ramon. It’s not a big place, and after driving for a little while, we found some. We passed a good amount of time just observing these graceful, nimble creatures.

It seemed to be tortoise mating season at the Bio Ramon

For a final stop, we popped over to the Hai Ramon nature reserve. This little park contained a host of small desert creatures and critters and a nice movie about the surprisingly large amount of animals that do live in the desert. It’s not a place that you’d spend a huge amount of time in, but again our daughter loved it, and many of the animals were very cute. Nearby is the Ramon Visitors Centre, which was closed because of the current restrictions, but is well worth a visit when open.

It was time to head home. I was thrilled to have got back into the desert scenery, and a super time was had by all. A fabulous day out all round.

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## Cooling off in the Valley of Springs

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/valley-of-springs-in-northern-israel/
Date: 2021-02-22

When a heatwave hit, a lazy day relaxing by natural springs in northern Israel was just what the doctor ordered.

The area known as the Beit She’an Valley, more recently rebranded as the “Valley of Springs”, is, on the face of it, not an ideal place to live. It’s the hottest part of Israel—a combination of its altitude (over 100m, or 300ft below sea level) and its basalt rock, which absorbs the heat.

Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi, a farming collective located in the valley, holds the record for the hottest recorded temperature in Asia for a year-round settlement, clocking in at 54C (129F). And yet, throughout history, people have lived and thrived in this area. In fact, under Roman rule, Beit She’an (or Scythopolis, as it was then known) was the regional capital.

What made this possible? The ready supply of fresh water. In addition to a couple of year-round streams, the geology of the area contributed to the formation of a plethora of springs. Combined with the fertile soil, it became a place where people could flourish.

Last October, after a gruelling few months of lockdown, and during a harsh heatwave, my wife and I decided to take a day to ourselves and drove up to the area to cool off in nature. We specifically chose to go during the week—during the weekend these places are normally packed.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Beit She’an Valley (recently rebranded as the Valley of Springs), in northern Israel.
HighlightsThe Park of Springs (free entry, with bicycles and golf carts for hire), Maayan Harod National Park, fish pools, autumn bird migration.
WhenOctober to spring. Avoid summer: this is the hottest part of Israel.
Time neededA full day for both the Park of Springs and Maayan Harod.

### The Park of Springs

Relaxing at the Shokek Spring in the Park of Springs in northern Israel

We began our day in the appropriately named “Park of Springs” site. While many of the springs require a bit of work to find, this is an organised site that collects together three springs and associated streams, with trails connecting them and helpful signage and facilities. Entry to the site is free, but you can pay to hire bicycles, golf carts or to deposit valuables in a locker.

Given the heat, we splashed out on a golf cart and spent a wonderful few hours in the park. We drove between springs, alternatively dipping ourselves in the refreshing water, cooling off in the shade, and enjoying the picnic we’d picked up from one of our favourite bakeries on our drive north.

Breakfast picnic from Jacobs Dairy and Agadat HaLechem bakery

There are fish pools in the park, owned by the local kibbutz. October is the beginning of the big annual bird migration across Israel, with half a billion birds flying in from Europe and Asia to head down to warmer climes on the African continent. We were able to spot a whole flock of pelicans in the pools, quite majestic animals.

Migrating pelicans in the fish pools at the Park of Springs in northern Israel

One thing we didn’t have time for was the Kibbutzim Stream water hike. It’s located in the park, and with the water going quite deep at parts, can become more of a swim than a hike. I’ll have to get back there to give it a go.

### Maayan Harod and the Harod Spring

Having enjoyed the park, we set off on our way home, via a stop at a different spring, in the Jezreel Valley. The Harod Spring is mentioned in the Bible, in one of my favourite stories. Detailed in Judges 7, Gideon takes his Israelite warriors to the spring ahead of a major battle with the Midianites. In what I sometimes jokingly refer to as the first HR assessment centre, he invites them to drink, and then selects his fighters based on the result. You can read the full story here.

Today, the Harod Spring is a national park in a beautiful setting. There is an entry fee, but the advantage is that it was even more peaceful and relaxed than the Park of the Springs. We spent another good couple of hours relaxing in and out of the water, and just enjoying nature after so long stuck in the city. You can read more about the Harod Spring from when I visited it on the tour guide course.

### On the way home

Some of the treats on offer at the Maklot Vanille Cafe in Afula

Sadly, it was time to head home, but we made time for a couple of culinary stops. First, for a yummy early supper at Maklot Vanil in Afula, and then to pick up some crisp, fresh and very reasonably priced veggies from the Carmelim farm shop in Yogev.

Browsing the Carmelim farm shop in northern Israel

All in all, a wonderfully relaxing day in nature, with some delicious treats to boot. 

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## Hiking to the top of Israel: Mt Hermon

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/hiking-to-the-top-of-israel-mt-hermon/
Date: 2020-10-04

Mt Hermon is the highest peak in Israel, reaching 2 040m (6690ft) above sea level. It’s a perfect location for a summer hike, providing you can plan a bit in advance.

A couple of months ago, in the middle of the summer, I suddenly found myself with a completely free day for myself at short notice. With all the Corona-chaos I hadn’t had an opportunity to do any guiding for some months, and was missing being in the field. I thought it would be a great opportunity to do a hike.

I really enjoy hiking, and although you might think I do a lot of it as a tour guide, it’s actually quite unusual with the type of visitors I normally work with. Most of my clients are coming for no more than a week and they want to pack in as much as possible – so taking a few hours from the schedule for a hike is not normally an option. It does happen here and there, but also tends to be the same trails that are close to other sites of interest or perhaps have some specific historical or religious context.

So, this was an opportunity to do a hike for me. Unfortunately, the Israeli summer is not best-designed for walking outdoors. Temperatures easily hit the mid-30s (that’s the mid-90s for our American friends) even in the cooler parts of the country. And certain areas can be extremely humid. I’d have to start quite early in the morning for a hike to even be feasible. There were other restrictions – I was on my own so would need to do a circular trail (it’s quite common to walk in one direction and then hitchhike back to where you parked your car – but in Corona times I didn’t think that was sensible). Additionally, on some trails there’s no guarantee your car will be there when you return. I needed to get some advice.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereMt Hermon, on Israel’s northern border (Israel/Syria/Lebanon), in the Golan Heights.
Elevation2,040m (6,690ft): the highest peak in Israel.
Best seasonSummer for hiking (cooler than the lowlands); winter for the ski area.
AccessArmy approval needed in advance for the hiking trail; the chairlift and cable car run without approval.

### A tour guide’s recommendation

So I turned to Steve of Finjan. Steve and I did the tour guide course together, and became good friends. Although he guides general visitors like I do, together with another member of our course he’s also developed a successful business specialising on off the beaten track travel in Israel, with a particular focus on hiking. I told him my criteria and he suggested that I hike the Hermon – the highest mountain in Israel, on the Syrian and Lebanese border.

I hadn’t thought of travelling that far, but he really sold it to me – particularly because it would be a lot cooler than anywhere else in the country due to the elevation, which in the peak of the summer is a major incentive. I’d been up the Hermon a few times, but never on foot, and the challenge was appealing. It’s not simple to do – you need to get permission from the army because of its proximity to the border. But Steve talked me through the process, my permission came through, and all was set.

### Climbing the Hermon

So, a couple of days later, at 6.30am I was driving out of Tel Aviv and heading north. It was a wonderful drive, against the traffic, and just under three hours later I was driving through the Druze town of Majdal Shams on the Israel/Syrian border, and on the slopes of the Hermon. At this point, my heart began to sink. The town was enveloped in thick fog. Had I come all this way to hike in the mist? But I was there now, and I was rewarded for pushing on as I continued to ascend towards the beginning of the trail, eventually bursting through the fog to enjoy a stunningly clear view over the Golan Heights, the Hula Valley and the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. I literally shouted for joy! It really was quite remarkable.

View west towards the Hula and Bekaa Valleys in Israel and Lebanon respectively

I arrived at the beginning of the trail and the soldier at the gate let me through thanks to the approval I’d secured. I began to climb, pausing every now and again to enjoy the beautiful scenery, the solitude and also because it was quite a steep ascent – so I need to catch my breath! The trail was well marked and in about an hour I was at the top. It was glorious, and thanks to the relatively early time of day, almost completely empty. I had the views to myself and it was a very pleasant 24C (75F), so much nicer than the relentless humidity of Israel’s centre.

The Hermon is mentioned on multiple occasions in the Bible (sometimes by its other names: Mt Snir, Siryon or Sion). It stands out from a distance and clearly commanded respect and a sense of mysticism. Indeed some (minority) opinions identify it as the real Mt Sinai or even the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Whether or not this is the case, both on the approach and from the top, the mountain emanates a sense of awe. It felt very special to be there.

### Above the clouds and into Syria

You don’t have to hike to enjoy the views from the top – there is also a chairlift and, more recently, a cable car – neither of which require army approval. The Hermon is the only place in Israel that you can ski (at the right time of year) and these mainly serve the skiers – there’s not a huge amount to do up there in the summer other than enjoy the views. Only 7% of the Hermon is in Israeli hands (taken from Syria in 1967) – the majority of it is in Syria and a small part is in Lebanon. So the areas you can explore up there are quite restricted.

A view from the top of the trail on Mt Hermon. Amazing to be above the clouds.

Steve had suggested that I hike up and take the cable car down, but there was some rather disturbing news awaiting me at the top of the mountain – the cable car was broken… They were trying to fix it and “hopefully” it would be working soon. Fortunately, I did have a way to pass the time – there is a further trail at the top of the mountain, requiring separate army approval, that allows you to wander a bit further.

I took this trail, exploring the area of a major battle in the Yom Kippur War, and reaching the symbolic start point for the Israel Trail – a renowned hiking route that runs all the way from Israel’s north to its south. When I originally ascended the Hermon, I had views into Israel and Lebanon, from this side I could see deep into Syria. I wandered as far as I was allowed (the army only approved me to go on part of this trail) before enjoying a picnic lunch and venturing back to the cable car with fingers firmly crossed. Fortunately, they had fixed it and I was able to avoid punishing my knees by attempting to descend the way I came.

Looking out over the border between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights from Mt Hermon. The town in the bottom right of the photo is Majdal Shams which sits right on the border. To its left is Syria.

 

This symbol marks the theoretical beginning of the Israel Trail on Mt Hermon.

### Berry picking and chocolate in the Golan

By now it was around 12.30 – and it seemed a shame to already head home. I then remembered that it was berry season in the Golan, and so headed to the Bereishit orchards to do some fruit picking for the family. I left with boxes full of fresh blackberries, blueberries, plums and nectarines. Delicious.

Blackberry picking in the Bereishit orchards in the Golan Heights.

And there was still time, so I popped into an old favourite – the De Karina chocolate factory in Ein Zivan, for one of their famous milkshakes and to pick up some treats to take home.

A chocolate milkshake at the De Karina chocolate factory in the Golan Heights. It was as good as it looks!

### A day guiding myself

I got back around 4.30pm, exhausted but exhilarated. When guiding, there’s so much to think about all the time – some logistical thing, some calls you need to make, answering questions – you don’t have that much time to enjoy the places you're visiting as the tourists do. This was a day where I sort of guided myself, and was able to really appreciate the scenery, the sights, sounds and smells, in a much more personal way. It was wonderful!

### Tips for hiking the Hermon

If you’re ever looking for a great hike in the Israeli summer, I can’t recommend the Hermon enough. Here’s what you should think about when planning your trip:

Get army permission well in advance. The hiking trail requires it, and the process is a lot easier to navigate with a tour guide.
Bring sunscreen, a hat, water, and sturdy footwear. The elevation means the sun’s rays are stronger than at lower altitudes. Bring enough water to hike in both directions, in case of another cable car malfunction.
Pack a jumper/sweater. Even in summer it can be cold at the top depending on the winds and cloud cover.
Start early. The trail is quieter, the temperature is friendlier, and you’ll have time for extras like berry picking or the chocolate factory on the way home.
The chairlift and cable car are alternatives. Both run without army approval, and the cable car can save your knees on the descent if you’ve hiked up.

With thanks again to Steve of Finjan!

 

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## 10 Tips for Travel to Israel During the COVID-19 Pandemic

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/10-tips-for-travel-to-israel-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/
Date: 2020-09-04

Note (2026): This article is preserved from the pandemic era for archive purposes. Israel travel is no longer affected by COVID-era restrictions.

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge a lot of the world, we are seeing a slow but gradual return to travel for tourism globally. At the time of writing, Israel still is not letting visitors in who do not hold citizenship, but there are more and more conversations happening about reopening the skies.

So, I thought it could be helpful to share some tips and thoughts for anyone thinking about coming to tour Israel in the near future, while we’re still in the shadow of the Coronavirus. There are pros and cons in travelling at a time like this, and ultimately everyone has to make an individual choice on the risk/reward ratio. While prices for accommodation and touring services are likely to be cheaper, and sites less crowded, none of us want to become unwell or forced into isolation. I hope that this blog can help that decision process a little.

And of course — an important disclaimer. In case it wasn’t obvious, I’m not a medical professional. So I’m basing these tips and pieces of advice on what I’ve read and heard from those who are much more learned than I am. Don’t take it all as gospel — read around and do your research.

### 10 tips for travelling to Israel during COVID-19

#### 1) Make a plan and stick to it (with a backup plan just in case)

Because of limitations on visitor numbers, you now have to reserve a time slot before visiting many sites and attractions in Israel. This means that it’s a lot harder to be spontaneous — whether it’s deciding to suddenly change route and stop at a new attraction (they may not have space), or spending more time than you intended at a site (you may miss your slot at the next one). 

Spontaneity is not necessarily impossible — because there aren’t as many tourists as normal, if you’re coming outside of school vacation dates there are likely to be spots free. But you can’t be as flexible as before. 

However, having said that…if you do need to cancel a planned activity or stay, it’s good to have a sense of options of what you may be able to do instead. I don’t think you need to have a whole backup itinerary planned, just have a shortlist of backup options for activities and accommodations by area and, if you need to, you can quickly rearrange your plans.

#### 2) Be prepared to be flexible

But didn’t I just say you couldn’t be as flexible as before? Indeed you can’t — at least you can’t choose to be. But you may be forced to be flexible as the conditions around the country fluctuate. A site or hotel may be forced to close temporarily because of a confirmed case of COVID-19, or an area may be locked down because of a spike in infections. As long as you come with the mindset that this may happen, and embrace it, you should be ok. 

#### 3) Avoid places when they’re likely to be crowded

Try to plan to avoid being in places when they’re likely to be crowded. I’d personally suggest staying out of the big cities during the weekend (Thursday evening until Sunday morning). Don’t go to holy sites during service times and visit markets early in the morning before footfall increases. 

Israelis don’t normally eat dinner before 8pm and sometimes even later. So if you’re happy to eat early, you can reduce your risk when dining out by being in restaurants when they are quieter (and also should get better service as a result!). Nearly all restaurants have outdoor dining areas which are recommended as lower risk of virus transmission than being inside. 

Alternatively, particularly in cities, there are many great options for getting food delivered. In Tel Aviv, the Wolt app is particularly good as it works in English (although not all menus are translated) and offers a contactless delivery option.

#### 4) Consider apartment rentals over hotels

The vast majority of hotels in Israel are taking things seriously and following the guidelines of the Ministry of Health. I’ve actually been quite impressed. However, there’s only so much they can control. And they can’t control all the behaviour of their guests. It’s difficult for a hotel as a service provider to force their paying guests to follow the rules. There have been incidences of people who were supposed to be in isolation going to stay in hotels.

So, I’d consider staying in an apartment rental. You won’t get the service of a hotel, but you’ll be reducing your risk of exposure by the simple fact that you’ll be walking past fewer people.

#### 5) Communicate with your accommodation

Whether you decide to stay in a hotel or an apartment rental, take the time to communicate with them in advance before booking. Understand the precautions that they are taking in terms of cleaning, distancing, meals (in the case of a hotel) and look into reviews to see if what they tell you is actually happening. Some review sites offer the opportunity to contact the person who made the review, so consider reaching out to them to hear more.

And if you’re communicating anyway, you may want to see what can be done on price. On the one hand, these businesses have suffered a lot because of the drop in tourism, and if you can afford not to negotiate then I’d suggest it would be a nice thing to do. But if the price is the difference between you coming or not coming, there’s no harm in asking.

#### 6) Check cancellation policies

Before you book anything, understand the cancellation policy. Until when can you cancel if for some reason your trip can’t go ahead? What are the penalties
for doing so? Is it possible to move your booking if needed? At times like these, understanding the policies becomes even more important.

#### 7) Get travel insurance

I’m constantly surprised by how many people I’ve guided don’t come with travel insurance. It was always a given growing up that we had it. Now it is more important than ever, although also more expensive than ever. Good travel insurance will cover any health care needs, help you get home if your flights are cancelled and also cover you for cancelling your trip or parts of your trip if needed. I would not fly without it at the moment.

#### 8) Look but don’t touch

This may seem obvious but I think it’s worth stating. For many people, particularly those coming to Israel for religious reasons, touch can make up an important part of the trip. Whether it’s touching the smoothness of the stones of the Western Wall to connect to the millions of people who have done the same, or touching places where it’s believed that Jesus performed miracles, for example. I am not an expert at all on the possibility of virus transmission through touching these places — but I would suggest that it’s not worth the risk of ruining your trip.

#### 9) Consider a private guide

You could save yourself a lot of this hassle by hiring a private guide to do it for you — making the bookings, staying on top of which areas are lower and higher risk, adjusting your itinerary if needed and being able to speak the local language to help out in case of any emergency.

Additionally, doing a private tour will reduce your exposure to other people (for example on a bus tour) and keeping the same guide with you for the whole trip as opposed to getting different guides in different places will reduce your risk further.

Obviously I’m biased, but I think that a private guide can add even more value at times such as these, although it will increase the cost of your trip.

#### 10) Consider your travel

It pains me to say this, but this is not the best time to come on a trip to Israel. Yes — there are the advantages of lower pricing and significantly less crowded sites. But some places are not open, and depending on your character, possible anxiety re contracting COVID-19 may mean the trip is not as relaxing as you would like. So if you do have a way to delay your trip, I’d very much consider it.

But not everyone chooses their time to visit. Maybe it’s a family occasion that has been planned for ages and you don’t want to miss it. Maybe you don’t know if you’ll be able to come in the future because of potential changes in your lifestyle. Maybe you have a work trip and will be here anyway, so it’s a shame not to explore. If you are planning a visit to Israel, I hope that these tips are helpful, and I and the rest of Israel’s tourism professionals are here for anything you may need. If it’s useful, you’re welcome to start with my plan your trip page.

Safe travels!

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## TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award 2020

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/tripadvisor-travellers-choice-award-2020/
Date: 2020-08-30

I'm delighted to have been awarded a Travellers' Choice Award (formerly known as the Certificate of Excellence) from TripAdvisor for 2020! I've now won this award five years in a row.

These awards from TripAdvisor mean so much as they are based on real reviews from people I have guided on tours around Israel. I'm very happy that people continue to have such a great time exploring Israel with me.

Thanks so much to all who took time to write a review and I look forward to guiding even more fantastic travel experiences in Israel in the year to come.

 

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## Tour Company of the Year Award

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/tour-company-of-the-year-award/
Date: 2019-12-07

I'm honoured to announce that the annual Travel & Hospitality Awards just named me 'Tour Company of the Year for Israel'.

I'm very proud of this award and grateful to those who nominated me. I look forward to another great year of building fantastic experiences in Israel!

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## Luxury Travel Guide Tour Guide of the Year Award

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/luxury-travel-guide-tour-guide-of-the-year-award/
Date: 2019-01-16

I'm thrilled to announce that the Luxury Travel Guide has awarded me with the prestigious title of Tour Guide of the Year for Tel Aviv, Israel in 2019. I received feedback from the awards committee that a significant contributing factor in the award was feedback from people whom I've guided about the fact that my tours are truly personalised and that I have a unique guiding approach.

I feel truly honoured to have received this award and look forward to maintaining the same high standards moving forward!

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## Tour Guide of the Year Award

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/tour-guide-of-the-year-award/
Date: 2018-11-23

I'm honoured to announce that the annual Travel & Hospitality Awards just named me 'Tour Guide of the Year for Israel'.

I'm very proud of this award and grateful to those who nominated me. However, the award that meant the most to me was to receive a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor for the third year in a row. This is an award that is made based on the reviews I have received from the people I have guided and so I know it is directly as a result of people having a positive experience touring with me.

I look forward to another great year of building fantastic experiences in Israel!

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## Mount Ebal – the altar of Joshua?

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/mount-ebal-the-altar-of-joshua/
Date: 2018-08-17

In order to maintain my tour guide license, I need to complete at least one Ministry of Tourism training day every year – the idea being that it ensures I keep my knowledge up to date. The Ministry offers a variety of different trips and lecture days throughout the year, many sound fascinating but unfortunately it’s difficult to go to more than one or two (and sometimes even that requires a sacrifice) when managing a busy schedule.

Today’s trip was particularly special as we were able to visit a site I have been fascinated by since being on the tour guide course: Mt Ebal. First mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy, Mt Ebal is next to Nablus (biblical Shechem) in the middle of the Samaria area of the West Bank.

On the course we had been told about a remarkable archaeological find there, but given that it is located in Area B, which is largely under Palestinian control, visiting requires army approval and also an escort. Fortunately, for the purpose of this training day, this was obtained.

Part of our army escort

An aside. I always find it a little strange to go on a day out in the West Bank, particularly the area of Samaria in the north, which is more populated than desert in the east and south. Although the day was not focussed on contemporary politics, it’s impossible to ignore them.

You can see the Jewish villages/settlements and the Palestinian villages and cities. One can’t help but think about the controversy associated with the area. It was a bit surreal to do a tour with an army escort, particularly as it always seems so peaceful and calm.

Some may argue that joining such a tour day is innately political, I would say that I was there purely for interest in the history. And I also think it’s important to see the West Bank so that one knows what one is talking about when having to discuss it with visitors. Anyway, the point is that I don’t want this post to be seen as some sort of political statement, and I hope that it will not be responded to as such.

### Quick facts & guide tips

Where
Mount Ebal, next to Nablus (biblical Shechem), in the Samaria area of the West Bank.

Access
Area B (largely under Palestinian control): visiting requires army approval and an army escort.

What’s there
A square stone altar matching the biblical description of Israelite altars, plus a wider ritual site.

Date
Iron Age, around 3200 BCE per Egyptian scarabs found in the excavations.

### The view from Mount Ebal

View over Nablus (Biblical Shechem) and Mt Gerizim from Mt Ebal

We started the day with a look out over the city of Nablus, the economic heart of the Palestinian Authority. Nablus sits in the valley between Mt Ebal and Mt Gerizim; our guide explained to us the way that these two large ridges effectively form an insurmountable barrier to anyone entering from the east (as the Israelites would have done, according to the Bible), hence their symbolism in the text.

They are a sort of gateway to the holy land. We discussed this week’s Torah portion, Re’eh, where Moses gives instructions on entering the land, and details a list of curses that are to be given on Mt Ebal, and blessings on Mt Gerizim (Deuteronomy 27).

Moving away from Nablus to the other side of Mount Ebal (the peak of the Samarian hills at around 900m/2700ft above sea level), we descended through rocky and thorny terrain to reach what this day was really all about.

### What Adam Zertal found

Starting in the 70s-80s, an archaeologist called Adam Zertal took it upon himself to conduct a huge archaeological survey of the whole (or as much as possible) of Samaria (the northern part of the West Bank). The difference between a survey and a dig is that you hike around the terrain noting areas which seem to be of archaeological significance because of limited ruins on the surface, or perhaps pottery sherds that can be found. This information is then used to prioritise where to dig.

View over the Israelite ritual site on Mt Ebal

Zertal noticed an interesting site on Mt Ebal and began to dig there. What he found was remarkable. He found an altar that completely fits the description of Israelite altars in the Bible. Around it was a larger ritual site. His theory is that the site had two periods: first people came to perform various ceremonies to purify/sanctify the larger area, and then the huge altar was built.

### An altar like the Bible describes

The altar is built just as described in multiple locations in the Bible (following from Exodus 20):

“If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your nakedness may be exposed.’”

The altar we saw was definitely built with unhewn stones, and leading up to it was a ramp and not steps. The idea was that by walking up a ramp, as opposed to stairs, the priests flowing robes were less likely to expose the more private parts of their body.

Also, as described in Exodus 27, the altar is square (Canaanite altars were round).

Ramp leading up to the Israelite altar on Mt Ebal

It requires a bit of imagination to see this, particularly as the altar has partly been opened up to see what was inside, but it really does fit the biblical description, which is quite remarkable. What’s more, inside the stones they found over 1000 animal bones. Without exception they were all of kosher animals, under a year old (first-born animals were to be sacrificed according to the Bible) and all bore the sign of burning in an open fire.

Artist's impression of the altar

### Dating the altar

The evidence is overwhelming that this was an Israelite altar. The question then, is who built it? Dating the site is possible based on two Egyptian scarabs that were found in the excavations. The scarabs date to around 3200 BCE. Most scholars see this as the time that the Israelites entered the land (indeed we do begin to see evidence of a new culture in the archaeology at this time). Could this altar have been built by Joshua?

The book of Joshua describes how he fulfils Moses’ command, as described at the end of chapter 8:

“Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones on which no man had wielded an iron tool; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings. 

He wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel. All Israel with their elders and officers and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, the stranger as well as the native. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had given command at first to bless the people of Israel. 

Then afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel with the women and the little ones and the strangers who were living among them.”

It really seems to fit the text, and so Zertal argued that this was in fact the altar of Joshua. There’s one problem. It seems from the text, that the altar was visible from Mt Gerizim, but in this part of Mt Ebal you can’t see Mt Gerizim – it’s the other side of the peak.

Zertal considered the option that Mt Gerizim has been identified incorrectly, but there are a number of reasons that this doesn’t make sense. Perhaps you could infer from the text that although the ceremony happened in view of everyone, the altar where the offerings were made may not need to have been in full view? It remains a problem and no one has a good answer – what is clear is that this is the only altar on Mt Ebal from any period.

### Standing on the altar

Maybe it is the altar of Joshua, maybe it isn’t. As with many things here, it comes down to faith. However, I must admit to feeling emotional when seeing this altar, no matter who built it, as it undoubtedly would have been used by the ancient Israelites, as described in our most ancient of texts.

I climbed the ramp, imagining the priests doing so over 3000 years before, in order to make their sacrifices. As I stood on the top of the altar, I enjoyed the stunning view before me, including the Tirtza Valley, which Zertal and others believe the Israelites used to enter the land after crossing the Jordan.

I pictured the mixed multitudes arriving finally at this ancient gateway, having heard so much about it, and preparing to live in their promised land. And here I am, over 3000 years later, in their footsteps. For a few beautiful moments, it was possible to put all the tensions and politics aside, and drink in a remarkable atmosphere.

View over Tirtza Valley from the Israelite altar on Mt Ebal

Unfortunately, our time was up – the officer who was accompanying us told us that it was time for us to leave. I don’t know if I’ll ever return to Mt Ebal – it’s so complicated to do so. But I’ll never forget it.

------------------------------------------------------------

## Thrilled to receive new awards

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/thrilled-to-receive-new-awards/
Date: 2017-11-16

As we come towards the end of 2017 I'm thrilled to write about some of the awards that I have received this year.

After last year's award from the prestigious Luxury Travel Guide as being the ‘Best Bespoke Tour Operator in Tel Aviv’, I'm delighted to have won a further award from the guide this year, as the 'Best Boutique Tour Operator for Israel'.

In addition, the annual Travel & Hospitality Awards just named me 'Tailor Made Tour Company of the Year for Tel Aviv'.

While I am very proud of these awards and delighted to receive the industry recognition, the award that meant the most to me was to receive a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. This is an award that is made based on the reviews I have received from the people I have guided and so I know it is directly as a result of people having a positive experience touring with me.

I look forward to another great year of building fantastic experiences in Israel for a plethora of visitors!

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## Luxury Travel Guide award

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/luxury-travel-guide-award/
Date: 2016-09-02

I am thrilled to announce that I have received the award for 'Best Bespoke Tour Operator in Tel Aviv' from the prestigious Luxury Travel Guide.

In addition to the recent Certificate of Excellence Award from TripAdvisor, this is further recognition of the high level of my guiding services. I look forward to building more and more wonderful, tailored tours in Israel for many people in the future.

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## The Priestly Blessing (Birkat HaCohanim) at the Western Wall

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-priestly-blessing-birkat-hacohanim-at-the-western-wall/
Date: 2016-04-27

Priestly Blessing at the Western Wall

The priestly blessing (birkat hacohanim) has always held a certain fascination for me. Although in Israel, and in all Sephardic communities, it is recited daily in synagogue, in Ashkenazi Diaspora communities like mine it is only recited during festivals, so it became something of a special event. I remember from a young age the priests ascending to the stage at the front of the synagogue, by the ark, in preparation for this ancient ceremony. Those who were sitting in seats that were to the side would get up and move so that they could be in front of the priests in order to receive the blessing. We would stand and my father would take me under his tallit (prayer shawl) and instruct me firmly not to look at the priests while they were blessing us – it is forbidden. This combined with the unique and haunting tune sung during the blessing made it a very special moment.

### Quick facts & guide tips



WhatThe unified Priestly Blessing (Birkat HaCohanim) ceremony at the Western Wall, with hundreds of cohanim joining together to recite the blessing.
WhenTwice a year: Pesach (Passover, spring) and Sukkot (Tabernacles, autumn).
WhereThe Western Wall, Old City of Jerusalem.
Historical contextThe blessing text dates to First Temple times (roughly 3,000 years ago); the unified service tradition began in 1970, after Israel regained access to the Wall in 1967.



### The 1967 unified service

In 1967, after the Six Day War, Israel took control of the Old City of Jerusalem for the first time, and Jews had unrestricted access to the Western Wall. Those of you who have toured with me will be aware of the various complexities associated with that war and its results, but putting that aside for a moment, this was an event of huge importance. This was the first time in memory that Jews were free to visit and pray at this most holy of sites. Whether religious or secular, the significance was huge.

Those of you who have visited the Wall will be aware that there are normally several services happening there in parallel, but in 1970 a rabbi decided to try and create one large public service which would incorporate the priestly blessing. According to Rabbi Eleazar ben Judah of Worms, an important commentator and mystic from the Middle Ages, there is special significance to hearing the blessing from over 300 priests, close to where the temple once stood.

Today, the special unified service takes place twice a year. Once during Pesach (Passover) in the spring and once during Sukkot (Tabernacles) in the autumn. These festivals are significant as they are two of the ‘Three Foot Festivals’; festivals on which a pilgrimage to Jerusalem is required, as commanded in the Torah in Deuteronomy 16:16:
“Three times a year shall all your people appear before the Lord your God in the place that God will choose [referring presumably to the Temple in Jerusalem], on the festivals of Pesach, Shavuot [Pentecost], and Sukkot. They shall not appear empty handed. Each shall bring his own gift, appropriate to the blessing which the Lord your God has given you”


### Among the pilgrims

Often when guiding in the vicinity of what used to be the Temple, I try to help people imagine what it would have been like on these occasions – tens of thousands of pilgrims arriving from around the region in order to offer sacrifices and to be part of the service. And one of the only parts of that ceremony that we can say with a reasonable amount of certainty that would have dated back even to the time of the First Temple (from roughly 3000 years ago) is the priestly blessing. In fact, the oldest version of any part of the Bible that exists was found inscribed on an amulet from the 6th century – it was the text of the priestly blessing (and in my opinion one of the highlights of the Israel Museum’s collection).

In Hebrew the word for a pilgrim is an oleh l’regel, the literal translation of which is ‘someone who goes up by foot’. One goes up to Jerusalem both physically (it is in the hills) and spiritually. This week I was due to guide a family in the Old City on the day of the priestly blessing during Pesach. As I sat by the Jaffa Gate, waiting for them to arrive, I was struck by the nature of the hordes of Jewish people thronging through the gate on their way to the Wall for this ceremony. The whole of the Jewish people were represented – ultra-orthodox, modern-orthodox, progressive and secular; elderly, middle-aged and child; men and women; Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Yemenite; speaking Hebrew, Yiddish, English, French and Russian; a flurry of different hair styles, head coverings and colours. As I looked upon this mixed multitude moving past me I was transported to the First and Second Temple Periods, 3000 and 2000 years ago, when such scenes would have been a regular occurrence.

As we descended towards the Western Wall, I could hear the beginning of the mussaf service being broadcast over a loudspeaker. The plaza was packed, as were all the viewpoints, not just with the Jewish pilgrims but the large numbers of tourists who had come to see this special occasion.


### The ceremony

Eventually, we reached the part of the service where the cohanim gave their blessing. There was complete silence around the plaza as the descendants of the priests of the original Temple raised their prayer shawls over their heads. The way that the blessing is given is that the chazzan (cantor) recites each word of the blessing in turn, and the priests repeat after him. Although the chazzan had a microphone, the priests did not, but even far at the back of the plaza, it was possible to hear the hundreds of cohanim join together to repeat after him in unison – the power of their combined voices reached far and wide.

Participating in this most ancient of ceremonies, right next to where it would have taken place on a regular basis (the blessings would have happened on the Temple Mount – not feasible today for obvious reasons!), was a truly moving experience. It really helped give me a sense of what the ancient pilgrimage festivals would have been like, and was a remarkable connection to my heritage and tradition. From my small synagogue in South London, with a largely homogeneous community of a few hundred people, I was suddenly part of tens of thousands of Jews from a huge variety of backgrounds, sharing in common the blessing that has been passed down to us through the millennia:
May the Lord bless you and protect you;
May the Lord’s face shine light upon you and be gracious unto you;
May the Lord raise His face unto you and give you peace.

If you are planning to come to Israel during Pesach or Sukkot, and would like to build this ceremony into a guided tour of Jerusalem, I would love to help you do so! Please do be in touch.

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## 2015: A first full year of guiding in review

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/2015-a-first-full-year-of-guiding-in-review/
Date: 2016-01-01

Happy new year! With the advent of 2016 it seems an appropriate time to pause and reflect on what has been my first full year as a tour guide in Israel. Although I officially received my licence in July 2015, and indeed did do some voluntary bits and bobs before that, because of the Protective Edge operation and then a honeymoon trip abroad I only really began working in November 2014. And even that was reasonably light.

### The numbers, and the weather

So, 2015 was my first full year of guiding. How did it go? Well, let’s start with the numbers, which are encouraging. I worked 163 days (not bad going at all for a newbie), guiding 1866 people from 53 countries (although always in English!). This is particularly encouraging given the drop in overall tourist numbers to Israel because of perceived security risks – although those of you who have been here with me will know that this perception does not really reflect reality.

Although the vast majority of the time the weather conditions were great for being outside, I also experienced some extremes, working in temperatures ranging from 5-40 °C (that’s 40-104 °F for my American readers), in weather ranging from dust storms to torrential rain to hail and gale force winds! As they taught us on our guiding course, we need to be prepared to work in all weather and I have built up an appropriate wardrobe to help me perform at my best even in extremes!

### Criss-crossing the country

The majority of my work has been in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, but I have had the opportunity to criss-cross the country from Merom Golan in the north to Eilat in the south, working in desert and lush greenery, from the heights of the Hermon to the depths of the Dead Sea. I have guided in museums and on hiking trails; in religious sites and archaeological excavations; in cars, trains, buses and even on a plane.

### The people I've guided

I have guided leading businessmen, journalists and politicians, religious and communal leaders, academics from the world’s leading universities. I have guided students, pensioners and young families; Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs; pilgrims, historians, bird lovers and water specialists; large groups of up to 55 people to individual visitors; right-wingers and left-wingers, Zionists and anti-Zionists, religious and secular.

And, thankfully, I love it! I feel privileged to have the opportunity to show my adopted country to visitors, to try to help them understand the significance of this small place to so many people around the world whether from a religious, historical, geological or even zoological standpoint. To discuss the amazing innovation at the heart of Israel’s powerful hi-tech sector. To engage on the political challenges this country faces whether externally with its neighbours or internally with its different sectors of society. To understand how our archaeological discoveries help us to reconstruct the past. And importantly, to taste the best food and drink Israel has to offer!

I have also enjoyed the opportunity to meet such a wide range of people from all over the world. Often I feel that I learn as much from the people I guide as they do from me. Over the past year I have gained valuable insights into life and different cultures; new ideas about faith and what it means; inside information on global politics and even some free marketing and IT consulting!

### The challenge of adapting to every group

I really enjoy the variety in my clients and the challenge this presents of adapting my guiding to the people in front of me. How do I ensure that young children are enjoying themselves while their parents and grandparents are getting the information that they want and need? How to discuss politics with a group with a wide range of views? How do I ensure that people with strong faith have a spiritual experience? How do I focus on giving people a meaningful, stimulating and entertaining experience instead of overloading them with information? How do I read them, to know when they need to have a break; when do I need to explain a little bit more or when do I need to back off and give them some time to reflect on their own?

### Looking back, looking forward

Have I been successful? I think that most of the time I have. I have built up a nice collection of reviews on Tripadvisor (and if I have guided you and you have not yet written a review, please do feel free to do so via this link!) which is helping drive further business, and a few times now I have been referred to new clients by people I have previously guided over the past 12 months. This is most encouraging!

It was a big jump into this new career but I am pleased to look back on my first full year in the profession as one of great challenges, great people and most importantly, great fun. I look forward to many more years that will be as fascinating, entertaining and enriching as 2015.

Here is to a fantastic 2016!

 

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## A Return to the Northern Judean Desert

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/a-return-to-the-northern-judean-desert/
Date: 2015-02-25

The Judean Desert. A series of undulating hills that starts just next to Jerusalem. Beautifully tranquil, it contains some of my favourite parts of Israel. Avid followers of this blog will no doubt recall that our first field trip on my tour guide course was to the Northern Judean desert. A couple of years on, it was time to return, partly to refresh my memory on some of the sites that I had not seen for a while and partly to discover some new ones. Accompanied by my friend and fellow tour guide Ori, it was time for another adventure.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe northern Judean Desert, east of Jerusalem along routes 1 and 90, down to the northern end of the Dead Sea.
Key sitesInn of the Good Samaritan, a Herodian palace and Crusader fortress across the road, Qumran, Kalia beach, St George's Monastery in Wadi Kelt and the Dead Sea Balcony at Mitzpe Yericho.
When to goAutumn through to spring is most comfortable; the desert is punishing in summer.
AccessSt George's Monastery only admits visitors in the morning; the rough track to the Herodian ruins is best tackled with a high-clearance vehicle, or on foot.

### At the Inn of the Good Samaritan

Byzantine period mosaic on display at the Inn of the Good Samaritan

We began our day at the site that marks the believed location of the story of the Good Samaritan. In addition to enjoying the mosaics and Byzantine ruins that we had seen on our last visit, we enjoyed the recently produced film that you can now watch while sitting in a cave that was a home to Jews in the Second Temple Period. The film was rather kitch, but still helps explain the story of the Good Samaritan fable.

While wandering around the site, we noticed some old ruins the other side of the road. The staff told us that it was ruins of a former Herodian palace. We decided to head over and take a closer look. After some rather tricky off-roading (Ori's little Suzuki was not really built for this but it coped admirably) we passed the remains of a Crusader fortress which protected this ancient road. We then climbed a little further on foot to explore the Herodian ruins.

Remains of a Herodian bath house - in the background is Route 1 and the Inn of the Good Samaritan

The site seemed to be in the midst of excavations, although it was unclear by whom, and when the last time was that they had been there. Still, we were able to make out pieces of 2000 year old mosaics, and part of the hypocaust that made up the hot room in the bath house. It was rather remarkable that this site was just there, almost ignored among the other archaeological treasures in the area.

### Qumran and the Dead Sea shoreline

Mikve (Jewish ritual bath) at Qumran

We continued south, arriving at Qumran. After a spot of lunch we explored the ruins, and also saw the film (which is quite good) - we had unfortunately not been able to watch it during the course due to time pressures. The ruins at Qumran are a little underwhelming, given the site's importance, but the story of the Dead Sea scrolls discovered nearby is remarkable, and it is fun to see how to match what we understand about this ascetic community with the archaeological remains at the site.

### Wadi Kelt and St George's Monastery

Built into the cliff face of Wadi Kelt - St George's Monastery

We returned north, and after a brief stop at Kalia beach, to see the facilities (it is a popular stop for Dead Sea bathers), we returned north. Our destination was the well hidden monastery of St George, built into the cliff face along Wadi Kelt and dating to the 5th century. This was certainly the highlight of the day, as we made our way along a deserted road we eventually found the cross that marked the first view of the monastery. It is a very special sight; you are in the middle of the desert but there is a burst of greenery in the wadi thanks to the year-round stream that comes from the nearby spring. And there, almost hidden in the cliff face, is the monastery. This is certainly a place that you would come for solitude.

Ancient olive tree in Wadi Kelt

Eventually we arrived at the monastery gate, but from there we faced a steep descent and then an even steeper climb to arrive at the actual structure. Along the way we noted the remains of a Hasmonean aqueduct that used to transport water from the spring to various cities in the area, and many beautiful, ancient trees. The monastery itself was closed (they only accept visitors in the morning) but it was enough for us to see it from the outside and marvel at its beauty. Truly one of my favourite places in Israel.

### A view over Jericho from the Dead Sea Balcony

View over Jericho and its surroundings from the Dead Sea Balcony

We returned to our car and made a final stop in the nearby Jewish settlement of Mitzpe Yericho. Here is something called the Dead Sea Balcony, a viewpoint which offers a stunning vista over the Jordan Valley, Jericho and the northern part of the Dead Sea. It was a nice way to finish off the day, before returning back north.

 

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## The Hebrew University on Mt Scopus

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-hebrew-university-on-mt-scopus/
Date: 2015-02-12

A good friend of mine is a guide who lives on Mt Scopus, in Jerusalem. When I was visiting him recently he offered to show me some of the hidden secrets of the main campus of the Hebrew University, which is based there, and naturally I was happy to take him up on the offer!

I was genuinely surprised at the range of things there are to see on the campus, and warmly recommend it as a stop for those who think they have seen all that Jerusalem has to offer.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereMt Scopus, on the north-eastern edge of Jerusalem, overlooking the Old City and the Judean Desert
Key sitesThe botanical gardens, the Cave of Nicanor, the tombs of Menachem Ussishkin and Leon Pinsker, Ran Morin's Tilted Tree sculpture, the amphitheatre, the student centre and the Hecht synagogue
PeriodSecond Temple Period (the Cave of Nicanor) alongside the modern Zionist story (the Hebrew University opened in 1925)
AccessThe campus is open to visitors; a guided walk pulls together the sites which are otherwise easy to miss

### Botanical gardens and the Cave of Nicanor

We began with a stroll through the botanical gardens. Unlike in the University of Tel Aviv, the gardens meld into the rest of the campus instead of being a separate entity. I liked that they were much more accessible.

Tomb of Nicanor, Mt Scopus

A short walk then took us to the Cave of Nicanor. Discovered in around 1902, this is a set of Jewish tombs from the Second Temple Period. The fascinating thing is that an inscription was discovered in one of the caves referring to Nicanor of Alexandria who donated the doors to the temple. The story of Nicanor, and his difficult journey to bring the doors to Jerusalem, is detailed in the Talmud, and so it is amazing to see the story corroborated by archaeological evidence.

### Ussishkin, Pinsker and the Tilted Tree

Graves of Ussishkin & Pinsker, Mt Scopus

In contrast with the ancient period, nearby it is possible to find the tombs of two major Zionists - Menachem Ussishkin and Leon Pinsker. The plan had been to create the Zionist pantheon here, on Mt Scopus - combining the link with the ancient times (the tomb of Nicanor) and celebrating the modern success of the first Hebrew University. However, after the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, Mt Scopus was cut off from the rest of Jewish Jerusalem; an island in the middle of the Jordanian East. It was still possible to access the campus, but it was with difficulty, and so the Israeli leadership decided to create a new pantheon on Mt Herzl, which remains to this day. Unfortunately it left Ussishkin and Pinsker out on a bit of a limb!

Tilted Tree sculpture by Ran Morin

Leaving the graves behind, we continued through the campus. A sad reminder of the terrorist attack on the campus in July 2002 is present in the Tilted Tree sculpture by Ran Morin. The tree is at an angle as if impacted by the blast.

### Amphitheatre, student centre and synagogue

Hebrew University amphitheatre

Our next stop was in the impressive amphitheater.  It was a nostalgic moment for me; the last time I was there was for a welcome ceremony when I made aliyah four years previously. This time it was a lot quieter, and we enjoyed the stunning view eastwards over the Judean desert.

We concluded with a quick visit in the main student centre, where we enjoyed some pictures of the opening ceremony of the university (quite the event back in 1925) and then popped into the beautiful synagogue, which has a lovely view over Jerusalem.

With a big thanks to Jeremy for showing me around!

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## Nachal Amud and Migration in the Hula

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/nachal-amud-and-migration-in-the-hula/
Date: 2014-12-16

It is the perfect time of year for hiking, pleasantly warm without being hot, and with the trees in full autumn bloom. So it made sense to take advantage of this and to head up north to hike in Nachal Amud (the Amud Stream), one of the classic hikes of northern Israel.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereUpper Galilee – Nachal Amud nature reserve, plus the Bar'am synagogue, Tel Kedesh and the Agamon Lake in the Hula Valley
Key sitesNachal Meiron and Nachal Amud, the ruins of a British police station, the ancient synagogue at Bar'am, the Roman temple at Tel Kedesh, the Agamon and its migrating cranes
Best forAutumn hiking when the leaves are turning, paired with the bird migration season at the Agamon
AccessA full day out from the centre of the country; the Agamon is best done with a guided tour into the closed areas

### Nachal Meiron and Nachal Amud

British police station

First, came the descent into Nachal Meiron, which flows down from the area of Mt Meiron. On route, we passed the ruins of a British police station, built to protect some of the springs in the area. We continued down the path, passing the remains of an aqueduct and also remnants of terrace farming, which has been restored to an extent to show visitors what the area would have looked like when it was actively farmed.

Nachal Amud

We continued our descent through a beautiful canopy of autumn leaves, reaching Nachal Amud, and continuing further along the stream before the trail began to loop back on its other bank.

Hanging out with Shimon Shiffer

During our ascent, we bumped into a posse of photographers; it transpires that journalist Shimon Shiffer, whose normal focus is politics and diplomacy, was doing a feature on the Israel National Trail which traverses the country from north to south; part of the trail runs along Nachal Amud. We had a nice chat and he assured me that he would pass on my regards to the British Ambassador.

### Bar'am synagogue and Tel Kedesh

Bar'am synagogue

We returned to the beginning of the hike, but our day was just beginning; having driven all the way up north we were determined to make the most of our time! A short drive took us to the ancient synagogue of Bar'am, one of many ruins of synagogues in the north dating to the Byzantine period.

We then drove along the stunning road that runs along the Lebanese border into the Naftali heights, which offers astonishing views into the Hula Valley. After a brief stop at Tel Kedesh, and a visit to the most complete example of a Roman Temple in the country, we continued our descent to our final destination of the day, the Agamon Lake.

### Migration at the Agamon

Migrating cranes at the Agamon

We are in the middle of the migration season in Israel, where millions of birds use the country as a corridor between Europe/Asia and Africa in their search for food as the northern hemisphere cools for the winter. The Agamon offers the opportunity to see many of these birds, and at the moment there are tens of thousands of cranes in the area. Although it is possible to explore independently, we booked onto a guided tour which takes you into areas which it is impossible to access on your own. The noise of the cranes was deafening, and it was amazing to see so many of them and to be so close. We also saw many animals and birds during the trip, including nutrias (large rodents with vicious teeth), gulls, coots, ducks, pelicans and remarkably a wild boar. It was a fantastic trip and highly recommended, particularly at this time of year.

Sunset over the Hula and its cranes

After enjoying the sunset over the valley, it was time for us to return home, after a varied and most entertaining day out.

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## Ein Avdat, Ben Gurion’s Hut and Mitzpe Revivim

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/ein-avdat-ben-gurions-hut-and-mitzpe-revivim/
Date: 2014-12-06

Although the course may have finished, the exploring never stops - all I need is an excuse. My friend Ben happily provided that when he suggested we go on a trip down to the Negev desert, and I thought that this would be an excellent opportunity to check out a few places that I had been meaning to visit.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereCentral Negev, around Sde Boker, roughly 2 hours' drive south of Tel Aviv
Key sitesEin Avdat National Park; Ben Gurion's hut and grave at Sde Boker; Mitzpe Revivim
PeriodByzantine springs and ibex country alongside early-state Zionist history (1940s onwards)
Best forAn easy desert hike paired with the story of how the Negev was settled in the modern period

### Ein Avdat

Hiking Ein Avdat

We began our day at the desert oasis of Ein Avdat. It is a popular hike, because it is quite easy, and utterly beautiful. The combination of the springs with the bleak desert scenery is really very special. Unfortunately, the only way to do the whole hike is by having a car/bus pick you up at the other side (there is a section which is only one way), so we missed out on the very final part of the hike, but we certainly got to enjoy the majority of it.

An ibex in the wild

As we were around at a quiet time, we also had the pleasure of seeing some of the local desert wildlife taking advantage of the oasis. There are many ibexes wandering the Negev and the ones we encountered were relatively unfazed by our presence. It was wonderful to observe them.

### Sde Boker and Ben Gurion's hut

Having stretched our legs, we headed up to the nearby Sde Boker Field School, which houses the graves of David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel, and his wife Paula. Nearby is the small hut to which Ben Gurion retired, famously choosing to live a life of relative simplicity on a kibbutz as part of his socialist ideology, instead of occupying a grand house which many felt he was due. He also chose specifically to live in the Negev, an area which he saw as the future of Israel; vital that it be developed in terms of agriculture and settlement for the state's survival.

David Ben Gurion's hut

His hut is quaint, kept as it was when he lived there. It is particularly interesting to see the gifts he received from other statesmen (having just returned from a trip to Burma where we saw photographs of his visit there, it was touching to see the Buddha he received in a prominent position). The library is also quite amazing, giving you a scope of quite how well read Ben Gurion was, and how many languages he commanded. There is no doubt that he was a very impressive man.

Leaving Sde Boker, we popped in to a couple of small farms that were not too far away, both of which specialise in the manufacture of goat's cheese. We particularly enjoyed the Naot Farm which also has options to stay, should you wish to get away from it all.

### Mitzpe Revivim

Mitzpe Revivim

We then headed west as I was keen to check out Mitzpe Revivim, one of the first Jewish settlements in the Negev, in the modern period. This small agricultural settlement had a significant impact on the Negev being awarded to Israel as part of the partition plan; the stories that accompany it are perhaps more impressive than the buildings which remain (the modern kibbutz has moved slightly away from the original site).

We had a bit of time before heading home, so we briefly stopped off at the Besor Hanging Bridge, the Maon ancient Synagogue, and the Black Arrow memorial (read more about these in my previous blog post), before returning to Tel Aviv. It is amazing how close we live to the desert, and it was wonderful to take advantage of it. Thanks, Ben!

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## Graduation from the Taglit-Birthright Institute for Tour Educators

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/graduation-from-the-taglit-birthright-for-tour-educators/
Date: 2014-09-10

This week, I proudly graduated from the Taglit-Birthright Institute for Tour Educators. For those not familiar with the Birthright programme, it facilitates a short trip to Israel for young Jewish people from around the world. The mechanics involve some support from the Israeli government, wealthy philanthropists and local Jewish communities, so that the participants themselves do not actually have to pay. Since its creation in 1999, over 400 000 participants have come to Israel through the programme.

### The Institute for Tour Educators

A few years ago the organisers of the project established the Institute for Tour Educators, designed to improve the quality of the guides who accompany the groups. It offers a full tour guide course, or alternatively a three week seminar for those recently qualified, or a week seminar for experienced Birthright guides. The objective is that in a couple of years, all Birthright guides will have gone through the Institute (the figure stands at about 80% at present).

I like the idea of Birthright and am keen to work with the groups; on a more practical level they represent a significant proportion of tourism in Israel (and many of the groups still ran despite the security situation in the summer). I also felt that although the Ministry of Tourism course had given me a great deal of knowledge, it had not really equipped me with many practical tools on how to guide in the most engaging and interesting way. All of these reasons led to me applying to participate in the seminar this summer, and I was grateful to be accepted.

### The seminar

We were a small group of around 25, a majority native Israelis but also some immigrants whose origins lay in South & North America and the FSU. I was the EU representative! There was a broad range of religious perspectives, from Haredi to ideological secularist; the political spectrum among the participants was also far from narrow.

The course consisted of three separate weeks, spread over June, July and culminating just now in September. We covered a wide range of material, from practical advice on logistics and group dynamics, to training on public speaking and leading discussions, to sessions on how to build our guiding around a theme and connect the various sites we would visit throughout the trip into a coherent narrative.

I was very pleasantly surprised. Stereotypes about Birthright do exist, but it was great to see that there is no message prescribed from the management at the top that we have to deliver. The way we as guides, or indeed educators, as we are now trained to be, deliver the content is entirely up to us. Indeed there are also no obligatory sites, although for various reasons most of the groups do follow a similar itinerary.

The seminar also included a Shabbat together, where we talked about how to manage a Shabbat on Birthright, and experienced one ourselves. It was very interesting to hear and learn from the different perspectives in the group, it was clear that Shabbat was a meaningful experience for all of us, but the ways in which it was so (family, prayer, beach or hiking in nature, for example) varied significantly. The nice thing was that all were open-minded to learning from the other, it created a very nice atmosphere. The food wasn’t too bad either!

### Looking back, looking forward

I really enjoyed the seminar. The other participants were great – energetic, thoughtful, passionate people. We will definitely stay in touch and continue to learn from each other in the months and years to come. The sessions were really interesting, and in many cases extremely helpful. I now have many new tools and ideas about how best to show this country to visitors, and to help them engage with it in a meaningful way. On a more personal note, it was a bit like a return to my FZY days, back in the world of informal education. I even had some teachers from my time on the Machon!

Not only was the seminar helpful in a theoretical way, it was also great practically. We had the opportunity to meet various organisations that operate the Birthright trips (the central staff does not actually run any of the tours), and I even have my first booking for a Birthright group over the new year. Here’s looking forward to many more!

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## The Eichmann in the Room

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-eichmann-in-the-room/
Date: 2014-09-01

### Friday night at my in-laws’ synagogue

About once a month since we got married, we spend a shabbat in Holon with my in-laws. We are fortunate in that we get on very well, the food is delicious, and best of all, we always get doggy bags that keep us going through the rest of the week!

On Friday evening, I always accompany my father-in-law to his synagogue (on Shabbat morning they begin at 7am; I am yet to make it!). He is Yemenite, and I have always found the service fascinating. Broadly speaking, it is the same as any other service, but there are two main differences: nearly every part of the liturgy is chanted out loud in unison; the Yemenites have their own very unique pronunciation of Hebrew (which many believe is the closest pronunciation to the original Hebrew language). A non-Yemenite, familiar with the prayer service, but not with the local 'slang', as my father-in-law likes to call it, would be a bit bemused on walking in, but once you learn the rules it is actually quite easy to follow; by now I am pretty much at home with the service and am doing my best to adapt my pronunciation accordingly!

### The man in my seat

My father-in-law has a fixed seat in the synagogue, and next to him is a space for my brother-in-law. As my brother-in-law now normally prays elsewhere, this has become my seat when I visit. On entering the synagogue last Friday, I saw a gentleman that I had not seen before in the synagogue, sitting in the seat I usually occupy. He was an elderly, pious looking man, in a long black gabardine and a small black hat; his silver payot (sidelocks) curled in the Yemenite style.

Shalom Nagar

Someone must have said something (not us), as he moved, and ended up sitting directly behind me. As we approached our seat, my father-in-law whispered in my ear: “haish hahu tala et Eichmann” (“that man hanged Eichmann”).

### Eichmann’s trial and the choice of a Yemenite executioner

Adolf Eichmann, the architect of the Nazi Final Solution, was famously apprehended by the Mossad while hiding in Argentina, smuggled back to Israel, and put on trial in 1961. It was a seminal moment in the history of the state, when for the first time the majority of the country really began to come to terms with what had happened in the Holocaust. It was also the first time in Israel’s history that a death sentence was actually carried out (in other cases it has been ordered but cancelled on appeal).

I vaguely remembered hearing that they had selected a Yemenite to perform the execution. This was in order to avoid any hint of this being revenge, as opposed to justice. Too many of the European and even North African Jews living in Israel were affected personally by the Holocaust, but the Yemenites were not. It was remarkable to think that this diminutive man sitting behind me had been responsible for the death of this most famous criminal.

### Hearing his voice through the service

Even if I had wanted to forget about this during the service, it was not possible. The vast majority of a Yemenite liturgy is chanted aloud, in unison, and often in a loud voice. I kept hearing his voice, with a very strong Yemenite accent, sounding in my ear. I kept being reminded of him, and thinking about what he had done. Thinking about the morality and virtues (or not) of capital punishment. Thinking about Eichmann and the horrors he perpetrated. Thinking how it must have felt to carry out this sentence.

The service broke for the rabbi’s sermon. The weekly Torah portion mentioned the obligation of a man witnessing a murder to bear witness against the perpetrator. He suggested that part of this was a sort of catharsis for the witness who had seen a terrible crime, as well as the need to bring justice. He began speaking about the large amount of violence in modern media, both theatrical violence in film and TV dramas and real violence on the news or available in the latest ISIS broadcasts. He argued that by watching this violence, one is like a witness, and one needs to cleanse one’s soul somehow.

I could not help thinking about the gentleman behind me, and what he had not just witnessed, but actually done. I was not the only one; a fellow congregant began to rib him, asking him how he had cleansed himself of what he had witnessed. I felt so sorry for this poor man. Fortunately, other congregants stepped in and ordered that it came to an end. But I could still hear the old man behind me, muttering “there were three witnesses”, as if somehow the shared burden made things easier. It was heart-wrenching.

### A handshake on the way out

The service concluded, we stood up to leave. Our new friend was still busy praying, reading the aleinu prayer which they do not normally recite in this synagogue. He shook my hand as we left, wishing me a “Shabbat Shalom”; the hand which shook mine was no doubt the hand that ended Eichmann’s life.

It was a bizarre experience. I was filled with pity for this man, who is famed for performing this most terrible of deeds. And yet there was something about his demeanour which was just so pure; his dress, his side-locks, his extra prayers, his elderly cracking voice escaping the gaps in his teeth. I was excited to have met this man who was a part of history, and desperate to question him on it, yet aware that this was far from the time or the place. I was horrified by the thought of what had happened.

After Shabbat, with the help of Google, I learned a bit more about Shalom Nagar. It seems that he has come to terms with his past and lives a happy, uncomplicated life. If you are interested, you can read an in-depth interview here.

In Israel, it so often happens that what would appear to be an entirely normal evening ends up being extraordinary; thought-provoking; somewhat emotional. It never ceases to amaze me.

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## Hiking the Zavitan Stream

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/hiking-the-zavitan-stream/
Date: 2014-08-27

The Israeli tour guide course is long, intense and covers a huge amount of information. However, it can’t possibly cover everything, so there are still parts of the country for me to explore, and I take great pleasure in doing so!

A reasonably important one is the area of the Yehudiya Nature Reserve in the Golan Heights. There are many trails here and unusually for Israel all of them have water all year around, which is great when you are looking to cool off in the heat of the summer.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereYehudiya Nature Reserve, Golan Heights (northern Israel)
What’s thereYear-round stream, basalt-column pools (including the Hexagon Pool) and a waterfall along the upper Zavitan trail
Best forA short summer hike with several swimming stops; modest fitness; bring water shoes and sun cream
AccessPaid entry to the nature reserve; the waterfall is fullest after the winter rains

With a friend arriving who has a passion for hiking, it was a great excuse to get up north to the reserve. I picked him up from Ben Gurion Airport at 6.45am and just two hours later we were slapping on our sun cream as we prepared to hike around the upper part of the Zavitan stream, a particularly popular trail that I shall definitely need to know for the future.

Small creek near Nachal Zavitan

As we set off, we were somewhat unimpressed by the lack of shade (with the sun already beginning to reach high temperatures). However, we soon began to reach some pleasant little creeks which provided some respite.

Bathing in the Zavitan Hexagon Pools

Continuing further, we hit the real attraction, a series of pools surrounded by basalt columns that are in various stages of erosion. The columns, caused by physical forces at work in the cooling of lava when the basalt was formed, exist in quite a few parts of the Golan, most famously at the ‘Hexagon Pool’, a little north west of us in the Yehudiya Reserve.

Undisturbed pool along the Zavitan Stream

The site was crowded although we still found some space for a quick dip, and then continued down-stream where we found a smaller but undisturbed pool which was much more peaceful and to my mind rather more beautiful.

Zavitan Waterfall

Continuing down the trail led us to a lovely view of a waterfall, although no doubt it is much more impressive after the winter rains. It was possible to descend down to the waterfall and bathe in the pool into which it plunged (probably less appealing after the winter rains!) and there were plenty of people taking advantage of this opportunity to cool off.

All in all, a very pleasant option for a short hike in the Golan, while incorporating some opportunities to cool off in the stream. I am sure I will be back in Yehudiya before long to explore some of the other trails, including the water hike!

 

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## The Israel tour guide exam, Part Two: the oral exam

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-israel-tour-guide-exam-part-two-the-oral-exam/
Date: 2014-08-13

As I mentioned last week, the oral exam, the final stage in the qualification process to become a licensed tour guide in Israel, is a pretty gruelling experience. I was reasonably fortunate with the questions thank goodness. The ones that I can remember are below, in case it is of interest!

Questions on my itinerary:
What is unusual about the synagogue in Zippori? Why is it built like that? What does this tell us about Zippori in the Byzantine period?

What were the reasons for the blossoming of Tzfat in the 16th century?

Names of personalities in Tzfat - provide the name of the books they wrote and describe the books:
- Josef Caro
- The Holy Ari
- Chaim Vittal
- [some more whose names escape me]

Who wrote Lecha Dodi?

Tell me about Alexander Zaid.

What is Bar Giora?

 

General questions:
How do you do a check-in at a hotel?

What is a rooming list? What sort of information is on it?

At check-in, a tourist complains that they had requested a single room and have not received one. What do you do?

What are the borders of the Golan? What type of rock can you find there?

How was the Golan formed?

Where else can you find basalt in Israel?

Is there any advance procedure you need to do in order to visit the Hermon with tourists?

I will give you years and you will tell me who was in control of the Hermon: 1950, 1969, 1975.

What happened on the Hermon in the Six Day and Yom Kippur Wars?

Give two reasons for the importance of the Hermon for Israel.

You are driving from the north to Jerusalem through the Jordan Valley. Tell me about the following sites:
- Sartaba
- Qasr el Yahud
- The Inn of the Good Samaritan

Explain areas A, B & C

Give me an itinerary for a day of Islamic religion, history and culture in Jerusalem

Give me an itinerary for a day of Catholic sites in Jerusalem

Give me an itinerary for a day of Jewish sites in Jerusalem - dedicate the morning to ancient and religious sites; the afternoon to the modern period.

Describe the first Jewish neighbourhoods to be built outside the Old City walls of Jerusalem: names, order and characteristics.

Give me an itinerary for a day themed around Herod, without visiting Jerusalem

You are standing at the top of Herodion. What do you see (that is connected with the site)?

From what period is the synagogue at Herodion?

Is there a difference between Maresha and Beit Guvrin? What do you see at Maresha?

You are standing at the grave of David Ben Gurion. What valley do you see?

Tell me about David Ben Gurion.

I say a word and you tell me a place in Israel where you can go to see/talk about this topic:
- Wine
- Agriculture
- Desalination
- Science & technology

Name a viewpoint over the Gaza strip

How do you explain the current security situation to the tourists? Why are rockets being fired at Israel?

What happened yesterday in the Jewish calendar (it was Rosh Chodesh Av)?

What is this period in the Jewish calendar called?

A group in Jerusalem wants to visit sites where you can see physical signs of the destruction of the First and Second Temples. Where would you take them?

What is the history of the Egyptian border?

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## Launch of new website

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/launch-of-new-website/
Date: 2014-08-06

Now that I have passed my exams, I decided that it was time to give the website a refresh, moving it from a focus on the blog to being more appropriate as a page for people to come to when searching for a tour guide. The blog is still here and I shall continue to update it while I explore the country (there are always new places to see and discover) but I have created a new landing page, updated the about section (including the details of my guiding philosophy) and have included a series of testimonials that I have received from previous participants in my tours.

The new design also automatically adapts to different size screens (for example a laptop vs a telephone) and in general looks a lot cleaner.

I hope that you like the new site and would welcome any comments and feedback!

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## I passed!!

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/i-passed/
Date: 2014-07-29

The tour guide Oral Exam. I can't remember pressure like this. I definitely felt under pressure for my university finals; for my A-levels and GCSEs, but there was something different about this exam. It was worse even than the written exam I took back in June.

There is something about written exams. You can strategise; it is as much about technique as anything else. Making sure one finishes on time. Maybe one can avoid studying all the material and still be able to answer effectively.

The oral exam offers nowhere to hide. Sitting in front of you are four qualified and experienced tour guides, one of whom is also a travel agent, and you have only 30 minutes to impress them. And not just with your knowledge - they are testing you on your ability to be interesting and engaging, eye contact, posture, intonation etc.

The exam begins with you giving them a printed sheet of a tour itinerary that you have planned; then you have a chance to present for about 5 minutes one of the places you will visit on the tour, as if you are guiding them. So far, so good - you can prepare this and hopefully get off to a good start.

Then starts the fun. They begin to ask you questions on what you have just guided, then the day you have planned, and then the questioning broadens to cover potentially absolutely anything. You need to know the geology, geography, flora and fauna of the whole country. Add to that the entire history from the day you are being examined (some questions are on current affairs) until prehistoric times; all the different sites including the history of their walls and water sources....it gets very tough.

On top was a sense of added pressure. It is possible to retake the exam, but only in 6 months' time. So, if I failed, I would be unemployable for a minimum of six months. And after nearly two years as a student (with some part time work here and there), it would be helpful to work towards a more positive trend in the bank account.

I was not helped by the current security situation in Israel. After a few days of quiet in Tel Aviv, Hamas decided to fire a rocket in our direction. Not only that; it was at 2.30am - the first time we have had to wake up and head for the protected space in our pyjamas. With the extra nerves of the exam, I did not have the best night's sleep.

View over Jerusalem from the Ministry of Tourism

I arrived at the Ministry of Tourism and briefly enjoyed the lovely view of Jerusalem from the balcony on the top floor, next to the examination room. My course coordinator was waiting, and helped keep me calm during what seemed to be the interminable wait to get in the exam room.

I entered, exchanged pleasantries, and began my pre-prepared piece on the mosaic floor of the ancient synagogue of Zippori. So far, so good. Then came the questions, which at some point soon I will publish in a separate post (at least what I can remember - there were many!). The beginning was ok, with a slightly rocky section as one of the examiners decided to quiz me on various of the lesser known kabbalists (he was soon taken off this route by the other examiners). I was then able to get into my stride.

I was reasonably fortunate with the questions to be honest. By now nearly all of my course-mates had taken their exams, and in the collaborative spirit that accompanied us throughout our studies, they had been sharing with the group the sort of things they had been asked, in order to help us prepare.

Apart from a few exceptions, most of our group had received challenging but reasonable questions, and for me it was the same. Nothing too horrid, fortunately. And then it was all over. Time for that very nervous wait for the results, although fortunately, unlike the written exam, where we were waiting three weeks to hear, this was all over much more quickly.

By lunch time, I had received a text message from my course coordinator, containing a single, delightful word: 'avarta' (you have passed).

I cannot describe my elation! Someone passing me in the street was so intrigued that he asked what had happened, before congratulating me also.

I concluded my morning in Jerusalem by taking my long suffering wife (who has loyally allowed me to practice on her, and has spent hours firing questions from past exams at me when she would rather be doing a million other things) for a light lunch. Walking into the cafe, whom did we bump into but the hadrachic legends Steve Israel and Jeremy Leigh, who had taught me 12 years previously when I was a student on the Machon L'Madrichei Chul (Institute for Youth Leaders from Abroad) programme.

This remarkable coincidence seemed somehow appropriate; a closure to a loop that began on the Machon, continued with various voluntary positions I held as a student and my sabbatical role at FZY, diverged for a while with a very enjoyable 5 years at P&G, before returning to this world of hadracha.

Now that the hard work of the studies has been concluded, it is time to find some employment. Now is not the best timing - the current security situation has been severely detrimental to the tourist industry. Fortunately I am not really available to work for a while - but bookings from November onwards are now open - be in touch!

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## Flying falafel at Mifgash Golani

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/flying-falafel-at-mifgash-golani/
Date: 2014-07-25

Most of you will be aware of the current situation in Israel, which is far from easy. Still, we feel the need to keep calm and carry on (to borrow a cliche) as best as we can. Last week I took a couple of friends on a trip up to the north of the country, and we made a lunch time stop at the famous Mifgash Golani falafel restaurant in Afula.

While the falafel is tasty, this place is more famous for the falafel acrobatics performed by the staff. It really is remarkably impressive. Well worth a visit!

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## The Israel tour guide exam, Part One: the written exam Part B (summer 2014)

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-israel-tour-guide-exam-part-one-the-written-exam-part-b-summer-2014/
Date: 2014-07-15

Having written last week about Part A of the written exam I sat back in June, I am now posting Part B - the really long and challenging part of the exam. Here are the instructions and the options I received:
LICENSING EXAMINATION - TOUR GUIDE COURSE
Part B - Total of 70 Points

Time allotment for this section of the examination: three hours
Permitted reference tools:
• Non-electronic Dictionary (which provides the translation of the word only, without explanation)
• Touring Map at 1:250,000 only (cannot use a map that includes additional information)

This question is divided into two sections:

Section A (total 40 points) :
You must build an itinerary in the tables provided.
Please fill in the relevant information in the table cells only!
All activities during the two days of the tour will be guided personally by you. For example, if a group visits a site which normally provides a local guide, you must specify the subjects  to cover and provide the guiding.

Each day of the tour ends upon arrival at dinner at 19.00.

Available for the trip :
1 ) Bus with no limit on distance it can travel
2 ) Unlimited budget
3 ) Up to two attractions (e.g. visit to a winery or theme park)
4 ) Full board )
5 ) Accommodation at Hostels / Field Schools / Country Lodging / hotels at all levels - your choice. The lodgings should match the group.
6 ) You should assume that your trip takes place in a time of no security concerns so you can include sites in the West Bank.
7 ) All tours take place in May. They begin on Monday at 8:00 after breakfast and ending on Tuesday at 19:00 before dinner.
8 ) At least 80% of the tour program must be related to the topic.

Section B (total 30 points) :
You must choose one point from the itinerary and expand on it. You should not exceed the one page provided for this purpose.
The expansion point must be made at a site not from the bus.
Viewpoints will be disqualified .
The expansion point must be connected with the main topic of the group (eg archaeology students who want to visit archaeological sites in the country - the expansion point must be related to archaeology, even if you have incorporated into the itinerary other sites and subjects).

Choose one of the following three groups and plan a tour for it.

Group No. 1
A group of students from a theological institute abroad interested in synagogues of the Jewish settlement in the northern part of the Land of Israel, from the Second Temple period to the present.
The tour departs from Katsrin on Monday at 8.00 and ends at a hotel in Akko on Tuesday at 19.00.
Please note:

	The southern limit of the tour is the Jezreel Valley (including the Jezreel Valley)
	The tour must include synagogues from at least three different historical periods
	The tour must include a half-day in the Golan Heights (no more and no less) and a half-day in Tsfat (no more and no less)
	The expansion point must be related to the tour theme

Group No. 2
A group of French pilgrims interested in a pilgrimage tour in the footsteps of Crusaders in the Land of Israel, from Caesarea to Jerusalem. The tour departs from Caesarea on Monday at 8.00 and ends in Jerusalem on Tuesday at 19.00.
Please note:

	The northern limit of the tour is from Caesarea to the east and it should not deviate farther north. There are no other geographic limits.
	The tour must include three Crusader sites outside of Jerusalem
	The tour in Jerusalem should be a half-day (no more and no less)
	The expansion point must be related to the tour theme

 

Group No. 3
A group of Israeli tourists interested in human heritage throughout history in southern Israel. The tour leaves Ashdod on Monday at 8.00 and ends at a hotel in Mitspe Ramon on Tuesday at 19.00.
Please note:

 

	The northern limit of the tour is the Ashdod line and east of it and it should not deviate farther north. The southern limit is the Mitspe Ramon line and the tour should not deviate further south.
	The first day of the tour will cover the area between Ashdod and Be'er Sheva. The second day will be from Be'er Sheva to Mitspe Ramon.
	The tour must include sites from at least three different periods.
	The expansion point must be related to the tour theme.

 
GOOD LUCK!
 

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## The Israel tour guide exam, Part One: the written exam Part A (summer 2014)

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-israel-tour-guide-exam-part-one-the-written-exam-part-a-summer-2014/
Date: 2014-07-06

Many readers of this blog, and friends, have asked me about the details of the examination to become a tour guide.

The exams are held twice a year by the Ministry of Tourism, and are in two parts.

First is the written exam, taken by hundreds of candidates simultaneously in Jerusalem's International Convention Centre. The written exam itself consists of two parts. Part A is a series of 50 multiple choice questions testing your knowledge of history, geology, geography, flora, fauna, religion, politics and culture, and lasts for one hour. It is worth 30% of the exam. After a short lunch break, you return for Part B, a gruelling three-hour marathon where you have to build an itinerary for one of three groups, fill in a table with details of timings, logistical points (payments, toilets, advance reservations etc) and the outline of your guiding. A whopping 20% of the marks for the exam are awarded for an 'elaborated point' in this section - you choose one part of one site in your itinerary and write a full page of A4 with exactly the text as you would guide it. For Part B, you are allowed to bring in a map of Israel, but the rest has to come from your memory.

Assuming you hit the 65% pass mark (and many don't) in the written exam, you are then invited to a 30-minute oral exam in the Ministry of Tourism offices. More on that to come!

Having now taken (and passed - hurrah!!) the written exam, I feel happy to share some details of what I went through. For now, I have uploaded Part A of the written exam (the multiple choice) I took for you to test yourselves and see whether you might be able to qualify as a tour guide in Israel! If you are interested in Part B (the itinerary), keep an eye on the blog and I shall post it next week.

[please note: all the spellings have been copied from the test I was given - I took the exam in English and the translation from the original Hebrew was not always the best!]

[WpProQuiz 1]

------------------------------------------------------------

## Just testing…

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/just-testing/
Date: 2014-06-30

I hate exams. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who claims to enjoy them, but I hate them with a passion. It’s not the actual exams I hate; rather it is the preparation. The mind-numbing boredom of revision, the stress and tension. Doing the exam is normally fine – I enter, deal with what is in front of me and exit. But I don’t like the build-up. For this reason, when I graduated, I promised myself that I would never again sit another exam.

So much for that promise. I have probably sat more exams and tests during this tour guiding course than I did throughout my time at university! As I mentioned in my post about what we learn in the classroom, we learn a huge amount of subjects. At the end of each subject, whether a historical period or a type of architecture, we face an exam. And if we fail the exam, we need to keep taking it until we pass, or we will not be allowed to sit the mid-term, or indeed the final exam.

Speaking of which, there are of course the mid-term and the final exams. At the moment I am just talking about exams that are within the School of Tourism, where I was studying. No national exams yet. The Ministry of Tourism has a rule that in order to be able to sit its final exams as a tour guide, you need to have passed a mid-term and also a final exam in your college.

Our mid-term was held, appropriately, just over half-way through the course. The written paper consisted of a series of multiple choice questions. The oral involved facing a panel of three very experienced tour guides, answering any questions they may throw at you.

The stress for the mid-term was high; as you can imagine there was a vast amount of information to absorb. Although there was a possibility to retake it, and eventually everyone passed.

Then, at the end of the course, came the final exams. These are an exact replica of what we were to face in the national Ministry of Tourism exams.

First, came the written exam. It is built in two parts. In Part A there are a series of multiple choice questions (which are far from easy). Part B, three hours long, involves you choosing from a list of three groups and having to build a two day itinerary, within quite tight restrictions in terms of geography or sites to visit. After building the itinerary, you need to fill in the main points of your guiding, together with logistical points (toilets, lunch, payment for sites etc). And then there is the ‘expansion point’, one page of A4 where you choose a site on your itinerary and write a full page of your guiding, exactly as you would deliver it to the tourists. It is tough, gruelling, and many people do not manage to even finish it in the time given.

Quite a few of my classmates sadly did not pass this final written exam, so were unable to take the real, national exams in Jerusalem.

After the written exam, comes the oral, which we take after sitting the national written exam. Here, you have to submit a day itinerary for a group of your choice and choose one part of the tour on which to give a 10 minute presentation to the examiners. After this, they can ask you anything they like for 20 minutes. Anything. Assuming you pass this one, you are allowed to take the national oral exam.

With all this, perhaps you can understand why the pass-rates for the course are so low!

------------------------------------------------------------

## In the Classroom

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/in-the-classroom/
Date: 2014-06-23

Although this blog has been focused on the field trips I have been going on over the past year and a half on my guiding course, I have made only limited reference to the large amount of time we spent in the classroom.

Many people have asked me what we study on the course, so I thought I would explain a little for the avid readers!

In addition to our weekly field trips (leaving Tel Aviv at 6.30am and returning anywhere between 7-9pm) we had class twice a week: Tuesday evenings from 5.30-8.45pm and Friday mornings from 8am-2pm. The Friday morning class was a real killer – Thursday night is a big night out in Israel and Friday is the main day off to do various fun activities (on Saturday many things are closed because of the Sabbath). So the course severely curtailed my social life!

While we used our time in the field to mainly concentrate on the sites we were visiting and the actual things we were seeing, our classroom time was used to give us general background on key topics. Most people realise that to be a guide you need to have a good understanding of history in Israel, but they still don’t realise what that entails.

History goes a long way back here, including the earliest human remains in the world. In addition to the sheer amount of the period of time to study, there is also the fact that this is a country that has been invaded by a large amount of civilisations. There are the Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Persians, the Babylonians, the Israelites, the Greeks, the Romans, the various Arab dynasties, the Crusaders, the Mongols, the Mamluks, the Ottomans, the British and of course the modern Israeli state. It is not just enough to know what these great empires did here; in many cases we had to study some broader background about their activities outside of Israel to understand some of the events that took place here.

Of course in addition we needed to understand the cultures of these different societies – their values, their art and architectural styles, their religions, their laws. As a large part of the history here is based on archaeological finds and research, we also had a crash course in basic archaeology.

Apart from the history, we also had to understand the geography, geology and geomorphology of Israel, which again in many cases is connected to the broader region, and is also remarkably complex for a country of such a small size. This led onto understanding the natural phenomena here – the climate and weather patterns, the different types of flora and fauna (again highly varied).

Moving onto the people living in Israel today, we had to study in reasonable depth the three main religions of the country: Judaism, Islam and Christianity; additionally we had to study and understand several minor religions or ethnic groups found here: the Druze, the Bahá'í, the Circassians, the Bedouin.

We also needed to understand contemporary Israel. We had classes on the Israeli economy and political system; the water issues and the Israeli-Arab conflict. Which of course led to plenty of lively debate.

An element of the course was more practical. We had a few classes on the methodology of guiding, a class on topography and map reading, and a first-aid course. We also had a class with a tour agent which was more focused on the logistics of planning and running a trip.

I very much enjoyed the studies, but also found them very challenging. There is a huge amount of information to absorb, across a wide range of academic disciplines. In many ways, the course (combined with the field trips) was harder than my degree!

Still, I now feel that I have a very good basis from which to hopefully launch my guiding career. And I am sure that I will continue to learn even more over the coming years.

------------------------------------------------------------

## Bethlehem

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/bethlehem/
Date: 2014-06-16

Last week, I made my first visit to Bethlehem. We don’t go there on the tour guide course, as Bethlehem is part of what is known as Area A of the West Bank, i.e. under full Palestinian control, and Israeli tour guides are not allowed to guide there without special permission from the Palestinian Authority, which is only granted for a short and limited time in any event.

I was surprised quite how close it was to Jerusalem – I was aware that it was close – but in fact our journey seemed more like driving into a Jerusalem suburb than a new city. In ancient times of course it would have been further from the Old City of Jerusalem to the Old City of Bethlehem, but not a great deal more.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereArea A of the West Bank, just south of Jerusalem (a short drive from the Old City).
Key siteChurch of the Nativity, marking the traditional site of Jesus’ birth; shared between Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Catholic communities.
PeriodByzantine origins (4th century, founded by St Helena), with later additions and refurbishments.
AccessArea A is under full Palestinian Authority control; Israeli tour guides need special permission to guide there. Visitors typically enter independently or with a local Palestinian guide.

Armenian chapel in the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

We were met at the border by a Palestinian Christian guide, who led us towards the Church of the Nativity, originally constructed by St Helena, who also was responsible for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. As with the church in Jerusalem, it is divided, this time between Greek Orthodox and Armenian groups. The Catholics do not run part of the church but do have a sizeable area at the back.

Original Byzantine mosaic in the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

Refurbishment work was taking place in the main basilica but it was possible to get some idea of the impressive nature of the church and also to see down to some remains of an original Byzantine mosaic.

The site of Jesus' birth in the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

After waiting what seemed to be an interminably long time, we were able to descend into the crypt, which is believed to house the site of Jesus’ birth (marked by a star) and where his crib would have been situated. The theft of the star was actually the pretext for the Crimean War in the mid-19th century; it was cause for reflection that 150 odd years later the Crimea was again in turmoil, although for different reasons.

Catholic area, Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

Our time in Bethlehem was brief, but it was interesting to have this insight into this holy city, and to have the opportunity to see its main holy site. Although we do not visit it on the course, we are taught about what we should expect to see there (also in Jericho), so as to be able to answer any questions from tourists who have visited or about to do so. Still, nothing beats seeing it for oneself!

 

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## Looking back – the video

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/looking-back-the-video/
Date: 2014-05-15

With the studies concluded, and the exam period upon us, we gathered as a group for a mesibat siyum, or final party. After the obligatory munching, thank yous to our course coordinator and loyal driver, and a couple of small speeches from members of the course, it was time for a treat. One of the members of our course had painstakingly searched through various photos taken over the past year and a half and arranged them into a touching and amusing slide show.

Feel free to have a look - it gives a sense of our experience - although non-Hebrew speakers will miss out on a large chunk of the humour! With thanks to Olinka.

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## Jerusalem: a summary and a conclusion

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/jerusalem-a-summary-and-a-conclusion/
Date: 2014-05-08

An emotional day, as we began our final field trip of the course. If I think back to my last days of school, university, various jobs, it has always seemed a bit surreal. It’s very difficult to internalise that this is in fact the end. But, to borrow a cliché, all good things must come to an end, and as our field trips have certainly been very good things, it is only natural that they should also come to a conclusion.

Today’s tour was entitled Jerusalem: a conclusion. It basically featured two main sites: Nabi Samuel and the Tower of David – both of which offer fantastic 360° viewpoints; both of which enable us to run through all the periods of history from the biblical period until the modern day, thereby acting as a great way to sum up the course and help refresh the brain a little ahead of our final exams. In addition were a few other sites which for various reasons we had not managed to fit in to our previous trips to Jerusalem, and so we found the time today.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereJerusalem and just north of the city; Nabi Samuel sits on a hill north-west of Jerusalem, the other sites are inside or alongside the Old City
Key sitesNabi Samuel, the Jaffa Gate, the Tower of David and museum, Christ Church, the Old City ramparts, Nachlaot and the Machane Yehuda market
PeriodBiblical to modern; Iron Age remains at Nabi Samuel, Hasmonean fortifications at the Tower of David, Crusader and Mamluk layers, 16th-century Ottoman walls, 19th-century Nachlaot, contemporary Jerusalem
AccessNabi Samuel is a ticketed national park; the Tower of David museum and the ramparts walk are ticketed; Christ Church, Nachlaot and the Machane Yehuda market are free to wander. A relaxed pace covers the lot in a full day

### Nabi Samuel

Samuel's Tomb (Nabi Samwill)

Our day began at Nabi Samuel, believed to be the tomb of the prophet Samuel, my namesake. As with many religious sites in Israel it is a little confusing – the same structure contains a site the Jews consider to be the tomb and another that the Muslims believe is the tomb. There is some historical basis for this being the site of Samuel's internment; excavations have uncovered a Jewish settlement here in the biblical period (albeit some time after Samuel would have been around). However, the majority of the remains visible today are from the Crusader fortress built here in the Middle Ages that was later converted into a mosque by the Mamluks.

View south to Jerusalem from Nabi Samuel

As well as the history, the site offers a spectacular panorama of the Judean Mountains, south to Jerusalem and north to Ramallah (and on a clear day, all the way into Gush Dan).

Valedictory breakfast!

Having metaphorically feasted on this most delightful of sites, it was time for a more literal feast with a valedictory breakfast. I have mentioned previously that our class has a va’ad (committee) responsible for social events; we had all received commands with regard what consumables to bring, and in true Jewish style, there was far too much food. Getting back on the bus afterwards required quite some effort. I am pleased to say that all of my finely boiled eggs were consumed, as of all the purveyors of boiled eggs (and there were several of us) I was the only one who had taken the trouble to shell them in advance. Which was jolly nice of me, I suppose.

### Jaffa Gate and the Tower of David

Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem

Our bellies over-filled, we travelled to the Jaffa Gate to the Old City. We must have passed through this gate umpteen times during the course, but now we took the time to hear about the construction of the current walls in the 16th century, their possible purpose and indeed the construction of the Jaffa Gate. Entering, and pointing out various sites of import en route, we arrived at our next destination, the Tower of David.

Excavations inside the Tower of David

The Tower of David is an archaeological tour de force with significant remains dating to the Hasmonean fortification of the site over 2000 years ago. After an examination of the walls (one of the main subjects of the course has been the location of the walls of Jerusalem throughout different periods of history), we ascended to a fabulous panorama over the Old City, and then turned to enjoy a great view over modern Jerusalem.

View over the Old City of Jerusalem from the Tower of David

The Tower of David also contains a museum that takes the visitor briefly through the key events of the city’s history. It provided a useful summary for us at this stage in the course and is nicely done although I fear it is looking a little bit dated compared with some of Israel’s more modern museums.

Model of the Dome of the Rock inside the Tower of David Museum

### Christ Church

An interesting experience awaited us at our next stop: the Christ Church. Located opposite the Tower of David, it is the oldest Protestant church in the Middle East. These days it is part of the Church’s Ministry among Jewish people (CMJ for short) who are keen to proselytise among Jews – this can create some tension. One of the staff took us around, introducing himself as a Jew, but one who had accepted Jesus as messiah. On entering the church, a menorah stood atop the altar in place of the usual cross. It is certainly an unusual group.

Christ Church, Jerusalem

Of special interest was the museum which contains some fantastic models by the famed Conrad Schick (avid readers will recall I played him when visiting his home, Beit Tavor, several months ago). He is one of the few people to have been allowed to excavate on the Temple Mount, which makes his scale model so interesting.

### The ramparts walk

Walking the Old City ramparts in Jerusalem

It was time to bid farewell to the Old City of Jerusalem, and we did so by taking a relaxed walk along the ramparts, accompanied by various songs in praise of Jerusalem. It is possible to walk nearly all the way around the walls (albeit this requires occasional ascents and descents) but we just walked a reasonably short distance to the Zion Gate. Still, the walk offers a different and interesting perspective into what goes on behind the closed doors of the buildings of the Old City, and was a nice way to pay our final respects to a place which we shall no doubt be visiting on many an occasion in the future, in a professional context.

### Nachlaot and Machane Yehuda

Original house in Nachlaot

Our final journey was to the Nachlaot neighbourhood, a charming part of the city which is very popular with the young and hip. Our guide entertained us with colourful stories of the area’s past as we wandered its narrow streets and enjoyed its charming old buildings. We concluded our day by crossing Aggripas street into the Machane Yehuda market; a few culinary treats later and we were on our way home.

### Looking back over the course

On the journey back, I reflected on the transformation I have gone through over the past year and a half. I remembered the first field trip, when I returned home exhilarated but exhausted; bewildered by the vast amount of information that I had to begin to absorb. It is remarkable to feel how far I have come, how much I have developed my understanding of this country in all its aspects: geography, geology, nature, history, culture, religion.

From the stunning landscapes of the Upper Galilee, the Golan and the Negev to the incredible ancient ruins dating back over 3500 years, to the inspiring stories of the builders of the modern state, it has been an extraordinary journey. We have covered the country from north to south, east to west; we have driven its roads, hiked its trails and crawled through its tunnels. The amazing thing is that we still have not seen all that this tiny piece of land has to offer; something to which to aspire for the future, I suppose.

I hope you have enjoyed joining me on this virtual journey. I now go into the crucial period of exams and then hopefully will be awarded my license sooner rather than later. I shall continue to update this blog with details of my adventures and travels around the country, so don’t worry, you have not heard the last of me yet!

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## Settlement of the Jordan Valley

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/settlement-of-the-jordan-valley/
Date: 2014-05-01

A strange atmosphere today, a sense of nearing the end, as we began our penultimate tour of the course. Today’s trip was dedicated to the settlement of the Jordan Valley (or specifically the area around the Sea of Galilee), with a diversion via the Harod spring which we had not managed to visit previously.

On the one hand, a palpable sense of relief in the air – we have nearly made it! On the other, tension and concern as the final exams approach. And a mix of nostalgia – we have gone through a lot together.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe southern Sea of Galilee and the Jordan Valley, from the Harod Spring on the slopes of the Gilboa down to Degania and the Kinneret cemetery
Key sitesHarod Spring and the Yehoshua Hankin house, Old Gesher and the Naharayim hydroelectric plant, the Kinneret Courtyard and Rachel’s grave, Umm Juni and the first kibbutz at Degania, the Motor House, the Kinneret Cemetery
PeriodBiblical Gideon story, Roman and Mamluk bridges, early Zionist settlement (late 19th and early 20th century) through 1948
AccessA full day of driving between sites; several are ticketed (Harod Spring, Naharayim, Kinneret Courtyard); the cemetery is open and free

### The Harod Spring

Our day began, as mentioned, at the Harod Spring, located on the slopes of the Gilboa mountain. We visited the house built by Yehoshua Hankin, who was responsible for purchasing a great deal of the land that eventually became part of Israel – around 1000 square kilometres (that’s around 250 000 acres), including the majority of the Jezreel and Harod valleys. The house has recently been restored and has a short film about the life of Hankin – the film is a bit dated but the story is very impressive.

The Harod Spring

We then descended to the Harod spring itself, the site of the biblical story where Gideon selected his warriors based on their drinking style, before going out to vanquish the marauding Midianites.

### Old Gesher and Naharayim

Leaving the biblical period behind us, we drove east to the site of ‘Old Gesher’, which until 1948 was the Gesher kibbutz. Gesher means bridge and here are three bridges over the Jordan river, with one dating to the Roman period (with Mamluk repairs on top). The border with Jordan runs right down the middle of the river and we descended to the river (under the watchful eye of the nearby Jordanian border position) to check out the bridges and hear about the battle for the site in 1948.

Roman / Mamluk bridge over the Jordan at Old Gesher (currently under restoration)

Nearby are the ruins of the Naharayim hydroelectric plant, the first such structure in the Middle East and a remarkable feat of engineering for the time. Built across the border of what was then the Mandate of Palestine and Transjordan, it was an example of the cooperation between the early Zionists and King Abdullah of Jordan; sadly this did not last past the 1948 war and ever since it has been lying in ruins. The electricity company have built a small interactive museum about the plant; I had low expectations but it really was rather good.

### The Kinneret Courtyard and Rachel the Poet

Kinneret Courtyard

From Gesher, we headed north to the Kinneret ‘courtyard’. Here the World Zionist Organisation established a training farm at the beginning of the 20th century, to help all the young and eager pioneers learn how to farm the land before going out to set up for themselves. The passionate and ideological young socialists who arrived here formed the backbone of what was to be the future state; indeed it was here that institutions such as the kibbutz; institutions such as the Hagana, Hamashbir and the Labour Union first sprouted.

One of the most famous inhabitants is Rachel Bluwstein (normally just referred to as Rachel or Rachel the Poet), a young pioneer who led a short and tragic life, leaving behind here a large amount of beautiful poems, many of which have become part of the Israeli literary and indeed musical canon.

### Umm Juni and the first kibbutz

The first building at Umm Juni

Speaking of the kibbutz, our next stop was slightly further south at Umm Juni. In 1910 a small group of socialist ideologues arrived here, having been offered the land by the WZO. Remarkably, through their revolutionary communal living model, they were able to make a profit in the first year. And so the first kibbutz was born, established just next to the area called Umm Juni, and named Deganya.

### The Motor House and the Kinneret Cemetery

The Motor House of Kinneret

We headed back north, to the site known as the Motor House. The building housed a pump that irrigated the surrounding fields, but of more interest was the story of the Yemenite immigrants who were housed here after moving to Israel in around 1912. They were eventually moved on in order to allow graduates of the Kinneret farm to establish a new communal settlement on the land, and a significant proportion of the group were not happy to leave. The story only became public knowledge in the past 15 years or so and caused quite a big deal of controversy in Israel.

Grave of Naomi Shemer in the Kinneret Cemetery

We walked from the Motor House to the shore of the Sea of Galilee and our final site for the day, the Kinneret Cemetery. In a beautiful shaded setting next to Israel’s largest freshwater lake is housed the pantheon of Labour Zionists, the graves of Berl Katznelson, Rachel, Moses Hess, Nachman Syrkin, to name just a few. Together with these are some tragic stories associated with the struggle of the pioneers to adjust to their new environment; or on a completely different note, the grave of Naomi Shemer, the singer of ‘Jerusalem of Gold’, who was born at Kinneret.

We began our drive home to Tel Aviv, and in addition to the other emotions of the morning, we all began to feel a certain amount of nostalgia. Just one more tour remains, and it should be quite a fun one. What is the destination? You will have to wait until next week to find out!

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## Caesarea

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/caesarea/
Date: 2014-04-27

Caesarea is perhaps one of Israel’s most famous attractions. The remains of what was once the grandest port in the Roman empire, the Christian connections with stories of Peter and Paul, the Jewish associations of the deaths of the 10 martyrs, the beautiful coastal location. There are many reasons for its popularity and this helps explain the huge numbers of tourists who visit every year.

Unfortunately I missed our trip to Caesarea due to my glandular fever last year, and although I have managed to catch up every other trip from the 3 months I was bed-ridden, Caesarea was frustratingly impossible to arrange. Given the importance of the site, and the approaching exams, a friend from the course kindly agreed to accompany me on a visit as we explored the site together and he was able to recount to me the highlights of the trip that I had missed.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereMediterranean coast roughly halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa; the main site is the Caesarea national park, with Nachal Taninim and the Beit Hanania aqueducts a short drive to the north
Key sitesCaesarea harbour and Herod’s palace, the hippodrome and Roman theatre, the bathhouse, the Crusader port and temple platform, the ‘birds’ mosaic, the aqueducts at Beit Hanania, the Byzantine flour mills at Nachal Taninim
PeriodHerodian Roman through Byzantine, Umayyad and Crusader
AccessCaesarea national park and Nachal Taninim are ticketed; allow a full day if you want to cover the satellite sites as well

### Nachal Taninim and the Byzantine flour mills

Restored Byzantine flour mill at Nachal Taninim

We began our day north of Caesarea, at the national park of Nachal Taninim (Crocodiles’ River). One of the most impressive things about the establishment of Caesarea is that there were no local water sources. This eventually required the construction of impressive aqueducts bringing water to the city, one of which originated in the area of Nachal Taninim, although this was later, in the Byzantine period. We wandered around the aqueduct and noted the restored flour mills dating to the Byzantine and Ottoman periods.

### Beit Hanania and the aqueducts

Hadrian inscription & insignia of the 10th legion at Beit Hanania

We then drove a short distance to the moshav of Beit Hanania. Right at the entrance of the moshav it is possible to see part of the grand aqueducts that led to Caesarea from the plentiful springs not far from Zichron Yaakov. There is evidence of three separate aqueducts; the dates of their construction and the exact springs from which they sourced water are subject to great dispute among archaeologists, still at this site there is a clear piece of evidence about the provenance of one of the aqueducts – an inscription dating it to the reign of Hadrian.

### Caesarea national park

Finally, it was time to head to the Caesarea national park. After a most pleasant brunch by the remains of the port, and taking in an introductory film, it was time to begin our visit in earnest.

Caesarea Harbour

It is not really possible to see the remains of Herod’s port today, but it really must have been quite impressive, based on the ruins that have been discovered underwater. Still, it is possible to explore many of the public and private buildings that were located around it.

Caesarea Hippodrome

Herod realised that providing entertainment would give him an advantage in pulling in trade, and as we walked through the grand hippodrome which would have hosted violent chariot races (think Ben Hur). It was later converted into an amphitheatre, the location of even more violent gladiatorial contests. It is possible to see the entrance from which the gladiators would have come into the arena, in most cases to meet their end.

Pontius Pilate inscription at Caesarea

Herod needed to look after himself, of course, and to this end built a grand palace stretching out to sea. Here was discovered an inscription about the governor Pontius Pilate who would have inherited the palace; from here he would have travelled to Jerusalem to pass judgement on Jesus.

Roman theatre at Caesarea

In the northernmost part of the site is the famous theatre. Now largely reconstructed, it is seen as one of Israel’s most prestigious concert venues. I’m not sure what the ancient Romans would have made of Shlomo Artzi & Sarit Hadad, but there is something remarkable in the idea that 2000 years apart it is possible to sit with the same beautiful Mediterranean as a backdrop, enjoying the greatest entertainments in the region.

Grandiose bathhouse at Caesarea

After a quick stop in the grand bathhouse, resplendent with expensively imported marble, we concluded our visit in the area of the town that was settled by the Crusaders. Here, in the area of the port, was the imposing temple to Augustus that would have greeted all new arrivals. As the years passed it was converted into an impressive Byzantine church, and then later into a mosque once the Umayyads conquered the area.

### The birds mosaic and the aqueducts

The 'birds' mosaic at Caesarea

We left the national park, but our visit to Caesarea was not yet complete. A short drive north lies the ‘birds mosaic’, ruins of an impressive Byzantine villa with a beautiful mosaic floor decorated with a plethora of different birds.

Remains of the Caesarea aqueducts

Now part of a pretty little park, it is possible to wander down from the mosaic to the beach, where one is greeted with the final sections of the aqueducts that brought water to the city. A beautiful setting, and a lovely piece of symmetry with which to conclude the day.

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## Beer Sheva and the Southern Coastal Plain

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/beer-sheva-and-the-southern-coastal-plain/
Date: 2014-04-21

Today’s tour was dedicated to various sites along the southern coastal plain, culminating in a jump into the capital of the Negev desert, Beer Sheva (sometimes spelled Beersheva). A long day, as we move forward in a final push towards the final exams and ensure that we fit in all the necessary sites in the time we have remaining.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereSouthern coastal plain and the northern Negev, from Mazkeret Batya south through Ashdod and Ashkelon to Beer Sheva
Key sitesMazkeret Batya and the Shmuel Mohilever museum, the Museum of Philistine Culture, Ashdod Yam fortress, Ashdod Port, Rutenberg Power Station, Abraham's Well, Beer Sheva old city, the Monument to the Negev Brigade
PeriodBiblical Philistine through Umayyad, Ottoman and Modern
PaceA long day with significant driving between sites; best done with a car or a guided tour

### Mazkeret Batya

Mazkeret Batya cemetery

Our day began at the quaint town of Mazkeret Batya, founded in the late 19th century by Baron Rothschild and named for his mother. We began our visit in the cemetery which also houses the reinterred remains of the great Rabbi Shmuel Mohilever, one of the forerunners of the Zionist movement (and who pre-dates Herzl in his work for a Jewish state).

We continued into the centre of the old town, stopping at the museum, viewing some of the old buildings and hearing the stories of their residents, culminating at a visit to the Shmuel Mohilever museum. The museum is small but does a good job of recounting the story of a very impressive man, and was the highlight of our trip to Mazkeret Batya.

### Ashdod and Ashkelon

Philistine altar found at Tel Tzafit, believed to be biblical Gath

We then headed south to the coast, and to the city of Ashdod. Here we began our visit at the ironically named Museum of Philistine Culture. But we quickly discovered that the modern association with the word Philistine is most inappropriate – these were a most cultured people who brought many interesting customs and craftwork to the region, with Ashdod being one of their biggest cities.

The museum is small but extremely well done. We enjoyed the opportunity to reenact Samson’s destruction of the Philistine temple, and various other interactive exhibits. We concluded the visit with some tasting of ‘Philistine food’ and dressing up in ‘Philistine costumes’. The latter activities are targeted at children but I can assure you that adults are equally able to enjoy themselves!

Umayyad fortress of Ashdod Yam

We headed further out towards the coast, to the impressive remains of the Ashdod Yam fortress. Dated to the Umayyad period in the 7th century, it seems that it was constructed to help protect local residents from sea pirates who would launch raids in order to kidnap people for the slave trade.

Ashdod Port

Our final stop in Ashdod was at the visitors’ centre at the port. Built in the 60s, and rendering the ports at Tel Aviv and Jaffa irrelevant, Ashdod port is now a key part of Israel’s economy. The visitors’ centre was quite fun with all sorts of interactive quizzes, and we were then driven around the port area to marvel at the huge ships and their accompanying machinery.

Rutenberg Power Station, Ashkelon

We drove south to Ashkelon, and a visit to the Rutenberg Power Station. This huge facility provides about 20% of the electricity for Israel and the Palestinian territories. We drove around the site and learned also about the history of electricity in Israel – Rutenberg (after whom the site is named) had the vision to electrify the country and succeeded in doing so – a hugely impressive feat that helped drag the area into the 20th century.

### Beer Sheva and the Negev Brigade Monument

Abraham's Well (?), Beer Sheva

We then travelled south to Beer Sheva, the capital of the Negev desert and actually the geographical centre of the country. We first visited the relatively recently opened Abraham’s Well site, where a 3D film that tells the story of Abraham (who first settled in the area of Beer Sheva, according to the Bible); on the film’s completion it is possible to visit an ancient well which may perhaps be connected to the one Abraham dug on arrival.

British Military Cemetery, Beer Sheva

We continued with a wander through the historical centre of the city (although it is not so old - the city was only reestablished in 1900 under the Ottomans). We heard the stories of the difficult battle for the city between the British and the Turks in 1917, and visited both the British military cemetery and the memorial for the Turkish fallen, together with a quite magnificent mosque which was constructed early in the 20th century.

Monument to the Negev Brigade

With the setting sun, we finished the day at the Monument to the Negev Brigade, a unit of the Palmach who were instrumental in protecting the vital water pipeline that supplied the southern Jewish settlements in the 1940s, and also in securing the Negev all the way down to Eilat in 1948.

The monument commands an impressive view over the Negev and the southern parts of the Shfela, and Mt Hebron. The symbolism employed is both impressive and meaningful, the brutalist architecture jutting out from the peaceful countryside as a reminder of the losses in the battles for this area. A moving conclusion to a long but as always fascinating day.

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## Modern Tel Aviv

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/modern-tel-aviv/
Date: 2014-04-15

Today was the second of our tours of Tel Aviv. The first dealt largely with the establishment of the city; this second trip was more focused on its ensuing development.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereCentral Tel Aviv, from the cultural centre and Sarona down to Jaffa and north to the old port
Key sitesTel Aviv Art Museum, Sarona, the Tachana, the ha'apala memorial, Rabin Square, Tel Aviv Port, Yitzchak Rabin Centre
PeriodModern; late Ottoman through to the present
PaceA full day; walkable between many of the central sites, with a taxi between the further-apart stops

### From the Art Museum to the Tachana

Tel Aviv Art Museum

Our day began by the Tel Aviv Art Museum, in an area with many key cultural buildings (the opera, the Kamari theatre, the court house and the library, to name but a few). We learned about the development of these cultural institutions and the rationale for their current location.

The German Colony of Sarona

While in the area, we popped south into the area of Sarona, a former German Templer colony much like the ones in Haifa and Jerusalem. The area is currently being refurbished and should be opened in within the next year – expect restaurants and cafes in quaint old buildings.

The Old Train Station, Tel Aviv

We then visited the old train station of Jaffa, known as the Tachana. Refurbished and reopened a few years ago, replete with designer boutiques, fancy cafes and swanky bars, it is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. So much so, that the other end of the line in Jerusalem recently underwent a similar overhaul and is likewise proving extremely popular.

### Along the coast and into Rabin Square

The memorial to the maapilim - illegal immigration - Tel Aviv

From the train station, we travelled north along the coast to the memorial to the illegal immigration to Israel (known as the ha'apala) during the British mandate, located at the end of Bograshov street in an area called London Park. I must have walked down past it over a hundred times and never noticed it, yet another example of how it is possible to walk around one’s home city with one’s eyes almost shut! The memorial, built in the shape of a boat, tells the story of the Jewish refugees from Nazi Europe who tried to move to Israel despite the British prohibition on doing so.

Memorial to Yitzchak Rabin at Rabin Square

From here, we headed into town and to Rabin Square. Stopping at the memorial to Yitzchak Rabin, we talked about his assassination in 1995 and the impact on Israeli society. Our guide offered us a few ideas as to how to present the site and its story to visitors, which gave some useful food for thought.

### The old port and the Yitzchak Rabin Centre

Tel Aviv Port

Continuing north, we headed to the old Tel Aviv port for a well-earned lunch break. After hearing the story of the development of the port in the 1930s and 40s, we walked north, crossing the Yarkon River and finding ourselves at Tel Kudadi, remains of a Canaanite settlement just next to the old lighthouse. Once more it seems that wherever you go in this country you are walking amidst ancient history!

Memorial at the Yitzchak Rabin Centre / Israeli Museum

Our final stop was at the relatively recently opened Israeli Museum also known as the Yitzchak Rabin Centre. The centre cleverly uses the life story of Yitzchak Rabin in parallel to the State of Israel in order to take the visitor through the history of the state. Since his youth as a young pioneer, Rabin was integrally involved in the state’s history, and was a major influence on its destiny, so the way the museum is built seems appropriate, and is a moving memorial to one of Israel’s greatest figures.

A moving conclusion to a great day in and around my home city. I look forward to showing people around Tel Aviv and telling its stories!

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## The Ayalon Valley

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-ayalon-valley/
Date: 2014-04-08

As we come towards the conclusion of our studies our course coordinator seems to have built our timetable with the exams in mind – a series of tours that touch on a variety of geographical areas and historical periods in order to refresh our memories in advance of the tests that await us shortly.

Today’s tour was in the area known as the Ayalon valley, which lies on the way between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, so it was reasonably close to home. Unfortunately the weather forecast was not great, and we did indeed get reasonably wet at various points of the day. Still, this is all part of the job!

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Ayalon valley, between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem along Route 1 and the 443
Key sitesTel Gezer, Mini Israel, Toron des Chevalliers, Latrun Monastery, ancient Emmaus, Ayalon-Canada Park, Tombs of the Maccabees, Neot Kedumim
PeriodCanaanite and Israelite ruins through Hasmonean, Byzantine and Crusader layers
AccessMini Israel, Latrun Monastery, Ayalon-Canada Park and Neot Kedumim are signposted visitor sites; Tel Gezer and the Tombs of the Maccabees are open archaeological sites reached by car

### Tel Gezer and Mini Israel

Israelite gate at Tel Gezer

Our day began at the ancient ruins of Tel Gezer. There are impressive ruins from the Canaanite period, but for those looking for archaeological confirmation of the bible, the remains of a gate in the Israelite style would seem to corroborate the description of King Solomon building such structures at Gezer, Megiddo and Hazor – at all three sites similar gates have been unearthed by eager archaeologists.

Mini Jerusalem at Mini Israel

We drove a short distance from Gezer to the cheesily fun attraction of Mini Israel. The park contains miniature models of Israel’s key tourist attractions within a handily confined space. It is rather cute, and is a nice place to come perhaps at the conclusion of a trip as a reminder of what one has seen; it also moonlights as a concert venue and I can imagine that hearing live music there must be rather lovely.

### Latrun: Toron des Chevalliers and the Trappist monastery

Inside le Toron des Chevalliers

An even shorter distance away was the ruins of the old Crusader fortress of Toron des Chevalliers. Not much remains of what was once an impressive fortification, but we were able to hike from the top of the remains (in the pouring rain!) down to the modern monastery of Latrun. One theory is that the name of the area (Latrun) comes from that of the castle (Le Toron).

The Trappist Church at Latrun

The monastery is run by Trappist Monks, known in Israel as the silent monks due to their aversion to speaking unless it is absolutely necessary. The building is beautiful and it was difficult to resist the temptation to try some of the monks’ homemade produce – wine, oil, honey etc.

### Emmaus and the Ayalon-Canada Park

Byzantine period baptistery at ancient Emmaus

Another short drive took us to the site identified with ancient Emmaus. According to the New Testament, here Jesus appeared for the first time following his resurrection. There is great dispute about the location of Emmaus (and at least three if not more sites that claim to be the site of this ancient city) but it is clear that the identification of the site is ancient, as testified by the ruins of a 5th century Byzantine church.

Second Temple Period tomb in the Ayalon-Canada Park

Continuing our journey eastwards, we stopped for a short hike in the Ayalon-Canada Park along the ancient aqueducts which served the city we believe was Emmaus. The air was fresh, the greenery lush, and it was enough to take our minds off the fact that we were a little damp. Along the route were remains of ancient tombs and wine presses, to ensure that we kept our archaeological minds sharp as we walked.

### The Tombs of the Maccabees and Neot Kedumim

The Tombs of the Maccabees - burial site of Mattisyahu himself?

After a brief stop in Modiin for lunch, we visited the site known as the Tombs of the Maccabees. According to Jewish tradition, this ancient dynasty rebelled against the oppression of the Greek rulers of the land in the 2nd century BCE, and restored a brief period of Jewish sovereignty. Their tombs are described as a grand mausoleum and many have searched for them without success. The site near Modiin, signposted from the 443 road was considered to have been their tombs, although this theory was later debunked. Still, it has not stopped a small group of religious Jews installing a proper tombstone to Mattisyahu, the father of the Hasmonean dynasty. Indeed, our guide left us with some doubt – more recent research may suggest that the site may actually be the burial plot of these ancient kings.

View over the biblical landscape of Neot Keduim

Our final stop of the day was at Neot Kedumim, a large nature reserve in which an attempt has been made to recreate a biblical landscape and atmosphere. Plants from the bible and animals from the bible can be found in the park, and it is possible to participate in biblical activities such as shepherding and writing a parchment scroll. I have fond memories of a biblical meal at the site including fresh yoghurt, honey and dried fruits, but unfortunately it seems that the budget of our course did not extend this far on this occasion! A good enough reason to return, it would seem…

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## The Sea Peoples

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-sea-peoples/
Date: 2014-04-03

The Sea Peoples are the term now used to refer to a grouping of peoples which the Bible seems to refer to collectively as the Philistines. Based largely around the southern coastal plain, these people, whose origins seem to be somewhere in the Aegean, were the perennial enemies of the Israelites in the biblical narrative.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe southern coastal plain and inland Sharon, from Tel Aviv down to Ashkelon
Key sitesTel Qasile (Eretz Yisrael Museum), Izbet Sartah, Migdal Tzedek, Tel Afek / Antipatris, Tel Ashkelon, Givat Yonah
PeriodPhilistine / Iron Age (12th century BCE) through to Crusader and Ottoman layers
AccessTel Qasile, Tel Afek and Ashkelon are gated national-park or museum sites with entrance fees; Izbet Sartah and Givat Yonah are open hillside ruins

Philistine ruins at Tel Qasile

### Tel Qasile and the Land of Israel Museum

Evidence of their presence exists around the country and today’s trip was largely based on following their footsteps. We began close to home in Tel Aviv, inside the grounds of the Land of Israel museum, on what is known as Tel Qasile. Situated along the Yarkon river, this seems to have been a Philistine city dating back to the 12th century BCE. Of even more interest, next to the Philistine settlement are a set of buildings with clear characteristics of the Israelite culture. It seems that these two cultures lived in very close proximity, if not together, for a brief period of time although the reasons for this remain a mystery.

### Izbet Sartah, Migdal Tzedek and Tel Afek

View from Izbet Sartah

We drove north east to the area of Rosh Haayin, and the archaeological ruins of Izbet Sartah. There is not a huge amount to see at the site, but here was found a piece of pottery containing an ancient Hebrew writing exercise – some of the earliest Hebrew script ever found. It is now in the Israeli museum. Izbet Sartah is identified as maybe being the site of biblical Even Haezer, site of a fateful battle between the Israelites and the Philistines as described in the book of Samuel. On defeating the Israelites, the Philistines capture the sacred Ark of the Covenant, causing a major existential crisis on the losing side. The location of the settlement near Tel Afek would seem to fit with the biblical description.

Ancient fortress of Migdal Tzedek

We continued onwards to the nearby fortress known as Migdal Tzedek. A large amount of the ruins are from the Ottoman period but its foundations are from Crusader times when it was known as Mirabel. The fortress is currently closed for repairs but should be reopened in the future for visits; meanwhile we enjoyed the commanding views of the area.

Canaanite ruins at Tel Afek

From here, it was a short journey to Tel Afek, also known as Antipatris. This beautiful national park houses the remains of a settlement dating back to the Canaanite period, occupying a key strategic position on the ancient Sea Road. We explored the ruins through the different periods of history, including a very nice set of Roman ruins from the time it was established as Antipatris by Herod (who named it after his father, Antipater). We also learned about the plethora of springs in the area, which the British harnessed to supply Jerusalem with water, and the Israelis later extended to provide the first piped water into the Negev desert.

### Ashkelon and Givat Yonah

Stunning Roman sarcophagus in Ashkelon

From Tel Afek, it was time to journey south along the route of the ancient Sea Road (pointing out various ancient settlements on the way) before arriving at the southern coastal city of Ashkelon. After a brief stop to visit some really rather impressive sarcophagi discovered from the Roman period, we ventured towards ancient Ashkelon, in the form of the tel.

The ancient archway at Tel Ashkelon

The bible names Ashkelon as one of the main Philistine towns, and the remains of the fortifications from this time are very impressive, including the second most ancient archway in the world (after Tel Dan)! The Ashkelon national park also contains impressive ruins from the Roman and Crusader periods; it seems there is still a great deal of excavating to be done and no doubt more exciting finds are to come in the coming years.

View over the Ashdod port at Givat Yonah

We concluded the day slightly further north on a hill known as ‘Jonah’s Hill’, due to a tradition that the prophet Jonah had been buried there. We had a nice view over the twinkling lights of the Ashdod port, and heard the story of the nearby Tel Mor which seems to have been an industrial centre for the manufacture of clothing dye in the Hellenist period. As always, with the sun setting, it was time to return reluctantly to Tel Aviv. Next week our adventures shall resume!

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## Campus Negev Day 3: from Ovdat to Mamshit

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-negev-day-3-from-ovdat-to-mamshit/
Date: 2014-03-30

Click here to read about Day 1 or Day 2 of the campus.

A slightly more relaxed day for me today – not every course does the sites in the same order and I had already covered a good chunk of today’s itinerary with my own group, meaning I could relax a little more than on the previous days of the campus.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereCentral Negev, between Mitzpe Ramon and Sde Boker, ending near Dimona
Key sitesOvdat, Bor Chavarim cistern, Ein Avdat, Ben-Gurion’s grave at Sde Boker, Mamshit
Best forNabbatean spice-route history, desert oasis hiking and the legacy of David Ben-Gurion
AccessMost sites are national parks with an entry fee; Ein Avdat is a moderate hike with steep ladder sections

View over the Ramon Crater / Makhtesh Ramon from our field school accommodation

First things first though, and we reluctantly took our leave from the Ramon Crater, enjoying the final views before it was time to head north and continue our journey.

Havarim Cistern

Our first stop of the day was at the ancient Nabbatean city of Ovdat. I had been there previously with my course but had not had time to visit the nearby Bor Chavarim, a Nabbatean cistern. These wily desert travellers were careful about hiding their water sources so that only they could navigate the arid landscape.

Hiking Ein Avdat

We then moved north to Ein Avdat. Located near Kibbutz Sde Boker, this series of three desert springs provides a remarkable oasis in the middle of the Negev desert. We hiked up the valley through which the water flows, enjoying the beautiful scenery and the freshness of the water, while learning about the geological formations before us.

Graves of David & Paula Ben Gurion at Sde Boker

On completing the hike, we ascended to the kibbutz and visited the grave of the first Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion. He always emphasised the importance of settling the Negev desert, and of making it bloom. To this end, he moved to Sde Boker on his retirement and requested to be buried there, next to his wife Paula.

View over the Zin valley from Sde Boker

The grave / memorial site has a stunning view over the Zin valley. The Israeli deserts already bloom considerably more than most and hopefully one day they will bloom in their entirety thanks to the ingenuity of Israeli engineering, thereby realising Ben-Gurion’s vision.

With this, there was time for a brief stop at Mamshit before heading back home to Tel Aviv. With all the campuses now complete it is time for the final straight as we head up to the exams!

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## Campus Negev Day 2: The Ramon Crater / Makhtesh Ramon

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-negev-day-2-the-ramon-crater-makhtesh-ramon/
Date: 2014-03-14

Click here to read about Day 1 or Day 3 of the campus.

An early rise to enjoy dawn breaking over the crater and a surprisingly good breakfast in the field school. Today’s tour was dedicated to the area of the Makhtesh Ramon, or Ramon Crater, the largest of these geological phenomena in Israel at a length of 40km.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereMitzpe Ramon and the Makhtesh Ramon, central Negev
Key sitesRamon Visitors’ Centre, Khan Saharonim, Nachal Ardon, the Carpentry Shop, Bio Ramon
Best forGeology, desert wildlife and Nabbatean spice-route history
AccessVisitors’ centre and Bio Ramon are in town; descending into the crater needs a vehicle suited to dirt roads, or a guided jeep tour

View over the Ramon Crater / Makhtesh Ramon

### The Ramon Visitors’ Centre in Mitzpe Ramon

We began our day at the newly refurbished visitors’ centre in Mitzpe Ramon. The refurb was funded by the family of Ilan and Asaf Ramon (the name being the same as that of the crater is purely coincidental) in memory of Israel’s first astronaut and his pilot son, who both died in separate tragic accidents.

Replica of Ilan Ramon's spacesuit in the Ramon Crater Visitors' Centre

As such, the beginning of the museum tells the story of Ilan Ramon, and a little about Asaf. It is not really connected to the crater but the tale is moving, and one cannot begrudge the family the desire to create a memorial to these two very impressive individuals, and it is done extremely well.

The rest of the centre has a fantastic film/moving presentation about the formation of the crater and another very good film about wildlife in the area. In short, if you plan to visit the area, I really think the visitors’ centre is a no miss.

### Into the crater: Khan Saharonim and Nachal Ardon

Khan Saharonim in the Ramon Crater

It was now time to descend into the crater. We journeyed quite a way on dirt roads until we reached the area of Khan Saharonim. Here, next to a small spring, were the ruins of a Nabbatean khan (inn) along the famous spice route that they used to transport merchandise from the area of Yemen to the port at Gaza, sending it across the Roman Empire.

After exploring the area a little; learning about some of the local flora and fauna, we travelled a short distance to Nachal Ardon. It was possible to see the damp ground from the recent flash floods, and the plants that were newly blooming as a result of the rains.

Dykes in Nachal Ardon

We soon reached our goal during this short walk – the dykes that lined the walls of the river bed. These are formed by molten rock pushing into cracks in the existing rock; the magma cools and forms a different type of rock to that surrounding it, causing it to erode at a different pace.

### The Carpentry Shop and Bio Ramon

The 'Carpentry Shop' in the Ramon Crater

We returned to the northern side of the crater, and the area known as the ‘Carpentry Shop’. Due to volcanic processes, this small hill has formed into a series of small pieces of rock that look similar to wood-chips, hence the name. We learned about the formation of the hill and enjoyed the view out over the landscape of the crater.

Porcupine in Bio Ramon

Our final stop was back in Mitzpe Ramon, at the Bio Ramon. A significant sample of the animals that live in the crater are kept here, and it is possible to see them up close and learn about their habits and lifestyles. Night was drawing in, and they were beginning to get active. For us, it was time to return to the field school and prepare for the final day of our campus which awaited us on the morrow.

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## Campus Negev Day 1: The Negev Mountains

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-negev-day-1-the-negev-mountains/
Date: 2014-03-04

Click here to read about Day 2 or Day 3 of the campus

Time for the final campus of the course, one which I unfortunately missed last year due to sickness, but was eager to attend now – three days of touring in the area of the Negev desert.

The Negev, in the south of the country, consists of around 55% of Israel’s territory, but due to its barren nature and its relative inaccessibility, it is much less frequently visited than the tourist hot spots of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Judean Desert & the Galilee.

Indeed, there is much less history here than in the north of the country, but there are a great deal of stunning landscapes, fascinating geological features, and also the odd archaeological site for the historians among us.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereNortheast Negev, southern Israel; between Yerucham and the Scorpions’ Ascent (Maale Akrabim)
Key sitesYerucham Park and dam, the Large Makhtesh (HaMakhtesh HaGadol) with its fossilised trees, Ein Yorkeam spring, the Scorpions’ Ascent lookout
PeriodGeological formations from many tens of millions of years ago; Roman-period ruins at Ein Yorkeam; mid-20th-century Palmach and Israeli history
Best forFull-day desert exploration combining geology, scenery and modern history; pairs well with Mitzpe Ramon as an overnight base

The Yerucham dam

### Yerucham Park

Our first day was dedicated to the area of the peaks of the Negev mountains in the north east of the region. Our first stop was in the Yerucham Park. We visited the ancient well and then the more modern dam and man-made lake, learning about the modern history of the area and the struggles of Yerucham to break away from its development-town status. Unemployment is a major problem in the Negev in general and the government actively encourages business to relocate to the area in the hope of encouraging more people to move and improve its status.

### The Large Makhtesh

From Yerucham, we travelled east to the area of the ‘Large’ Makhtesh. A makhtesh is an unusual type of crater, formed through a lengthy process of erosion and weathering. There are only around 8 in the world and 5 of them are in the Negev (others are in the surrounding area – the Sinai and in Jordan) and their unique nature means the word Makhtesh has now entered international geological parlance as the word to describe this phenomena.

View over the Large Crater (HaMakhtesh HaGadol) from Mt Avnon

Enjoying a stunning view from Mt Avnon over the ‘Large’ Makhtesh (in Hebrew: HaMakhtesh HaGadol), we learned about the theories about how these craters developed.

Fossilised / petrified trees in the Large Crater (HaMakhtesh HaGadol)

Descending into the makhtesh, we stopped to sit on some unusually shaped and coloured rocks, only to learn that these were in fact fossilised (or petrified) tree trunks. The huge size of these rocks are testament to a completely different climate in the area many tens of millions of years ago; indeed the large amount of the campus that was dedicated to geology helped put into perspective the tiny amount of time man has impacted the planet. One analogy was that if all of the earth’s history was represented by a calendar year, the time man has existed amounts to the final hour!

### Ein Yorkeam and the Scorpions’ Ascent

Ein Yorkeam oasis

We continued our journey through the crater, noting the different coloured sand layers and the rugged scenery. Exiting the other side, we proceeded to the spring at Ein Yorkeam, a desert oasis with ruins from the Roman period and an accompanying story of a grand Palmach trek in the 1940s.

View from the top of the Scorpions’ Ascent

Our final stop for the day was a lookout over the Zin river bed and the twists and bends of the Scorpions' Ascent which leads from the mountainous region of the Negev down towards the valley of the Dead Sea. Here we heard the tragic story of a terrorist attack on a tourist bus in the 1950s; this led to new roads being laid through the Negev down to the Red Sea at Eilat, meaning that today the area is almost deserted.

With the sun setting on our first day in the Negev, we travelled west to our hostel at Mitzpe Ramon to prepare for the following day's adventures.

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## Safed / Tzefat

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/safed-tzefat/
Date: 2014-02-25

Today’s tour was a very nostalgic one as I returned to the northern city of Tzefat (also known as Safed), where I lived for three months while on my gap year in Israel. I had a great time in Tzefat where I lived with a group of friends and volunteered in the local community. To a certain extent, my return felt like I was coming home.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereUpper Galilee, northern Israel; perched on a hilltop above the Sea of Galilee
Key sitesAkhbara viewpoint, Mt Canaan, the Old City synagogues (Ari, Abuhav, Josef Caro), the Tzefat cemetery and the Crusader/Mamluk citadel
Period16th-century Kabbalistic centre; one of Judaism’s four holy cities; Crusader and Mamluk-period citadel on the peak
Best forHalf- to full-day visit; combines easily with Mt Meiron or other Upper Galilee sites

### Akhbara viewpoint and the Amud valley

However, as always on the guiding course, I was surprised by how many of the local sites I was completely unaware of while living here. We began our day at the Akhbara viewpoint, a lookout over the modern day Arab village which was a Jewish settlement in the 2nd temple period. We heard how Napoleon’s soldiers reached here during his 18th century campaign, in a fruitless search for the treasures of the Jewish temple in the nearby cliff face. We also gazed with awe upon the highest bridge in the middle east, over the Amud river bed, which has been engineered especially to withstand even major earthquakes (which do happen in our region).

View from Akhbara lookout

### Mt Canaan and the story of 1948

View over Tzefat and Mt Meiron from Mt Canaan

We continued up to the city of Tzefat, passing through and arriving at Mt Canaan. Here, from a vantage point over Tzefat itself, we heard the story of the city during the 1948 Arab Israeli War. It is a very dramatic tale and I shall not attempt to do it justice here; I look forward to retelling it to tourists in the future!

### The Old City synagogues

From here we headed into the city of Tzefat itself, and after brief stops in the more modern town we entered the area of the Old City. For Jews, Tzefat is one of the four holy cities of Israel (together with Jerusalem, Hebron and Tiberias). Beginning in the 16th century, here developed many of the ideas that make up the Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism; on the other hand (and even in contrast) it was here that the Shulchan Aruch, the definitive codification of Jewish Law, was written.

#### The Ashkenazi Synagogue of the Ari

Inside the Ashkenazi Synagogue of the Ari

We began our visit at the Ashkenaz Synagogue of the Ari. Known as a leading kabbalist (mystic) despite his brief time in Tzefat, he is credited with creating the kabbalat shabbat service which to this day is recited in synagogues around the world on Friday evenings. Tradition says that at the site of the synagogue, he would go out into the fields around Tzefat on Friday nights to welcome the Sabbath Queen, together with his followers. We learned about the history of the synagogue and some of the miracles believed to have taken place within it.

#### 16th-century excavations

Ruins of a 16th-century communal building in Tzefat

Moving on, we descended into recent excavations of parts of the city covered under rubble in an 18th century earthquake. We found a 17th century mikve (ritual bath) and then descended further into a large, probably communal, structure from the 16th century. Perhaps this was frequented by some of the leading kabbalists of the time?

#### The Abuhav Synagogue

Our next stop was at the Synagogue of Rabbi Yitzchak Abuhav. He was a leading rabbi and mystic in Spain in the 15th century, although he was never in Tzefat in person. In one of the arks in the synagogue is a torah scroll written by Rabbi Abuhav, who dipped himself in a mikve 26 times each time he had to write the name of God. It is considered so special that it is only used three times a year.

#### The Josef Caro Synagogue

Inside the Josef Caro Synagogue

As we continued through the alleyways of the Old City, our guide entertained us with a myriad of stories about various miracles that have happened in Tzefat over the centuries. Eventually we reached our final synagogue for the day, that of Rabbi Josef Caro, the great scholar who wrote the Shulchan Aruch.

### The Crusader citadel and sunset over Meiron

After a brief look-out over the Tzefat cemetery (which contains the tombs of many of these famous rabbis), we concluded our day on the peak of the hill on which Tzefat is based, dealing with an entirely different topic. Here are the ruins of what was once the largest Crusader citadel in the Middle East, constructed in the 13th century. Later, after the fortress was taken by the Mamluks in their conquest of the area, their leader, Baibars, constructed a huge tower on the site – it was possible to see its ruins and even to wander into its cistern.

Mamluk and Crusader ruins in the Tzefat citadel

The citadel is now part of a park, and I’m not sure the various couples who were spread out among the area to enjoy the sunset particularly appreciated our group passing through. As interesting as the history was, I’m not sure it added to the romantic mood. I’m pleased to say that after the explanations finished, there was just time for us to also enjoy the sunset over Mount Meiron, and the tomb of Shimon Bar Yochai (the original mystic, considered author of the Zohar), before beginning our journey back to Tel Aviv.

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## The Judean Mountains

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-judean-mountains/
Date: 2014-02-17

The theme for today’s tour was the Judean Mountains. Many people outside Israel refer to these as hills, but I checked the definition of a mountain and there was nothing there to say what height they should be, so I am sticking with a literal translation of the Hebrew, which definitely refers to them as mountains (and at up to 1000m, I think it is fair enough).

The area stretches from the middle of the West Bank down to the area of Beer Sheva, but our trip today was focused on areas which were all within Israel’s pre-1967 borders, in the area known as the Jerusalem Corridor.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Judean Mountains, west of Jerusalem (the Jerusalem Corridor).
Sites coveredMotza, Tel Tzuba, the Kennedy Memorial, the Sataf, the Scroll of Fire, Pilots’ Mountain.
Time neededA full day to visit all six sites.
What’s thereArchaeological excavations, Crusader castle ruins, ancient farming terraces, memorials, panoramic viewpoints.

### Sites in the Judean Mountains

Inside the former 'ancient' synagogue at Motza

#### Motza

We began our tour at Motza. If you’ve driven to Jerusalem on route 1, it’s very possible that you have driven past it on many occasions, without paying it a second thought. It lies just outside the city limits, in the valley from which you make the final ascent to Israel’s capital. We visited the restored home of the Yellin family, who founded the modern-day settlement in the late 19th century, and heard about the modern story of the site. We also visited the ‘ancient’ synagogue, so called as it was built in ruins from the Byzantine period.

Of even more interest are the archaeological excavations taking place at the tel next to this building – it is not possible to visit at the moment but the remains date back to the First Temple Period and interestingly they have found evidence of Jewish idol worship just a few kilometres from the temple in Jerusalem. The biblical prophets are constantly warning the Jewish people about such activities and here is evidence that it indeed was taking place.

View out from Tel Tzuba

#### Tel Tzuba

From Motza, we ascended to Tel Tzuba, where we wandered through the ruins of a Crusader castle called Belmont, and enjoyed the beautiful almond trees which are currently in blossom. Looking out from this peak, our guide told us about the geological formation of the Judean Mountains and the impact of the topography on the settlement of the area.

Sheikh Saida Ruins

#### Kennedy Memorial and Hurvat Saadim

Our next stop was at another peak, across the valley, the location of the memorial to John F. Kennedy. Located here because the American Jewish community sponsored the park, we talked briefly about the memorial and its significance, before descending down a trail to an area known as Hurvat Saadim. Here was the ruined tomb of a mysterious holy Muslim woman, called Saida – nothing is known about her but her name has remained attached to the area. While here, our guide took the opportunity to refresh our memory on the local flora – very important with the exams fast approaching!

Bikura Spring at the Sataf Park

#### The Sataf

We then journeyed to the area of the Sataf, which brought back memories of my last trip there at the age of 16 on my Israel tour! Accompanied by these nostalgic thoughts, we walked down through the farming terraces which had been constructed on the mountain. We learned about this ancient technique for farming on steep, rocky slopes, which seems to go back at least 3500 years. The terraces here would have dated to this time, although have been constantly repaired and rebuilt since. We crawled into one of the tunnels leading to a spring that irrigated the fields, and visited the area where the ancient technique is being revived, with quite some success, it seems!

Natan Rapoport's 'Scroll of Fire'

#### Scroll of Fire

Our next site was quite different. Called the ‘Scroll of Fire’ and located within the JNF Martyrs' Forest (an area of 6 million trees planted in the 50s in memory of those who died in the Holocaust), this was an imposing bronze sculpture, by Nathan Rapoport, on the theme of the Holocaust and the establishment of the state of Israel. We learned about the symbolism of the sculpture, which ‘quotes’ from various other sculptures of his, some of which can be seen at Yad Vashem, and even references Titus’s Arch in Rome. It was actually one of the most moving sculptures we have seen so far on the course, in my opinion, although its location means it is probably rather out of the way for most groups to visit.

Sunset over Nachal Soreq and the Judean Mountains from the Pilots' Mountain lookout

#### Pilots’ Mountain

Our final visit was just a short drive away at the Pilots’ Mountain. This is the site of the official Israeli Air Force Memorial, but also of a fantastic viewpoint down into Nachal Soreq. We enjoyed the sunset over the Judean Mountains, and then it was time for us to head for the hills!

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## Settlement of the Jezreel Valley

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/settlement-of-the-jezreel-valley/
Date: 2014-02-10

Today we travelled north for a tour of the area of what is known as the northern valleys, referred to by many as the Jezreel Valley. The tour was focused on the development of the area in the modern period – this swampy valley was one of the large areas of modern day Israel that the early Zionists were able to purchase from local landowners (they did not want it given the difficulty in farming here). Here, the pioneers developed techniques to drain the land and transform it into prime agricultural real estate; here developed the first kibbutz and the first moshav – the communal agricultural settlements.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Jezreel Valley (the northern valleys), the broad agricultural plain between the lower Galilee and the Carmel ridge, south west of Nazareth.
Key sitesTel Yoqneam, Kfar Yehoshua station and the Valley Railway museum, Bethlehem of Galilee, Waldheim/Alonei Abba, Nahalal cemetery, Merhavia, Sejera/Ilaniya.
PeriodMulti-period: Bronze Age tel and Crusader church; Templer Christian settlements from the 1860s; early Zionist pioneer settlement from the late 19th and early 20th century.
AccessReachable by car from Haifa, Tel Aviv or Nazareth; most sites are openly accessible. The Valley Railway museum at Kfar Yehoshua and the Merhavia courtyard museum have set opening hours worth checking in advance.

### Tel Yoqneam

View from Tel Yoqneam

First though, we travelled back in time at Tel Yoqneam. Only recently made accessible to the public, this is the remains of a settlement dating to the bronze age (it is mentioned in the bible). The site is still under excavation so presently there is little to see but the ruins of a Crusader church; still the commanding views over the lower Galil make it worth the climb.

### The Valley Railway at Kfar Yehoshua

Old train carriage at Kfar Yehoshua Station

A short distance away lies the old train station of Kfar Yehoshua, recently restored and turned into a museum about the Valley Railway. Built in the early 20th century, it helped provide supplies to the construction of the larger Hijazi railway, which connected Istanbul with Mecca, via Jordan. As a by product it served to help develop the area of the lower Galilee. The film in the museum is actually really good (and amusing!) and worth a short stop for all rail enthusiasts.

Work is currently underway to build a new railway in the area, although it will not follow exactly the same route. It is possible to see the work all along the valley; when it will be completed is rather hard to say, however!

### Kfar Yehoshua moshav

War Memorial at Kfar Yehoshua

A short ride away took us to the moshav of Kfar Yehoshua, named for Yehoshua Hankin, who was responsible for organising a great deal of the land purchase in the area. We learned here about the development of communal living in these early pioneer settlements, which eventually evolved into the kibbutz and moshav that we know today.

### The Templer villages of Bethlehem of Galilee and Waldheim

The oldest Mt Tavor Oak in Israel!

It was a beautiful, fresh and sunny day, so we took advantage of the marvellous weather to enjoy a countryside stroll around the area of Tivon. We explored the Mediterranean undergrowth and passed by what is considered to be the oldest Mt Tavor Oak in the country, ironically not situated on Mt Tavor.

Church at Waldheim/Alonei Abba

Following a spot of perambulation, we ascended to the bus once more to visit two former settlements of the Templer Christians – Bethlehem of Galilee and Waldheim (the latter is now called Alonei Abba). We refreshed ourselves on the Templer movement (having visited their sites previously in Haifa and Tel Aviv) and learned about their later split – some returned to the Protestant Church, as evidenced by the pretty little church in Alonei Abba.

### Nahalal cemetery

Grave of Ilan Ramon, Nahalal

Our next stop was the cemetery of Nahalal, the first moshav. Our guide took us around the tombstones, telling the story of the early years of Israel through the people we encountered. These young, ideological pioneers formed the backbone of Israeli society in its early years. Among the most famous of the Nahalal community was Moshe Dayan, a Defence Minister of Israel with an iconic eye patch. Also buried in the cemetery is Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut. He was not from Nahalal but served at a nearby airport base. Tragically, he is buried next to his son, who died 5 years ago in a plane crash.

### Merhavia

The Great Courtyard of Merhavia

After a very brief stop in Nahalal itself, we drove on to Merhavia, not far from Afula. Now the site of both a kibbutz and a moshav, side by side, it was the first modern Jewish settlement in the Jezreel Valley. Over the years they experimented with various forms of communal living, eventually arriving at what they have today – the kibbutz and moshav side by side. The original courtyard of the settlement has been restored and there is a small museum about its history that it is possible to visit.

### Sejera / Ilaniya

Our final stop of the day was further north, at Sejera, now called Ilanya. This was really where everything began, in terms of the Jewish settlement of the area in the modern period (you may have noted that chronologically this day was running in reverse!). Funded by Baron Rothschild, Sejera was the site of a training farm for new immigrants. They would come here, learn how to work the land, and then take loans to buy territory, farm it and then pay them back. This model was later adopted by the JNF with the founding of the Kineret Farm (to be visited on a later trip) from which sprouted the first kibbutz.

Ancient mikve at Ilaniya / Sejera

While we were at the site, we also managed to visit a mikveh (ritual bath) from the Byzantine period, which was used by one of the married pioneers (nearly all were single at this time) for conjugal trysts! As such, it was later named for him…certainly one way to make a name for yourself…

My overall impression from the day was how very impressive these young men and women were. They came to a hostile environment, with no understanding of agriculture, to work land which was so bad that it was the only land available for purchase. Yet, they pushed through the hardships, made the land work for them and created the backbone for the future state. I think the appropriate Hebrew expression is ‘Kol HaKavod’!

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## Gush Etzion / The Etzion Bloc

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/gush-etzion-the-etzion-bloc/
Date: 2014-02-06

Today we travelled south east to the area of Gush Etzion (the Etzion Bloc in English), a small enclave of Jewish settlements that are over the Green Line in the West Bank. It was a particularly exciting day for me as it was my turn to be ‘chanich toran’ (student on duty). We all have to take this role on a rotation basis and it meant that I was in charge of the logistics for the day – making sure that everyone was on the bus, dealing with payment at the sites we were visiting and carrying the rather heavy first aid kit bag.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereA cluster of Jewish settlements in the Judean Hills south of Jerusalem, over the Green Line in the West Bank, between Bethlehem and Hebron.
Key sitesHar Tuv Memorial, Kfar Etzion Museum, Yeshivat Har Etzion, Biyar Aqueduct, the Lone Oak at Alon Shvut, Derech HaAvot (the Way of the Patriarchs), Mitzpe HaElef at Neve Daniel.
PeriodSecond Temple to modern: Roman-period aqueduct and pilgrim road, 1948 War of Independence sites, post-1967 Jewish resettlement.
AccessWithin the West Bank; reachable by car from Jerusalem via Route 60. Most sites are openly accessible; the Kfar Etzion museum and Yeshivat Har Etzion library require advance arrangement.

### Har Tuv and the Convoy of 35

Har Tuv Memorial

Before reaching the area, however, we made a short stop at the Nacham moshav, just north of Beit Shemesh, which until 1948 was the small village of Har Tuv. Here began the story of the famed Lamed Hei (the Convoy of 35 – the letters Lamed and Hei represent 35 in Hebrew).

With the outbreak of war following the UN Partition Plan in 1947, the settlements in Gush Etzion were becoming increasingly isolated and endangered. They called for more supplies but the road to the bloc passed through the Arab towns of Bethlehem and Beit Jalla and had become impassable. In January 1948 a group of 40 reached Har Tuv with the intention of marching on overnight (using the cover of darkness) to bring the needed supplies. There was a delay in their arrival and in the end they were only able to leave at around 11pm – their commander was urged to reconsider but given the urgency of their mission he felt the need to continue.

View out to the hill upon which the Lamed Hei made their final stand

We continued our journey following the path of this convoy, which soon became one of 35 (hence the name) as members were sent home for different reasons. As we crossed the Green Line at the Lamed Hei checkpoint, we paused to look out to the hill on which they held their final stand. Just here, they were discovered, and all met their deaths at the hands of the local Arab villagers.

### Kfar Etzion and the 1948 massacre

Bunker at Kfar Etzion Museum

We continued the short journey to their original target, the Kfar Etzion kibbutz. Here we visited a museum detailing the history of modern Jewish settlement in the area, dating back to the 1920s. The museum concluded with a powerful film about the sad events of May 13 1948, the day before Israeli Independence was declared. The Jordanian troops captured the kibbutz and its defenders; then began a massacre of the prisoners. It is unclear exactly how it happened or who ordered it but over 100 people died as a result; their bodies remained unburied until a special agreement with Jordan in November 1949 permitted the gathering of their bones; they are now buried at Mt Herzl in Jerusalem.

Before the battle the children and many of the women of the kibbutz had been evacuated to Jerusalem; after surviving the war they used to gaze out to the area of Gush Etzion and dream of a return. When in 1967 Israel seized the West Bank as part of the Six Day War, they petitioned the government to be able to return to their previous home, and were granted permission; hence Kfar Etzion was the first Jewish settlement to be built over the Green Line after 1967, although perhaps it would be more accurate to say ‘rebuilt’.

### Yeshivat Har Etzion

The Beit Midrash at Yeshivat Har Etzion

From Kfar Etzion we travelled a short distance to Yeshivat Har Etzion, a special type of yeshiva (a religious seminary), which enables young religious men to combine their army service with traditional study of Jewish text. There are also many foreigners who come for one or two years before or after university, and many of my contemporaries at Cambridge had studied in ‘the Gush’. Known for its intellectualism and openness to secular scholarship (the current head of the yeshiva is an expert on Milton), it was for many of our group the first time in such a setting and all found it very interesting. We popped into the library also where of most interest were the 500 year old books we were allowed to peruse. A big thanks to Rabbi Joe for facilitating this last minute visit!

### The Biyar Aqueduct

Biyar Aqueduct

After lunch, it was time for some archaeology, as we visited the Biyar Aqueduct, one of the sources of water for Jerusalem from the Roman period. It is incredible to think that 2000 years ago an aqueduct was constructed starting here to reach Jerusalem, 20km away. The aqueduct leads from a natural spring and some of the more hardy members of our group walked down part of the tunnel – the freezing cold water put me off – I think this is more of a July than a January activity!

### The Lone Oak and Derech HaAvot

The Lone Oak next to Alon Shvut

We then travelled to the ‘Lone Oak’, an ancient tree that was in the middle of the Etzion Bloc in 1948. After the war, descendents of the Bloc settlements would be able to see this tree from beyond the Green Line, and would gaze out to it as marking their former homes – it became a symbol for the area and is still revered today. Estimates put it at around 700 years old.

2nd Temple Period mikve on Derech HaAvot

A short walk took us along an ancient Roman road which has been called ‘Derech HaAvot’ (The Road of the Patriarchs). The bible relates stories of Abraham and Jacob being in this area – if this was a road in Roman times then perhaps it is along the lines of a more ancient pathway upon which their feet would have trodden? Certainly Jewish feet have walked along the route – we found the remains of a grand mikve (ritual bath) from the Second Temple Period – it seems pilgrims en route to Jerusalem would have used it for purification on the way.

### Mitzpe HaElef at Neve Daniel

View over the Judean Hills from Derech HaAvot

We concluded our day Mitzpe HaElef (Viewpoint of the Thousand), located in Neve Daniel, the highpoint of the Gush. Neve Daniel contains a peak that reaches 997m high – so they built a viewing platform at a height of 3m, taking it to a handy 1000! Unfortunately electricity pylons obstructed the best part of the view but still there were commanding vistas of the Judean Hills, Herodion and Jerusalem itself.

View from Mitzpe HaElef

The day was over, I had managed to get everyone home and did not need to open the first aid kit once. All in all, quite the success!

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## The Battles for Jerusalem

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-battles-for-jerusalem/
Date: 2014-01-29

Once more we travelled to Jerusalem for today’s tour, with the focus on the city as part of the wars of 1948 (when it was split) and 1967 (when it was unified).

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereJerusalem: the San Simon Monastery in Katamon, Kibbutz Ramat Rachel on the southern edge of the city, and Ammunition Hill on the former Jordanian frontier in the north
Key sitesThe Greek Orthodox monastery of San Simon, Kibbutz Ramat Rachel and its First Temple archaeological site, the route of the old ‘City Line’ between Israel and Jordan, and the Ammunition Hill memorial museum
PeriodFirst Temple Period palace remains at Ramat Rachel (8th century BCE); the 1948 War of Independence; the divided city of 1948–1967; the 1967 Six Day War (Modern Period)
AccessSan Simon is an active Greek Orthodox monastery, with the surrounding park freely open; Ramat Rachel is a working kibbutz with the archaeological site openly accessible; Ammunition Hill is a memorial museum with set opening hours

### San Simon Monastery

Our day began at the Greek Orthodox monastery of San Simon. This is believed to be the site of the home of Saint Simeon, the priest who performs the redemption ceremony for Jesus as described in the Gospel of Luke, and prophesies his future greatness.

Of more relevance to today’s visit, we learned that this was the site of a major battle in the 1948 war. There were four concentrations of Jews in south Jerusalem at the time: Ramat Rachel kibbutz, Mekor Haim, Talpiot and Arnona. The control of the Katamon neighbourhood around the monastery by the Arabs meant that these neighbourhoods were cut off from the rest of Jewish Jerusalem and effectively under siege. Taking Katamon would enable Jewish control of the whole western part of the city.

San Simon Monastery - note the bullet holes - a reminder of the battle in 1948

The battle, which took place in April 1948, was long and ferocious. Ninety percent of the Israeli force was wounded, several mortally so. At one point they were about to give up and withdraw, but the Arab force beat them to it. Through stoicism, heroism and quite a bit of luck (these themes repeated themselves throughout the war), the battle was won and the southern Jewish neighbourhoods had their siege lifted.

### Kibbutz Ramat Rachel

We continued south to Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, where the relief was short-lived. Only a few days after the Battle of San Simon the kibbutz was surrounded by Jordanian and Egyptian troops and subjected to an immense bombardment. The kibbutz members held on bravely for three days but eventually had to evacuate. Israel did not want to give up the kibbutz, and the battle continued, with the site changing hands three times before eventually being held by the Israeli troops.

Israelite capitals dating to the 8th century BCE found at Ramat Rachel

While at Ramat Rachel, we also explored the archaeological excavations. Researchers have discovered remains of a vast palace complex from the 8th century BCE (the First Temple Period) including impressive irrigated gardens. The site continued to be an important administrative centre into the 3rd century BCE.

On route to our final stop for the day, we drove along parts of the ‘City Line’, the border between Israel and Jordan for 19 years between 1948 and 1967. It is crazy to think that there was a physical border fence along the middle of the city for so long. Although it was mostly quiet, every now and again Jordanian snipers would shoot over the fence causing several Israeli deaths and even more injuries.

### Ammunition Hill

Our last site was at Ammunition Hill, the memorial site for all soldiers who died in the battle for Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War. There was an excellent film here about the battle for the city; the capture of the Old City was a very emotional moment for Israelis and Jews around the world, having been forbidden entry to their holiest site for 19 years, and the film conveyed this well.

Jordanian trenches at Ammunition Hill

Ammunition Hill was the site of a particularly difficult battle as the Israeli troops pushed east in an attempt to reach Mount Scopus, which had been an Israeli enclave within Jordanian territory since 1948. An intelligence error meant that the Israeli force was underprepared and under-resourced; after a gruelling 4 and a half hour battle over a very small area, and many lives lost, the hill was taken, paving the way for the eventual capture of the whole city.

With this, our series of tours focused on Israel’s wars has come to a close, together with the accompanying tragic stories of promising young lives cut short and remarkable bravery. In 2014, it is so easy to take Israel’s existence for granted; these tours have served as a reminder as to how close it came to extinction on so many occasions. Truly an extraordinary tale.

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## Eastern Lower Galilee

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/eastern-lower-galilee/
Date: 2014-01-22

With the sun shining on a beautiful January morning we travelled north for today’s tour which was based around the area of the eastern lower Galilee, a small area which roughly speaking is encircled by the roads 71, 90, 85 and 65 (for those trying to locate it on a map).

It is considered distinct from the central Galilee due to its geological make up – steep basalt cliffs formed by ancient volcanic activity (vs the sedimentary rock of the rest of the Galilee region). Our tour today was to be quite varied – as we get towards the end of our time on the course, some of our trips consist of us fitting in some of the sites that we have not yet had a chance to visit despite passing close by (for example during our trips to Tiberias or Christianity around the Sea of Galilee).

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe eastern lower Galilee, roughly enclosed by Routes 71, 90, 85 and 65, between the Sea of Galilee and the central Galilee
Key sitesMount Arbel and the ancient Arbel synagogue, the Horns of Hattin, Nabi Shu’aib (the Druze shrine for Jethro), ancient Korazim, Domus Galilaeae, and Tel Mutilla above Almagor
PeriodSecond Temple Jewish revolt (1st century BCE); Byzantine synagogues (5th century); the Crusader battle of Hattin (1187); Druze pilgrimage site; and the modern post-1948 ceasefire memorial at Tel Mutilla
AccessMount Arbel and Korazim are national parks with set opening hours; Nabi Shu’aib and Domus Galilaeae are run by their respective communities and welcome visitors (worth checking timings in advance); Tel Mutilla sits next to Almagor with open access to the memorial and viewpoint

### Mount Arbel

View north from the Arbel cliff face

We began the day at Mount Arbel, an imposing basalt mountain with a sheer cliff face leading down to the Sea of Galilee. A short walk took us to a stunning viewpoint over the area and our guide helped us locate various sites of interest. We then heard the story of the town Arbel (located close by) during the Jewish revolt against Herod (recently made ruler of the Galilee) in the 1st century BCE. The Jews were soon overwhelmed and hid in caves hidden in the cliff face. To overcome this problem, Herod’s army constructed cages and lowered soldiers down to the caves where the rebels were sitting ducks. Many of them threw themselves to their deaths rather than be taken prisoner.

### The ancient synagogue of Arbel

Ancient synagogue of Arbel

A short drive took us to the ruins of the Byzantine town of Arbel where it was possible to see the remains of their synagogue. There are many ancient synagogues around the Galilee and Golan (the oldest going back 2000 years) and we learned different theories as to the dating or provenance of different styles of construction.

### Nabi Shu’aib and the Horns of Hattin

Nabi Shu'ayb (Tomb of Jethro)

We then headed west, passing the Horns of Hattin (site of the famous battle in 1187 when Saladin vanquished the Crusaders) and arriving at Nabi Shu’aib. The holiest site for Israeli Druze, it is considered to be the tomb of Jethro, father-in-law of Moses. The tomb complex is now run by Druze although Jewish and Muslim pilgrims (for whom Jethro/Nabi Shu’aib is also a holy figure) are welcome to visit too. It was a nice stop; the Druze were very welcoming and there were lovely views through the Arbel cliff to the Sea of Galilee.

### Ancient Korazim

Ancient synagogue of Korazim

Travelling north, our next stop was at the ruins of ancient Korazim. The earliest source about this site is the New Testament, when Jesus curses it for refusing to heed his teachings. Excavations in the 80s have unearthed most of the Byzantine period settlement, including a large synagogue dated to the 5th century. Interestingly, the synagogue contains some pagan symbols (including an image of Medusa, the character from the Greek myths). This is not unusual in synagogues of the Golan (Korazim is not in the Golan but is very close) where it seems that in later centuries some of these symbols were absorbed as by this time they had become simply decorative, without religious meaning.

### Domus Galilaeae

Musical presentation at Domus Galilaeae

A short distance away was the site of Domus Galilaeae. Opened by Pope John Paul II in 2000, it is a place for young men training to be Catholic priests to come for a period as part of their studies. The centre focuses on understanding the Hebrew and Jewish traditions of the early Christians who were based in the area; an idea that to live authentic Christianity one must understand its Jewish roots. Students study Hebrew and engage in interfaith dialogue. The building is beautiful and has a stunning view over the Sea of Galilee. We were also treated to a concert by some of the students who sang for us in Hebrew.

### Tel Mutilla

View over the Sea of Galilee from Tel Mutilla

Our final stop of the day was at Tel Mutilla, located in the modern village of Almagor. We learned about the 1949 ceasefire agreement with Syria following the War of Independence, and the ensuing complications in three ‘demilitarised’ zones where the interpretation of ‘demilitarised’ was disputed. Visiting the memorial to the soldiers who died in an unexpected battle with Syrians in 1951 (which fortunately did not escalate further), we enjoyed the sunset over the Sea of Galilee before heading home to Tel Aviv.

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## Jaffa

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/jaffa/
Date: 2014-01-14

Jaffa, the mysterious and ancient city lying just south of Tel Aviv, is a place that I have visited on many an occasion. I have wandered through the old town, tasted various different types of hummus, haggled in the flea market and imbibed the art exhibitions.

Today was a chance to learn about the history of the city, and it really was a fascinating day. Jaffa has its beauty spots: a lovely view down the coast; a grand neo-baroque church; quaint old streets. Still, as sights in Israel go, there is nothing that particularly makes it stand out.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe ancient port city of Jaffa, on the southern edge of Tel Aviv
Key sitesThe Ottoman clock tower, the hilltop viewpoint over the coast and Andromeda’s rock, St Peter’s Church, the Jaffa Tales Visitors Centre, the Bronze Age excavations, the old port, and the Protestant cemetery
PeriodBronze Age (3500 years old) through the Hellenist, Byzantine, Crusader, Ottoman and Mandate periods to the present day
AccessWalkable from the southern end of Tel Aviv promenade; the old town and clock tower square are open-access; St Peter’s Church and the Jaffa Tales Visitors Centre keep their own opening hours

However, there is a great atmosphere in the city, something a little bit edgy, and together with this are a fantastic array of tales going back 3500 years. Our guide was a good story-teller and he painted the picture of the city well as we explored its ancient paths.

Jaffa clock tower

We began the day at the famous clock tower, built at the beginning of the 19th century. Exploring the square, we learned about the history of the buildings – the old gaol, the former governor’s house, the areas formerly owned by the Greek Orthodox church.

View north up the Mediterranean coastline from Jaffa

Continuing up the hill which formed the main part of the original city dating back to the Bronze Age, we enjoyed a lovely viewpoint over the coastline, including Andromeda’s rock. Our guide regaled us with the legend about this underwater ridge, so perilous for sailors attempting to reach the city – there are only two breaks in the rock through which it is safe to enter – they have found many ruins of boats from throughout the ages on the Jaffa sea bed.

St Peter's Church, Jaffa

Moving through the old town and its urban legends, we arrived at St Peter’s Church. According to Catholic tradition, it is built on the site of the home of Simon the Tanner, where Peter stayed while visiting Jaffa. During his visit, he had a grand vision, which ultimately led to the spreading of Christianity into a major global religion after it became possible to encourage non-Jews to adopt the faith. The church, whose construction was funded by the Spanish Royal Family at the end of the 19th century, is a beautiful building, imposing itself on the coastline.

Ruins of a home from the Hellenist period, Jaffa

Wandering through the streets and hearing yet more tales of Jaffa’s past, we arrived at the appropriately named Jaffa Tales Visitors Centre. The centre does a good job of relating some of the better known stories associated with the city and displays some interesting artefacts.

Before breaking for lunch, we visited the excavations of ancient Jaffa, dating back 3500 years to the Bronze Age. Another great tale was that of Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, who found an ingenious way to conquer Jaffa during his campaign in the 15th century BCE.

Following a quite fantastic lunch in Guetta, one of my favourite restaurants and masters of Libyan cuisine, we visited the port area, hearing about the history of the sea trade in the area and the recent refurbishment. We also got a good recommendation for ice-cream, although frustratingly no time to verify it. That alone definitely warrants a return visit!

Turning back to the old town, we followed the steps of Napoleon as he broke into the city during his campaign of 1799. Here was time for another tale, although this one had a rather grisly ending.

Grave of Dr Thomas Hodgkin, Jaffa

We concluded the day at a surprising site – the Protestant cemetery of Jaffa. There were quite a few tombs of note, but most unexpected was that of Dr Thomas Hodgkin (he of Hodgkin’s disease fame). He came to the area on a trip with Moses Montefiore, and unfortunately contracted dysentery and was unable to leave.

His tale, together with many others, led to a very fun day. You will have noticed that I have avoided going into too much detail on the stories, but I will be happy to take you around Jaffa in due course and relate them in person!

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## Masada

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/masada/
Date: 2014-01-06

For today’s tour, we took a break in our current historical narrative (1948 and all that) to travel back 2000 years in history with a visit to the desert fortress and palace of Masada. One of Israel’s most famous destinations, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is certain to be a place we shall visit regularly in our future careers as tour guides.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereMasada National Park, on the western edge of the Dead Sea in the Judean Desert
Key sitesThe cistern network on the western side, the Roman ramp, the Byzantine church mosaic, the Western Palace, the southern wall, the Northern Palace, one of the world’s oldest synagogues, and the Masada museum
PeriodHerodian fortress (1st century BCE); Jewish revolt against Rome (1st century CE); a 5th century Byzantine church on the mountain top; a UNESCO World Heritage Site
AccessA national park with set opening hours; reach the top by cable car from the east, by the Snake Path (east) or by the Roman ramp (west); the museum is at the foot of the mountain

As part of the course, we sometimes have to practice guiding ourselves, and the majority of the site was divided up between members of the class. At this relatively advanced stage in the course, everyone did a good job of relating their specified information or story, and it made for a varied and interesting day.

Vast cistern at Masada

I worked out that this was my seventh visit to Masada, but coming with the course really opened my eyes to parts of the site that I had never noticed before! We began on the western side of the mountain, and before ascending the Roman ramp, headed left to explore the network of cisterns. There are no natural water sources at Masada, but when Herod developed it into a major fortress, he constructed a huge network of channels and cisterns to capture the waters of the annual desert flash floods. This made the fortification even more secure – those above had up to two years’ water supply in storage; the nearest water supply for any besiegers (who anyway would have to deal with the strong desert sun and heat) was around 20km away.

After climbing the ramp, we heard the story of the last stand of the Jews who had begun the revolt against Roman rule some seven years previous. Numbering only around 500, they had to face the might of the Roman army’s troops (estimates around 10 000) with significantly superior training, armour and weaponry. A dramatic tale indeed!

Stunning Herodian mosaic in the Western Palace at Masada

We toured the mountain top, starting with the 5th century Byzantine church (which I must confess I never previously noticed!), containing a beautiful mosaic, moving south through the grand western palace (containing some of the oldest mosaics in Israel) and to the southern wall fortifications.

View from the southern wall of Masada

Along the way, we learned about life on Masada, both in the time of Herod and then later during the time of the revolt. Many remains were found on the site testifying particularly to the final days of the families who lived up there; their narrative is important for Israelis as they were the last independent Jews until Israel was established in 1948.

Masada Synagogue, one of the oldest in the world

After taking in the outstanding view from the Northern Palace, and hearing about its history (and the amazing archaeological finds there), we visited one of the world’s oldest synagogues and learned the final fate of the Jewish rebels. For those who have yet to visit the site, I shall not give the game away!

View north from Masada towards Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea. Note the remains of the Roman camp on the left.

We concluded the visit with a stop in the Masada museum, which boasts fantastic displays of many of the artefacts found in the excavations, including everyday items of the Jewish rebels and the Roman soldiers. The dry desert air helped their preservation and it really is a remarkable collection.

If anything, this tour proved that even if you have been somewhere six times previously, there is always something new to see and learn. So, even if you have visited Masada many times before, perhaps the time has come for a repeat visit.

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## The South in 1948

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-south-in-1948/
Date: 2014-01-02

Last week’s tour was dedicated to the battle for the road to Jerusalem in 1948. We finished the day learning how the siege of Jerusalem was finally broken, a significant victory for the nascent Israeli state. However, the south of the country had been cut off completely by the Egyptian army. With Jerusalem now accessible and resources freed up, the attention began to turn southwards. Likewise, we would now journey south for a tour on the theme of the south of Israel in 1948.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe southern coastal plain and the northern Negev: Ad Halom Bridge (next to Ashdod), Kibbutz Nitzanim, Kibbutz Yad Mordechai and Kibbutz Negba
Key sitesAd Halom Bridge (formerly Jisr Isdud), the original site of Kibbutz Nitzanim and the Women of Valour Centre, Kibbutz Yad Mordechai’s 1948 battle museum, and Kibbutz Negba’s military cemetery
Period1948 War of Independence (Modern Period)
AccessAll four sites are open to the public; the museum sites at Nitzanim, Yad Mordechai and Negba keep their own opening hours

### Ad Halom Bridge

Memorial to the fallen at Ad Halom Bridge

We began the day at the Ad Halom Bridge, formerly known as Jisr Isdud, located next to Ashdod. This was the northernmost point reached by the advancing Egyptian armies, only 34km south of Tel Aviv. Fortunately the Israelis had managed to blow up the bridge, preventing further advancement, and we heard how a mixture of Israeli attacks (ironically complete failures, but psychologically damaging) combined with poor Egyptian intelligence meant that they progressed no further, instead opting to travel eastwards and cut off the south of the country from the centre. As such, the bridge was renamed ‘Ad Halom’, a very literary way of saying ‘up to here’ – a reference to the fact that the Egyptians progressed no further north.

We heard the story of the battles here, together with several acts of heroic individual bravery. This was also the site of the first mission of the nascent Israeli Air Force, if four planes could be called an air force! The country has come a long way since 1948…

### Kibbutz Nitzanim and the Women of Valour Centre

The 'Palace' House - site of the last stand at Kibbutz Nitzanim

We continued south to the original site of Kibbutz Nitzanim. The Egyptians had not given the kibbutz too much trouble on their push north but with the decision to entrench they returned to clear their lines. The defendants of the kibbutz were hugely outnumbered and did not even have enough guns for one each; their communications device also failed and they were cut off from Israeli HQ – they had no idea if their SOS had been received and if back-up was on the way. They did their best to hold on heroically but eventually surrendered.

This surrender was pilloried at the time but once the facts became clear after the war, those involved in the battle were recognised for their bravery. The site is now also the site of the Women of Valour Centre, a memorial to all female soldiers who have died in battle. This site was chosen as in the last minute evacuation of women and children, 10 women refused to leave, insisting on taking their part in the defence of their home. Three of them were killed by Egyptian fire.

### Kibbutz Yad Mordechai

We journeyed further south, although back in time chronologically, to Kibbutz Yad Mordechai. Sadly passing by the sign for the bee & honey experience (they make a lot of honey on the kibbutz), we visited the museum of the kibbutz where we heard the story of the battle here in 1948. Unlike at Nitzanim, the Egyptians made a point of conquering the kibbutz on their way north, as it occupied a strategic position on the coastal road.

Statue of Mordechai Anielewicz at Yad Mordechai Kibbutz

The Israelis bravely held out for a few days but eventually fled in the face of overwhelming Egyptian superiority in numbers and weaponry. We heard of some of the acts of heroism while visiting the cemetery for those who died in the war. Eventually the IDF took back the kibbutz in its push south, and it became the effective border with the Gaza Strip (which was controlled by Egypt after 1948).

The kibbutz is named after Mordechai Anielewicz, the leader of the revolt in the Warsaw Ghetto. The museum also contains information on life in the ghetto and details of the revolt.

### Kibbutz Negba and Operation Yoav

Our final stop of the day was at Kibbutz Negba, which became the Israeli southern front against the Egyptian army. After spreading east from Ashdod, they had reached this area, but did not manage to conquer Negba. As we again sat in the military cemetery, we heard how the kibbutz remarkably held out in the face of ferocious attacks, being vastly outnumbered and with inferior weaponry. It was really quite remarkable.

Memorial to the fallen at Kibbutz Negba

Here we learned about Operation Yoav, named for one of Negba’s fallen. It was this operation, launched after the Jerusalem siege was broken, that finally broke through the Egyptian lines into the Negev. The decisive battle took place a few kilometres away from Negba.

With the Egyptian army now surrounded, the Israelis opened talks about a ceasefire and withdrawal; 90 days later the Egyptians acquiesced and left; the largest of the Arab armies that had invaded Israel in 1948 had been repelled, and the south had been freed.

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## The Road to Jerusalem in 1948

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-road-to-jerusalem-in-1948/
Date: 2013-12-29

Having concluded our study of Israel’s wars in class, we were now to go out into the field to get a better idea of the story behind the 1948 Israeli War of Independence, the longest and most difficult war that has been fought in Israel’s history, with 1% of the population killed in action. Although we have been touching on the wars in our tours around the country, these two trips are dedicated to two of the most serious fronts of the war: the road to Jerusalem and then the south of the country. Both Jerusalem and the south were cut off from the rest of the country and were effectively put under siege; difficult and costly battles were fought to break through. Today’s tour was dedicated to the road to Jerusalem in 1948; next week we shall explore the Southern Front.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Jerusalem corridor along Route 1, west of Jerusalem: the Masrek Nature Reserve, the Castel, Kiriat Anavim, Latrun and Neve Shalom
Key sitesMasrek viewpoint over Shaar Hagay / Bab-el-Wad, the Castel, the Kiriat Anavim cemetery for the Harel Brigade, the Memorial for the Armoured Corps (Yad Lashiryon) at Latrun, and a Burma Road viewpoint near Neve Shalom
Period1948 War of Independence (Modern Period)
AccessSites strung along Route 1 between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem; the Castel and Yad Lashiryon are formal national sites with their own opening hours, while the viewpoints and the Kiriat Anavim cemetery are open-access

### The Masrek Nature Reserve and Shaar Hagay / Bab-el-Wad

View over the narrow Bab-el-Wad / Shaar Hagay

We began our day near the small village of Shoresh, just off route 1, in the Masrek Nature Reserve. Hiking along the ridge, we reached a viewpoint over Shaar Hagay, known by many by its Arabic name, Bab-el-Wad. Both translate as ‘the Gate of the Valley’. Here, the road to Jerusalem ascends through a narrow gorge. Our guide explained that the local Arabs soon realised it would be more effective to lay siege to Jewish population areas rather than to attack them outright, with many key roads passing through areas of large Arab population. This area of the Jerusalem road was particularly vulnerable with its steep ascent causing supply lorries to struggle along at around 10km/h, sitting ducks for the assembled forces on the slopes of the valley.

The Israelis tried many different methods to break through – using convoys, then adding primitive armour to their trucks. But they could still not break through. The viewpoint made it clear the huge challenge faced by these convoys. We read some witness accounts from drivers; they were absolutely terrified.

### The Castel

View over the snow-covered Castel

Leaving the viewpoint, we drove slightly further down route one to the Castel. This was the site of the first Arab village conquered by the Israeli forces in the war. It played an important role in the war, in terms of boosting morale, even though the site went on to exchange hands a couple of times before being finally conquered. Here the Israelis killed the commander of the local Arab forces when he was by chance shot by a sentry – another significant morale boost. At close to 800m above sea level, this was an important vantage point on the Jerusalem road.

The site was still covered in a deep blanket of snow from the previous weekend, when Israel had suffered its worst storms in over 100 years. The snow had by now hardened but this was not going to stop Israelis from enjoying its novelty – there were plenty of kids frolicking around and a fair amount of adults also!

### The Kiriat Anavim cemetery

Snow-covered Kiriat Anavim Cemetery for the Harel Brigade

Turning back on ourselves, we made a short stop at the Kiriat Anavim cemetery. It seemed that we were the first to visit since the stop and there was still a lot of snow here also. Trees also lay all over the place, blown over by the strong winds. This is the cemetery of the Harel Brigade, part of the Palmach, who were responsible for fighting the battle to open and protect the road to Jerusalem. They suffered the heaviest losses of any part of the nascent IDF in the war; one third of the brigade was killed. We heard the stories of some of their most famous fallen, and reflected on the tragic losses of this period.

### The Memorial for the Armoured Corps at Latrun

Memorial for the Armoured Corps (Yad Lashiryon), Latrun

Continuing north, we stopped at the Memorial for the Armoured Corps (Yad Lashiryon) at Latrun. Now also a museum for tanks (which they claim has the biggest variety of tanks of any collection in the world), we learned about the formation of the Israeli armoured corps in order to try to take this hilltop in the 1948 war. Here was a former British fortress, and taking it was essential in order to control the road to Jerusalem. Unfortunately the Arabs had also realised this and from May 1948 the area was swarming with soldiers of the Jordanian Arab Legion, the best trained soldiers in the region. We had a quick tour of some of the tanks and visited the memorial, designed by the famous sculptor Dani Karavan.

### The Burma Road and Neve Shalom viewpoint

View over the area of the Burma Road

The Israelis fought five battles for Latrun, all of them tragic failures. Realising the futility of further attacks, they ingeniously built a by-pass around the area (and also that of the problematic Shaar HaGay). As they copied a technique used by the British in the East, this new route was known as the Burma Road. We relocated to a viewpoint near Neve Shalom whence we could better understand how the battles played out, and also the location of the Burma Road. With the construction of this new route, the siege of Jerusalem was broken, and later a new road was built connecting the area just west of Latrun with the area of Shoresh. With the Latrun and Shaar Hagay area remaining under Jordanian control until 1967, this became the road to Jerusalem in the interim.

The siege of Jerusalem was lifted, and now the forces could focus on the Jewish areas cut off by the Egyptians in the south. More on that to come after our next field trip…

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## Southern Golan Heights

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/southern-golan-heights/
Date: 2013-12-25

We ventured north for today’s tour, beginning with a long drive as we set out to explore the area of the southern Golan Heights. The weather forecast was not promising, with heavy storms (including thunder and lightning!) predicted, but the hardy folk of the tour guide course cannot be put off by such things, so we donned our waterproofs and thermals and mentally prepared ourselves for adverse conditions.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe southern Golan Heights and the Yarmuk valley below, between the Sea of Galilee and the Jordanian / Syrian border
Key sitesHamat Gader (hot springs and Roman bathhouse), Mitzpe HaShalom (Peace Vista), Gamla, Umm el Kanatir (Rechavam’s Arches)
PeriodRoman (Hamat Gader bathhouse), Second Temple Period (Gamla), Byzantine (Umm el Kanatir synagogue), modern (lookouts and border history)
AccessBest done with a car as the sites are spread out; Hamat Gader and Gamla are official nature reserves with entry fees; Umm el Kanatir is an active reconstruction site

### Hamat Gader

Our first stop of the day was at the hot springs at Hamat Gader. I had been here a couple of times previously, but had only bathed in the hot springs and visited the alligator park. Little did I know that there were antiquities to be found; indeed it seems that one of the reasons for this is that the owners of the site are in a dispute with the Antiquities Authority about responsibility for the ancient remains. As such they are currently closed off to visitors.

Roman Baths at Hamat Gader

Still, a gate is not enough to put off intrepid future tour guides. Having been first told that we should not bring tourists here while it is closed (our insurance will not cover it!) we popped over the gate, to explore the very impressive ruins. We learned that this was the site of the 2nd largest bathhouse in the Roman Empire, and the structures that remain are quite remarkable. We discussed life in the bathhouse and the ancient tourism trade to the area, which stopped after the site was destroyed in a large earthquake in the 8th century.

It took the British in the 20th century to see the potential of the area for tourism, and since then (with a bit of a break after the Israeli Independence War – it ended up in the demilitarised zone between Israel and Syria, and right on the Jordanian border) the trade is roaring once more. Sadly there was no time for us to indulge in the hot springs!

### Mitzpe HaShalom (Peace Vista)

View over the Sea of Galilee from Mitzpe HaShalom / Peace Vista

From Hamat Gader, we ascended into the Golan Heights. Avid readers will recall that we explored the northern and central parts of the Golan during our campus in the summer, but there was still plenty to see. We began with a stunning viewpoint over the Sea of Galilee, called Mitzpe HaShalom (Peace Vista). We discussed the creation of the borders of Israel, and enjoyed the dramatic view with the storm clouds sweeping towards us (although fortunately, not yet reaching us).

### Gamla

We then travelled further north to the 2nd temple period settlement of Gamla. So named because of its similarity to a camel hump (gamal is the Hebrew for camel), it was the site of a major battle in the Jewish revolt against Roman rule. Gamla was lost to history until it was discovered in the late 60s, after Israel had taken the Golan Heights in the Six Day War.

View over Gamla

The story of Gamla is a brave last stand followed by a tragic massacre, not dissimilar to many other sites where Jews tried to rebel against the great Roman army. We didn’t make it down to the archaeological site which contains one of the oldest synagogues in the world, but had a good viewpoint over it as our guide read to us from the story of the battle from Josephus. The site also has a large population of large birds of prey, including the huge Griffon Vulture. We went to a look out over their nesting area and saw them soaring above us. Not too close, fortunately!

### Umm el Kanatir (Rechavam’s Arches)

Reconstructing the Byzantine synagogue at Um el Kanatir

Our final stop of the day was at Umm el Kanatir, also now known as Rechavam’s Arches after Rechavam Zeevi, whose last act as Tourism Minister was to approve this project. Excavators discovered the remains of a Jewish settlement here from the Byzantine period, including a grand synagogue. Unusually, because of the site's relatively remote location, all the stones of the original structure are still in situ. Using a computer programme and complex ultrasound techniques, the stones were all mapped into a virtual jigsaw and are now being painstakingly reconstructed. They hope to open the site in a couple of years and it already looks impressive. It is remarkable to see an original ark from 1500 years ago!

With the sun setting over the distant Sea of Galilee, and the serious rain clouds fast approaching, it was time to begin the long journey back to Tel Aviv. Next week we follow in the footsteps of those trying to break the siege of Jerusalem in 1948. Stay tuned!

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## Jerusalem in the British Mandate Period

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/jerusalem-in-the-british-mandate-period/
Date: 2013-12-22

As part of our series of trips exploring the development of the modern city of Jerusalem (i.e. outside of the Old City walls), today’s tour was dedicated to buildings constructed during the period of the British Mandate, from 1920-48.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereModern Jerusalem outside the Old City walls (Talbiye / Kommemiyut and Rechavia neighbourhoods, plus a few outliers: Hansen House, Ratisbonne Monastery, Betzalel original home)
Key sitesJesus Hilfe Lepers’ House (Hansen House), Talbiye / Kommemiyut, Rechavia, the Tomb of Jason, the Yad Ben Zvi Institute, the National Institutions Building, Ratisbonne Monastery, the original Betzalel building
PeriodBritish Mandate (1920–48); also Second Temple Period (Tomb of Jason) and late 19th century (Hansen House, Ratisbonne)
AccessWalkable as a half-day or day route between the neighbourhoods; some interiors (Yad Ben Zvi, Hansen House) keep their own opening hours

### Jesus Hilfe Lepers’ House

The Lepers' House / Hansen Centre in Jerusalem

As always, however, not everything fits into the tour’s theme. We took advantage of our location to begin the day at the Jesus Hilfe Lepers’ House. Built in the late 19th century and run by nuns, the building was constructed as a home for the numerous sufferers of leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, in the city of Jerusalem. After the establishment of the state it was taken over by the Ministry of Health and through their work there a treatment was developed for the disease. The last inhabitant left a few years ago and it is now a culture centre. There is a small exhibition about the lepers’ home, and also about the history of the disease, which is not the same as the tzaraat in the bible, which is normally translated as leprosy.

### Talbiye / Kommemiyut and Rechavia

Grand building in Talbiye, Jerusalem

We then began a stroll around the neighbourhood of Talbiye / Kommemiyut. We learned that this period was typified by the construction of ‘garden neighbourhoods’, the idea being to keep traffic away from the centre of the neighbourhood, and maintain a tranquil atmosphere, as much as was possible. Our guide pointed out some of the grander buildings and told us stories of their inhabitants, as well as architectural features.

We moved on into the neighbourhood of Rechavia, built at the same period. We noted the current home of the Prime Minister, and heard more stories about some of the inhabitants of the neighbourhood over the years.

### The Tomb of Jason

Jason's Tomb in Rechavia, Jerusalem

A somewhat unexpected break came in the visit to the Tomb of Jason. Discovered during construction in the area, it is the remains of a Jewish tomb from the 2nd temple period. In fact, there is very little to see, but what is interesting is the images of ships found painted on the wall inside. We don’t know who this Jason was, but given the dating of the tomb, together with its grand nature, some believe it belongs to the High Priest who wrote the second book of Maccabees.

### The Yad Ben Zvi Institute

The President's Hut at the Yad Ben Zvi Institute

We continued to the Yad Ben Zvi institute. Yitzchak Ben Zvi, the second president of Israel, was a passionate researcher of the Land of Israel and the Jewish people. Housed here is his small hut, in which he made his home, and also a research institute established in his memory. On becoming president, he famously turned down the grandeur of a state home constructed for the purpose, preferring to remain in his simple hut. They don’t make them like that anymore!

### The National Institutions Building

One of the JNF / KKL's golden books of donors, housed in their offices in Jerusalem

Our next stop of significance was at the National Institutions Building. Opened in 1930, this was the first major building of the Zionist enterprise. At the heart of new Jerusalem, it was designed to house the main institutions of the Zionist movement: the World Zionist Organisation, the Jewish Agency, the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael) and the United Israel Appeal (Keren HaYesod). We learned about the history of these institutions, the key roles they played in the establishment and strengthening of the state, and the work they continue to do to this day.

### Ratisbonne Monastery

Ratisbonne Monastery, Jerusalem

A further stop was also not from an earlier period, but it was a shame to pass the Ratisbonne Monastery without popping in for a look. Founded by a French Jew-turned-Catholic in the mid 19th century, the idea was to generate a better understanding between Christians and Jews, albeit with an ultimate objective of proselytising. Today, the proselytising has taken a backseat, and it is a place for Christians to come and study Hebrew and Jewish texts, within the environment of Jerusalem.

### The original Betzalel building

Betzalel's original home, Jerusalem

Our final stop of the day was at the original home of the famous art school, Betzalel. Named after the biblical designer of the Tabernacle (Mishkan), this was the place where under Boris Shatz a group of talented artists attempted to create a new Jewish national art. They did so by mixing traditional Jewish motifs with those of Assyria and Mesopotamia, also using the physical features of the Land of Israel as an inspiration. Although the main campus of the school has moved, it still maintains a presence at the site, and remains the leading art school in the country. The building is also now used as a sort of community centre for artists in Jerusalem which also houses exhibitions and has a delightful little cafe. Worth a visit if you are in the area!

We have been in Jerusalem a lot of late and it has been great to discover so many of its secrets. We won't be back now for 6 weeks or so - expect more reporting from trips in the north and centre of the country in the upcoming updates.

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## Beit Shearim and Zippori

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/beit-shearim-and-zippori/
Date: 2013-12-19

Today’s tour was another catch-up from when I was taken ill back in February, as we headed north to explore the national parks at Beit Shearim and Zippori.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereTwo adjoining national parks in the lower Galilee, south-west of Nazareth and near Kiryat Tivon
Key sitesThe Beit Shearim necropolis, the tomb of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the grave and memorial of Alexander Zaid, the Zippori synagogue and mosaics, the Zippori fortress, the grand villa with the ‘Mona Lisa of the Galilee’, the Roman cardo and the ancient reservoir
PeriodLate Roman and Byzantine (2nd–6th centuries CE), with the Zippori fortress containing layers from the Iron Age through the Ottoman period
AccessBoth are paid national parks with set opening hours and visitor facilities; a vehicle is needed to move between them

### Alexander Zaid and the roots of Jewish self-defence

Although the majority of the day was to be focused on the late Roman period, we took advantage of our location near the Beit Shearim park to hear the story of the Israeli hero Alexander Zaid.

Zaid was born in Siberia, as his family had been exiled there by the Russian government. On making aliyah in the early 20th century he identified the fact that many of the new Jewish villages that were being established had security problems, particularly in the north of the country.

He founded the Bar Giora Jewish self-defence organisation, which later evolved into the Shomer [guard] organisation. The Shomer itself later evolved into the Haganah [defence] which was the precursor to the Israeli Defence Forces. So it could be said that Zaid was one of the founders of the modern Israeli army.

Grave of Alexander Zaid

He spent the end of his life in the area close to Beit Shearim where he helped manage the protection of Jewish villages in the Jezreel Valley and was on good terms with the local Arabs. In 1938, during the Arab Revolt, he rode out to answer a call for help from a nearby settlement and never returned – he was ambushed on route and shot dead. We visited the site where his body was discovered, and then his grave in the Shomrim [guards] cemetery – the shomrim being a sub-group he founded of the Shomer, to operate in this area.

At the top of the nearby hill stands a memorial statue of Alexander Zaid riding his horse, his eyes gazing out over the landscape that he used to patrol.

### Beit Shearim

#### The living area of the town

Heading down the hill, we visited the first part of the Beit Shearim site, the living area of the town. This area is actually free to visit and it is possible to see the remains of a synagogue, homes, ritual baths and a grand basilica structure.

According to the Talmud, Beit Shearim was one of the seats of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish leadership body, and indeed at one point the seat of one of the greatest leaders of the Jewish people, Rabbi Yehuda (or Judah) HaNasi, also known just as Rabbi, such was the extent of his greatness. Perhaps the Sanhedrin met in one of these structures? Perhaps Rabbi sat here?

#### The necropolis and the tomb of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi

Decorated sarcophagus at Beit Shearim

We continued down to the area of the Beit Shearim national park, which is outside of the ancient city. It is however much more interesting, as this is the area of the huge necropolis. It is recorded in Jewish sources that Rabbi requested to be buried in Beit Shearim, even after moving away from the city to Zippori for his final years. As many people wanted to be buried near such a great sage, a vast necropolis developed here, with Jews being brought from around the world to be interred at the site.

Tomb of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi (Judah the Prince), Beit Shearim

We visited the tomb considered to be the final resting place of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and then explored other tombs, dug in vast catacombs in the soft chalk rock, filled with beautifully decorated sarcophagi. It was a bit eerie, but a remarkable site nonetheless.

### Zippori

Leaving Beit Shearim, we journeyed a short distance in the footsteps of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and the Sanhedrin, to Zippori. I think Zippori is a fantastic site; a great mixture of antiquity, lovely views and ancient art.

#### The synagogue and the fortress

Scholars believe that around 20 000 – 30 000 people, the vast majority Jews, lived in Zippori at its peak in the late Roman and Byzantine periods. We discussed here the migration of the Jewish community from the region of Judea to the Galil following the destruction of the temple and the failure of the Bar Kochba revolt. Sitting in the 5th century synagogue with its stunning mosaic floor, we learned about the development of Judaism around the synagogue as an institution in the absence of the temple.

View from the top of the Zippori Fortress

Ascending the hill, we explored the ruins of an ancient Jewish neighbourhood and then climbed up to the top of the ruined fortress, an amazing structure in that it is made up of stones and construction from the Iron Age to the Ottoman period with almost everything in between – the view at the top was the reward and you can understand why it was of strategic interest throughout history to have a lookout up here.

#### The grand villa and the Roman cardo

Mosaic at the grand villa at Zippori. At the bottom, note the highlighted 'Mona Lisa of the Galilee'

After visiting the remains of a grand Roman villa (containing a floor mosaic with the famous ‘Mona Lisa of the Galilee’ image), we descended to the lower town, and strolled along the Roman cardo. The most interesting building on this street contains a huge amount of different mosaics, including a grand depiction of the Festival of the Nile. Our guide suggested that it may have been a mosaic showroom.

#### The ancient reservoir

Roman reservoir at Zippori

On our way out, we popped into the ancient reservoir of the city. We learned how the Roman engineers ingeniously managed to bring large amounts of water to the city from nearby springs. In order to prevent waste, a certain amount of the water was diverted from the city into this huge reservoir for times of greater need (for example, in the summer).

This acts as a nice precursor for my (final!) catch-up trip next week – the grand Roman capital of Caesarea. Looking forward!

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## Campus Eilat Day Four: Timna

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-eilat-day-four-timna/
Date: 2013-12-15

Read about our first day of the Eilat Campus (exploring the Northern Arava and the Ovda Valley), our second day (exploring the area of Eilat and the Eilat Mountains) or our third day (exploring the Southern Arava).

With mixed feelings, we arrived at the last day of the campus. On the one hand, the tour had been very enjoyable, very interesting and the breakfast and dinner buffets were rather marvellous. On the other, we were exhausted! They push you hard on the tour guide course!

Still, there was one final trip before heading back north, a visit to Timna, also known as King Solomon’s Mines. I was excited to visit the park, a major site in Israel which to my recollection I had never been to previously (my mother later told me that I had been there as a very young child), and I am pleased to say that it did not disappoint.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereTimna Park, in the southern Arava valley about 25km north of Eilat
Key sitesThe Arches, the ancient copper mine, the Mushroom, the Egyptian hunting-scene inscription, the Midianite temple, King Solomon’s Pillars
PeriodCopper mining from up to 7000 years ago, peaking under Egyptian stewardship in the 14th–12th centuries BCE, with further activity in the 10th century BCE
AccessPaid national park with entry gate, car park and visitor centre; a vehicle is needed to move between sites within the park

We began our visit with a short film about the site (it was cute, although it was badly tinted green due to a projector problem – I thought perhaps related to copper oxidisation – ho ho!) and then proceeded into the park, a large valley formed by ancient geological turbulence in the area.

### The Arches and the ancient copper mine

Arch at Timna

We began our visit at the site of the Arches. Although not as impressive as my visit to the Arches National Park in Utah a few years ago, the effects of the weathering on the local sandstone were still rather beautiful. We went on a short walk through the largest arch and descending to a former copper mine. Everywhere we went it was possible to see specks of green in the rock; signs of the wealth of copper in the area. We had a good crawl through the ancient mine (dating up to 7000 years ago!).

Crawling through an ancient copper mine in Timna

### The Mushroom and Egyptian copper production

From here, we visited the site known as the mushroom, another geological weathering formation. At the lookout were replicas of the tools used in ancient copper manufacture, and our guide explained the process to us from start to finish. It really is impressive that these ancient men managed to work out the complicated chemical process to extract the copper from the ore. No doubt a huge amount of trial and error was involved as they refined the process over time, eventually stumbling on the idea to combine the copper with tin, forming bronze, and ushering in the Bronze Age.

Copper ore in Timna sandstone

We learned that the peak of Timna’s copper production was under Egyptian stewardship in the 14th-12th centuries BCE, although they did so in partnership with locals. Copper was very important for the Egyptian pharaohs both for personal and ritual use.

Ancient hunting scene etched in the rock at Timna

On the Egyptian theme, we travelled a short distance to see an ancient wall inscription of a hunting scene from the 12th century BCE. It is unclear whether it was done by a bored worker or was commissioned as a piece of art, but it was quite remarkable to see these etchings still on the rocks thousands of years later.

### The Midianite temple and the copper snake

Ancient temple / ritual site in Timna

A short drive then took us to an ancient ritual area, used jointly by the Egyptians and the local workers of the mines, with both kinds of gods and rituals present. It is unclear who these locals were although the leading theory suggests that these were the Midianites, a tribe that the bible tells us used to live in the area. In this temple was found a copper snake, similar perhaps to the one famously used by Moses. It is now in the Eretz Yisrael Museum in Tel Aviv.

### King Solomon’s Pillars

View over King Solomon's Pillars, Timna

Leaving the temple, we ascended into the cliff face, noting the large seal of the Pharaoh Ramses III hewn into the rock, before descending to the area known as King Solomon’s Pillars. Here, our guide explained to us the link with King Solomon and Timna which developed in the 19th century. There was evidence found there of mining in the 10th century BCE, which is believed to be the time of King Solomon. As we know there was a great deal of copper in the temple, perhaps this was his main mine.

This theory was dashed when it was discovered that the real peak of the mining here was in the Egyptian period, but discoveries last summer reopened the question. I shall look forward to sharing the full details with tourists in the future!

On that mysterious note, it was time to begin the long journey back to Tel Aviv. Next week we return to the normal routine (and weather). Of course, I shall continue to keep you posted!

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## Campus Eilat Day Three: Southern Arava

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-eilat-day-three-southern-arava/
Date: 2013-12-12

Read about our first day of the Eilat Campus (exploring the Northern Arava and the Ovda Valley) or our second day (exploring the area of Eilat and the Eilat Mountains) or our fourth day (visiting the Timna Valley).

Again, a bright and early start, facilitated by the sumptuous breakfast buffet, and off we went to explore the area of the Southern Arava Valley.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Southern Arava valley, north of Eilat along Route 90 towards the Avrona and Yotvata area
Key sitesEilat Bird Park, Avrona farms (fugarot tunnels), the Doum Palms, Shechoret Canyon, an ancient predator trap, the Yotvata Chai Bar, a desert kite
PeriodPrehistoric (predator trap, desert kite); early Islamic (9th-century Avrona qanat/fugarot tunnels); modern conservation (the Chai Bar reserve)
AccessSpread across several stops along Route 90; best done with a car. The Shechoret Canyon hike has some scrambly sections; the fugarot tunnels involve crawling

### Eilat Bird Park

Our first stop, next to the border crossing with Jordan, was at the Eilat Bird Park. As avid readers will recall from our trip to the Hula Valley around a year ago, Israel is a major bird migration station with half a billion birds passing through the country every year in search of warmer climes and the associated increased available foodstuffs. This makes Israel the #2 bird migration centre in the world after Panama.

Our guide shows us some migrating birds in the Eilat Bird Park

For many birds, Eilat is a final stop to build up energy before the long journey over the Sahara desert (or alternatively a first place to restock having crossed it travelling north) and so is a major spot for bird watching. Although we did not have time to wander through the park or sit out with our binoculars, we were fortunate that our guide had saved a few birds from her tagging that morning (they tag the birds for research purposes to try and track their migration patterns) for us to see.

### Avrona farms and the fugarot tunnels

Flamingos in the Avrona Salt Pools near Eilat

We then headed north, admiring the flamingos that have taken up lodging in the nearby salt pools (albeit from a distance), arriving at the Avrona farms.

Crawling through the fugarot / qanat tunnels at the Avrona Farms

This ancient agricultural settlement dates from around the 9th century and utilised a 1.5km long network of underground tunnels to bring water here that would enable farming (the local water has a very high salt content). The technique is known in local Arabic as fugarrot (in Persia, whence it originates, it is known as a qanat system). We crawled through one of the small tunnels – researchers believe they were dug by children or even a special team of dwarves!

### The Doum Palms

Doum Palms in the Arava

A short jump north took us to a botanical stop at the Doum Palms. These multi-trunked palm trees are mostly found in the area of the Nile in Africa, the ones located in Israel in the Arava are the most northern instances of this tree in the world and hence are protected.

### Shechoret Canyon and an ancient predator trap

Hiking through Canyon Shechoret

It was now time to stretch our legs and we hiked through the Shechoret Canyon. Having made our way through the towering black granite walls of the canyon itself, we ascended to a beautiful viewpoint over the mountains in the area.

View after hiking through Canyon Shechoret

Our guide explained the geological processes that made up the multicoloured peaks and created the rift valley that is the Arava.

Ancient predator trap

On our descent, we passed an ancient animal trap. We learned how it worked together with a little about the local predators. As evidenced on our first day of the campus, there used to be leopards roaming the area of the Negev, although they seem to have now died out (there are rumours that there are still some around though and it is fun to keep them going!).

### The Chai Bar

Safari in the Chai Bar: roaming Oryxes

Wildlife was the subject of our next stop as with the sunset approaching we arrived at the Chai Bar. Again, avid readers will recall that we visited the northern Chai Bar during our trip to the Carmel Mountain at the beginning of the course! This is the southern version of this impressive project to research species that used to be in the area, which are now extinct, and to gradually reintroduce them.

Chai Bar: feeding time for the leopards

We enjoyed a safari drive through the park and then visited the predators section; our guide had arranged for us to arrive at feeding time which meant we were able to see some of these impressive animals in action.

### A desert kite

Our final stop, with darkness fast approaching, was at a desert kite. These large structures were first identified by RAF pilots in the 20th century; they are found all over the region – Syria, Jordan, Israel etc and were so called because of their resemblance to a toy kite: two walls sloping in to meet at a point.

Remains of a desert kite in the Negev

In fact, they were anything but toys – research shows that the ancient inhabitants of the land used them to catch large herds of animals and then slaughter them. The remains themselves were not particularly impressive (viewed from a height, one gets a better idea of the scale of the things) but it was interesting to get an insight into how our forebears had a good understanding of the local wildlife; and managed to develop frankly ingenious methods to catch them.

Our infamous course coordinator Benny lights the chanukkiah

We returned to Eilat, and it was time for a small celebration! Tonight was the first night of the festival of Chanukah and we concluded the day together with a communal candle lighting, followed, appropriately, by significant doughnut consumption!

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## Campus Eilat Day Two: Eilat and the Eilat Mountains

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-eilat-day-two-eilat-and-the-eilat-mountains/
Date: 2013-12-09

Read about our first day of the Eilat Campus (exploring the Northern Arava and the Ovda Valley), our third day (exploring the Southern Arava) or our fourth day (visiting the Timna Valley).

After rising early and having a hearty go at the ample breakfast buffet, it was time to recommence our trip, with today being broadly dedicated to the area of Eilat itself and the Eilat mountains.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe city of Eilat and the surrounding Eilat mountains, at Israel’s southern tip on the Red Sea
Key sitesUmm Rash Rash (Ink Flag monument), the Red Canyon, Nachal Shlomo and Mt Tzefachot, the Eilat Underwater Observatory
PeriodModern history (1949 War of Independence, Operation Ovda); natural geology (red sandstone canyons, coral reef); contemporary tourism
AccessBest visited outside the peak of summer; the Mt Tzefachot ascent is a moderate hike with some steep sections; bring water and sun protection

### Umm Rash Rash and the ink flag

We began the day at the area of Umm Rash Rash, the forerunner to the city of Eilat. The area does not have a long history of settlement due to the lack of water resources (the ancient city of Eilat and later Ayla is modern-day Aqaba, across the bay in Jordan), but at some point in the Ottoman period some fishers from Aqaba began to base themselves out here and in the early 20th century an Ottoman army outpost was built to prevent any future British shelling of Aqaba. After WWI, the outpost was taken over by the British.

Um Rash Rash: Operation Ovda Memorial

Here we heard the story of Operation Ovda (Operation ‘Fact’ – the idea being that it would create facts on the ground), the last operation of the Israeli War of Independence. The majority of the Negev desert was not under Israeli control and the Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, saw it as strategically vital to do so, both in order to secure extra space for the pending waves of immigration, and also to have access to the Red Sea for trade purposes.

However with the war in its final stages and ceasefire negotiations ongoing, the position was tricky. Hence Ben Gurion ordered the Israeli army to take the area of Um Rash Rash with two sets of troops approaching from the east and west, without firing a shot.

Our guide told us the remarkable story of how this was achieved, culminating in two jeeps of soldiers arriving at the deserted Umm Rash Rash post. Here was Israel’s Iwo Jima moment – there happened to be a photographer in the jeep who snapped the historic moment of the raising of their homemade 'ink' flag; now there is a sculpture at the site in memory of the occasion.

### The Red Canyon

Hiking the Red Canyon in the Eilat Mountains

We then headed north, along the border with Egypt, deep into the Eilat mountains, for a hike in what is known as the Red Canyon. There is a great deal of red sandstone in the Eilat mountains, formed by erosion of local granite. The hike was just the right level of challenging for me with some lovely views and occasional explanations from our guide about local flora, fauna and geology.

### Nachal Shlomo and Mt Tzefachot

Today was to be the most physically exerting of the campus as we travelled south for a hike through Nachal Shlomo, culminating at the peak of Mt Tzefachot. Our course coordinator had specifically scheduled the Eilat campus at this time of year so that we would be able to enjoy the area in comfortable temperatures (Eilat is the hottest part of Israel) but we were rather unfortunate in that our visit coincided with a ham sin (a heat-wave). Hence we found ourselves making the at times rather steep ascent in temperatures of around 32C!

View from Mt Tzefachot over the Eilat bay

Still, the physical effort was worth it, the view from Mt Tzefachot is quite simply outstanding. Looking north, one sees the many colours of the Eilat mountains; south the view expands over the bay of Eilat. It is also known as the ‘Four Countries Viewpoint’ as in addition to a view over Israel you can see deep into the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt), have a good view of Jordan and can even see the northwestern parts of Saudi Arabia. We sat in silence for a good few minutes at the top, enjoying the rush of the wind and the breathtaking view. No pictures can do this justice!

### The Eilat Underwater Observatory

The Red Sea coral reef from the Eilat underwater observatory

Having finished the hikes, our final stop of the day was at the Eilat Underwater Observatory – the first underwater observatory in the world! There is a beautiful coral reef along the edge of the Red Sea and using the observatory it is possible to descend and look out on multi-coloured coral and the beautiful fish that live together with it. The site also has an aquarium of local fish and various other attractions – I remember enjoying previous visits as a child with my family so there was a bit of nostalgia here. A nice treat to end the day!

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## Campus Eilat Day One: Northern Arava and Ovda Valley

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-eilat-day-one-northern-arava-and-ovda-valley/
Date: 2013-12-06

Read about our second day of the Eilat Campus (exploring the area of Eilat and the Eilat Mountains), our third day (exploring the Southern Arava) or our fourth day (visiting the Timna Valley).

It was time for us to head south, as far south as we could go, on the longest and theoretically final ‘campus’ (i.e. extended overnight trip) of the course – Campus Eilat. Sadly for me I still have Campus Negev to catch up on from when I was sick, but I got into the spirit of the finality of the adventure with my coursemates!

Located on the Red Sea, Eilat is the southernmost point of Israel, around 4 hours non-stop drive from Tel Aviv, which in Israeli terms is a whoppingly huge distance. To justify the long journey, the plan was to spend three nights based in the city and use it as a base to explore the area including the Arava valley, the southern-most parts of the Negev and the Eilat mountains.

We set off in good spirits with today’s focus being the northern part of the Arava valley and then later the Ovda valley. The Arava is on the eastern part of Israel’s southern section, forming the southern part of the border with Jordan.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe northern Arava valley and the Ovda valley, between the central Negev and Eilat
Key sitesEin Hatzeva (Ir Ovot), the Peace Route lookouts, Yotvata, Shacharut, the Leopards Temple, the Kasui sand dunes
PeriodNeolithic / Chalcolithic (Leopards Temple, around 7,000 years ago); biblical and Roman (Ein Hatzeva); modern (lookouts, agriculture, Shacharut)
AccessBest done with a car; many sites are off-road or unsignposted (the Leopards Temple is deliberately unmarked)

### Ein Hatzeva / Ir Ovot

Ruins of an Israelite fortress at Ein Hatzeva / Ir Ovot

Our first stop was at Ir Ovot, also known as Ein Hatzeva. It is the largest archaeological site in the Arava valley from the biblical period, consisting of three Israelite fortresses. There are also remains from the Roman period including an army camp and a bath house. It was possible to live here as the natural spring made the settlement part of a desert oasis. We explored the ruins and heard theories about the development of the site.

### Lookouts along the Peace Route

View from the Peace Lookout in the Arava Valley

We then hopped off the main road (route 90, for those who take an interest) to travel south along the lovingly named ‘Peace Route’, named and developed in honour of the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, it travels along the border with a couple of stops for lookouts over the badlands of the centre of the Arava valley and the impressive modern agriculture. To the west lie the cliffs and hills of the Negev, to the east the imposing Edom mountains in Jordan.

View from the Jabel Huferia Lookout in the Arava Valley

The viewpoints were lovely, and we learned also about the development of agriculture in this arid landscape. While all the experts said it was impossible to farm here, Israeli pioneers developed drip irrigation techniques and special types of hot houses; now the Arava contributes 60% of Israel’s fruit and vegetable exports.

After a stop for lunch at the famous Yotvata kibbutz (where of course I had some of the celebrated chocolate milk, together with some locally manufactured ice cream – all rather yum) we travelled north west into the Ovda valley. I remember flying into Ovda airport as a child as part of our occasional family holidays to Eilat – it is just one hour drive so is more convenient than flying into Ben Gurion. What I never knew (and it turns out, neither did they) is that there are a wealth of sites to visit in the area.

### Shacharut and a view over the Arava

View over the Arava Valley from Shacharut

We began by driving up to the lonesome settlement of Shacharut. We did not go inside, but stopped off by the road to enjoy the frankly stunning view over the Arava valley and towards the Edom mountains. It was breathtaking. I do so love the desert in Israel, and this was it at its best. Silence and beauty.

### The Leopards Temple

Ancient leopard images at the Leopards Temple in the Ovda Valley

We then visited the Leopards Temple, impossible to locate for those who do not know where to look – it is not signposted at all; there is apparently an attempt to almost prevent visitors in order to preserve the site. Dated to the Neolithic / Chalcolithic periods (i.e. around 7000 years ago) this is an amazing site which was used for ritual purposes during this period. It takes its name from the fact that part of the structure contains several images of leopards marked out in stones.

The whole area of the Ovda valley is a treasure trove of archaeological finds from this ancient pre-historic period; it is a relatively fertile area in the desert due to the amount of rainwater that flows into it during flash floods; there is a high concentration of grain threshing floors and living structures here.

### The Kasui sand dunes

Kasui sand dunes in the Ovda Valley

Our final stop was quite a treat: the Kasui sand dunes. I had last been here around 10 years ago during my gap year and had always wondered where it was…now I know! Israel does not really have sand dunes so it is great fun to run up and down (or even roll down!); we stood on the dunes and watched the sun set over the beautiful scenery before us.

We concluded the day at our hotel (yes – hotel!) in Eilat. For our previous trips we stayed in hostels but it seems that the budget was a bit bigger for our Eilat trip. Certainly nice to be a bit spoiled and I did my best with the dinner buffet before retiring early – three more big days lay ahead of us!

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## Roman and Byzantine Jerusalem

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/roman-and-byzantine-jerusalem/
Date: 2013-12-01

Today was another catch-up trip, this time focusing on Jerusalem in the Roman and Byzantine periods, i.e. from the 1st to 7th centuries CE.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereJerusalem (the Old City and just outside the Damascus Gate)
Key sitesZedekiah's Cave, the Damascus Gate, the Church of Alexander Nevsky, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Byzantine cardo, the Nea Church ruins
PeriodRoman and Byzantine, 1st to 7th centuries CE (some elements earlier or later)
AccessSeveral sites have entry fees and varying opening hours; the cardo and Nea Church ruins are open to the street

### Outside the walls: Zedekiah's Cave and the Damascus Gate

Zedekiah's Cave, Jerusalem

However, because of its location, we actually began the day at the site known as Zedekiah’s Cave (also known as King Solomon’s Quarry), just next to the Damascus Gate. It is a site I have passed several times but never visited; it looks singularly unimpressive from the street. On entering, however, you realise that the small opening widens out into a jaw-droppingly huge cavernous interior that was a quarry for the famous Jerusalem limestone from either the 1st or 2nd temple periods.

If it was indeed from the first temple period (this is disputed), then maybe King Solomon used these quarries to construct his temple, hence the site was named King Solomon’s quarry and became a popular site with Freemasons who identify their origins in the builders of his temple. A Jewish tradition also developed that this was the escape route of King Zedekiah from the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem.

Damascus Gate, Jerusalem

Exiting the cave, we proceeded to the Damascus Gate (in Hebrew the Shechem, or Nablus Gate). This grand structure was constructed by Suleiman the Magnificent, but below, to the left, it is possible to see an arch belonging to a Roman gate from the 2nd century. There are also remains here of the Crusader gate.

### Inside the Old City: Alexander Nevsky and the Holy Sepulchre

Roman or Byzantine arch in the Alexander Nevsky Church, Jerusalem

Heading into the Old City, we arrived at the Church of Alexander Nevsky. Owned by the Russian Orthodox church and named for a major Russian hero, this site is also important as archaeological excavations prior to construction unearthed remains of an arch, steps and grand columns. Although the dating of these structures is disputed (Roman, Byzantine, or perhaps running through both periods) it seems that here was the grand entrance first to the pagan temple to Aphrodite, constructed by Hadrian, which was later replaced by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by the Byzantine emperor Constantine the Great and his mother Helena, in the 4th century.

Arches of Monomachos together with later crusader arches in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

It was therefore only appropriate to continue to the modern day Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is no longer accessible through its original Byzantine entrance. We focused on the areas of the church that were constructed during the Byzantine period, visiting the Chapel of Joseph of Arimathea, located behind the burial tomb of Jesus; noting the arches built by the Byzantine emperor Monomachos as part of his reconstruction of the church following destruction by the Muslim rulers in the 11th century. We also descended to the chapel of St Helena, into the foundations of the original basilica structure, noting the foundation walls and hearing the story of pilgrim graffiti which is hidden behind the Armenian altar.

### The Byzantine cardo and the Nea Church

The upper Byzantine cardo, Jerusalem

Exiting the church, we visited the cardo in the Jewish Quarter of the city. The remains here are from the Byzantine period; we used an enlarged version of the Madaba Map to learn about the main streets in Jerusalem during Roman-Byzantine rule (there were two cardo streets running north-south in the city) including different theories about where the city gates were in the different periods.

Apse of the Nea Church

We concluded our day at the ruins of the grand Nea Church, constructed by the Byzantine emperor Justinian and in fact the largest church to have ever been constructed in the Byzantine period, anywhere in the world. Today it is only possible to see remains of the apse, but the tale of the search for the remains of this church over the decades and its eventual discovery was quite the adventure.

So concluded our day with the Romans and the Byzantines!

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## Leaving the Old City walls of Jerusalem

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/leaving-the-old-city-walls-of-jerusalem/
Date: 2013-11-27

While last week’s trip was focussed on the first buildings outside of the Old City walls by the Christian European powers, today we looked at the establishment of the first neighbourhoods of Jerusalem outside of the city walls – these were founded by Jews.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereOutside the western and south-western Old City walls, running from the old train station through Mishkenot Sha’ananim and Yemin Moshe up to the modern town centre and Mamilla
Key sitesThe old train station, St Andrew’s Church, the Montefiore windmill in Mishkenot Sha’ananim, Yemin Moshe, the King David Hotel, the YMCA, Machane Yisrael, Nachalat Shiva, the Mamilla cemetery and Mamilla pool, the Palace Hotel
PeriodMid-19th century onwards, with earlier Mamluk and Second Temple layers at Mamilla and the Sultan’s Pool
AccessWalkable end-to-end; most sites are open public neighbourhoods, with the old train station now the First Station leisure complex, while the YMCA tower and the North Africa Jewish Heritage Centre have set opening hours

### The old train station

Original building of the Jerusalem train station

We began our day however at the old train station, recently refurbished and opened in the summer having been closed since 1998. I actually remember taking the train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and exiting at this station on a family trip many years ago; it took a very long time as the train wound through the Jerusalem hills but there were lovely views. We learned about the history of the Jaffa to Jerusalem railway, opened in 1892 and the first to be built in Israel. At the time of this trip the line went to Malcha in the south-west of Jerusalem; the new high-speed line opened in 2018 (a year later than forecast when I originally wrote this blog, but better late than ever!), connecting the city centres in just 30 minutes.

### St Andrew’s Church

Inside St Andrew's Church, Jerusalem

A brief walk away was the St Andrew’s Church, belonging to the Church of Scotland. Set up in the 1930s as a memorial to the Scotsmen who died in the battle for Israel in WWI, it later became a memorial also to those who died during the years of the British Mandate and later in WWII. The compound also contains a guest house and has commanding views over Mt Zion and the west of the Old City.

### Mishkenot Sha’ananim and Yemin Moshe

Montefiore Windmill in Mishkenot Sha'ananim

We continued north, arriving at the famous Montefiore windmill in the neighbourhood of Mishkenot Sha’ananim. We heard the story of the famous Sir Moses Montefiore, the British philanthropist who funded this mill and the construction of the entire neighbourhood, the first outside of the Old City walls, in response to overcrowding and poor sanitation in Jerusalem. Although the sanitary conditions here were better, security was problematic, meaning that only the poor were willing to move and be at risk of looting from Arab marauders. We went through a walk in the neighbourhood, hearing about the history of the nearby Sultan’s Pool (most recently developed by Suleiman the Magnificent, although its origins lie in the second temple period) and then the expansion of building into what later became the adjoining neighbourhood of Yemin Moshe.

These areas were effectively slums and certainly after 1948 were not attractive places to live in – the Jordanian’s controlled the Old City walls turning them into dangerous places; stories were told of women being shot while hanging their washing on their roofs. Around twenty people were shot dead in these neighbourhoods from 1948-67, after which Israel controlled the Old City and the danger ceased.

Yemin Moshe

At this point the Jerusalem municipality decided to redevelop the area, controversially paying off the inhabitants to leave, refurbishing and attempting to create an artists’ colony. Unfortunately very few artists could afford the new housing so most of the property was bought by wealthy families abroad who use it as a holiday home; this means the neighbourhood is quaint and beautiful but something of a ghost town.

### The King David Hotel and the YMCA

We then had a brief interlude at the grand King David Hotel (sadly not going inside) where we heard the story of the famous attack by the Irgun on the British offices in the southern wing in 1946. The attack caused significant loss of life and debate rages about the extent to which the British were given warning; however the evidence suggests that they did indeed have sufficient warning to evacuate; unfortunately for a variety of reasons they chose not to do so.

Jerusalem YMCA

Across the street from the King David Hotel is the YMCA building, a grand structure completed in the 1930s by the architect of the Empire State Building in New York. Although we did not have time to ascend the tower and enjoy the view over Jerusalem, we did learn about the symbolism of the architecture which is designed to promote the idea of peace between the three Abrahamic faiths in Jerusalem.

### Machane Yisrael and the North Africa Jewish Heritage Centre

A short stroll down King David St took us into the area of Machane Yisrael, the second neighbourhood outside of the Old City walls. The initiative of Rabbi David Ben-Shimon, an immigrant from Morocco, this was a solution to secure some independence from the control of the Sephardi rabbinic council in the Old City. Not much remains of the neighbourhood but the grand central building has been lovingly restored into the Worldwide North Africa Jewish Heritage Centre.

Tunisian Synagogue in the Worldwide North Africa Jewish Heritage Centre, Jerusalem

Inside the centre attempts to recreate the atmosphere of the Maghreb with beautiful carvings and floor tiles. There is a small museum about the Jews in the area and also a large media centre for those who would like to research further. The centre organises many activities to promote the culture of North African Jews including the teaching of traditional liturgy and melodies.

### Nachalat Shiva

We continued into the modern day town centre and to the third neighbourhood outside of the city walls, Nachalat Shiva. This neighbourhood was founded by seven young rabbis in their twenties (together with their families) who had been impressed by the sanitary benefits of living outside the city walls and decided that it was worth trying it themselves. After one of them dressed as an Arab woman to buy the land (at the time it was very difficult for Jews to buy land) they apportioned it between themselves and began to build homes.

Old Ashkenazi Synagogue in Nachalat Shiva

Over time more and more people moved into the area; it became crowded and as a result had many small hiding places. The Irgun made it one of their centres of operation and as a result the British marked it for demolition. The order was never carried out but the area continued to be a slum until the Jerusalem municipality decided to conserve it in the 1980s. It is now full of trendy cafes and bars.

### The Mamilla cemetery and the Palace Hotel

'Al-Kebekiyeh' Mamluk period tomb in Mamilla cemetery, Jerusalem

Our final stop was in the area of the Mamilla cemetery, an ancient burial ground dating back to the Crusader period (and possibly before) but really coming into its own in the Mamluk period which followed. We heard the stories behind some of the tombs (and the legends of the Lion’s cave) before visiting the Mamilla pool, a water source for the city from the Second Temple period.

Palace Hotel, Jerusalem

From the cemetery we were afforded a view of the Palace Hotel, soon to become the new Waldorf in Jerusalem (with a magnificently restored original exterior), constructed by the Mufti of Jerusalem in the 1930s to compete with the splendour of the King David.

It was a fascinating day of stories and legends about the more recent history of Jerusalem, although with the winter approaching we were beginning to feel the chill. Next week we travel south to catch some sun in Eilat!

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## The European Powers in Jerusalem

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-european-powers-in-jerusalem/
Date: 2013-11-19

We returned to Jerusalem for a trip themed around the arrival of the European powers in the city. Over the course of the 19th century, for a variety of reasons, Jerusalem rose in importance in the Christian world and the international diplomatic struggle between the world powers began to play itself out over here with Russia (supporting the Orthodox church), France (supporting the Catholics) and Germany and the UK (supporting the Protestants) pushing for influence and control.

For the first time, a great deal of land began to be developed outside the city walls, by Jewish and Christian communities in parallel. This week’s trip was mainly focused on stories and buildings that came out of the Christian move outside the walls.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereOutside the north-western walls of the Old City, mainly along Shivtei Yisrael and Haneviim streets, concluding in the Russian Compound
Key sitesMahanaim House, St Paul’s Church, the Italian Hospital, Tabor House, the Ethiopian Church, Beit Ticho, Beit HaRav, the Russian Compound, the Museum of the Underground Prisoners
Period19th century through the British Mandate; the area’s building boom follows the easing of Ottoman restrictions on construction outside the walls
AccessWalkable as a circular route along Haneviim Street; most buildings can be admired from the outside for free, while Beit Ticho and the Museum of the Underground Prisoners have set opening hours

### An introduction outside the walls

Beit Mahanaim, Jerusalem

After having a brief introduction to the day at the grand Mahanaim house, built for a prominent Swiss banker and later housing the British High Commissioner, we admired the outside of the St Paul’s Church. The Anglican London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews had come to Jerusalem and had limited success with their target audience. Still, they had managed to persuade a certain amount of local Arabs to become Christian. This church, the first of its kind in Jerusalem, was designed to allow Arab Christians to attend protestant services in their vernacular for the first time. As with the Mahanaim house, it is believed to have been designed by Conrad Schick (more on him later!).

St Paul's Church, Jerusalem

### Up Haneviim Street

We walked down the Shivtei Yisrael street, arriving at the grand exterior of the Italian hospital. The Italians arrived late in Jerusalem compared to their European neighbours, having been tied up by fighting in Libya, but they made up for it with the grandeur of this construction in the Renaissance style. Designed by the famed Barluzzi brothers, the younger of the two, Antonio, was so taken with Israel that he stayed, becoming the architect of many of the Catholic churches in the country.

The Italian Hospital, Jerusalem

#### Kaiser Wilhelm’s camp

Turning up Haneviim street, we paused at the Ort Orliesky College building. Of more interest than the building itself was what took place here prior to its construction. On this site was the grand camp of Kaiser Wilhelm II when he visited Israel at the end of the 19th century. The visit was a huge event, leading to large amounts of construction, repair and cleaning of Jerusalem and the country in general in order to give a good impression to the first time visitor. We heard about his meeting with Herzl (you may recall that we heard about his previous meeting in Mikve Yisrael a few weeks ago) and his patronage of Jerusalem churches which resulted from his trip.

#### The Marienstift and Rothschild hospitals

Continuing up the street, we paused at the former site of the Marienstift Children’s Hospital, the first children’s hospital in the Middle East; remarkable as its Christian founder, Dr Max Sandreczky, treated children of all faiths with no ulterior motives. Many of the other hospitals in Jerusalem had been founded by proselytising Christian groups which made their use problematic for the mostly Jewish and Muslim residents.

Continuing the medical theme, we visited the site of the Rothschild Hospital (once it had moved outside of the Old City walls), which was later named the Rothschild Hadassah hospital and became the forerunner of the famous facility now located on Mt Scopus. Today it is the Hadassah college and many of the students seemed a bit bemused by our visit!

### Tabor House and the legacy of Conrad Schick

Guiding as Dr Conrad Schick in Beit Tavor

A little further up the street was the grand Tabor House (Beit Tavor), former residence of a legend among Jerusalem’s architects, cartographers and archaeologists, Dr Conrad Schick.

An aside: at this point in the course each of the participants is asked to guide a specific site during one of our trips, the idea being that we get practice in preparing and then delivering the story in front of a group. A few weeks ago I was informed that I was to guide at Beit Tavor, and having given some thought to the task at hand, I decided that I wanted to do something a little different.

Having asked a friend to lead the group into a seated area, I performed a costume change that Clark Kent would have been proud of, emerging to the seated masses in the guise of none other than Dr Schick himself!

I regaled the group with stories of my arrival to Jerusalem, my architectural philosophies and my archaeological adventures. Most exciting was the tale of my discovery of the famed Siloam Inscription! I’m pleased to say that the group received this well and it made it worth carrying the costume with me all day long!

#### The Ethiopian Church

Ethiopian Church, Jerusalem

We moved on from Beit Tavor to the nearby Ethiopian Church, also designed by the dear Dr Schick. We learned here about the Ethiopian tradition of their connection to King Solomon as well as some of their practices which are unique among other Christian groups. The church was beautiful and completely different from anything we had seen until this point. Well worth a visit.

### Libraries, homes and a Mamluk tomb

#### The Bnai Brith Library

After noting the former home of Eliezer Ben Yehudah, considered the pioneer of Modern Hebrew, which was located opposite the church, we made a brief stop at the Bnai Brith Library. We heard the controversial history of the library, located close to the ultra-orthodox Mea Shearim neighbourhood while stocking a mixture of religious and secular books. Apparently some of the local haredi Jews would have spies around the library to catch people going in! The library was eventually designated the official national library of the future State of Israel; when the national library was relocated to be close to the Knesset, the building eventually became a yeshiva.

#### Nebi Akasha

Nebi Akasha, Jerusalem

A brief historical interlude at the site of Nebi Akasha. Witnesses testify to this site in the 13th century although the building itself dates from the beginning of the 16th. Buried here are members of the Kamyari family, although we know little about them. In the 19th century a mosque was added to the site. Neither are in use at the moment; around them has grown the modern city of Jerusalem (the building would have been some distance from the city walls when constructed) but it is testimony to another portion of Jerusalem's past.

#### William Holman Hunt and Beit Ticho

Continuing on Haneviim, we paused by the home of William Holman Hunt, a British avant-garde artist who decided that to paint religious scenes of Israel, he needed to actually be here. Opposite his grand mansion was a small house that was briefly occupied by the famous Israeli poet Rachel, although she would have been there too late to meet her wealthy neighbour.

Our next stop was at the delightful Beit Ticho, home to one of Jerusalem’s first cafes (I can testify to the quality of their desserts!). We heard about the former inhabitants of the house, particularly the famous antiques forger Herman Shapira, and then the world-renowned optometrist Dr Ticho and his artistic wife Anna. The building is now owned by the Israel Museum and it is possible to enter for free and enjoy a small exhibition of Anna’s work together with a changing exhibition upstairs. And perhaps have a dessert on the way out…

#### Beit HaRav

Next to Beit Ticho is Beit HaRav, the former home Rav Kook, considered to be the founder of religious Zionism. Here was also his yeshiva, the Mercaz HaRav; there is now a small museum instead although sadly we did not have time to take a look – I’ll have to make a return visit.

### The Russian Compound

Church in the Russian Compound, Jerusalem

We concluded our day in the area called the Russian Compound. The Russians were the major investors in Jerusalem of all the major powers during this period, partly because they had the majority of the pilgrims – around 20 000 a year! The Russian Compound was constructed to meet their needs offering hostels for men and women and a grand church. A later, grandiose building known as Sergei’s Courtyard was constructed to host important aristocrats; it has recently been returned to the Russian government and is undergoing refurbishment.

With the communist revolution the pilgrimages from Russia reduced significantly as did the funds flowing to the Orthodox Church institutions in Israel. Much of the land was sold off and the Russian compound was taken over eventually by the British and used as their governmental headquarters in Jerusalem. When Israel was later established, they bought the land from Russia (in oranges – money was short at the time!) and established there various local governmental organisations – the Jerusalem municipality is still in the area – as well as the Supreme Court before it moved to its current location.

#### The Museum of the Underground Prisoners

Situated inside the Russian Compound is the Museum of the Underground Prisoners. The British converted one of the hostels into a prison – it is possible to visit the site where they have attempted to reconstruct prison life so that it is possible to understand the conditions at the time. Perhaps of most interest is the dramatic story of Meir Feinstein and Moshe Barazani – these two men were sentenced to death by the British; in a final act of defiance they committed suicide. The story is a remarkable one, to the extent that the former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin requested to be buried next to them on the Mount of Olives, forfeiting his right to be interred at Mt Herzl.

Next week we return to Jerusalem to explore the Jewish exodus from the Old City walls and the British Mandate rule in Jerusalem.

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## The Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-jewish-quarter-of-the-old-city-of-jerusalem/
Date: 2013-11-12

We have visited sites in the Jewish Quarter before, as part of our tours of Jerusalem in the First Temple Period, the Second Temple Period, even the Crusader Period. Today, however, was focused on the more recent history of the quarter, from when Jews returned to live in the area in around 1400 after being expelled from the area surrounding Mt Zion.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, the south-eastern of the four quarters.
Key sitesRamban Synagogue, the Four Sephardi Synagogues (Yochanan ben Zakai, Central, Istanbul, Elijah the Prophet), Tiferet Yisrael, the Karaite Centre, the Hurva Synagogue, the Old Yishuv Courtyard Museum, and the memorial to those who fell in the 1948 battle for the Jewish Quarter.
PeriodJewish return to the area from around 1400; most of the standing synagogues date to the 13th–19th centuries, with several destroyed in 1948 and rebuilt or restored since.
AccessThe quarter is walkable and most synagogues are open to visitors for a small fee; the Hurva and the Four Sephardi Synagogues are the principal sites. Modest dress for the working synagogues.

### The Jewish Quarter’s synagogues

Letter from the Ramban outside the Ramban Synagogue

Historically, Jewish communities have been centred around synagogues, and these formed a large part of our morning tour.

#### Ramban Synagogue

We began at the Ramban Synagogue where we learned about the great Torah scholar and thinker, Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman after whom it is named. Arriving in Jerusalem in the 13th century, shortly after it had been devastated by Mongol marauders, he helped re-establish the Jewish community here and we heard from letters he wrote on the subject. It is probably the oldest synagogue in continuous use in Jerusalem.

Yochanan ben Zakai Synagogue (part of the 'Four Sephardi Synagogues' complex)

#### The Four Sephardi Synagogues

The other contender for that crown is the Synagogue of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai, located in the complex known as the ‘Four Sephardi Synagogues’. Originally all separate structures, they were united into one in the mid 19th century, when an Egyptian invasion relaxed many of the restrictions imposed by the Ottomans on Jewish building. Also in the complex are the Central, Istanbul and Elijah the Prophet synagogues. From 1948-67, when the Jewish Quarter was under Jordanian control, these buildings were used as storehouses, warehouses, and fell into disrepair. They have now been restored and are impressive structures; they remain in regular use by the local and visiting Sephardi communities as their main hub in Jerusalem.

#### Tiferet Yisrael

We continued to the ruins of the Tiferet Yisrael synagogue, which is currently being restored. As one of the tallest buildings in the Jewish Quarter, it was quickly blown up by the Jordanian army as they advanced in 1948, to prevent any potential height advantage for Israeli fighters. It should be open in a few years for visitors to marvel at its renewed glory.

13th century Karaite Torah scroll

#### The Karaite Centre

Opposite Tiferet Yisrael was the small Karaite Centre of Jerusalem. We descended underground to visit their synagogue which they believe has been at that site since the 9th century. The Karaites are an interesting group of Jews who follow only the Bible and not the following commentaries or exegesis in the Oral Law. They are now few in number and the Jerusalem synagogue only functions as a place for prayer on special request; the majority of the community is currently based in Ramla (avid blog followers will recall that we paid them a visit a few months ago).

The 'Hurva' Synagogue

#### The Hurva

Our final synagogue visit was also to the most magnificent of those in the Jewish Quarter, the ‘Hurva’. Originally built by Ashkenazi Jews arriving from Europe in the 1700s, it was destroyed when they could not pay the large loans taken to fund the construction; in fact this led to the formal expulsion of all Ashkenazi Jews from Jerusalem (although several found ingenious ways of sticking around). Rebuilt around 100 years later, it was again destroyed in 1948, this time by the Jordanians who as with Tiferet Yisrael decided to destroy the large buildings in the area. It was eventually rebuilt and restored at great expense, reopening just a few years ago in 2007. Its interior is quite stunning as are the views possible from the dome’s exterior balcony.

View from the top of the 'Hurva' Synagogue

### The hospital and the Old Yishuv Courtyard Museum

After some respite for refreshments we paid a quick visit to the site of Jerusalem’s first hospital (you can’t enter it anymore but we saw the building) and then popped into the very interesting Old Yishuv Courtyard museum. This small but carefully maintained museum tells the story of the life of the inhabitants of the Jewish Quarter under Ottoman and British rule with artefacts from their lives and rooms mocked up in traditional styles.

View over the Temple Mount & Western Wall

### The memorial to the 1948 battle for the Jewish Quarter

After a brief stop at a stunning viewpoint over the Temple Mount and the Western Wall, we concluded the day at the memorial for those who fell in the battle for the Jewish Quarter in the 1948 War of Independence. As the area was at the time under siege, it was impossible to bury the dead in the traditional location of the Mount of Olives cemetery; therefore special dispensation was given to bury them in a mass grave, which is now the memorial. After Israel took back the area in 1967, they moved the bones to the Mount of Olives. We heard here about the heroic struggle to survive and hold the Jewish Quarter in the war, which ultimately failed in the face of superior numbers and experience on the part of the Jordanian army. Although a huge dent in morale, the loss of this area made the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967 that much more euphoric.

Independence War memorial of the Jewish Quarter

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## Yad Vashem and Mt Herzl

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/yad-vashem-and-mt-herzl/
Date: 2013-11-06

Today began in a sombre atmosphere as we visited Yad Vashem, Israel’s official museum to the Shoah (the Holocaust). As the second most visited tourist site in Israel it is a very important place for us to know well. I have visited the new museum here several times but this was my first time going through with a guide, the amount of material can be quite overwhelming and I felt that being taken through the museum with explanations of the key exhibits really added to my experience.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereMt Herzl, in western Jerusalem; Yad Vashem and Mt Herzl cemetery sit on adjacent slopes of the same hill.
Key sitesHolocaust History Museum, Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations, Valley of the Communities, Children’s Memorial, Mt Herzl national cemetery, and the Herzl Museum.
PeriodMemorial site established in the 1950s; the present Holocaust History Museum opened in 2005. The cemetery has been Israel’s national burial ground since 1949.
AccessEntry is free to Yad Vashem and Mt Herzl cemetery; the Herzl Museum runs guided tours that need booking in advance. Allow most of a day for both sites together.

### Yad Vashem and the Holocaust History Museum

The site was set up in the 1950s but the present museum structure dates only from 2005. It tells the story of the Nazi persecution of the Jews which culminated in the famous ‘Final Solution’ – the mass genocide that killed 6 million. It was as always a moving experience; each time I find myself flabbergasted by the fact that human beings were capable of doing such things to each other. It is really impressive that so many of the visitors to Israel come here – it is not exactly a fun way to spend your holiday. But it is important to try to understand what happened – on each visit I learn something new – so that we can try to prevent similar events in the future.

### The memorials around Yad Vashem

Schindler's tree in the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations, Yad Vashem

After the museum, we visited some of the many memorials and monuments that are around the site. We began at the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations, a collection of trees and monuments dedicated to those non-Jews who endangered themselves to try and save the lives of Jews during the Shoah. Among them are Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands in Hungary, and Oscar Schindler, made famous by the Spielberg film.

Our guide explained how these individuals are researched and recognised – the committee in charge of doing so apparently recognises about 500 more people every year. Many have now passed away but their families are notified of the award.

Valley of the Communities, Yad Vashem

We visited next the Valley of the Communities, a large space which recalls all the Jewish communities which fell under Nazi control during the war, many of which were wiped out. Organised in a rough geographical order, we wandered around marvelling at the amount and variety of these places, our guide told us some of the stories of the communities from before or during the war. For the first time I was able to locate the village from which my family came in Bavaria, Gunzenhausen. Fortunately, my grandmother and her family were all able to escape Germany before war broke out.

We also made sure to visit the Children’s Memorial, dedicated to the 1.5 million children who were murdered by the Nazis. These huge numbers are simply beyond our comprehension and the memorial tries to help the visitor come to terms with the size of this destruction while at the same time reminding us of the names of the individual children whose lives were brutally cut short.

### Mt Herzl cemetery

Tomb of Yitzchak & Leah Rabin, Mt Herzl

Finishing at Yad Vashem, we ascended up the hill to the Mt Herzl cemetery. Here we paid our respects to some of the greats of Israeli history – the thinkers and activists Herzl and Jabotinsky; the prime ministers and presidents, military heroes such as Hannah Senesh; the defenders of the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem in 1948; Yoni Netanyahu. Of particular interest was the relatively new memorial to the many Ethiopian Jews who died during the long walk to Sudan to be flown to Israel. Built in the style of an Ethiopian village, it is nice that these relatively recent arrivals to the country also have an important portion of the symbolic national cemetery.

### The Herzl Museum

Reliving the Basel Zionist Congress at the Herzl Museum

We concluded our day with a visit to the Herzl museum. It quite cleverly tells the story of the pioneer of political Zionism through films and sets, trying to transport the visitor into the atmosphere of his life. The final part of the museum challenges the visitor to continue to try and shape Israel in Herzl’s vision – a country at peace within with its different communities and social groups making up the population; at peace without with its neighbours. Still very much a work in progress, but in Herzl’s words: “if you will it, it is no dream”!

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## Jerusalem Institutions

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/jerusalem-institutions/
Date: 2013-11-01

An interesting trip today as we visited ‘institutions in Jerusalem’, based around the area of Givat Ram where you can find a variety of museums together with a large amount of government buildings and also a large campus for the Hebrew University.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereGivat Ram, west Jerusalem; the Knesset, Supreme Court and Israel Museum all sit within a short walk of each other, with the Wohl Rose Garden in between.
What's thereThe Knesset (Israel's parliament), the Supreme Court, and the Israel Museum (with its archaeology wing as the headline draw for first-time visitors).
PeriodThe buildings themselves are modern (Knesset opened 1966, Supreme Court 1992) but the architecture is steeped in symbolism reaching back through Jewish, Roman, Byzantine and biblical history.
AccessThe Knesset offers guided tours (booking and ID required, set days). The Supreme Court is free and walk-in welcome. The Israel Museum is ticketed; consider a guided visit to make sense of the archaeology collection.

### The Knesset menorah

The menorah outside the Knesset

We began our day at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. Before entering we spent some time admiring the grand statue of a menorah outside it. The menorah (a seven-branched candelabrum) is an ancient Jewish motif, important because of its status in the temple. This statue was commissioned by the British government and gifted to Israel in 1956. It features a variety of motifs from Jewish history and our guide diligently explained its symbolism and history.

### The Knesset

The Knesset building

Our attention then turned to the Knesset building opposite us; in use since 1966. Interestingly, it is on the site of ancient Jewish catacombs from the period of the Second Temple. Entering, we took part in a guide tour, enjoying the art of the Chagall Hall (beautiful tapestries and mosaics) and learning about the history of the Knesset itself. As with many things in Israel, it is filled with symbolism and a connection to the past. It has 120 members, based on the number of people who sat in the Great Assembly, the Jewish governmental body which existed into the beginning of the period of the Mishna.

### The Supreme Court

Inside the Supreme Court

Unfortunately Bibi had decided that he would not be able to meet us, so we walked through the beautiful Wohl Rose Garden to arrive at the Supreme Court. It is a relatively new building, opened only in 1992, housing five courts in which its 15 judges sit. The architecture of the building is filled with symbolism; a contrast of lines (representing law) with circles (representing justice). The building also hearkens back to ancient times; the entrance to each court is through a structure resembling the ancient Israelite city gates, as justice in the Bible was carried out in the city gates, by the city elders. The courts themselves are designed as a basilica, the style of public building introduced by the Romans and later used in Byzantine churches and synagogues.

Our guide also explained the Israeli judicial system and how cases may end up in the Supreme Court. We visited a case in session although the discussion was based around a very technical legal point which I can’t claim to have understood! The court is free to enter and you can go without arranging it in advance and just wander around; it is well worth a visit.

### The Israel Museum

Our final stop was at the Israel Museum, where we focussed on the wing dedicated to archaeology. This was our chance to review all that we had learned until now; together with our guide we whizzed through history in just over 2 hours: pre-history; the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods; the Bronze & Iron ages, the Hellenist and Roman periods. It was exhausting and thrilling; we saw in the flesh many exhibits that til now we had seen only in photographic or replica form. It was very rewarding to realise that I was able to identify many of the exhibits from afar, and also to now be able to fully appreciate them, having knowledge of their history and importance.

The Tel Dan Stele in the Israel Museum

The Israel Museum’s collection is truly remarkable and in my opinion among the best in the world. However, it really is worth being guided through the exhibition; either by hiring a guide to take you around Jerusalem or going on one of the scheduled tours. This will help you appreciate quite how incredible the exhibits are.

We finished the day with a visit to the Herod exhibition (it closes in January, so check it out soon!). I had been before but having visited Herodion a couple of weeks previously it was much more rewarding.

Sadly we did not get to visit the rest of the museum but it is good to have reasons to return!

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## Settlement of the Negev in the Modern Period

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/settlement-of-the-negev-in-the-modern-period/
Date: 2013-10-30

We continued our exploration of the modern period with today’s trip to learn about the settlement of the Negev, the desert region in the south of Israel. Although the region has had some sparse habitation over history, in the Ottoman period the residents consisted of nomadic Bedouin tribes. The harsh conditions with little water and extreme temperatures did not make settlement overly appealing.

Still, the Ottomans established the city of Beer Sheva anew in 1900 and with the extension of the train to the area came renewed interest in settling it among the Zionists. Particularly David Ben Gurion, the future Prime Minister, saw it as a priority, and believed that the ingenuity of the Zionist movement would overcome any potential barriers.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe north-western Negev and the Gaza Envelope, a short drive south of Ashkelon and a couple of hours from Tel Aviv; sites range from Kibbutz Nir Am near the Gaza border to Kibbutz Ruchama further east.
Key sitesThe Museum of Water and Security at Nir Am; the Black Arrow memorial overlooking Gaza; the Beeri Forest with the RAF and ANZAC memorials; the Maon Synagogue mosaic; Mitzpe Gvulot; the hanging bridge over Nachal Besor; the early kibbutz remains at Ruchama.
PeriodThe story belongs to the early Zionist settlement of the Negev (1911 onwards) through the British Mandate, the 1948 War of Independence and the 1950s reprisal era; the Maon Synagogue is a Byzantine outlier from the 4th–6th centuries.
AccessAll sites are open-air memorials, kibbutz heritage sites or KKL forest parks; most are free to enter. The region is close to Gaza and access can be affected by security conditions; check the current situation before travelling.

### The Museum of Water and Security at Nir Am

Museum of Water and Security, Nir Am

Our first site of the day was the Museum of Water and Security at kibbutz Nir Am, situated a few km away from the border with Gaza. After conducting a geological survey of the area, the Zionists discovered a significant amount of groundwater here. Purchasing old piping from the UK (which had been laid in London to help deal with potential fires during German WWII bombing) they laid out a network to the early Jewish settlements in the area to provide them with water. They also pioneered drip irrigation techniques to help develop agriculture.

### The Black Arrow memorial

Black Arrow memorial

We left the kibbutz, stopping for a look out over into the Gaza Strip before visiting the Black Arrow memorial. Named after a major paratrooper operation into Egyptian controlled Gaza in the 1950s, this site is dedicated to the famous ‘reprisal’ actions of the same decade. In response to continuing violent incursions into the new Israeli state from Gaza, supported by the Egyptian army, Israel developed a policy of major reprisals in the hope of creating a deterrent to such actions. Each such reprisal action took its toll on the paratroopers involved and there is a memorial dedicated to each operation. From the top of the site it is possible to look over into Gaza, where these actions took place.

### The Beeri Forest: RAF and ANZAC memorials

RAF graffiti, Beeri Forest

Continuing south, we visited the Beeri Forest, original site of the Beeri Kibbutz which has now moved very slightly south. The forest contains a couple of old buildings of the kibbutz, together with a sulphur mine and the ruins of a refinery (Israel’s only sulphur depository) which was operational under the British. An RAF squadron were based nearby and it is possible to see some graffiti on the concrete celebrating the end of WWII in 1945.

ANZAC memorial, Beeri Forest

Also in the park is the ANZAC memorial, dedicated to the Australian and New Zealander forces in the British army who helped liberate the area from the Ottomans in WWI. Based here where you can look over into Gaza where many of their battles took place, we also learned about their key role in the capture of Beer Sheva.

### The Maon Synagogue

Maon Synagogue mosaic

Although today was dedicated to more modern history, we made use of our proximity to visit the site of the Maon synagogue. One of only three Byzantine period synagogues in the Negev, it is possible to see the remains of a stunning mosaic with some unusual motifs. It is very similar to a mosaic from a synagogue in Gaza and also to one found in a church at the nearby Ein Shelala – archaeologists believe they may have been made by the same artist.

### Mitzpe Gvulot

Homes in Mitzpe Gvulot

After a brief stop for luncheon we visited the site of Mitzpe Gvulot. In 1943, there was still very little settlement in the Negev, and there was a decision to set up three mitzpim (look-outs) in different geological areas to test out agricultural techniques and learn about the best way to manage in the harsh conditions. Gvulot was one of these and we were able to visit many of the original buildings which had been constructed from local materials: bricks of clay and straw. It was quite remarkable to think of the teenagers who moved here from the Balkans in order to be pioneers in the desert; we learned that they had very good relations with their Bedouin neighbours and developed impressive techniques to collect water and irrigate their crops. They even constructed a factory for cutting diamonds although this particular industry did not last very long! It’s possible to visit the site and learn how to make the clay bricks with your own hands, if you’re in the mood for getting a little bit messy.

### The hanging bridge over Nachal Besor

Hanging bridge over Nachal Besor

Our final destination was Kibbutz Ruchama, but on the way we had a brief stop at the hanging bridge over Nachal Besor. The bridge leads into the local badlands which provide pleasant view of rolling peaks and crevices. It is possible to hike in the area, but we had to press on.

### Kibbutz Ruchama

Security building in Ruchama

Ruchama was actually the first Jewish settlement in the Negev in the modern period, established in 1911. These early pioneers had a very tough time but were managing to get on top of the conditions until 1917 when the Turks expelled them (they feared they would collaborate with the advancing British forces). The settlement was established twice more in the 20s and 30s before being abandoned in the face of the two major Arab riots in this period. Finally a kibbutz was set up in the 40s and is still around today. It is possible to see some of the original buildings, the impressively deep well and even the remains of an Egyptian plane that the kibbutz members managed to fell in the 1948 war!

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## Shivta and Nitzana

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/shivta-and-nitzana/
Date: 2013-10-27

Another catch-up trip as I travelled south with the English-speaking course from Jerusalem to visit some of the Byzantine period settlements in the Negev: Shivta & Nitzana. I always love going south and watching the landscape gradually become more barren, desolate, wild and beautiful. There is something enchanting about the desert, its peace and calm. Understandably, most tourists in Israel focus their trips around Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, but I really think that more should come down to this wilderness for a completely different Israel experience.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe western Negev, close to the Egyptian border; Shivta sits roughly halfway between Beer Sheva and Nitzana, with Tel Nitzana a further drive south.
What's thereShivta: one of the most complete Byzantine cities in the world, three churches, and the unusual mosque-and-church combined building. Nitzana: a less complete Byzantine tel, the site of the Nitzana Papyri discovery, and a Negev Brigade memorial.
PeriodBuilt by the Nabateans and developed through the Byzantine period (roughly 1st–7th centuries CE), both sites later sat on the Christian pilgrim route south to St Catherine's Monastery in Sinai.
AccessShivta is a free Israel Nature and Parks Authority site. Nitzana is an open archaeological tel. Both are remote and shadeless; bring water, sun cover and a full tank of petrol.

Memorial for the French Commandos

We began our day at a memorial that was en route to our first major stop, dedicated to the French Commandos. In 1948, with the removal of British immigration restrictions, thousands of Jews moved to Israel or came to volunteer in the War of Independence. However, most had no military experience and could not speak Hebrew. A Christian French officer from the French Legion also arrived as a volunteer and offered to put together a unit of French-speakers; he trained them and led them as they played an important role in battles in the south of the country against the Egyptian forces.

We then journeyed south to Shivta, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a very impressive city. It’s a bit of a trek to get there but entry is free and the site is fascinating. It’s one of the most complete cities we have from the Byzantine period in the world and also is the only site in the world where a mosque and church form part of the same building – you can really see the beginnings of Islam taking root, although clearly it was not in a militant fashion.

Byzantine church at Shivta

Our guide told us about the Nabateans who would have been the first people to settle this area and about how their culture evolved from being a nomadic one to a settled one; how they adopted the new religions of Christianity and Islam, in the end assimilating into the regular Byzantine population.

We learned how they managed to harness the flash floods of the desert for extensive agricultural activities, and also hosted pilgrims heading south to St Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai, hence the three churches at the site.

We were the only visitors at the site and I really enjoyed the visit. It’s true that it is somewhat off the beaten track but it is worth the journey in my opinion.

Byzantine settlement at Nitzana

From Shivta we continued further south to the border crossing with Egypt at Nitzana, and to the nearby site of Tel Nitzana. From the same period as Shivta, with similar structures, this is much less impressive, largely because the Ottomans used the stones in many of its structures to build a nearby railway station and homes in a village.

Still, it is the site of a very important discovery, that of the Nitzana Papyri. Over 200 papyrus documents were discovered here dating from the 7th century onwards, detailing official matters but also aspects of regular life – marriage, letters, even a request for a tour guide! Also located on the pilgrim route to Sinai, this town would likely have been an important stopping point for those on the journey.

Memorial for the 8th Brigade at Nitzana

As we reached the base of the tel, travelling down a staircase from the Hellenist period in the 2nd century BCE, we paused at a memorial to the 8th brigade and all the soldiers who died here in the battle for Auja in Operation Horev in 1948.

As a bit of treat at the end of the day, we were taken to the Khan Beerotayim near the small settlement of Ezuz. We relaxed by the fire with some tea and coffee, watching the sun set over the beautifully barren landscape, before heading back north with only dreams of the desert to take with us.

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## Settlements of the Judean Coastal Plain

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/settlements-of-the-judean-coastal-plain/
Date: 2013-10-23

As we move more and more into the modern period today’s trip was focused around a group of more modern settlements and towns that lie along the south part of the central coastal plain. In English, between Tel Aviv and Ashdod. The idea was to tell some of the stories that led to the formation of the state through looking at some of the people and groups who helped lay the groundwork for it to happen.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe southern central coastal plain, between Tel Aviv and Ashdod.
Key sitesMikve Yisrael, Rishon Letzion, Ness Tziona, the Weizmann House in Rechovot and the Ayalon Institute.
PeriodLate 19th century through 1948 — early agricultural settlement, the First Aliyah, Baron de Rothschild’s patronage, and pre-state clandestine arms manufacture.
Best forVisitors interested in the human stories behind the founding of the State — espionage, agriculture, language revival, and the Weizmann legacy — rather than ancient archaeology.

### Mikve Yisrael

Our first stop was just outside Holon, at Mikve Yisrael. Founded in the mid-19th century by a Frenchman called Carl Netter, this was the beginning of Israel’s modern-day agricultural revolution, at least for the Jews. He decided that there was a need for the Jews to learn how to work the land, and opened an agricultural school to teach them how to do so. The local Jews at the time were unconvinced (for the first couple of years he only had one pupil) but over the years the school gradually grew, particularly with the large waves of immigrants from Europe who were specifically keen to work the land.

Mikve Yisrael: at the end of this avenue Herzl met with Kaiser Wilhelm II

In addition to playing this important role in early state building, the school was the site of a famous meeting between Theodore Herzl and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany in 1898. Herzl came here specifically to meet the Kaiser while he was visiting the region to try and persuade him to support the Zionist cause by petitioning the Ottoman Sultan. He was somewhat unsuccessful.

We visited various old buildings around the site including the synagogue, the old winery and the machine room. The school is still functioning so we also got to encounter some of the contemporary students. And there was quite a good film about the history of the site.

### Rishon Letzion

We journeyed south to Rishon Letzion (First to Zion), established in 1882 and now the fourth biggest city in Israel. The 17 families who arrived here from Russia did not know much about building a settlement and suffered a lot in a struggle for finding a local water source. In the end, thanks to support from Baron de Rothschild in Paris (his first support to the Zionist immigrants) they were able to dig a deep well to the groundwater. They were so excited to have found water that the slogan ‘we found water!’ is now a part of the city symbol.

A lesson in Hebrew at Rishon Letzion

Rishon (as it is often called) has a small museum about the city history and we visited the old synagogue, the site of the well (it is very deep!) and a few old homes. The city claims to have invented the Israeli flag and also home to the creation of the national anthem (or at least setting it to music). It is the site of the first school to be taught entirely in Hebrew, and we had the pleasure of receiving a lesson from 'David Yudelovitch', the school’s founder!

### Ness Tziona

The old synagogue at Ness Tziona

We journeyed south to Ness Tziona, where we visited the home of the town’s founder, Reuben Lehrer. He was a wealthy Russian Jew who in 1883 traded his lands in Russia for this small and rather unappetising wasteland in the Land of Israel. After persuading 10 other families to join him (so that he had quorum for his prayers) he began to make the best of it and here were the first Jewish beekeepers in the modern period. Ness Tziona also claim to have invented the Israeli flag, so a bit of controversy there with their northern neighbours in Rishon. In addition to the original home, we were able to visit the old synagogue.

### Rechovot

#### The home of Chaim Weizmann

Home of Chaim Weizmann, Rechovot

Southwards we continued to Rechovot, visiting the grand home of Chaim Weizmann, the first president of the State of Israel. Weizmann’s story is very impressive; he was a scientific mastermind who became wealthy through his patents, particularly for creating acetone through a biological method and the manufacture of synthetic rubber. He was also a tireless campaigner for the Zionist cause helping secure the 1917 Balfour Declaration, lobbying the British against their immigration restrictions and working hard to help get the UN to pass the partition plan in 1947. As we wandered through his home we heard stories about his life, and finished the visit by paying our respects at his grave.

#### The Ayalon Institute

Ayalon Institute, Rechovot

Our final stop of the day was at the Ayalon Institute, located in Rehovot. I was very pleasantly surprised by the site, probably because I really like any stories to do with espionage or clandestine operations. Here, right next to a large British army base, the Hagana (the defence force for the Jews in Israel pre-state) built a large underground ammunition manufacturing facility, underneath a functioning kibbutz where most of the inhabitants were completely unaware of what was going on beneath them. In large thanks to this facility, the nascent IDF were able to have the ammunition required to fight in the War of Independence in 1948.

It was a great story of subterfuge and bravery and very interesting to descend into the underground facility. Well worth the visit!

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## Herodion

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/herodion/
Date: 2013-10-18

Today was a catch-up field trip. Well, almost. To say it was a catch up is not entirely precise – my course have not yet visited Herodion. However, I do already know that I won’t be able to make the scheduled visit for my course, so I was catching-up in advance, if that’s possible.

Herodion is nestled in the West Bank not far from Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Here, so we believe, was the final resting place of Herod the Great, the master builder of Israel, although by all accounts also quite a tyrannical ruler. The trip came at bad timing for our guide following the publication of an academic article suggesting that the sarcophagus identified as belonging to Herod is not in fact his; still this remains a minority view amongst the experts.

The site used to be rather tricky to access but since the opening of a new road around 8 years ago it is only 15 minutes’ drive from Jerusalem city limits and there has been an explosion in tourism – we were at the site with around four other groups.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe West Bank, between Jerusalem and Bethlehem; roughly 15 minutes by car from southern Jerusalem.
What's thereHerod's palace-fortress with bath houses, cisterns, a theatre, the mausoleum site and Bar Kochba–era tunnels.
PeriodBuilt by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE; reused by Jewish rebels during the Great Revolt and the Bar Kochba Revolt.
AccessNational park, ticketed entry; the sarcophagus believed to be Herod’s is usually held at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

### Looking out over the West Bank

As with our other trips to the West Bank, I found it strange to look out over the mix of Palestinian and Jewish settlements dotting the landscape. It seems so peaceful, tranquil, calm. If you didn't know that there was a conflict here, there would be no way of picking it up. But still it is a little unnerving to have that knowledge that under the peaceful facade lie many political tensions.

View out from Herodion

### Herod's palace-fortress

Similar to his other construction sites in the Judean desert, Herod built a magnificent palace/fortress here with an incredibly impressive water system; huge cisterns, bath houses, pools. It is actually the only of his fortresses which he entirely built himself – the others were all based on Hasmonean remains. Perhaps this was why he chose this as his final resting place – it was after all entirely his.

Passing the bathhouse and pool at the foot of the slope, we ascended to the upper fortress. Our guide told us how at this site, prior to any buildings being present here, Herod had defeated his enemy Antigonos for the first time in battle, having been chased out of the Galilee and Judea. This, together with its convenient location in between Jerusalem and Masada, may have been a reason for constructing the fortress.

We delved into the psychology of Herod, a man who had to show that he could achieve anything, a man who was paranoid about another insurrection; scarred by the experience of his family who nearly died of thirst while under siege. A man whose popularity was not widespread; on hearing that Herod had killed his own son, the Caesar Augustus is said to have remarked that he ‘would rather be Herod’s pig than his son’.

Sarcophagus believed to be that of King Herod (from the Israel Museum exhibition)

### The mausoleum, the theatre and Ehud Netzer

We explored the various stages of building at the site. The current theory is that a large palace and fortress were constructed; later Herod decided that he would be buried here so he built a mausoleum together with a theatre for his funeral ceremony and covered the rest of the structure in earth. We heard the sad story of Ehud Netzer, the archaeologist who dedicated his life to excavating Herodion and finding Herod's actual tomb on the site. Having finally done so, he fell to his death shortly afterwards after leaning on a fence that collapsed. This was only a few years ago and his presence is very much still felt at the site.

### Later use: the Great Revolt and Bar Kochba tunnels

Later, rebels against the Roman regime in both the Great Revolt (which ultimately led to the destruction of the Second Temple) and the Bar Kochba Revolt used the site, converting a reception room into a synagogue, building ritual baths and turning the impressive water system into a series of tunnels to assist them in guerrilla warfare.

Theatre at Herodion

We descended through these tunnels to the theatre believed to have hosted Herod’s eulogy. We did not go to visit the mausoleum, as at the time of our visit it was at the Israel Museum for its huge exhibition on Herod. However, we were able to enjoy a very good film recreating the events around Herod’s death and his funeral procession, based on descriptions in Josephus.

With the rest of the group heading off to Susya and Hebron, sites I had already visited, I took my leave at Gush Etzion, just about managing to get back to Tel Aviv for lunch and catch up on my blog!

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## Old Tel Aviv

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/old-tel-aviv/
Date: 2013-10-15

Today’s trip was very close to home as we explored ‘Old Tel Aviv’ and learned about the incredible story of the establishment and development of the city I now call home.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereOld Tel Aviv–Jaffa, a walking route through the southern half of the modern city.
Key sitesJaffa, the American Colony, Neve Tzedek, the Shalom Tower, Rothschild Boulevard, Independence Hall, Bialik Street, Gan Meir, the Trumpeldor cemetery and the Opera Towers.
PeriodMid-19th century to 1948 — Jewish migration out of Jaffa, the founding of Achuzat Bayit/Tel Aviv in 1909, eclectic and Bauhaus architecture, and the declaration of the State.
PaceA full-day walking tour on flat, urban terrain; several indoor stops (Shalom Tower exhibitions, Independence Hall) make it workable in heat or rain.

### Starting in Jaffa: gateway for Jewish immigration

However, we actually began the trip in Jaffa. Why? Arguably, without Jaffa, there may have been no Tel Aviv. As the main port into the area, the vast majority of Jewish immigrants arrived in Jaffa as their gateway into the rest of Israel. With the immigration numbers increasing in the 19th century, some Jews decided to put down roots in the city, and a small Jewish quarter was created.

As Jaffa began to get more and more crowded, and conditions less and less sanitary, people began to move out of the city walls, with Arabs mostly moving to the South and Jews founding the area of Neve Tzedek under the patronage of Aharon Chelouche.

### The American Colony and Neve Tzedek

#### The American Colony

American Colony, Tel Aviv

En route to Neve Tzedek, we stopped first in the American Colony, and heard the sad story of the community from Maine who arrived here in the 19th century only to suffer terribly from poor sanitation and malaria. They lasted less than a year before most of them returned home. They sold their properties to the German Templers who made this their second settlement after Haifa, and managed to make a big economical success out of it by turning it into an area of hotels for Christian pilgrims arriving from Jaffa. German efficiency for you.

#### Neve Tzedek

Suzanne Dellal Centre, Neve Tzedek

Finally arriving at Neve Tzedek, we learned more about its development, although at the time they considered themselves part of North Jaffa rather than anything else. The reasons for moving were practical rather than ideological, although many early Zionist ideologues, thinkers and writers ended up living there including Yosef Haim Brenner, Agnon, Devorah Baron and Rav Kook.

### Achuzat Bayit and the founding of Tel Aviv

#### The Shalom Tower

We continued towards Rothschild Boulevard and entered the Shalom Tower, built on the previous site of the Herzilya Gymnasium, the first Hebrew school. I have been in the tower a few times but never noticed the large exhibitions about the history of Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv model inside the Shalom Tower

Here we learned about a small group of people, led by Akiva Weiss, who left Jaffa, and went even beyond the new neighbourhoods of Neve Tzedek, Neve Shalom and the Yemenite Quarter to establish a new, Hebrew speaking settlement called Achuzat Bayit. The small group of around 60 families were ideologues, looking to build a new modern city. They had wide roads, running water in their homes, an electric street lamp and spacious gardens. The city was soon renamed Tel Aviv and over time became the cultural and economic centre for the Zionist movement.

#### Eclectic style and the White City

Eclectic architecture in Tel Aviv

There was an exhibition on architecture and we learned about the ‘eclectic’ style that was used in the 1920s and the evolution into the ‘international modernist’ style, which is mostly known now as Bauhaus architecture. In fact, we learned, Bauhaus was a design school, influenced by the international modernist movement, which taught architecture among other things. When Hitler closed it down several of its former students moved to Tel Aviv, influencing the buildings.

UNESCO deemed this worthy of making the city a world heritage site, known as the White City; the international modernist movement with its clean, functional design marked an important turning point in the history of architecture, but in most cities where you can find it exemplified there are one or two buildings dotted around. As Tel Aviv was a new city, it is the only place where this architecture really is everywhere.

### Independence Hall and Rothschild Boulevard

We headed back to Rothschild and the former home of the first mayor, Meir Dizengoff. In 1948 this was the site of the Israeli declaration of Independence, and it is now a museum commemorating that momentous event.

Independence Hall

I have been to the Independence Hall a few times and it never fails to get the heart racing. The story leading up to the declaration is, frankly, incredible; both in terms of the long term story and the immediate events of the declaration (for example, the guy with the declaration couldn’t get a taxi to the event and had to flag down passing cars to arrive on time). I love going back there, sitting in the hall and listening to the recording of the declaration.

### Bialik Street, Gan Meir and the Trumpeldor cemetery

The original Tel Aviv Municipality Building, Bialik Square

We returned to Rothschild and wandered down the boulevard, our guide pointing out various buildings of historical interest. We then walked up to Bialik St, passing the former homes of the famous artist Rubin and the national poet Bialik, whose home gives the street and the square at its end their name.

After a brief stop in Gan Meir, we walked to the Trumpeldor cemetery, built at the time by Chelouche of Neve Tzedek fame at a suitably distant location from people’s homes – he was sure the houses would never reach this far….now it is bang in the city centre!

Grave of Ahad Haam, Trumpeldor cemetery

The cemetery contains the final resting places many of the great names of Zionist history: writers and thinkers such as Brenner, Ahad Haam, Bialik, Nordau, Baron; activists such as Sharett, Dizengoff, Golomb, Dov Hoz. People are still buried here and we saw the grave of the great singer Shoshana Damari. She sadly died penniless but her artistic friends clubbed together to buy her a plot in this cemetery.

We heard the stories of many of these founding fathers/mothers of the Israeli state, together with the sad story of the riots in 1920-1 in Jaffa which led to several deaths – some were buried in a mass grave; Brenner was also killed in the riots and can be seen separately.

### The Opera Towers and the first Knesset

Our final stop of the day was at the Opera Towers, at the end of Allenby. I was surprised to learn that here was the site of the first Knesset (the Israeli parliament) before Ben Gurion moved it to Jerusalem. If you enter the shopping centre, you can see a picture there of the Knesset in session.

A great time was had getting to know my home city and now I have plenty of information with which to entertain family and friends on their visits!

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## Zichron Yaakov and surroundings

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/zichron-yaakov-and-surroundings/
Date: 2013-10-08

The festival period is over and the course is now back in full swing; our first field trip of the year (not including the campus in the Galilee) was to the area around Zichron Yaakov, located in the north of the centre of the country.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe southern slopes of the Carmel range, north of Caesarea and south of Haifa, with wide views west over the Mediterranean and the coastal plain.
Key sitesZichron Yaakov's First Aliyah town and cemetery; Baron de Rothschild's mausoleum at Ramat Hanadiv; the Etzel memorial and Shuni theatre in Jabotinsky Park; the Mei Kedem aqueduct walk; the Atlit detention camp.
PeriodThe Zichron Yaakov story belongs to the First Aliyah (1882–1903) and the lead-up to the State; Shuni and Mei Kedem add Roman-period water infrastructure; Atlit covers the British Mandate years.
AccessZichron's old town and cemetery are walkable and free. Ramat Hanadiv, Mei Kedem and Atlit are paid visitor sites with set hours; the Mei Kedem aqueduct walk involves wading, so bring shoes you don't mind getting wet.

### Zichron Yaakov and the First Aliyah

Zichron Yaakov is a lovely town in a beautiful location on the southern slopes of the Carmel Mountain with fantastic views west over the Mediterranean and the coastal plain. We began the day here, learning about the founders of one of the first settlements in what was later referred to as the period of the First Aliyah. Aliyah means moving to Israel, and although there were waves of Jewish immigration over the centuries to this country, the period from 1882-1903 was deemed to be the First Aliyah as it marked the first wave of immigration where there was some sort of sense of being at the beginning of a project to create a new Jewish homeland.

Children's graves in the Zichron Yaakov cemetery

Zichron Yaakov was founded by a group of Romanian Jews who purchased the land from local Arabs and proceeded to make a very bad job of farming it; it was not something with which they had much experience. Many also died from poor sanitary conditions and malaria, and after stopping at the Founders’ Memorial we spent some time in the cemetery where one of the sad sites was the large amount of children’s graves – many did not make it in this harsh environment.

It was a similar story in other First Aliyah settlements but fortunately these pioneers found a saviour in the form of Baron Edmond de Rothschild. This French philanthropist bankrolled the new settlements and built a bureaucratic framework to help them develop their agricultural skills and manage themselves properly (these clerks were not always loved by the residents, but they were probably needed!). We continued down the main street of the old town, noting buildings of interest, hearing tales of the town’s establishment, and learning about the subversive Nili spy ring. This small group of people, based in Zichron Yaakov, spied for the British against the occupying Ottoman Empire, at great personal risk to themselves and indeed to the rest of the Jews living in the area at the time (the Ottomans believed in collective punishment). They no doubt played an important role in the British conquest of the area in WWI, but they were not popular or supported by the Jewish establishment at the time.

### Ramat Hanadiv: Baron de Rothschild’s mausoleum

Rothschild coat of arms at Ramat Hanadiv Park

Having had an introduction to Baron de Rothschild’s largesse, we ventured to the nearby Ramat Hanadiv Park to visit his mausoleum. It is a beautiful, European style park (unusual in Israel) and the western side offers lovely views down to the coast. The mausoleum is hidden away and very grand. Apparently when the Baron was interred there with his wife, a representative brought a bag of earth from every settlement that he supported to help cover the coffin. A nice touch. It seems that it is impossible to overstate his contribution to supporting the beginnings of what would become the State of Israel.

### Jabotinsky Park: the Etzel and Shuni

#### The Etzel memorial and museum

Etzel memorial at Shuni

We continued a little down the hill to the Jabotinsky Park. Here, we stopped at the Etzel Memorial and then visited the nearby Etzel museum, learning about the group of Zionist activists who rejected the pre-state self-defence policy of Ben Gurion in favour of offensive activities against the British. These included organising the daring break out from Akko Prison and the blowing up of the mandate headquarters in the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. The Etzel members used to train here (the noise of firing from the nearby British army base would help cover up their training activity) hence the site of the memorial.

#### The Shuni theatre

Theatre at Shuni

Also in the park is the Shuni theatre, a remnant of what used to be a grand Roman city. The theatre is still used for music concerts and it can be great to go there for an intimate event in an ancient setting. We looked behind the stage to see the remains of a grand pool; one theory is that here were held naumachiae – Roman gladiator water battles – although the evidence is inconclusive. From the spring at Shuni ran a grand aqueduct transporting water to the nearby city of Caesarea, the Roman capital and the largest port in the empire.

### Mei Kedem and the Roman aqueduct

Inside the Roman aqueduct in Mei Kedem

We continued on the theme of water, travelling to the site of Mei Kedem where it is possible to walk through a 300m section of a later subterranean Roman aqueduct also leading to Caesarea. The aqueduct still contains water and the combination of wading and torches made for quite some fun. We also enjoyed the local fauna – watching a frog swim between my legs was a highlight! On a hot day, it was great to cool off in the spring water, and we emerged damp and happy.

### The Atlit detention camp

Our final stop of the day took us right up to the modern period as we visited the former British internment camp at Atlit. In the 1930s, for a variety of reasons, the British decided to cap Jewish immigration into the Mandate of Palestine. Unfortunately, this coincided with the time when this immigration was needed most as Nazi persecution intensified and spread throughout Europe.

Reconstruction of a 'maapilim' ship at Atlit

The Jews in Israel created elaborate schemes to thwart the British and bring Jews into Israel despite the new regulations. These immigrants were called maapilim. Many made it to Israel safely but others drowned on the treacherous sea journeys to Israel in overcrowded boats. Others were caught by the British and kept in the prisoner camp at Atlit – this was a traumatic experience for those escaping Nazi persecution; one of the first things they had to do was to strip and enter the showers for disinfection. The visit to the camp includes these showers together with a mock up of a dormitory. A recent addition to the site is a boat fitted out like those that brought over the maapilim; as you go through the boat there are a series of films portraying a typical experience. It was very interesting, if rather sad.

It was on this slightly sombre note that we concluded the day. Although we were pleased to learn that in 1948 these prisoners, together with those whom the British had deported to camps in Cyprus, were welcomed into the new State of Israel.

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## Campus Upper Galilee day three: Eastern Upper Galilee

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-upper-galilee-day-three-eastern-upper-galilee/
Date: 2013-10-01

Having taken in the delights of the Western and Central areas of the Upper Galilee region, the third day of our campus, somewhat predictably, was dedicated to the Eastern part.

Leaving Pekiin bright and early (after another splendid breakfast), we travelled north east to where the hills of the Galilee meet the plains (and formerly the swamps) of the Hula valley. Following a fascinating journey right along the border fence (somewhat unnerving to have Hizbollah sites pointed out to us from the bus), we arrived at our first site, Tel Kedesh.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereEastern Upper Galilee, along the Lebanese border down to the Hula valley
Key sitesTel Kedesh, Koach Fortress, Tel Chai, HaShomer cemetery at Kfar Giladi, Nachal Ayoun & Tanur waterfall, Mt Tzefiya in Metulla, Tel Hazor
PeriodSweeps from Canaanite and Israelite Tel Hazor through Roman Tel Kedesh to early-Zionist and 1948 battle sites
PaceFull day with short walks at each site; Nachal Ayoun and Tel Hazor involve uneven ground and ruins to clamber over

### Tel Kedesh: Roman ruins on the Lebanese border

Roman temple at Tel Kedesh

Identified with Kedesh in the Galilee as mentioned in the bible, this is another of Israel’s many archaeological mounds. In fact, we spent our time at the base of the tel, site of a late Roman period cemetery and the ruins of a temple. Brazenly ignoring the signs saying ‘danger of collapse, do not enter’ (something we are not encouraged to do with our tourists, by the way!) we were able to see what remained of the entrance to the temple; our guide took the opportunity to explain to us about Roman ritual practices.

### Battle stories: Koach Fortress, Tel Chai and Kfar Giladi

#### Koach Fortress

Jumping forward 2000 years, our next stop was at the Koach Fortress (formerly known as the Nabi Yusha fortress). This was a British built fortification to help prevent smuggling of arms in through Lebanon. In 1948, when they left, it became an important strategic position for the Arabs and Jews struggling for control of the land. The Arabs took it first but after three painful attacks the units of the Palmach won control. It was renamed the Koach Fortress as the Hebrew letters of the word koach have the numerical equivalent of 28, the number of soldiers who died in the attempts to take it.

#### Tel Chai

Stone marking where Josef Trumpeldor was shot at Tel Chai

It was to be a day of battle stories as our next site was Tel Chai, site of one of the most famous battles in Zionist history. Here, the one-armed commander Josef Trumpeldor led a group of young pioneers in defending their homes in an atmosphere of post WWI chaos in the area; Arab militias were fighting the French and the Jews were caught in the middle. Their end came in a bloody battle which cost Trumpeldor his life; the story goes that his famous last words were to the effect of “it is good to die for the Land of Israel”.

#### HaShomer cemetery at Kfar Giladi

HaShomer memorial at Kfar Giladi

After hearing the story of the battle and visiting the original structures of the Tel Chai farm, we popped up the road to the HaShomer cemetery in Kfar Giladi. As well as housing the grave of those who died at Tel Chai, and the official memorial, here are buried or commemorated all the members of the Hashomer movement. This was effectively a Jewish militia founded to protect the nascent settlements of the Zionist movement; it was eventually absorbed into the Haganah in 1920. We heard some of the stories of its founders and important members, and enjoyed the beautiful view over the Hula valley.

### Nature and views: Nachal Ayoun and Mount Tzefiya

#### Nachal Ayoun and the Tanur waterfall

Tanur waterfall in Nachal Ayun

After a relatively sombre morning, it was nice to lighten things up a bit with a stroll in the Nachal Ayoun nature reserve. A short walk took us to a view of the Tanur waterfall (so called as there is an oven shape – tanur is Hebrew for oven – eroded into the rock at its base).

#### Mount Tzefiya in Metulla

View over Metulla and into Lebanon from Mt Tzefiya

Still, time was pressing, so we pushed on north to Mt Tzefiya (Mt Look-out) in Metulla. Situated right on the Lebanese border, we were able to enjoy a view far beyond Israeli territory. The stark contrast of the relatively barren Lebanese landscape with the greenery of Israel was striking, apparently a testament to the British introducing conservation laws (which were later kept by the Israeli government); something not effected by the French rulers of Lebanon.

### Tel Hazor: Canaanite and Israelite remains

We drove south, passing through the old town of Metulla, then through Kiriat Shemona, arriving eventually at our final destination, Tel Hazor. Considering that it is the largest archaeological mound in Israel, it seems remarkably unexcavated, badly signposted and undervisited. Excavations are however ongoing and over the years I am sure we will see more important discoveries there.

View from the acropolis at Tel Hazor

Of particular interest is the palace from the Canaanite period which may well have belonged to the King Jabin, mentioned in the Bible. Hazor was one of the Canaanite settlements taken by Joshua and indeed the palace shows signs of destruction, although it cannot be proven that it was destroyed by the Israelites.

Israelite fortress at Tel Hazor

However, what is clear is that a later settlement, built on top of the Canaanite one, is Israelite; using the same architectural planning. There is also a ritual platform around which were found large amounts of bones – only from kosher animals.

A varied day – beginning with the Romans, zooming into the 20th century and concluding with the Biblical period! Nonetheless, highly enjoyable. Plenty to reflect on during our journey home to Tel Aviv.

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## Campus Upper Galilee day two: Central Upper Galilee

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-upper-galilee-day-two-central-upper-galilee/
Date: 2013-09-27

Day two of our campus begun with a predictable early start, made all the worthwhile by one of the best (if not the best) youth hostel breakfast I have ever had. A particularly impressive array of delicious cheeses on offer!

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereCentral Upper Galilee, based out of the Druze village of Pekiin
Key sitesPekiin (Rashbi's cave & synagogue), Nebi Sabalan, Mt Meron, Paar Cave, Tomb of the Rashbi at Meron, Rehaniya, Baram Synagogue
Best forTravellers interested in religious diversity — Jewish, Druze and Circassian communities in one day, with ancient and Byzantine remains alongside
PaceFull day with multiple short stops and walking; the Mt Meron summit is closed (military base), but a perimeter trail is open

### Morning in Pekiin

Today was dedicated to the Central Upper Galilee and we begun our tour with a walk around Pekiin, the Druze village in which we were staying. Beginning with a look out near the top of the ridge on which the village is built, we descended to the cave which tradition says hosted Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (the Rashbi) when he was hiding from the Romans, a story which is related in the Talmud. Here, it is said, he wrote the Zohar, one of the main books of the Kabbalah, the Jewish mystic tradition.

Pekiin Synagogue

#### The Pekiin synagogue

We continued down the slope to the main town square, and then to the small synagogue. The Jewish community of Pekiin has been there since at least the 16th century (and according to local legend, since the destruction of the Second Temple) but fled during the Independence War. Afterwards, one family returned, and their daughter is now the last Jew in the village. The small synagogue is cute, and there is also a small visitors’ centre depicting life in the village in the 19th century.

### Druze sites and Mt Meron

View east from Nebi Sabalan

#### Nebi Sabalan

We continued on the Druze theme, heading east to their second most holy site in Israel, Nebi Sabalan. He was one of the early emissaries of the Druze faith and this is considered to be the site in which he lived. Our guide also used our visit to the site as an opportunity to tell us about the history of the Druze faith while we enjoyed the spectacular view over the rolling hills.

View from the summit of Mt Meron

#### Mt Meron

Further east we continued, reaching the highest peak in the Galilee, and the second highest peak in all of Israel: Mt Meron. We enjoyed a short hike around its summit (reaching the summit is not recommended – it houses a military intelligence base) where there are wonderful views; we also learned about the local botany which is slightly different at this height to some of the other regions of Israel.

Paar Cave

#### Paar Cave

From Meron, we descended into the nearby Paar Cave Reserve. It was time for a geological interlude as we learned about the karst processes that built the valley and then formed this cave as an escape for the draining water. The valley was dry but our guide assured us that after rains it is an impressive sight to see the water powering into this small opening. There was of course an appropriate local legend to accompany the geology!

### The Rashbi's tomb and Rehaniya

Inside the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (the Rashbi)

#### Tomb of the Rashbi

Following this brief interlude, we ascended to Meron again, from the other side, into the small moshav named for the mountain which houses the tomb of the Rashbi (whose cave we had seen earlier). The tomb is considered a very important holy site in Israel, and it is particularly fun to visit on the festival of Lag BaOmer when thousands of people make a pilgrimage here; there is general accompanying chaos and when I came here several years ago there was even a chassidic trance party off to the side.

Traditional Circassian dress in Rihaniya

#### Rehaniya and the Circassian community

From the tomb, we travelled further north to the small village of Rehaniya, home to a large amount of Israel’s Circassian minority. They have a small visitors' centre were we received a highly entertaining presentation from our Circassian host explaining his culture and the history of the Circassians in Israel, since they came here under the Ottoman Empire. They have a good relationship with the state and in fact their sons all serve in the Israeli army.

### The Baram synagogue and its controversy

Our final stop of the day was at the Baram Synagogue. Tinged with controversy, this was the site of an Arab village (Biram) until 1948. The Arabs were advised to leave for a few weeks to protect themselves from an upcoming Israeli army operation in the Independence War, but since then have not been allowed back. The original inhabitants now are dispersed around the north of Israel and since the 50s have been petitioning the courts for the return of their land. The courts have actually approved their return pending the final sign off from the Defence Minister; successive Defence Ministers have not done this, citing security concerns. A few years ago a compromise was reached where the former inhabitants received financial compensation, but some refused to take it, still demanding their land rights. While the dispute continues, they camp in the site each summer.

Ancient synagogue at Baram

Amidst this is the Baram Synagogue, dating from the Byzantine period (probably in the 5th century), which was actually used as living quarters by some of the village residents. It is now an archaeological site, but our enjoyment of its former splendour was somewhat dampened by the nearby controversy. Credit to our guide who did not shy away from these issues; the role of the guide is to relate and explain, while trying to remain as impartial as possible. It is for the visitor to decide what to make of all the complexities of this country!

With this, our time in the Central Upper Galilee was concluded; we returned to Pekiin for a well-earned dinner!

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## Campus Upper Galilee day one: Western Upper Galilee

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-upper-galilee-day-one-western-upper-galilee/
Date: 2013-09-22

After the delight of a summer break, it was time to get back into things, and how. Three days in the delightful greenery of the Upper Galilee awaited us, and although the intensiveness of it was a bit of a shock to the system after over a month without field trips, it was as fun and fascinating as always.

The first of our three days was dedicated to the Western Upper Galilee, with another two days for the central and eastern parts of this region. This part of Israel, which runs along the northern border with Lebanon is ‘upper’ in two senses of the word; it is both higher physically and also more northern than the area of the Lower Galilee.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereWestern Upper Galilee, from inland villages out to the Mediterranean coast at the Lebanese border
Key sitesKfar Yasif, Hurvat Manot, Adamit Park & the Arch Cave, Goren Park (viewpoint over Montfort), Hanita, Rosh Hanikra, Yad L'Yad and the Yechiam Convoy memorial
PeriodSpans Crusader sugar industry, early Zionist tower-and-stockade settlements and 1946–48 pre-state battle sites
PaceFull day with several short hikes; expect overgrowth at Hurvat Manot and a cable car descent at Rosh Hanikra

### Morning in the western Galilee inland

Ancient Jewish tomb at Kfar Yasif

#### Kfar Yasif

Our day began in the arab village of Kfar Yasif. I have been here on more than one occasion to enjoy the famous hummus at the Abu Adham restaurant. I had however failed to notice the somewhat overgrown remains of a large cemetery close to the town centre. This has actually been a major Jewish cemetery from the middle ages right into the 19th century, and we were pointed towards a couple of graves associated with famous figures, including the Rav Abraham Finzi, deputy British consul in Akko from the late 1830s.

Crusader sugar refinery at Churvat Manot

#### Hurvat Manot

After hearing a little more about the history of Kfar Yasif, we continued north and after a short hike through some relatively serious overgrowth (and a fair amount of cow pats) arrived at the site of Hurvat Manot. The ruins of a crusader fortified farm were not overly exciting on the face of it, but our guide explained that this was in fact a site for the manufacture of cane sugar. He used this as a clever segue to tell us about the history of sugar in Israel (and therefore Europe, as the first sugar reached Europe from here); how the industry was developed and expanded by the Crusaders, making them very wealthy.

Arch Cave in the Adamit Park

#### Adamit Park and the Arch Cave

After a quick scramble back to the road, we headed further north to the Adamit Park. We first enjoyed a spectacular view south over the Western Upper Galilee (and beyond) as our guide explained to us how the landscape in front of us was formed over millions of years. We then proceeded to the Arch Cave, where we were regaled with ancient legends about its formation while we enjoyed its beauty.

View over Montfort castle from Goren Park

#### Goren Park and Montfort

Our next stop was in the Goren Park where we were able to enjoy a viewpoint over the Nachal Kziv and on the opposite bank, the Montfort castle. Avid followers of this blog will recall that I visited the castle just under a year ago with a friend, and quite a splendid site it is too. Our guide told us the story of the site, which at its peak was the centre for the Order of the Teutonic Knights in Israel, until the crusaders were unceremoniously turfed out by the Mamluk invaders.

### Hanita and Rosh Hanikra

Tower and stockade model at Hanita

#### Hanita and the tower and stockade settlements

Having enjoyed the view, and lunch in the town of Shelomi, we visited the Hanita forest, home to a model of the tower and stockade settlement. Developed by the early Zionist pioneers, this was a way for them to build a relatively secure settlement in just one day, important at a time when there were increasing local tensions over the Zionists’ purchase of land in the area. Although Hanita was not the first tower and stockade settlement, it is one of the most famous, due to the efforts made in its construction and its location so far north, close to the border. Our guide regaled us with the story of the project and the history of the tower and stockade system of building.

Inside the grottoes at Rosh Hanikra

#### Rosh Hanikra

From the closeness of the forest, we headed all the way west and north to the exposed cliff face at Rosh Hanikra, where we were able to enjoy the benefits of the sea breeze. Here is a border crossing with Lebanon (used only by the UN), but of more interest for the intrepid traveller are the stunning views down the coast and the beautiful grottoes carved out in the cliff face through millennia of erosion by the force of the sea. We took a cable car down the cliff and wandered through the grottoes, taking in the magical and mystical ambience.

### Closing on a sombre note

Monument to the 14 (from the Night of the Bridges)

#### Yad L'Yad: Monument for the 14

We concluded our day on a more sombre note. First, we made a brief stop at the Monument for the 14 (Yad L'Yad), in memory of those who died on the fateful ‘Night of the Bridges’ in 1946. These was an ambitious, coordinated attack on British supply lines by the guerrilla fighters of the Palmach. While the operation achieved its objectives 14 operatives did not make it through the battle – their remains are here. Our guide told us some of their stories, as well as the details of the operation itself.

Memorial for the Yechiam Convoy

#### The Yechiam Convoy memorial

Our final stop was at another memorial, this one for the Yechiam Convoy. In 1948, even before Israel was officially declared a state, life was becoming increasingly difficult for the Jewish settlements, many of whom were under siege. The soon to be Israeli forces would try and reach them with armoured convoys; however their weapons and armoured vehicles were not very advanced. At this site, in March 1948, a convoy en route to the Yechiam kibbutz came under attack and 47 of its members were killed. As we move forward in our studies towards the more modern history we are likely to encounter more and more of these sad stories, many of them coming also with individual acts of heroism.

#### Evening in Pekiin

Dusk was upon us and so it was time to travel eastwards to our base for the next couple of days; the youth hostel in the Druze village of Pekiin. I had fond memories of shabbatot spent there with my friends in FZY. Before turning in, we had a special Druze dinner organised for us in the former diwan of the village mukhtar. Quite delicious! Certainly enough to set me up for the days ahead.

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## Jerusalem: a miscellany

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/jerusalem-a-miscellany/
Date: 2013-08-20

The final trip before our summer break was imaginatively titled “Jerusalem: Hashlamot”. I was trying hard to think of a good translation for this. Literally it means ‘Jerusalem: filling in the gaps’. But perhaps a better phrasing would be ‘Jerusalem: miscellaneous’. So, what was this all about? We’ve had many trips in Jerusalem that have been themed by historical period: First Temple, Second Temple, Roman/Byzantine, Islamic, Crusader. Also several Christianity themed trips. But the problem is that there is just so much to visit and see in this city, that not everything fits into the trips that belong with that theme. So, this was a day completely without theme, with various sites that we needed to see but had not yet managed to reach.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereJerusalem — sites scattered across the Old City, East Jerusalem and the City of David
Key sitesChurch of St Etienne & École Biblique, Armenian Ceramics Workshop, St George’s Cathedral, City of David and Hezekiah’s Tunnel
Best forTravellers who have already done the headline Jerusalem sites and want a more eclectic day
AccessHezekiah’s Tunnel is wet year-round — expect to wade in shorts and water shoes; best attempted in summer

### Church of St Etienne and the École Biblique

Church of St Etienne, Jerusalem

Our day began at the Church of St Etienne. The property of Dominican monks, it is on the site of a 5th century Byzantine church that is believed to have been the Church of St Stephen. According to tradition, here were brought the bones of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, although now they are long gone. The modern church is built more or less on the outlines of the Byzantine, with the objective of showing how a Byzantine church would have looked. It even contains original mosaic flooring. We were guided by the most amenable Pavel, a monk in the Dominican order, who carefully explained to us the history of the church and the architectural features.

Book used by Eliezer Ben Yehuda to create Modern Hebrew

Attached to the church is a very well respected school for bible and archaeology. Visitors are not normally allowed inside (researchers can request access to the library); we were treated to entry together with a glance at some of the more interesting books in the collection, including ones used by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda when he came here to work on creating the modern Hebrew language.

### Armenian Ceramics Workshop

Armenian ceramic design, Jerusalem

A short walk away was the Armenian Ceramics Workshop. Our guide told us how these master potters arrived in Israel. On taking control of the area in WWI the British were dismayed by the state of the Dome of the Rock which was in remarkable disrepair. They brought three families from Turkey to help refurbish the outer ceramics, and later to make the beautiful street signs around the Old City. In this workshop the tradition continues; it is possible to see the ceramics under production and marvel at their beauty. There is, of course, a shop for those who wish to purchase.

### St George’s Cathedral

St George's Cathedral, Jerusalem

Also close by was St George’s Cathedral, the seat of the Anglican Bishop. It is a beautiful church with a lovely wooden roof (very unusual in Israel) and a grand organ. Our guide told us about the history of the Anglicans in Israel and at the end of our visit pointed out the British seal hanging on the wall. This was the seal of the Mandate government; it was relocated to this church in 1948 when the Mandate ceased to exist.

### City of David and Hezekiah’s Tunnel

Back to the bus we went and a short drive took us to the City of David. We had been here before, but this time we were to go through ‘Hezekiah’s Tunnel’, an impressive feat of engineering. Inside this tunnel was discovered an inscription from the First Temple period explaining how workers dug the tunnel from each entrance, meeting in the middle by using a technique of sounding to find each other. Indeed, in the middle of the tunnel it zig zags extensively, perhaps as they tried to find each other.

Inside Hezekiah's Tunnel, Jerusalem

The tunnel’s purpose was to divert water into the city via a hidden route, in case of a siege. It is possible to walk the 533m down the tunnel, but the water still flows; hence we left it for the summer. Wet feet and shorts are much more pleasant at the end of July than in February!

This was it for me. The rest of the group continued on to walk up a Roman period sewage tunnel to the 2nd Temple period excavations in the south and west of the Temple Mount. Because I missed a couple of trips, which I had to catch up with other groups who have slightly different content for their trips, I had fortuitously already visited these sites (see the blog here), so our course coordinator (who had been my guide for the previous trip) told me to go home early.

A nice way to finish the year! Although I am already looking forward to the resumption of our trips in September. For now – a bit of time to catch up on all my notes from class and begin preparations for the final exams…

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## Tiberias

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/tiberias/
Date: 2013-08-13

Another trip northwards, but this time to the east of the country, by the shores of the Kinneret, or the Sea of Galilee, to the city of Tiberias. This was a catch up trip with a course from the Jerusalem branch; my course sensibly visited Tiberias in February – visiting it in the last week of July when the heat and humidity are at their peak is not particularly wise, but still it is good practise for the future!

### Quick facts & guide tips

LocationEastern Galilee, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret)
SignificanceOne of the four holy cities of Judaism, alongside Jerusalem, Hebron and Tzefat
Key sitesOttoman-period fortress and mosque, Roman and Byzantine ruins, Hammat Tiberias National Park with ancient synagogues and hot springs
Time neededHalf a day to a full day, depending on how much of the surrounding region you cover

### The Sapir Station and the National Water Carrier

Our day actually began north of Tiberias, at the Sapir Station of the national water carrier. It is an extremely secure site (Israel is worried about possible attacks on the water supply) so I’m afraid there are no pictures to show you. The visit was actually extremely interesting – water is a big issue in Israel and through the presentation we received we were able to understand how the country has historically dealt, and continues to deal, with a shortage of rain fall and natural water sources.

We also learned about the construction of the national water carrier back in the 1960s, a daring and pioneering engineering project to bring water from the Kinneret to the centre and south of the country to help the farming industry. I have to be honest, I wasn’t expecting too much from the visit but was pleasantly surprised by how interesting it was (perhaps it was also because our guide there was particularly animated!). To visit, you need to be in a group, but they will let you join existing bookings if you are too few in number – contact them to arrange.

### Ottoman Tiberias and Daher el-Omar

Ottoman period fortress, Tiberias

It was now time to head to Tiberias, together with Jerusalem, Hebron and Safed (Tzefat), one of the four holy cities of Israel. We began in the centre of the modern city, learning about its second lease of life, under the Bedouin ruler Daher el-Omar. Our guide regaled us with the story of this powerful man who gradually conquered huge chunks of Israel in the 18th century, making himself very popular with the locals but unfortunately less popular with the Ottomans. He made the deserted Tiberias his capital but eventually relocated in the face of numerous attacks from the nearby ruler of Damascus.

Al-Amari Mosque, Tiberias

We explored some of the ruins from the Ottoman period, a fortress; government buildings, a beautiful mosque sadly in disrepair - built by Daher el Omar, this was once the main mosque of the city. We also learned about the Jewish community brought here from Turkey by Daher el-Omar under the leadership of Rabbi Haim Abulafia. Relations were good between the Jews and the Muslims during this period; the Jews of Tiberias were even able to help warn about an impending attack because of letters from Jews based in Damascus.

### Roman and Byzantine Tiberias

Roman city gate, Tiberias

We continued south to the area of Roman & Byzantine Tiberias. This was really the city at its most grand. Most scholars agree that it was founded in the 1st century by Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great) as his capital (he ruled the area of the Galilee). Although much has been excavated and prepared for visitors, for some reason the area of the digs is not yet open for tourists. Still, as students on the tour guide course there are certain perks afforded, so the gates were opened for us to explore the city gate, the theatre and bathhouse; even the possible site of the famous Jasmin mosque built many centuries later by the Ummayid rulers of Israel.

### Hammat Tiberias

Slightly further south and we arrived at Hammat Tiberias. The town of Hammat is actually mentioned in the bible and after Tiberias was founded the Jews in the area continued to live there; Tiberias was built on their burial site and so was impure. Fortunately, in the 2nd century the famous mystic, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, passed through, and purified Tiberias (we’re not sure how). So the Jews began to move in and eventually the two towns effectively joined.

Mosaic at Hammat Tiberias Synagogue

At Hammat Tiberias are the hot springs which give it its name (ham is Hebrew for ‘hot’), and in the national park it is possible to cautiously dip a finger into the water (it is rather too hot for submersion!). More importantly, the site contains an ancient synagogue, or rather three ancient synagogues built on top of each other following the destruction of the previous building from earthquakes. Thus, it is possible to stand in one place and see remnants of a synagogue from the 3rd, 5th and 6th centuries!

As with many synagogues from the period there are beautiful mosaics on the floor. Our guide explained the imagery and also regaled us with the tale of Tiberias as a centre of Judaism; indeed the centre of Judaism for 750 years. Here was written the Tosefta, the Jerusalem Talmud (confusingly); here the Masoretes finalised the punctuation and vowels of the Torah which we still use today. As we gazed into the synagogue we imagined that perhaps here came some of the great scholars whose names we still recall and whose opinions we still cite in matters of Jewish law. A remarkable thought with which to conclude the day.

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## Akko (Acre)

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/akko-acre/
Date: 2013-08-07

Bay of Akko from the Old City

This week we were headed north again to the coastal town of Akko, or Acre. Although the area has been settled since the prehistoric period, the town really blossomed once the Romans were in charge, although little remains to testify to their presence. It rose again to be a city of major importance during the Crusader period, particularly during the time of the ‘Second Kingdom of Jerusalem’, when Akko was actually the capital (the Crusaders did not rule Jerusalem at the time!). Today’s old town of Akko is largely from the Ottoman period (16th-20th century) with some excavations dating back to the Crusaders in the Middle Ages.

### Quick facts & guide tips

LocationNorthern coast of Israel, about 20km north of Haifa across the bay
What’s thereCrusader Hospitaller Fortress, Al-Jazzar Mosque, Museum of the Underground Prisoners, Templars’ Tunnel, Hammam al-Basha, Old City walls, the Bahji
Best forCrusader and Ottoman heritage, layered archaeology, British Mandate history, Bahá'í pilgrimage
Time neededA full day for the Old City; allow extra time for Or Torah Synagogue and the Bahji outside the walls

### British Mandate Akko: Museum of the Underground Prisoners

Museum of the Underground Prisoners, Akko

We began our visit, however, reliving events from the 20th century, and the time of the British Mandate. Akko was the site of a major prison, which today is the Museum of the Underground Prisoners. Among the prisoners here over the years were several important figures from the Haganah (the precursor to the IDF of today) as well as the more confrontational Etzel and Lechi splinter groups. Perhaps the most famous prisoner is Zeev Jabotinsky, about whom there is a special exhibition in one of the towers.

The museum sheds light on life in the prison but also, through the use of different video clips, tells the story of the break out led by the Etzel in 1947. It was very well done, I thought, and a fascinating tale for anyone interested in Zionist history. The break out made big waves at the time and was seen as embarrassing the British rulers. Whether or not it made much difference to anything is debatable; still, it’s a great story!

### Inside the Old City

The Sea Walls - Akko

From the museum we began a walking tour along the outer city walls (lovely views of the sea) and then into the old city itself, noting some typical Ottoman architecture en route together with the location of some Crusader ruins. Our guide explained to us that in the Middle Ages the city was actually divided into several walled quarters. There was a quarter for each of the rich European merchant cities of Genoa, Pisa & Venice, who had received the land in return for helping fund the Crusades. The major knights’ orders of the Templars and Hospitallers also had territory. And then some land belonged to the crown – after all it was at one point the capital!

#### Al-Jazzar Mosque

Al-Jazzar Mosque, Akko

We returned to the Ottoman period with a visit to the most impressive Al-Jazzar mosque. Named after the ruler of Akko who had it built in the late 18th century, it is the third biggest mosque in Israel. The interior is beautiful; our guide pointed out some of the architectural features. Under the mosque is a large underground reservoir which some believe helped the city withstand the siege of Napoleon in 1799; next to the mosque is the tomb of Al-Jazzar himself.

#### Treasures in the Walls Museum

Treasures in the Walls Museum, Akko

A short stroll found us at the delightfully cute ‘Treasures in the Wall’ museum. Founded and funded by two private collectors of all sorts of items (perhaps one might unkindly call some of it ‘junk’!) from the 19th and into the early 20th century, it actually is a very nice little museum; curated and laid out well. There is some beautiful old furniture from the Ottoman period and all sorts of everyday household items from the lead up to the establishment of the state which it is remarkably interesting to see. Worth the detour.

#### The Hospitaller Fortress

The Hospitallers' Fortress, Akko

After a quick lunch courtesy of the renowned Hummus Said, we descended into the depths of the Hospitaller Fortress; the base of the Order of the Hospitaller Knights in Akko in the Crusader period. Our guide explained the theories about the use of the different rooms, as well as more about the lifestyle of these very powerful knights in the ancient city. These crusaders certainly knew how to build!

#### Hammam al-Basha

On a sweltering hot day at the end of July the last thing we had in mind was to visit a hammam (Turkish hot baths) but in the end it turned out to be a blessing in disguise – the Hammam al-Basha is no longer functioning and is in fact beautifully air-conditioned – one of the only air-conditioned moments of the day! I was really impressed with this site – it has been refurbished to give an idea of what it was like originally. However, more cleverly, it uses the pretext of short films depicting conversations in the hammam to tell the story of Akko from the time it was re-established as a major city by Daher el-Omar, the powerful Bedouin ruler in the north of Israel, in the 18th century. An unexpected delight, and great for all the family.

#### Ramchal Synagogue and the Templars’ Tunnel

Inside the Tunnel of the Knights Templar, Akko

We continued on a bit of a walking tour, stopping at the Ramchal synagogue (named after Rabbi Haim Luzzato, a kabbalist and mystic who lived in Akko) and at the former home of the Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í religion. From here our last stop in the Old City was to wander through the restored tunnel of the Templar Knights, which led from their quarter straight to the port – avoiding any potential confrontations by having to cross other quarters and potentially providing them with a handy escape route if needed.

### Outside the Old City

Mosaic at Or Torah Synagogue, Akko

Our day was almost done but we had two stops outside the walls of the Old City before we would head home. The first was at the quite amazing Or Torah Synagogue. The project of one man, the synagogue’s founder and gabbai (beadle), Tzion Badash, the building is covered in stunning mosaics. And when I say covered, I mean all the floors, walls and ceilings; inside and out. It is quite astounding. Some are modern, original designs; others are replicas of ancient maps and motifs; all are connected with Judaism and Israel. It can be difficult to visit (you need to arrange in advance or arrive at the time for a service) but well worth the short diversion.

Home of the Bahá'u'lláh, Akko

To conclude our time in Akko, we made a brief stop at the Bahá'í Gardens known as the Bahji. Here the Bahá'u'lláh spent the last of his days, and here is his tomb. As a result, the site is actually more holy than the shrine in Haifa, although it seems it is less well known outside of the Bahá'í faith. As with the gardens in Haifa, it is remarkably beautiful and tranquil.

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## Haifa

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/haifa/
Date: 2013-07-25

Today’s trip was dedicated to Haifa, the third largest city in Israel and the largest city in the North of the country. Located on the Carmel Mountain, where its steep slopes meet the sea, it was a tiny settlement eclipsed by its northern neighbour Acre (Akko) until the British decided to build a major port in the 1920s; it is now the largest port in Israel and an important gateway into the Mediterranean.

### Quick facts & guide tips

LocationNorthern coast of Israel, built up the slopes of Mount Carmel where the mountain meets the sea
What’s thereBahá'í Gardens, German Colony, Stella Maris Monastery, Cave of Elijah, Ahmadiyya Centre, Nachal Siach
Best forMulti-faith heritage (Bahá'í, Druze, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Ahmadiyya), 19th-century European colony architecture, sea views
Time neededA full day to take in the main religious sites and the German Colony; longer if you want to add a hike in Nachal Siach

Celebrating our 40th field trip: half way through!

The day began with a small celebration; this was our 40th field trip out of 80 on the course; our half-way point. One of our class put a lot of effort into making a cake to celebrate which was served with wine for a l'chaim, putting everyone in a good mood at 8am in the morning!

### The Bahá'í Gardens

View over Haifa from the Louis Promenade

After enjoying a look out over the city from the Louis Promenade high up atop the Carmel mountain, we visited the city’s main attraction, the Bahá'í Gardens. These beautifully designed and maintained gardens dominate the hillside from a distance; consisting of several terraces and a large shrine in the centre. Inside the shrine are buried two of the most important figures in the Bahá'í faith, the Báb and the Abdu'l-Bahá.

Bahá'í Gardens, Haifa

As we descended through the immaculately tended gardens we learned about the Bahá'í religion; its establishment in Iran and the persecution which led to its relocation in Israel. Adherents of the faith are now spread out across the world but these gardens in Haifa are the main holy site together with another location in Acre. Sculpted gardens are a very unusual site in Israel and also contrast starkly with the industrialised scenery of the port – it is a beautiful area of serenity within the hustle and bustle of a busy city.

### The Centre for Ahmadiyya Islam

Our kind host at the Centre for Ahmadiyya Islam in Israel

Having descended to the shrine, we left the area of the gardens and drove further up the mountain to the Centre for Ahmadiyya Islam in Israel. We visited the mosque and learned about this minority Muslim group, adherents of which were brought from India to Israel by the British to help construct the port. Their leader’s message of peaceful coexistence was well received although we were saddened to learn that they are persecuted within the Muslim world to the extent that going on the Haj (the pilgrimage to Mecca which every observant Muslim man should do once in his lifetime) is actually often too dangerous to attempt.

### Stella Maris and the Cave of Elijah

Stella Maris Church, Haifa

Continuing the theme of different religions, our next stop was at the Stella Maris church, belonging to the Carmelite Order, a group of monks and nuns who since Crusader times have been connected to the Carmel Mountain. Inside the church is a cave believed to have been frequented by the prophet Elijah; there is also a small display of artefacts excavated on Carmelite land on the Carmel.

Outside the church, our guide discussed the history of the sanctity of the Carmel, which seems to go back to an association with Helios, the sun god of the Greeks and Romans, from the second century BCE. Helios has a close association with Elijah (the name; the fact that they both ride in fiery chariots) and it seems that Elijah’s association with the Carmel may have been inherited from Helios as a result.

We also learned about Napoleon’s campaign in the 18th century, which passed through the area of modern day Haifa, and indeed the church was used as a hospital for his wounded following defeat at Acre.

Cave of Elijah, Haifa

We hiked a short trail down the hill to arrive at the Cave of the prophet Elijah. A holy site for Jews, Christians, Muslims and Druze (as opposed to the Stella Maris, which is holy for Christians), it is believed that Elijah spent time praying here before challenging the prophets of Baal (referred to in 1 Kings 18) at the Mukhraka. We discussed the life of Elijah, a (literally) fiery character, and noted the ancient pilgrim graffiti inside the cave.

### The German Colony

Biblical quotation on the lintel of a building in the German Colony, Haifa

After a spot of lunch we turned to the topic of modern Haifa and had a walking tour in the area of the German Colony. Founded in 1868 by a group called the Templers, consisting of German Christians, it largely consists of a beautiful wide avenue straddled by buildings that were clearly not built by local architects. All the buildings have a biblical quotation above the doorway, and the German member of our class kindly obliged with translations! We learned about the history of the Temple Society, some of the key figures, and its influence on the technological innovation in Israel, particularly with regard to the early Zionist pioneers.

### Nachal Siach

Water pool at Ein Meshotetim in Nachal / Wadi Siach

We concluded the day in Nachal (or Wadi) Siach, a small valley that lies between two spurs of the Carmel Mountain on which the city is built. After a steep climb we were able to see the remains of a British Mandate period bathhouse and garden, based on channeling the springs further up the slope. As we continued further we found the remains of a Crusader church, believed to be the one in which the Carmelite order was founded. The area is currently not in a very good state but apparently the municipality has plans to refurbish and develop the area which could make it a very pleasant stop on future Haifa tours. Still, it does not stop the locals from coming here to cool off in the springs and pools during the hot months of the summer.

A day of multiple religions, modern and ancient history, and even a little hiking. Next week we will travel slightly further north to the ancient port city which Haifa usurped in importance: Akko (Acre).

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## Crusader Jerusalem

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/crusader-jerusalem/
Date: 2013-07-17

We returned to the Old City of Jerusalem, this time to examine the impact of the Crusaders on the Holy City. They conquered Jerusalem in 1099 and held it until the force of Saladin’s military might forced its surrender in 1187. Added to the 15 years in the mid 13th century that it was also under Crusader control and these European knights had a good hundred years to make their impact on the city.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereOld City of Jerusalem
Key sitesCenacle & Tomb of King David, Nea Church, St Mary of the Germans, Crusader market, Church of the Redeemer, Coptic Church of St Helen, Church of the Holy Sepulchre
PeriodCrusader Jerusalem, 1099–1187 (plus a 15-year return in the mid 13th century)
PaceFull day on foot through the Old City quarters; mostly cobbled lanes and stairs

### Mount Zion: the Cenacle and the Tomb of King David

Crusader capital in the Last Supper Room (Cenacle)

Much of the effort of the rulers was to (re)build and restore sites of Christian importance, many of which had been either destroyed or had fallen into disrepair after over 500 years of Muslim rule. One of these was the Tomb of King David, and above it the Last Supper Room (the Cenacle) where we began our day. Although we had been here previously, on this visit our guide emphasised the impact of the Crusaders on the structure and pointed out various examples of Crusader architecture on the site.

### The Jewish Quarter: Nea Church and the German Knights

Ruins of the Crusader Nea Church

We continued into the city walls and down to some excavations on the edge of the Jewish Quarter. I am constantly amazed, each time we enter the Old City, about things that I must have walked past hundreds of times over the years, and yet never noticed. We explored the ruins of the Ayyubid gate (this would have been built under Saladin’s rule) and then proceeded to the ruins of the Crusader Nea Church, built very close to the site of the original Byzantine version.

St Mary’s Hospice of the German Knights

We continued into the Jewish Quarter, stopping at the St Mary’s Hospice of the German Knights. This used to be the base of the Order of Teutonic Knights in Jerusalem and it is possible to see remains of their chapel, hostel and living quarters.

### The Crusader market and Bilal Abu Khalaf

View over the Temple Mount and the Old City of Jerusalem

Stopping for a rooftop viewpoint over the Temple Mount on the way, we wandered through the narrow streets which used to form the city market in the Crusader period. Our guide explained how they would conduct their trade, what sorts of goods were on sale in which streets, and also how they would have accessed their Templum Domini on the Temple Mount (they converted the Dome of the Rock into a church). An important source for this period is the ‘Citez de Jherusalem’, effectively a Medieval guide book for the Christian pilgrim to Crusader Jerusalem. It was quite remarkable to think that around 800 years after it was written, we were still able to use it as our guide through what has become the Arab souk.

The inimitable Bilal Abu Khalaf dons his traditional garb

As part of this trip through the markets, we took a particularly entertaining diversion. We entered into a large fabrics store under which they have discovered some Crusader remains – they are now visible through the transparent floor. Of more interest, however, was the owner, Bilal Abu Khalaf. His family have been in the fabrics business in Jerusalem for generations and he donned traditional garb to tell us all about the history of his trade. Interestingly, he produces fabrics for Muslims, Christians (up to the Patriarch of Jerusalem) and ultra-Orthodox Jews. He had some really beautiful fabrics in his store, including some woven with 18 carat gold thread. Not much to do with the Crusaders but fascinating nonetheless!

### The Church of the Redeemer and the Hospitaler Knights

Crusader cloisters in the Church of the Redeemer

After a most pleasant luncheon of hummus (I have now decided where to take my tourists!) we visited the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. The church is relatively recent but is built on the land which used to be home to the convent Saint Maria Latina and the Hospital of St John (site of the establishment of the Hospitaler Knights of St John) in the Crusader period. We explored the remains of the Crusader cloisters next to the church and also enjoyed the little museum containing some artefacts from excavations on the site.

### The Coptic Church of St Helen and its cistern

Inside the cistern under the Coptic Church of St Helen

We continued to the Coptic Church of St Helen. The church is built above a quarry, which was turned into a cistern in the 4th century. The cistern is holy, as it is believed that St Helen herself created it to meet the needs of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, next door. As we descended the slippery steps down into the cistern (which still contains water), we were amazed by its size. The light down there does not facilitate great photography, but in the picture above you can possibly make out a little apse to the left and a flat space ahead which is used as an altar; the priest paddles around to it in a little boat.

The acoustics in the church are fantastic; we were treated to some singing by the class vocalist laureate (he has a beautiful voice) and then together sang a poem by Hannah Senesh – A Walk to Caesarea, better known as Eli Eli. It was really rather moving.

### The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Church of the Holy Sepulchre: site marking the creation of the world

Our final stop of the day was at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We had been there before but used this visit to focus specifically on the Crusader elements of the church (the church today is largely from the Crusader period), and also to enter the main basilica, which had been closed on our previous visit for a mass, and to see the point marking whence the world was created, according to the Christian tradition.

Again, even though this is the third time we have visited, there is always something to add. For example, I had no idea that just in front of the church entrance, under some wooden planks, is the tomb of the English knight Philip d'Aubigny, a signatory on the Magna Carta. He had probably wanted to be buried inside the church, like the first two Crusader kings. In retrospect, he was fortunate; the tombs inside the church were raided soon after the Crusaders left, and then destroyed in the 19th century renovations.

Another day of surprises in Jerusalem. Next week, we are heading north to explore Haifa.

 

 

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## The Shfela (Judean Lowlands) in the Roman & Byzantine Periods

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-shfela-judean-lowlands-in-the-roman-byzantine-periods/
Date: 2013-07-12

After the previous week’s adventures in the north of the country, it was time to travel south into the area known as the Shfela (or the Judean Lowlands), an area of hills that lies between Jerusalem and the coastal plain.

Today’s focus was on three sites: Tel Maresha (also known as Marissa), Beit Guvrin and Horvat Midras, spanning from the Hellenist period (2nd/3rd century BCE) until the Bar Kochba Revolt in the 2nd Century CE.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Shfela (Judean Lowlands), between Jerusalem and the coastal plain
Key sitesTel Maresha and its underground caves (Beit Guvrin National Park), Beit Guvrin / Roman Eleutheropolis (bell caves, oval amphitheatre, bathhouse, Crusader church), Horvat Midras and the Bar Kochba tunnels
PeriodHellenist (2nd/3rd century BCE) through Roman and Byzantine periods to the Bar Kochba Revolt (2nd century CE), with later Crusader and Mamluk reuse
PaceA full day; the tunnels at Horvat Midras involve crawling through tight spaces, so not suited to claustrophobic visitors or those in their best clothes

### Tel Maresha and the underground caves

Our day began at Beit Guvrin National Park, at the upper part of the site, which is actually the ancient remains of Tel Maresha. This was originally a Jewish town in the First Temple Period, and it is still possible to see part of its original wall. Later, in the 2nd/3rd centuries CE, it was settled by Edomites who hailed originally from the area south of the Dead Sea (hence the Edom mountains in Jordan) but over the years they were joined by Phoenicians from Sidon (now in Lebanon) and retired Greek soldiers from the army of Alexander the Great, once he had conquered the region. The dominant culture seems to have been Hellenist, based on architecture that has been found.

Underground columbarium at Tel Maresha

The vast majority of the city does not remain, however there are a huge amount of underground caves to explore. These originally functioned as quarries but over the years were converted to form columbaria (pigeon coops), olive oil presses, cisterns, storerooms, even hideaways and living quarters. The attention to aesthetic detail is quite remarkable and the caves are extremely impressive. It was also pleasant to be hidden away from the searing summer heat. Our guide had helped excavate the site and it was nice to hear his anecdotes.

There is still a lot of the site to excavate and for those who are interested in helping out, there is the Dig for a Day programme. We paid a visit to the sites they are currently excavating; I have participated myself on a couple of occasions and it is good fun, particularly as you always find something. Even if it is just a shard of 2000 year old pottery, it is still quite exciting to have discovered it yourself!

Sidonite Burial Cave at Maresha

One of the more impressive caves is the Phoenician burial cave. Discovered last century, the beautiful painted scenes and inscriptions have faded away since being exposed to light, so 20 years ago they were restored.

### Beit Guvrin and Roman Eleutheropolis

With this we left the Hellenist period of Maresha and moved forward to the Roman settlement in the area. There was a Jewish town from the 2nd temple period called Beit Guvrin which the Romans took over and developed into a major city named Eleutheropolis (City of the Free). We visited the bell caves which were large quarries in the Roman period, and then popped over the motorway to the other section of the national park.

Roman oval amphitheatre at Beit Guvrin

In this second section it is possible to see an oval amphitheatre; until recently considered unique in Israel (the others were circular; converted hippodromes) although they have just discovered one also in Caesarea and are busy excavating it. We wandered through the ruins and also part of what was once a huge bathhouse covering 4000m2.

To conclude our time at the site we visited the Crusader church which was later converted into a Mamluk fortress; the quality of the soil and water sources in the area meant that it was a popular place for continued settlement.

### Horvat Midras and the Bar Kochba tunnels

Squeezing through the tunnels used during the Bar Kochba Revolt

From Beit Guvrin, we travelled north to Horvat Midras. Here we learned about the guerrilla warfare developed by the Jews involved in the Bar Kochba Revolt against the Romans in the 2nd century. They adapted or dug tunnel systems under towns to hide within; every now and again bursting out to surprise and attack the enemy. The Romans were unused to this and for a time had no way of dealing with it; however they eventually adapted and the Revolt was quashed. There are little remains of the town of Midras, but it is possible to crawl through the tunnels used by those involved in the rebellion; to see their hiding places and to experience a little what it must have been like to hide down there. A warning: not for the claustrophobic; not a good place to take your best new clothes either!

With this experience our day was over; next week we turn to the impact of the Crusaders on Jerusalem.

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## Campus Golan Day 3: Mount Hermon

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-golan-day-3-mount-hermon/
Date: 2013-07-09

Read about day one and day two of the Golan Campus.

Our third and final day of our travels in the region of the Golan Heights was dedicated to the Hermon Mountain. A common misconception is that the Hermon actually is part of the Golan Heights; in fact it is a separate mountain range that is completely different geologically and geographically.

The part of the Hermon in Israeli territory amounts to just 7% of its area; it is the highest peak in Israel at 2236m above sea level, but the highest peak is in Syrian territory at 2814m. Between them is the highest permanently manned UN mission in the world.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereMt Hermon and the northern Golan Heights
Key sitesMt Hermon chairlift, Nabi Hazuri (Druze holy site and Sayeret Egoz memorial), Nimrod Fortress, Banias waterfalls, Helicopters Memorial
Best forVisitors combining the highest peak in Israel, a Mamluk-era fortress, water-and-greenery hikes and modern Israeli memorials
PaceA full day; the chairlift only runs to the summit in season, so check operating hours before you plan around it

### Up the chairlift on Mt Hermon

View over the Golan Heights from Mount Hermon

These days, the Hermon has two main functions: an Israeli army base from which to keep an eye on Syria and Lebanon on the northern border; more importantly for most Israelis, the country’s only ski resort. When the snow hits the Hermon people drive all the way even from Eilat, Israel’s southernmost point, to try their hand at skiing.

At this time of year, there is no more snow in the Israeli area (there was still some on the Syrian peaks) so we ascended the chairlift in relative solitude. At the top, we looked over into the Golan Heights as our guide explained the strategic importance of the location for Israel in managing its security, and told us the tragic story of the battle for the base here in the Yom Kippur War of 1973, which sadly involved significant loss of life. (For a practical guide to hiking the Hermon outside the chairlift season, see my later post on hiking to the top of Israel.)

### Nabi Hazuri and the Druze community

Nabi Hazuri

From the Hermon we descended to the tomb of Nabi Hazuri, a holy site for the Druze religion. We learned some of the stories associated with the holy man Hazuri, and also talked about the Druze people, their customs and their relationship with the state. Here is also the memorial for the Sayeret Egoz army unit; set up to infiltrate behind enemy lines and conduct guerrilla warfare. Many of the unit's members come from the Druze community in Israel.

### The Nimrod Fortress

View over the Hula Valley from the Nimrod Fortress

Close to the memorial was the Nimrod Fortress, our next stop. For many years considered to have been a Crusader fortress, it has more recently become apparent that it was built by the Ayyubid Arab rulers of the region, although it seems to be an exact copy of typical Crusader architecture. After the Mamluk conquest of Israel it was reinforced under the patronage of the ruler Baibars and it is possible to see a monumental inscription dedicated in his honour. We wandered through the ruins, into one of the huge cisterns that served the fortress, and exited through the secret passage, known as the poterna.

### Banias waterfalls

Waterfalls at Banias

From Nimrod we returned to the Banias national park. Having visited the archaeological excavations yesterday, today was dedicated to nature, as we enjoyed a hike along the stream to a beautiful area of waterfalls and whirlpools; the spray of the cool water was much appreciated in the heat and humidity of the afternoon! The park contains a series of suspended platforms which allow you to walk right over the torrents pouring down the hillside, and it is a most pleasant experience.

### The Helicopters Memorial

We concluded the day on a somewhat sombre note, at the Helicopters Memorial. This site marks the terrible accident when two helicopters collided in 1997 on their way into Lebanon. 73 soldiers were killed in one of the worst helicopter accidents in world history. Because Israel is such a small country, it really had a huge impact on the people here; it was said that everyone knew someone who knew one of the victims.

Helicopters Memorial

This memorial at the crash site, lovingly constructed by the families of those who passed away, really is very beautiful; apparently even more so at night when it is lit up. But sadly the beauty cannot overcome the tragic loss of life. A member of our group had taught one of the soldiers involved at high school, and he spoke briefly about him, making the visit that much more moving.

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## Campus Golan Day 2: the Lower Hermon and the Northern Golan Heights

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-golan-day-2-the-lower-hermon-and-the-northern-golan-heights/
Date: 2013-07-05

The second of our three days in the Golan Heights was the most intense, and focused broadly on sites in the north of the Golan and the lower slopes of Mt Hermon. If you missed the post on the first day in the centre of the Golan, check it out here.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereNorthern Golan Heights and the lower slopes of Mt Hermon
Key sitesTel Dan nature reserve, Beit Ussishkin Museum, Banias (temple to Pan and palace of Agrippa), Mt Bental, Kibbutz El Rom, Valley of Tears memorial, Jubat el-Kabeira (Big Juba), Birket Ram
Best forVisitors combining biblical archaeology, Roman-period sites, volcanic geology and Yom Kippur War history
PaceA long single day; easier to split into two days if you want time to hike and absorb the war memorials

### Tel Dan: salamanders, the world's oldest arch and an Israelite city

An early start meant that we arrived at the Tel Dan nature reserve before it was open! Once the wardens had arrived we entered and enjoyed the lush landscape and water flows from the Middle East’s largest karstic [formed by water flowing through and eroding porous sedimentary rock] spring. As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm; in our case we caught a salamander; a beautifully sleek little creature. Quite a lot of them live in the reserve but they are hard to spot as they tend to avoid the tourists. A nice treat!

The world's oldest arch at Tel Dan

We hastened onwards to the archaeological remains around the ancient tel. At Tel Dan, they discovered what is thought to be the oldest arch in the world, made from mud bricks, almost 4000 years ago. Until its discovery it was thought that the Romans, or at the most the Greeks, invented the arch. But in fact it seems early forms existed many years previous in the Middle East.

Having heard how the tribe of Dan conquered the site, we whizzed forward in time to the remains of the Israelite city from the 9th century BCE. Particularly impressive was the huge gate structure; we also continued to the site of the temple which they found here; it is possible to see the base of the altar. This corroborates the story in the Bible (1 Kings 12) about the breaking up of the Solomon’s kingdom; with the temple in the Judean temple in Jerusalem the Israelite king Jeroboam constructed his own in Beth-el and here in Dan. We also hold the story of the steele found here; an ancient tablet containing an inscription referring to the two Jewish kingdoms and one of the kings coming from the House of David; a find of huge importance for those seeking archaeological evidence for the biblical narrative.

Tel Dan hike

From the archaeological site we enjoyed a lovely walk hopping on stepping stones across the brooks in the reserve; enjoying the refreshing feeling of the spray of the cool water and the general lush greenery; quite an unusual landscape for Israel. Israelis really do love being around flowing water and I am beginning to understand why; it is something that we take rather for granted in the less arid parts of the world.

Beit Ussishkin Museum

Afterwards, we travelled a short distance to the nearby Beit Ussishkin Museum which has a great little exhibition about local archaeological finds and expansive displays on local flora, fauna and geology.

### Banias: temple to Pan and the palace of Agrippa

From Tel Dan, we ascended to Banias. When the Hellenists arrived in this area over 2000 years ago, they identified it with being the home of the god Pan and named it Panias in his honour. We visited the area of their temple to Pan which was later expanded by the Romans; many remains are still visible. Later it was expanded into a large capital by Herod’s son Philippus, called Caesaria-Philippi. The area is important in Christian theology as here Peter recognised Jesus as the messiah (Mark 8 27).

Agrippa's Palace at Banias

We walked a short way along the stream flowing from the springs to the ruins of the palace of King Agrippa, dating to the 1st century. We wandered through the impressive remains to reach the former city walls (and indeed the remains of a later Crusader fortress), to conclude our time at the site.

### Mt Bental and the Yom Kippur War

From Banias we travelled deep into the centre of the Golan Heights and ascended to the peak of Mt Bental. The whole region of the Golan was formed from volcanic activity and lava flows over millions of years; the peaks standing out in the landscape tend to be extinct (or perhaps dormant) volcanoes; Mt Bental is one of these. Apart from the rather cheesily named Coffee Anan café (they claim to have existed before the previous UN Secretary General rose to fame; anan in Hebrew means ‘cloud’); there is a wonderful view over the Golan Heights, and deep into Syria.

View towards the Syrian border with Israel from Mt Bental

Our guide told us some of the background to the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and described the sad and bloody battle that happened in the fields in front of us. Remarkably, one of my classmates had actually participated in the battle, and gave us more details. It is a very sad but also moving part of being in this country that the wars are so much more recent and personal; it makes you realise that it is much more than just words in a text book and also helps contextualise other wars in history.

Valley of Tears Memorial

From the viewpoint, we descended to Kibbutz El Rom (which boasts that it is the highest kibbutz not only in Israel, but in the world…!) to watch a film about the Yom Kippur War, and then travelled a short distance to the memorial for the Valley of Tears. The Valley of Tears, which lay before us, was the site of the most difficult and lengthy battles of the war, a tank battle pitting the Israelis against a Syrian army which was both more numerous and more technologically advanced. We heard some stories of the personal heroism and sacrifice which eventually led to an Israeli victory.

### Volcanic landscapes: paleomagnetism, the Big Juba and Birket Ram

We ended the day with a bit of geology. We stopped briefly at a site of paleomagnetism; a common phenomenon in the Golan Heights where the volcanic rock has locked in ancient magnetism from when the magnetism of the globe did not come from the north. You can put a compass on the rock and watch it spin.

Jubat el-Kabiera (the Big Juba)

From here we visited Jubat el-Kabeira (the Big Juba). This is a sort of crater in the ground, formed by volcanic activity (although there is some dispute as to exactly how). Because water flows into the juba, it is very lush and green, although sadly there was no time to enter and explore.

Birket Ram

Our final stop was at Birket Ram in the Druze village of Masade. This large pool was also formed as a result of volcanic activity, although again geologists dispute the actual details. It is also an important archaeological site; here were found tools of prehistoric man dating back hundreds of thousands of years, including the Venus of the Galil.

### Kumzitz at the hostel

Campfire songs at our kumzitz

We concluded the day at the youth hostel, and enjoyed a traditional kumzitz; a bonfire with a good sing song and plenty of liquid refreshment to encourage proceedings. It turns out that we have some very talented guitarists and singers in our group! It certainly helped the group bond and I was even persuaded to do a little rapping, which fortunately was well received…!

Coming soon: Day 3 and our travels around Mt Hermon….

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## Campus Golan Day 1: Central Golan Heights

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/campus-golan-day-1-central-golan/
Date: 2013-07-02

As part of the course, we have four ‘campuses’ – trips of 2-3 nights to more far-flung parts of the country to enable us to make the most of our time. Last week we spent three days in the area of the Golan Heights and Mt Hermon, in the north east of Israel; as each day was effectively its own field trip I’ll be dedicating three blog posts to the campus over the next couple of weeks.

The region is not without controversy; the vast majority was given to the new state of Syria in 1946. In 1967 Israel took a significant portion of the Golan Heights, and a small amount of the Hermon range in the Six Day War, with the argument that it would help protect its citizens from the constant Syrian sniping in the intervening years. In 1981 Israel effectively annexed the area and awarded citizenship to those citizens who had not been given it since 1967. Unlike the West Bank and Gaza however, the area is calm (apart from the occasional stray shell from the Syrian conflict across the border) and the largely Druze population cooperate with the state although not to the extent of their kin in the Galil, as those living in the Golan still maintain loyalty to Syria. The reasons for this are far too complex to go into in this blog post, but in summary, there are no problems of note between the different peoples living in the Golan Heights and all have full rights as Israeli citizens.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereCentral Golan Heights, northeast Israel
Key sitesNachal Jilabun, Katzrin (Golan Heights Winery, Talmudic Village, Antiques Museum of the Golan Heights), Mitzpe Gadot, Tel Faher
Best forVisitors combining nature, archaeology, wine and modern Israeli military history
PaceA full day; easier to split into two days for groups who want more time at the winery or the memorials

### Hiking down Nachal Jilabun

Waterfall in Nachal Jilabun / Gilabon

Our day began with a hike down the Jilabun stream, a great way to stretch the legs after a lengthy bus ride. To my slight disappointment we have not done a great deal of hiking on the course so it was nice to get into nature; to enjoy the green surroundings and the sound of the water; to hop along stepping stones as we crisscrossed the stream as we descended towards the valley below. The hike afforded some lovely views of the Hula Valley and also of a couple of waterfalls; in a country so devoid of water all very much appreciated the opportunity to revel in the wonders of nature.

### Katzrin: winery, ancient village and museum

Wine tasting at the Golan Heights Winery

After a welcome rest in the air-conditioned bus (37 degrees is not ideal hiking weather!) we travelled to the city of Katzrin, the capital of the Golan and its largest city, with an almighty 7000 residents! Our first stop was at the Golan Heights Winery for a brief tour and then a more lengthy tasting session. The winery has won many international prizes under their Yarden brand and the muscat particularly appealed to my sweet tooth; I picked up a bottle of their new 2T ‘port-style’ wine which I am looking forward to trying. The downside was that concentrating during the afternoon was slightly harder…

Byzantine period synagogue at Ancient Katzrin

Having treated our taste buds we visited the Talmudic Village of Katzrin. Based around ruins of a village from the Byzantine period, the idea is to give visitors the chance to experience ancient life; it is possible to have workshops in pressing olive oil; grinding flour or treading wine using ancient methods. We made do with verbal explanations and also enjoyed the ruins, particularly the ancient synagogue.

'Venus of the Galil' at the Archaeological Museum of the Golan Heights in Katzrin

From there it was a case of popping over the street to the Antiques Museum of the Golan Heights. Human settlement in the area goes back up to 800 000 years and one of the most ancient artefacts is the ‘Venus of the Galil’, a small rock found with tools belonging to prehistoric man which is said to resemble a female figure. The museum also contains an interesting presentation on the strange stone circles at Rujm el-Hiri and many remains from the Roman & Byzantine period; there is a good film about the siege of Gamla by the Roman forces during the Great Revolt.

### Memorials at Mitzpe Gadot and Tel Faher

Memorial at Mitzpe Gadot

We whizzed forwards through thousands of years in time for the final sites of the day. We drove from Katzrin to Mitzpe Gadot; a former Syrian bunker. We learned a little about the famous Israeli spy Eli Cohen and about the reasons why it was in Israeli interests to control the Golan Heights – we could easily see from our position how easy it was to fire into the Israeli villages and kibbutzim below. Our guide told us some of the tragic stories from the years 1948-67 when the area was far from peaceful.

Memorial at Tel Faher (Mitzpe Golani)

We then descended into the Hula Valley and went up to the northern part of the Golan for our final stop at Tel Faher. This was another Syrian base; we heard the story of the battle to control it and the two bases below it in the 1967 war. It was a battle of immense heroism and tragic losses, but in the end the Israelis managed to take control of the hilltop and it was a very important step in the war. We paused at the memorial as our guide told us some of the stories of the soldiers who had died here. Our guide was a great storyteller and really managed to conjure up the images of the battle; unfortunately this made the atmosphere rather sombre.

From the Tel, we continued up into the Golan to our accommodation in the Hermon Field School. After dinner, the course steering committee (aka the vaad) had organised a showing of the Life of Brian; the historical period is relevant to our studies! It was a bit surreal to watch it with Hebrew subtitles but it remains a great film; unfortunately after a 5.30am start my eyelids were drooping so I turned in, looking forward to a packed day on the morrow.

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## Christianity in the Judean Hills

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/christianity-in-the-judean-hills/
Date: 2013-06-25

After a brief hiatus we returned to the topic of Christianity; this was the final of five field trips exclusively themed around Christian sites (although we are sure to visit more as the course continues) with a specific emphasis on how to guide these places for pilgrim visitors. As avid readers of this blog will no doubt recall, we spent two days in the north of the country in the area around Nazareth and then around the Sea of Galilee; then followed two trips in Jerusalem, the first around the Mount of Olives and Mount Zion, the second along the Via Dolorosa. This final trip included various sites of Christian interest in the surroundings of Jerusalem, namely Abu Ghosh, Ein Kerem and Beit Jamal.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereJudean Hills west and southwest of Jerusalem
Key sitesBenedictine Monastery (Abu Ghosh), Church of the Visitation and Church of St John the Baptist (Ein Kerem), Church of St John in the Desert (Even Sapir), Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant (Kiriat Yearim), Sisters of Bethlehem convent and Church of St Stephen (Beit Jamal)
Best forChristian pilgrim groups; visitors interested in Crusader, Byzantine and modern church architecture
PaceA full day to combine all five locations; easier to split into two half-days for pilgrim groups

### Abu Ghosh: the Benedictine monastery

We began our day at the Benedictine Monastery in Abu Ghosh. At first we met with a rather fantastic monk, called Olivier. He is French but speaks fluent Hebrew and gave us a brilliantly entertaining and informative talk about life as a monk and the Benedictine tradition. He peppered his speech with Hebrew slang and many jokes. It seems he is quite a character; also a huge promoter of coexistence and is proud of his monastery in the midst of an Arab village, next to a mosque, where everyone gets on. He also has close relations with Jews in the area and proudly sang to us the opening verse of the Jewish hymn Adon Olam inside the church!

Olivier - the wonderful Benedictine monk in Abu Ghosh

Speaking of the church, it is one of three examples of a complete Crusader church in Israel – the others were all destroyed at various points. Again, avid readers might recall that the other examples of this are St Anne’s Church in Jerusalem and the Great Mosque of Ramla. It was fascinating to be inside and also note the original frescos which have recently been made visible via careful restoration. The crusaders believed this site marked Emmaus, where Jesus appeared following his resurrection.

### Ein Kerem: the birthplace of John the Baptist

Church of the Visitation, Ein Kerem

We left Abu Ghosh and travelled to the picturesque town of Ein Kerem in the suburbs of Jerusalem. This site is believed to have been the home of St Zachary and St Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. It is therefore important for two reasons: John the Baptist is an important figure so his birthplace is significant; furthermore Mary visited Elizabeth during her pregnancy. This event is marked at the Church of the Visitation which is reached via a relatively steep climb up the hill. As this is high up the hill it is considered the summer house of Zachary, and therefore based on the timings of the visit, it is considered that they would have met here.

Mary's Spring, Ein Kerem

We returned down the hill, pausing briefly at Mary’s Spring, where she would have stopped to drink on the way to visit Elizabeth. We also learned a little here about the history of the town which until relatively recently was a very small village far from the Jerusalem city limits. They have also found remains of homes going back to the Second Temple period, which is helpful for supporting the belief that John was born here.

Church of St John the Baptist, Ein Kerem

In the middle of the town is the Church of St John the Baptist, considered to be his birthplace and the regular home of the family. In the crypt is a cave which is considered to have been their home, and the church itself is decorated with beautiful Spanish tiles; its refurbishment (it was originally constructed in the Crusader period) was funded by the Spanish royal family.

### Even Sapir and Kiriat Yearim

Spring at St John in the Desert, Even Sapir

Leaving the quaint confines of Ein Kerem, we stopped off in the nearby moshav of Even Sapir. Here is the Church of St John in the Desert, marking the location described in Luke 1:80: “And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.” The Hebrew word midbar is often translated as ‘desert’ but really means ‘wilderness’; therefore despite the green airy location of the site it can still make sense; and clearly in ancient times it was relatively deserted although still not too far off from the birth place of John in Ein Kerem.

In the recently refurbished church there are beautiful murals; interestingly some of them contain Hebrew words and phrases as an example of Christians connecting with the original language of the Holy Scriptures.

Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant, Kiriat Yearim

We returned to Abu Ghosh, where following an excellent hummus lunch (Abu Ghosh is well known for its hummus), we moved up the hill to visit the Church of Our Lady the Ark of the Covenant in Kiriat Yearim (Kirath Jearim). This site is identified with the biblical settlement of the same name, which is of great importance as it was a resting place for the Ark of the Covenant for either 20 or 50 years, depending on the reading of the scripture. The church is modest but beautiful and it is possible to enjoy the original 5th century mosaics from the Byzantine structure on the same site, as well as the view over the surrounding hills.

### Beit Jamal: the Sisters of Bethlehem and St Stephen

Convent of the Sisters of Bethlehem, Beit Jamal

From Kiriat Yearim we continued southwest to Beit Jamal. Here, on the grounds of a Salesian Monastery, we first visited a convent of the Sisters of Bethlehem. The nuns here live in relative isolation in their own individual rooms during the day and even have individually partitioned areas in the church for them to pray. We learned about their lifestyle and enjoyed the view into the church.

Church of St Stephen, Beit Jamal

From there we walked over to the monastery of the Salesian monks and entered into the Church of St Stephen. The site is identified with Kfar Gamla, which was considered to be the home of the great Torah sage Rabban Gamaliel the Elder. He is identified as the Gamaliel who speaks on behalf of St Stephen during his judgement as detailed in the Book of Acts. Tradition then holds that following Stephen's martyrdom (Stephen was the first Christian martyr) he took him to be buried in his home.

This site, home to remains of a 5th century church, is considered to be that burial site, although it is known that the bones of St Stephen were later found and removed, first to Jerusalem and later to Rome. The modern church is quite beautiful and has an interesting fresco style which is designed to appear as if it is a mosaic.

We exited the church and enjoyed the last rays of light over the Judean Lowlands before heading home. I have really enjoyed these Christianity themed trips; the background to all the sites is fascinating and the churches are beautiful. I look forward to one day guiding them myself!

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## Muslim Jerusalem

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/muslim-jerusalem/
Date: 2013-06-21

We have been studying Islam in class of late and so it was time to spend some time in Jerusalem exploring some of the holy sites and the history of Muslim rule over the city.

We began our day in the area commonly known as the Temple Mount, referred to by Muslims as al-Haram ash-Sharif. This plateau is considered to be the place referred to in the Qur’an as al-Aqsa, or the farthest mosque. In this famous passage Mohammed travels from Mecca to this far away place in an episode known as the Night Journey. He then tethers his horse and ascends to heaven.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Temple Mount / al-Haram ash-Sharif and the surrounding Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.
SignificanceThird holiest city in Islam after Mecca and Medina; site of the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, identified with Mohammed's Night Journey.
AccessNon-Muslims enter the platform via the Mugrabi Gate (beside the Western Wall) during set visiting hours; the mosques themselves are closed to non-Muslims, and non-Muslim prayer on the platform is forbidden.
What to bringModest dress required; bags are searched, and Christian or Jewish religious items will not be allowed in.

### On the Temple Mount / al-Haram ash-Sharif

Although the Qur’an does not specifically mention Jerusalem in this episode, early commentaries already identify al-Aqsa as being synonymous with the city, and for this reason it is the 3rd holiest city in Islam after Mecca & Medina. The two large mosques on the site are the grey-domed al-Aqsa, marking the site where Mohammed arrived with his horse, and the famously striking Dome of the Rock (Masjid Qubbat As-Sakhrah), with its stunning gold dome, which marks the site where Mohammed ascended to heaven.

Dome of the Rock (Masjid Qubbat As-Sakhrah)

Unfortunately it is no longer possible for non-Muslims to enter the mosques, but I recall visiting the Dome of the Rock as a child on a family trip and remember seeing inside it the rock from which it takes its name. There is an indentation on the rock identified as being Mohammed’s footprint; the rock is also considered to be the site of the story of the binding of Isaac.

Access to the area which I will for convenience’s sake refer to as the Temple Mount is complicated. There is one entrance for non-Muslims – the Mugrabi Gate which is just to the right of the Western Wall. There you are checked thoroughly for weapons or any Christian or Jewish prayer books/bibles – the area is very sensitive and non-Muslim prayer is forbidden. The Israeli authorities who control access to the site are very concerned to avoid any potential provocation, hence the strong controls over who can access the site; where, when and with what.

Once through the security it is possible to enjoy the impressive expanse of the Herodian podium and the two remarkable mosques based upon it. The original mosques were built in the 7th century when the original Church of the Holy Sepulchre was still standing. Our guide illustrated to us that in fact the structure was almost an exact copy of the Church – a rotunda (marking the site of the miracle); a basilica for members of the public to pray and also a garden in between.

Although our focus was on the Muslim sites we took advantage of our visit to also look out for and learn about areas of the Jewish Temple and the Crusader church known as the Templum Domini. We also saw where the Templar knights were housed in this period.

### Mamluk architecture in the Muslim Quarter

Mamluk architecture: note the alternating dark and light stone in the ablaq style

We continued around the site as our guide pointed out examples of 14th century Mamluk architecture and also the mausoleum for leaders of the Palestinian liberation movement.

We exited the plateau and began a tour of the Muslim Quarter. As this was largely constructed by the Mamluks, we focused on further understanding their architecture and also noting the various madrasas (schools) that they constructed. Through the use of maps from different periods our guide explained to us how the streets of Jerusalem changed over the centuries and by whom the alterations were made.

### Abu Shukri and the Little Western Wall

The Little Western Wall (kotel hakatan)

After enjoying a good bowl of hummus in the famous Abu Shukri restaurant we made a short stop at a Jewish site, although one located in the Muslim quarter. Known as the Little Western Wall, this is a continuation of the Western Wall, north of what is currently exposed in the plaza. The plaza is a relatively new phenomenon, and what is nice about this section is that it is at the height and width of the wall until the Israelis created the plaza in 1967 when they captured the old city of Jerusalem. It is possible to relive the experience of being at the wall in the centuries before the state, and interestingly it is not separated between men and women unlike in the main plaza. I had no idea it existed so it was a very interesting discovery; some Jews even say it is holier than the Western Wall which most people visit as it is closer to where the Holy of Holies would have been situated.

We continued wandering the streets of the Muslim Quarter, witnessing more examples of Mamluk architecture such as the alternating light and dark style of the ablaq masonry, before the day drew to a close.

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## Jerusalem in the Second Temple period

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/jerusalem-in-the-second-temple-period/
Date: 2013-06-17

Time for another catch-up trip this time with the group from the university of Haifa. It was an important day as we explored the remains of the Second Temple period in and around the Old City of Jerusalem.

The Second Temple period saw the peak of the monumental buildings in the land of Israel and the greatest of these was the Jewish temple and the Temple Mount which was the most impressive building in the Roman Empire at that time. The historian Josephus gives us an account of the history of the Jews in this period which most historians consider reliable (except for when he exaggerates on numbers) so in many cases we were citing him on this field trip.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereIn and around the Old City of Jerusalem: City of David, Davidson Centre, Burnt House, Wohl Museum, Western and southern walls of the Temple Mount.
EraSecond Temple period (roughly 516 BCE – 70 CE); most surviving monumental remains are Herodian (late 1st century BCE – 1st century CE).
Time neededA full day to cover the major sites at a comfortable pace; half a day if you focus on either the City of David or the Jewish Quarter museums.
TicketsThe City of David, Davidson Centre, Burnt House and Wohl Museum each charge separate entrance fees; combined tickets are sometimes available.

### City of David and the Tyropoeon valley

We began the day in the City of David, where we had previously been on the First Temple period trip, but this time were filling in a few gaps for the later period. We descended to the Shiloah pool (also known as the Pool of Siloam) which was used for drinking and also for ritual purification at the time. It was also site of a miracle where Jesus cured a blind man in the New Testament. We then went to sit on an original Herodian stepped street where we listened to an audio presentation about Jewish resistance fighters in the Great Revolt fighting against the Romans (and ultimately losing).

Walking up the Roman drainage channel in the Tyropoeon valley

We then ascended up the route of the Tyropoeon valley through a drainage channel which the Romans had dug underneath this paved road. As we walked through the passage, passing through an ancient cistern and mikve, we learned about some of the archaeological findings in it including a Roman sword preserved in its sheath, which is very unusual.

### Davidson Centre and the Jewish Quarter

We exited the tunnels at the excavations by the south point of the Western Wall and went to the nearby Davidson Centre. The centre is a nice museum explaining a bit about the history of the construction of the temple and the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. We participated in a ‘virtual tour’ where they use a 3D computer model to take you around a reconstruction of the Second Temple highlighting modern day archaeological finds and explaining the experience of a pilgrim. It was very interesting indeed but sadly is only available for groups on the whole, and not individual visitors.

Capital possibly from the Second Temple

We moved up to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. We first visited a column found in excavations from the Nea Church with a capital that based on its unusual features and dating may well have formed part of the Second Temple structure.

The Burnt House of the Katros family, Jerusalem

We continued to the Burnt House museum, the site of a home from the Second Temple period. Of great interest is the fact that there are signs of burning and destruction dating to the time of the destruction of the Second Temple. Furthermore they have found vessels that would be appropriate for Cohanim (priestly families) and an inscription referring to the House of Katros; we know from ancient Jewish sources that Katros was indeed one of the priestly families. The site is accompanied by a video where actors attempt to reconstruct the lead up to the temple’s destruction portrayed through the lives of those in the house.

### Wohl Museum of Archaeology

The oldest mosaic in Israel in the Wohl Museum of Archaeology, Jerusalem

We then moved to the Wohl Museum of Archaeology, also known as the Herodian Quarter. This is another excavation site which has unearthed a great deal of remarkable finds; one of the oldest mosaics in Israel; a huge private home with very impressive wall frescos; a great deal of private mikvaot (ritual baths) indicating that in addition to clearly being an area for the wealthy families of Jerusalem, this may have been an area of priestly families. Of particular interest is a wall design showing a menorah. Given that it may have been commissioned by a priestly family who would have seen the menorah in the temple on a daily basis, it could well be the most accurate representation we have of the menorah; it notably differs in its base from the design on Titus’s Arch in Rome.

The museum is really well done and definitely worth a visit; it’s easy to pass by but really gives a great insight into life in the Second Temple period for the Jerusalem elites.

### Excavations by the Temple Mount walls

Mikve from the Second Temple period in the Western Wall excavations

To conclude the day we returned to the excavations by the outer walls of the temple mount to be able to enjoy them when it was slightly cooler and more shaded. We began by the western wall, walking along the original Herodian street and imagining the shops either side which would have sold animals for the temple sacrifice or other things to meet the needs of pilgrims. Looking at their ruins around us I imagined the thousands of people ascending to the temple mount on the foot festivals; tried to picture the chaos among the throngs, the noise of the animals, the shouting of the traders. We could also see the mikvaot where pilgrims would have purified themselves before ascending to the temple; the steps were divided so that the impure would descend on one side, the pure on the other, to avoid post-immersion contamination.

Herodian street from the Second Temple period

We noted where the Romans had destroyed the temple and sent huge stones crashing onto the paving slabs below, leaving indentations that were still visible today. You could also see the signs of the fire on the blackened rocks.

We moved around to the southern part of the wall. We walked up the 15 steps, each of which was probably representative of one of the 15 Psalms of Ascent; a theory exists that they would have recited the psalms as they ascended. We imagined where the gates would have been (all is now blocked up) as this was probably the main entrance to the temple mount. It really is remarkable to see how much is left of this 2000 year old structure, to think about how much of a role it has played in the prayers and thoughts of the Jewish people since, and to consider the fact that today it is so accessible. It is a great privilege.

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## Ramla and Lod

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/ramla-and-lod/
Date: 2013-06-13

The last time I was in Ramla I spent a day stacking shelves in a huge supermarket. It was part of my training in my previous job to help me understand the supply chain. It was very interesting but I did not imagine there was much more to the city. Most Israelis associate Ramla and Lod with crime. So, I had very low expectations of this field trip.

I could not have been more wrong. Ramla in particular is a little bit of a hidden gem. Situated close to Tel Aviv (and serviced by the train), it is understandably not an obvious destination for first or second time visitors to Israel given the richness of sites spread around the country. However, for those who are regular visitors and are interested in something a little different, I think it’s a great option.

### Quick facts & guide tips

LocationCentral Israel, around 20km southeast of Tel Aviv; Ramla and Lod sit side by side
FoundedRamla founded by the Umayyad Caliph Suleiman in the 8th century, as a regional capital
Key sitesKaraite Centre, White Tower, Arches Pool, Great Mosque (a converted Crusader church) in Ramla; Church of St George in Lod
Best suited toReturn visitors who have already covered Israel’s headline sites and are interested in something a little different

### Ramla

#### Karaite Centre

Karaite Synagogue in Ramla

We began our day in the Karaite Centre. Karaite Jews split off from mainstream (rabbinic) Judaism in around the 9th century. The main difference between them and rabbinic Jews is the status of the oral law. Rabbinic Jews believe that the oral law was given at Sinai together with the Torah; Karaite Jews believe it was written by rabbis and so has a lesser standing. So, for example, they will happily eat milk and meat at the same meal, but on the other hand will refuse the assistance of a gentile to turn on lights on the Sabbath. We heard a very interesting presentation about their background and visited their synagogue, adjacent to the centre.

#### Walking the old town

We then moved on to the city centre and began a walking tour of the old town. Until the mid 19th century Ramla was on the main route from Jerusalem to Jaffa and many travellers would rest here overnight. We saw many old traveller inns related to various religious institutions including the site where Napoleon Bonaparte slept one night in 1799. Unfortunately he did not take kindly to the muezzin at the nearby mosque waking him in the early hours of the morning; so much so that he took his musket and shot him dead. When Napoleon eventually left the Holy Land the local Christian communities suffered recriminations as a result.

#### Hospice of St Nicodemus and St Joseph of Arimathea

Church of St Nicodemus and St Joseph of Arimathea in Ramla

We then moved into the area of the Hospice of St Nicodemus and St Joseph of Arimathea. It is believed that St Joseph (who helped bring down Jesus from the cross and who gave him his burial cave) was from this area. The church inside the complex contains an original masterpiece by the Renaissance artist Titian – a very unusual thing to see in Israel.

#### The White Tower

The White Tower, Ramla

We continued to the original centre of the city, which was founded by the Caliph Suleiman in the 8th century, as the capital for the region. We learned about Ramla’s history; at one point it was one of the largest and most flourishing cities in the world; a huge centre of trade and commerce. Little remains of the 8th century city which was devastated by a huge earthquake, but there are remains of a 12th century tower, known as the White Tower, built by Saladin. We enjoyed an amusing tale of folklore about the inhabitants of the neighbouring city of Lod trying to steal the tower, without success.

#### Arches Pool

Arches Pool, Ramla

Next was the Arches Pool. As usual, we arrived at the site and talked about its history (in this case it was built in the 8th century). The pool is an underground reservoir that is filled by a spring underneath it. It is not dissimilar in structure to the famous Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, although it is much much smaller. The pleasant surprise came when we descended and discovered we could paddle around the pool in little boats. It was very cute and a nice break from the searing temperatures outside.

#### The Great Mosque

The Great Mosque, Ramla

We continued on to the Great Mosque (also known as the Al-Omari Mosque), in the city centre. Our guide used our visit as an opportunity to teach us various things about Islam, which we have just started studying in class. However, of more interest is that this is in fact the largest original and complete Crusader church in Israel. The reason for this is that the Sultan Baibars converted it into a mosque instead of razing it to the ground.

After marvelling at the Crusader architecture we separated for lunch (some great foodstuffs to be had in the Ramla market) and then visited the city museum which has some nice pieces that have been dug up from the Islamic period.

### Lod

With this, our time in Ramla was done, and we headed over to the adjacent city Lod. On the way we passed the British military cemetery, site of a modern day pilgrimage to the grave of a Private Harry Potter who passed away in WWII!

#### Church of St George

Sarcophagus of St George, Lod

Lod’s main attraction is the Church of St George, patron saint of many countries, among them England. I hoped that visiting the church on the day England were due to play Italy in Tel Aviv in the UEFA Euro U21 championship was a good omen. Sadly this was not the case as England crashed to a rather humiliating defeat. Still, we were able to enjoy the ambiance of the church where we visited St George’s sarcophagus in the crypt and heard the stories of his heroic feats and his martyrdom.

#### Jisr Jindas

We concluded the day at the Jisr Jindas, a fine example of a Mamluk bridge dating back to the 13th century stretching over Nachal Ayalon.

I really was pleasantly surprised by the trip, particularly by Ramla. The city council are now trying to promote tourism to the city and I hope it can take off as it will no doubt also help regenerate the area. For those who think they have seen all Israel has to offer, I’m sure Ramla will prove a pleasant surprise for you also!

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## Belvoir Fortress and Beit Shean

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/belvoir-fortress-and-beit-shean/
Date: 2013-06-09

Today we headed north to visit two significant sites just south of the Sea of Galilee; Belvoir Fortress and Beit Shean (also known as Scythopolis). This trip was a catch up; there are a certain number of trips which you need to complete to finish the course and to take the exam. I missed quite a lot when I was sick and over the next few months need (and also want!) to go through them all; fortunately the place where I am studying has several courses running in parallel in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa so it is not too complicated to join a trip with another course. Today was a bit of a treat – there is an English speaking course in Jerusalem and I was joining them. Although I enjoy the challenge of studying in Hebrew it certainly made my life a lot easier to spend the day in English!

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Jordan Valley, just south of the Sea of Galilee; Belvoir sits on a hilltop above the valley, Beit Shean on the valley floor a short drive south.
What's thereBelvoir: a complete Crusader fortress with sweeping views into Jordan. Beit Shean (Scythopolis): the Roman and Byzantine ruins of a major regional capital, including bathhouses, the cardo and a near-original theatre.
PeriodBelvoir was built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 12th century. Beit Shean was inhabited from the 5th millennium BCE; what's visible today is largely Roman and Byzantine (and earthquake-collapsed since 749 CE).
AccessBoth are Israel Nature and Parks Authority national parks with ticketed entry; sensible shoes and sun cover are essential, particularly at Beit Shean which is fully exposed.

### Belvoir Fortress

View over the Jordan Valley from Belvoir Crusader Fortress

Our first site was the old Crusader fortress of Belvoir, dating to the 12th century. It was clearly an extremely impressive fortification, commanding a fantastic view (hence its name) over the Jordan Valley to the Gilead mountains in modern day Jordan. The fortifications were necessary when Saladin attacked; in fact it took him two attempts to take the castle, and he respected the knights so much that he gave them free passage to Tyre. The fortress was only destroyed around 50 years later, and its bottom floor has survived largely intact.

Crusader pointed arches at Belvoir Fortress

It was extremely impressive to see such a complete Crusader fortress and our guide painted a very good picture of how it would have been to live in and defend it, bringing the story of the site very much to life.

### Beit Shean (Scythopolis)

Our second site of the day was the ruins of Scythopolis, or Beit Shean. We entered in the back late, ascending to the ancient tel. The earliest settlement on the site seems to have been from the 5th millennium BCE; on the top of the tel you can see some remains dating to the Egyptian conquest of the area in the 15th century BCE; this was the centre of the administration for the region and there are column bases in what would have been the governor’s house dating to this period.

View over the ruins of Beit Shean (Scythopolis)

As we came over the top of the tel, the excavations of the Byzantine city were laid out before us. It was quite simply breathtaking (the 44C heat may have also had something to do with that, but still the site really is quite awesome). The excavations cover a significant part of what was believed to be the city centre, although based on archaeological surveys they estimate that they have only unearthed around 2-3% of the Roman city of Scythopolis.

The ancient shopping street (cardo) of Beit Shean (Scythopolis)

Scythopolis was the Roman capital for the northern part of the country, known as Palestina Secunda. It was a flourishing city, although most of what is visible today is from the slightly later Byzantine period. It is possible to wander through two of its bathhouses (including enjoying one of the best preserved Byzantine toilets in the world), its main shopping street (cardo), and perhaps most impressively, its theatre, which is nearly entirely original and is still used for concerts today.

View into a theatre at Beit Shean (Scythopolis)

It is also quite remarkable to see the results of the huge earthquake that hit the area in 749. Whole facades have collapsed into the earth; huge columns have smashed into paving stones. It almost feels as if the earthquake just happened and you are wandering through its wreckage.

### Guiding in the heat

As a side note, I mentioned that it was an extremely hot day. We were suffering in the heatwave, but as we have been told before, the tour guide course goes out into the field, even through fire and water (or, as we experienced in December, hail). Our guide made the point to us that if a tourist comes to Israel for a short trip and that is the only time they have, then that is when we will need to guide them. So part of our studies is getting used to dealing with the heat, and thinking about where and how to deal with the hottest parts of the day. This course is as physically demanding as it is mentally!

All in all, a really fascinating trip, and both sites are definitely well worth a visit for anyone heading to the north.

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## The Via Dolorosa

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-via-dolorosa/
Date: 2013-06-04

Today was dedicated to the final moments in Jesus’ life as he walked along the Via Dolorosa. But before walking the famous pilgrim route we began our day at the Garden Tomb just outside the Old City walls.

### Quick facts & guide tips

LocationMuslim and Christian Quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem
Stations14, marking events between Jesus’ sentencing and his burial
TerminusThe Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where the final five stations are located
SurfaceOld paving stones, with steps and a steady incline through the souk; sensible shoes help

### The Garden Tomb

Burial Cave at The Garden Tomb, Jerusalem

The Garden Tomb was identified as a possible crucifixion and burial site for Jesus in the 19th century. There is a rocky cliff face nearby which has the appearance of a skull, which may help explain the name of the crucifixion site in the New Testament: Golgotha, which is Aramaic for ‘skull’. Further evidence supported the theory – the Gospel of St John refers to the event taking place next to a garden; it seems this site was a garden in the time of Jesus. Furthermore excavations discovered an ancient Jewish burial cave nearby.

Today the site is a beautiful and peaceful garden in stark contrast to the crowds and chaos in the Old City. Run by an independent British NGO, the site is particularly popular with Protestant pilgrims to Israel who are inspired by the setting. It is also possible to visit the ancient tomb and hold a mass if so desired.

### Church of St Anne and the Pool of Bethesda

Church of St Anne, Jerusalem

We left the Garden Tomb heading by foot into the Old City. One more stop awaited us before the Via Dolorosa began; the Church of St Anne. This site, gifted to the French for their support of the Ottomans in the Crimean War, and run by the White Fathers, is believed to be the birth place of the Virgin Mary. There is a large and very impressive Crusader church on the site which survived the conquests of Jerusalem unmolested over the years because Saladin decided to use it as a madrasa. In the crypt is the site believed to be where Mary was born.

Ruins at Bethesda, Jerusalem

Next to the church are archaeological excavations of an area that used to be a pool dating back to the First Temple period. Later water was channelled from here via a Hasmonean aqueduct to the Temple Mount. For Christians, the area is important as it has been identified as Bethesda, the location of one of Jesus’ healing miracles. There are remains of an ancient Byzantine and a later Crusader church on the site.

### Walking the Via Dolorosa

Finally, it was time to begin our walk up the Via Dolorosa, or ‘Way of Grief’. This route contains 14 stations marking various events during the final moments between Jesus’ sentencing and his burial, culminating at his tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The paving stones are well worn from centuries of pilgrimages from around the world by those keen to follow in Jesus’ final footsteps.

The first stations are opposite each other. The first is the site of the Antonia fortress, believed to be the location where Pontius Pilate sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. Above it is the famous ecce homo arch on which Pilate is said to have stood to pronounce the final judgement. The site is now a school and so is not open to visitors.

Chapel of the Flagellation, Jerusalem

Across the street is the Franciscan Convent of the Flagellation, containing the Chapel of the Flagellation, where Jesus was flogged by the Roman guards, and then the Church of the Condemnation where he was placed in kingly clothes (together with the crown of thorns) and given his cross to bear.

We continued down the street just a couple of hundred metres where, overcome with fatigue from a lack of sleep and the flogging, Jesus fell; this event is marked by a small chapel. Next to it is station 4, the Armenian Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Spasm, which marks the site where Jesus met his mother en route to his death and she was overcome with grief.

We continued to station 5, a small Franciscan chapel dedicated to Simon the Cyrene who according to Luke 23:26 assisted Jesus with the burden of his cross for part of the way. The chapel was established in 1229 and was the first Franciscan site in Jerusalem.

Further up the hill is station 6, the Greek Catholic chapel of “The Holy Face”. It is considered to be located at the site of the home of St Veronica, who wiped Jesus’ face with a silk veil. The chapel inside is not normally open but it is possible to get a sneak peek through the door.

Chapel marking one of Jesus' three falls on the Via Dolorosa

We ascended further up the steep incline to the depths of the souk in the Old City, where we found station 7. In Roman times this would have been an intersection with one of the main city streets, the Cardo Maximus. After a strenuous ascent, this station marks Jesus’ second fall with a small Franciscan chapel.

Station 8 is slightly further up the hill, and there is no chapel or church marking it. Rather, there is a plaque on the wall of a Greek Orthodox monastery marking the site where Jesus spoke to the ‘daughters of Jerusalem’ as referenced in Luke 23. Geographically it is very close to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which in Byzantine times actually came down to the Cardo street, but the later addition of the monastery prevents thoroughfare and the later church was significantly smaller.

Crosses left by pilgrims at station nine on the Via Dolorosa

We returned to the former Cardo and walked up some stairs to arrive at station 9, marking Jesus’ third fall. For pilgrims who make their way along the Via Dolorosa carrying a wooden cross, this is the site where you leave it, and there were a couple of these resting on the wall.

### The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

We continued on, passing through areas administered by the Coptic and then Ethiopian churches, arriving in the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Our guide explained to us some of the history of the site, and also the challenges of maintaining a site with shared ownership – different areas inside the church are owned by a total of 6 different Christian groups who all have to coexist. In order to assist with this, the keys to the church are actually kept by a local Moslem family who have been in charge of them for centuries; every night they lock the church and every morning they open it up again.

From the outside of the church we were able to see station 10, the Chapel of the Franks. It was not possible to enter this small chapel, adjoined to the large church, which marks the site where the Roman soldiers divided up Jesus’ clothing before he was to be nailed to the cross.

We entered the church and went up to the raised area considered to be the site of Golgotha. Station 11 is the Franciscan Chapel of the Crucifixion marking where Jesus was nailed to the cross, just next to it is station 12, the Chapel of the Calvary, administered by the Greek Orthodox, marking the site where the cross stood. Part of the bed rock is visible through a glass case and there is a small silver disc under the altar marking the exact spot where the cross is believed to have been mounted.

We descended to station 13, right opposite the entrance to the church, which is considered to be where Jesus was laid having been taken down from the cross and prepared for burial, and is known as the Stone of the Anointing. Interestingly, together with the burial cave itself, this station has joint ownership between the Roman Catholic, the Greek Orthodox and the Armenian churches. Many pilgrims kneel to kiss the stone.

On the way to station 14 we passed through other interesting parts of the church which are unconnected to the traditional Via Dolorosa. Underneath the Golgotha area is the small Chapel of Adam, said to be the burial place of Adam (the first man). It is said that when Jesus was crucified there was an earthquake, cracking the rock so that his blood dripped down onto Adam’s remains and thereby redeem him.

We then descended to an area which used to be a quarry in the First Temple period, and the Chapel of the Finding of the Cross. Here it is said that Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, who built the original church at this site, discovered three crosses. In order to ascertain which belong to Jesus, a sick woman was asked to touch each one in turn. When she touched the one on which Jesus was crucified, she was healed.

Roman Catholic mass inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

We continued around the apse of the church passing through a Catholic colonnade area, where we were lucky enough to witness a mass conducted by the deputy Patriarch of Jerusalem. Surrounded by chanting monks, dressed in habits, it was remarkably atmospheric.

We finally arrived at station 14, the aedicule marking the site of Jesus’ entombment and later resurrection. Unfortunately it was closed, so not possible to enter, but our guide told us about the ceremony of Holy Fire held each year on Orthodox Holy Saturday; the event is considered a miracle where fire descends from heaven and spreads throughout the church. It sounds pretty amazing and I wonder if one year I might be able to see it myself.

Next week: a change of course as we visit Ramle and Lod.

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## Christianity on the Mount of Olives and Mount Zion

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/christianity-on-the-mount-of-olives-and-mount-zion/
Date: 2013-05-27

Following two trips in the footsteps of the New Testament in the Galilee, it was now time to turn to the major Christian sites of Jerusalem, the majority of which are dedicated to events surrounding the final days of Jesus’ life and shortly after.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Mount of Olives and Mount Zion, on either side of Jerusalem’s Old City.
Sites coveredThe major churches and chapels marking the final days of Jesus and shortly after.
Time neededA full day; the itinerary is long and intense.
PaceWalkable between the two mountains; taxi is an easy alternative if you’d rather not walk.

### Sites on the Mount of Olives

View over the Old City of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives

Our day began on the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge east of Jerusalem’s Old City, so called because of the olive groves that used to cover its slopes. It commands wonderful views over the Old City and Temple Mount.

#### Chapel of the Ascension

At the peak of the Mount of Olives is the Chapel of the Ascension, the site from which it is believed Jesus ascended to heaven 40 days after his resurrection. Inside is a rock which many believe has an imprint of his foot left as he went up. As with many of the important Christian sites in Israel, it is built on remains of ancient chapels on the site dating to the Crusader period (1099–1291) and the Byzantine period (324–638).

Chapel of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives

Unusually however, a lot of the Crusader chapel remains in place. Under Mamluk rule some churches were destroyed, but as Jesus is also important in Islam some sites were preserved, but converted into mosques. This chapel is actually part of a mosque today and you can see the minaret standing next to it; there is also a mihrab inside (an alcove in the wall in the direction of Mecca). In fact, although Christian visitors are allowed to pray here, they cannot hold a mass except on Ascension Day, when the courtyard around the chapel becomes filled with different Christian groups taking part in the ceremony.

#### Church of the Pater Noster

We continued a short walk down the hill to the Church of the Pater Noster. The earliest church on this site was actually called Church Eleona (Church of the Olives – named after the mountain) and was one of the four monumental churches constructed by Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, in the Holy Land. The church is built above a cave considered to be the site where Jesus would teach his disciples. Inside the cave are buried many important figures including Bishops of Jerusalem.

Church of the Pater Noster (Eleona) on the Mount of Olives

In the Crusader period the church was reconstructed and renamed Pater Noster (Latin for ‘Our Father’) as the tradition developed that this was the site where Jesus taught his disciples the Lord’s Prayer (which begins with the words ‘Our Father’). On hearing this I was whisked back to my primary school memories; for four years I would hear the Lord’s Prayer every morning in school assembly.

The area was later bought by a French noblewoman in order to construct a Carmelite convent in the 19th century; in the 1920s the French government excavated the old church and began to build a modern church on the site, but with the onset of war it was never completed. Some of the modern church is on the site however, including an altar (located above the cave), and masses can be held there.

#### Church of Dominus Flevit

Our next stop was about half way down the mountain slope at the Church of Dominus Flevit. This is owned by the Franciscans and as with many of their churches in Israel was designed by Antonio Barluzzi. The name of the church means “The Lord Wept” and it marks the site where on Palm Sunday Jesus prophesised the destruction of Jerusalem and wept. Barluzzi always tries to incorporate the story into his architecture and the roof of the church gives the impression of a tear drop. Inside the altar is situated in the west of the church; this is very unusual (altars are almost always in the east) but it means that visitors can look out through the window beyond the altar over the Old City of Jerusalem, imagine Jesus’ view and see the fulfilment of his prophecy.

Church of Dominus Flevit on the Mount of Olives

The church is constructed over old Byzantine ruins but also of interest on the site is the huge Jewish necropolis from the Second Temple period – over 150 tombs making it the largest such site in the Jerusalem area. Many beautiful ossuaries were discovered within which are now in the Franciscan museum.

#### Church of Gethsemane

We proceeded to the bottom of the Mount of Olives and entered the Church of Gethsemane. The name of this area comes from the Hebrew Gat Shemanim meaning 'oil presses' – this would have been an area for the manufacture of olive oil from the surrounding groves. The church actually has in its courtyard the oldest olive trees in Israel although I’m not sure they are still bearing fruit!

Inside the Church of Gethsemane in Jerusalem

The church here marks the site where Jesus came to pray after the Last Supper, accompanied by his closest disciples. Inside, next to the altar, is a large part of bedrock where it is believed he lay while praying. The church is also designed by Barluzzi and the interior has a dark, gloomy feel in keeping with the sadness of this night time scene.

Tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem

#### Gethsemane Grotto and the Tomb of Mary

A short walk away is the Gethsemane Grotto, considered to be the site where Jesus came with all his disciples that evening before moving slightly further away with his three closest companions; later he returned here and was arrested. Next to this cave is the Church of Mary’s Tomb, a site jointly owned by the Armenian and Greek Orthodox churches which contains a cave considered the site of the Virgin Mary’s tomb. The building is largely the original Byzantine structure with some steps later added by the crusaders. On the way down the stairs you pass sites traditionally identified with the tombs of St Joachim and St Anna (Mary’s parents) and also St Joseph.

### Sites on Mount Zion

#### Dormition Abbey

Having been on foot for most of the day we now returned to our bus for a short drive over to Mount Zion, beginning at the Dormition Abbey. We talked here about the name Zion, its historical association with different areas in Jerusalem and eventually its use to refer to the whole of Israel (hence the term Zionist).

Dormition Abbey on Mount Zion

Today’s church is not on the same outline as the ancient church and is largely dedicated to the assumption of Mary’s soul to heaven. According to tradition, she did not die but rather fell into an eternal sleep at which point Jesus took up her soul; the meaning of the name of the church is ‘Church of the Sleep’. In the crypt is a statue of Mary at the site where it is believed this took place. She would have then been taken down to Gethsemane for burial, hence the site of the previous church.

#### The Last Supper Room

We moved on to the site of the Last Supper room (also known as the Cenacle or Cenaculum - Latin for dining room), marking the venue of the Last Supper and also later the Pentecost. As with many sites in Jerusalem, this has a complicated history. It existed in Byzantine times as part of the Hagia Sion church, and then later the Crusaders made it a separate building, combined with King David’s tomb. In 1333 the land was purchased by the Franciscans and it was their base in Israel – they have been here ever since but were exiled from the site by the Muslim rulers who made it a holy site for them (the mihrab is still inside the Last Supper room) because of the site of King David’s tomb.

Sculpture inside the Last Supper Room (Cenacle) in Jerusalem

As if this was not already complicated enough, the site is important also for the Jews as a result of the location of King David’s tomb, and became even more significant when after the War of Independence in 1948 this was the closest Jews could get to the Old City. Today, the site is controlled by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The tomb operates as a synagogue and the Last Supper room is largely empty; mass is not allowed at the site except on Pentecost and also on visits by the Pope.

View over Jerusalem from Mount Zion

#### Church of St Peter in Gallicantu

Our final stop was slightly down the hill out the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu, which commands impressive views eastwards of Jerusalem. This is considered the site of the home of the High Priest Caiaphas, to where Jesus was taken from Gethsemane after being betrayed by Judas, for interrogation by the Jewish leadership. Excavations at the site have revealed evidence of wealthy Jewish homes from the Second Temple period.

Church of St Peter in Gallicantu on Mount Zion

Gallicantu is Latin for ‘crow of the cockerel’ and refers to Jesus’ prophecy at the Last Supper that Peter would deny him three times before the cock crows. This is the site where this denial would have taken place. The church is very beautiful and based on three levels; each one becomes darker with a more sombre atmosphere. In the crypt is the dungeon believed to be where Jesus was interrogated and also the pit where he would have stayed the night.

Outside the church are excavations showing steps down the hill which have been dated to the Roman period of rule. The steps lead down to Gethsemane from the direction of the Last Supper room; it is therefore reasonable to consider that Jesus would have himself passed along these steps twice; once from the Last Supper down to Gethsemane to pray, as a free man; once in chains being taken from Gethsemane to the home of Caiaphas.

Steps leading down Mount Zion towards Gethsemane from the Roman period

We concluded a long and intense day (this has been a long blog!) but it really was fascinating to visit these sites and marvel at the thought put into the construction of the churches and their beauty. Next week, we travel the Via Dolorosa.

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## Christianity Around the Sea of Galilee

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/christianity-around-the-sea-of-galilee/
Date: 2013-05-18

Our journey of discovery into the world of Christianity continued with a day based around important sites along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, known as the Kinneret in Hebrew. We swapped the rolling hills of the lower Galilee for the calm and beauty of the lake shores.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereA circuit around the shores of the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret), with most sites clustered along the northern and eastern shore.
Key sitesThe 2000-year-old ‘Jesus Boat’ at Kibbutz Ginosar; the Mount of Beatitudes; the Tabgha churches of the Multiplication and the Primacy of St Peter; Capernaum with its Church of the Twelve Apostles, the Church of St Peter’s House and the synagogue ruins; the Byzantine church at Kursi; the baptismal site at Yardenit where the Jordan flows out of the lake.
Best forChristian pilgrims following the sites of Jesus’ Galilean ministry: the Sermon on the Mount, the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, the calling of Peter, the miracles at Capernaum and the baptism in the Jordan.
Good to knowA hectic day with a lot of churches; a knowledgeable guide helps tie the biblical narrative to the sites. The St Peter’s House domus ecclesia at Capernaum is one of the oldest known places of Christian worship anywhere in the world.

### Ginosar and the Jesus Boat

Jesus Boat at Ginosar / Gennesaret

Our day began at Kibbutz Ginosar and the museum named after one its most famous former inhabitants: Beit Yigal Allon. The museum is about man and nature in the Galil but of particular interest for Christian visitors is the ‘Jesus boat’. This 2000 year old boat (matching the time period of Jesus’ life) was found in 1986 covered in mud along the shores of the Kinneret. After a major restoration programme it was put on display in this museum. Although there is no evidence directly linking Jesus to the boat, given that many of his disciples were fishermen, and Jesus himself lived along the Kinneret shoreline for a time, it gives a unique insight into his way of life. There is also a short movie explaining the find and the complicated restoration process (2000 year old wood is quite delicate!).

### The Mount of Beatitudes

Church of the Beatitudes

We left the kibbutz and travelled north to the Mount of Beatitudes. This is considered the site of Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount and is so named after the blessings, or beatitudes, that are contained within the address. The site is managed by Franciscan nuns and the modern day Church of the Beatitudes is built a little up the hill from ruins of the 4th century Byzantine church marking the same event.

View over the Sea of Galilee at the Mount of Beatitudes

There are commanding views over the Sea of Galilee and the church has been built with wide windows to allow the visitor to be inspired by the beautiful scenery and to try to imagine the surroundings within which Jesus would have spoken to his audience.

### Tabgha

Church of the Multiplication at Tabgha

#### Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes

We headed down the hill to Tabgha, site of the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes. This site, managed by German Benedictine monks, commemorates Jesus feeding 5000 men (and therefore around 20 000 people, with their families taken into account) with just two fishes and five loaves of bread. We entered the church and were impressed by the beautiful Byzantine period floor mosaic commemorating the event; one of the most famous mosaics in Israel as it directly connects a miracle to a site. I reflected on when aged seven my teacher gave us fish fingers and pieces of toast in class to commemorate this miracle. Sadly, no fish fingers were available on this occasion, but we had been promised some St Peter’s Fish for lunch, so there was something to look forward to.

Church of the Primacy of St Peter at Tabgha

#### Church of the Primacy of St Peter

We continued by foot to the Church of the Primacy of St Peter. This church is really right on the edge of the Sea of Galilee and as our guide told us the story behind it we watched pilgrims washing their feet in its holy waters. We heard the story of how Jesus appeared here to Peter and the disciples, charging Peter with looking after his flock in his absence. Inside the church is a rock called Mensa Christi (the Table of Christ) which is considered the rock upon which Jesus laid out the food for his apostles. As with many other churches in the area, it is also built on the ruins of a Byzantine site, proving that this has long been considered the location of this miracle.

### Capernaum

We continued on to Kfar Nachum, or Capernaum, via a brief stop for a lunch of some St Peter’s Fish (so named as it is believed to be the species of fish that appeared with a golden coin in its mouth to Peter in the story in Matthew 17).

Church of the Twelve Apostles at Capernaum

#### Church of the Twelve Apostles

Jesus moved to Capernaum after being expelled from Nazareth, living with Peter and his family. While here he performed several miracles and gave many important sermons. Our first stop was in the Orthodox Church of the Twelve Apostles, close to the shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is a small but pretty building with an interior decorated with beautiful murals in the Byzantine style, showing various important scenes in the life of Jesus and his followers.

View into St Peter's House, Capernaum

#### Church of St Peter’s House

We then visited the part of Capernaum owned by the Franciscans. Here is the Church of St Peter’s House, a modern structure built over the remains of a Byzantine church, which itself is built on the remains of a very interesting structure. In the vicinity excavators have found many houses from the Second Temple period (i.e. the time of Jesus) and one of them with a very interesting difference from the rest. In one of the houses, one room was covered in plaster at some point between 50-100 CE and became an early place of Christian worship. Later layers of plaster contain Christian graffiti and the room was enlarged in the 4th century (once Christianity was no longer a persecuted religion). This type of site, one of Christian ritual before the establishment of church buildings, is called a domus ecclesia. There are not many of them around and this is considered the oldest one in existence. As the oldest site with evidence of Christian practice, it is very significant. And it is believed that the ritual began here because it is the site of Peter’s house.

Synagogue at Capernaum / Kfar Nachum

#### The synagogue

There are also excavations of a synagogue in Capernaum. It was clearly rather large and may even have had a second floor. Most of the site is reconstructed so it is unclear if it is similar to the original structure, but it was still impressive to see.

### Kursi

Byzantine church ruins at Kursi

From Capernaum we continued around the Sea of Galilee to Kursi. This site is quite unusual in that it is a holy Christian site owned by the Israel Parks Authority. This is because it was actually discovered very recently, when after the 1967 Six Day War meant that this area became more secure, Israel decided to build a road. When digging for its construction they discovered the ruins of a Byzantine period church, and up the hill a small chapel by a large boulder, together with a monastery. This site is considered the location of the Miracle of the Swine, when Jesus banished evil spirits into a nearby herd of pigs. We heard the story from the New Testament and enjoyed the delicacy of the ancient mosaic floor, although sadly it had undergone an iconoclasm in the Muslim period so many of the animals had been defaced. The actual site of the miracle is considered the large boulder by the small chapel.

### Yardenit

Baptism ceremony in the Jordan River at Yardenit

Our day was drawing to a close and our final stop was in the south of the Kinneret where the River Jordan flows out and south towards the Dead Sea. Here is Yardenit, a relatively new site where many Christian pilgrims come to be baptised in the holy waters of the Jordan. We were privileged to witness a ceremony by some visitors and also heard the tale of Jesus being baptised in the Jordan by John the Baptist.

It is a beautiful and calm place and a nice site at which to complete what had been rather a hectic day. Next week our Christian odyssey continues in Jerusalem, with a walk along the Via Dolorosa.

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## Christianity in the Galilee

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/christianity-in-the-galilee/
Date: 2013-05-14

Today’s trip came with a fair amount of nostalgia. A large proportion of the many tourists who visit Israel every year are Christian pilgrims, so a significant chunk of our studies are dedicated to learning about Christianity and Christian sites in order to be able to help them to make the most of their visit. I went to a Church of England primary school for seven years and as a result am relatively familiar with many of the key moments in the life of Jesus, so it was quite fascinating to begin to visit the locations attributed to these events in the Bible and remember the stories from when I was a child.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe lower Galilee, taking in Mt Tabor, Kfar Kana and Nazareth.
Key sitesThe Franciscan Church of the Transfiguration on Mt Tabor; the Catholic and Orthodox churches of the Wedding at Kfar Kana; the Basilica of the Annunciation, the Church of St Joseph, the Church of the Synagogue and the Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth; the viewpoint at Mount Precipice over Nazareth and the Jezreel Valley.
Best forChristian pilgrims and anyone interested in the New Testament narrative of Jesus’ life in the Galilee: the Transfiguration, the first miracle at the wedding in Kana, the Annunciation and the events of Jesus’ home town.
Good to knowA full day. Each church has its own history of building and rebuilding, often layered over Crusader and Byzantine remains; an architecturally minded guide adds a lot. Many of Israel’s major Christian churches were designed by Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi, who tried to weave the commemorated event into each design.

### Mt Tabor and the Church of the Transfiguration

View from Mount Tabor

Our first stop was at Mt Tabor and the Franciscan Church of the Transfiguration on its peak. It was the first of what was to be several churches and with each one our guide used the same structure. First, we would learn about the event the church commemorated and would hear the story from the Bible. Second, she would tell us about the reasons for identifying the event with the location. Third, we would learn about the history of the building on the site and its architecture. This structure helped us organise the large amount of information we received throughout the day.

Church of the Transfiguration, Mt Tabor

The Transfiguration was a significant event when before three of his disciples Jesus begins to shine brightly with a heavenly light and he speaks with Moses & Elijah. The impressive church was constructed in the 1920s under the design of Antonio Barluzzi, an Italian architect who designed many of the churches in Israel. Our guide explained to us how he always tried to incorporate the event commemorated at the site into his design, together with any archaeological remains - in this case historical churches on the site from the Crusader period and as far back as the Byzantine period in the 4th century. We entered the church and enjoyed the atmosphere. Near the altar it was possible to look through a glass window in the floor down to the bed rock upon which the miracle would have taken place.

### Kfar Kana and the wedding miracle

Catholic Church of the Wedding, Kana

We travelled north to Kfar Kana, identified with the site of Kana in the Galil as referred to in the Bible. Here is the place of Jesus’ first miracle, narrated in the Gospel of John, where he turns water into wine at a wedding feast. We visited both the Catholic and Orthodox churches at the site which both contain ancient stone water pots and both claim to be on the site of the wedding. Underneath the Catholic church archaeologists found remains of a synagogue; it makes sense that this would have been the location of a wedding in the town. However the churches are close to each other and it is also entirely feasible that the festivities would have spread over a large area, so it is plausible that both could be on the site of the wedding.

Orthodox Church of the Wedding, Kana

Also in Kana we passed the Church of St Bartholomew, locked all year except on his saint day, as according to the Bible he came from the town of Kana. In Kana and throughout the rest of the day we witnessed many groups of pilgrims – we were travelling shortly after Orthodox Easter and also Catholics consider May a holy month for Mary, Jesus’ mother. It was quite fascinating to see all the groups, to hear the variety of languages from Russian, Polish and Czech to Spanish, Italian, Tigri and of course English.

### Nazareth and its churches

#### Basilica of the Annunciation

Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth

We continued south west to Nazareth. In the time of Jesus, Kana was the large city of which Nazareth was a small satellite village. Now, because of the fact that Nazareth has become a holy site, it is Kana which is part of the Nazareth municipality. Our first site was the colossal Basilica of the Annunciation, one of the most important churches in the world. This church marks the site of the Annunciation – when the angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her that she would give birth to the son of God.

Mary's home: inside the crypt at the Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth

The church is modern, having been constructed in 1969, but like most of the churches in the area is built over ruins from a crusader and Byzantine church. In fact, there is even evidence of pre-church Christian ritual in excavations in the crypt. The crypt contains the cave which is considered the home of Mary and has been dated as a dwelling cave to the right time period. It is a quiet, dark and sombre space; after visiting we went up the stairs to the main basilica where we witnessed part of a mass for a visiting group of pilgrims.

#### Church of St Joseph

Home of the Holy Family: Church of St Joseph, Nazareth

Close by, in the same complex, is the significantly smaller Church of St Joseph which was constructed over another cave, considered to be the home of the Holy Family on their return to Nazareth and the location of Joseph’s carpentry shop. Here you cannot really see directly into the cave but on descending into the crypt you can see glimpses of it through some bars.

#### Church of the Synagogue

Church of the Synagogue, Nazareth

We walked into the narrow alleys of the market to our next stop, the confusingly named Church of the Synagogue. This Orthodox church is located on the site traditionally associated with the synagogue of Nazareth. Here, according to the story in Luke 4, Jesus read a prophecy from Isaiah and announced to the congregation that he was here to fulfil it. Unfortunately they were not ready to receive this news and reacted rather badly, expelling Jesus from the town, even about to throw him off a cliff, although fortunately they did not follow this through.

#### Orthodox Church of the Annunciation

Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Nazareth

Our final brief stop in Nazareth was at the Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. The church is located over the Nazareth spring (known as Mary’s spring) and is based on a story from the Gospel of James, part of the Christian apocrypha. Here we learn that the Annunciation actually happened in two stages: first the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary while she was drawing water at the spring, but she was frightened and ran back home, where he appeared to her again and delivered the full prophecy. In the crypt of the church it is possible to look down on the spring (the only spring in the city, so it is also the spring from which the Holy Family would have drawn their water) and it is also possible to touch the holy water through a pipe system.

### Mount Precipice

View over Nazareth from Mount Precipice

We then left Nazareth for our last stop of the day at Mount Precipice. This cliff, located just outside the city, is considered the site to which Jesus was expelled following his problematic announcement in the synagogue which I mentioned earlier, and indeed there is a sheer cliff face from which he may have been thrown. The site commands outstanding views of both the Jezreel Valley and Nazareth; it was with these stunning vistas that we wrapped up the day.

View over the Jezreel Valley from Mount Precipice

I’m pleased to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my first Christianity field trip. I felt that I learned a lot about an important world religion (33% of the globe identify as Christians) and it was moving to see the pilgrims many of whom were really quite overcome with being in the holy sites. Regardless of belief, there is something rather exciting about being in a site identified with a historical event (in this case as told in the Gospels) and reading the story in situ. I’m looking forward to the rest of our Christianity excursions!

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## Benjamin and Samaria

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/benjamin-and-samaria/
Date: 2013-05-06

Our trips to the West Bank are always particularly interesting. It is an area that is really right next to where I live (about 10 miles) but I hardly ever go there. For my previous job I would occasionally go to Ramallah or Nablus; I will sometimes cut through its edge to get to Jerusalem or the Dead Sea, but given the widely reported tension in the area, it is not a place which I would visit on my own initiative.

This is a great shame as the scenery is stunning and there are numerous sites of huge archaeological and historical importance; the West Bank is ironically the area first inhabited by the Israelites in the Bible and so much of the biblical narrative takes place there. For our guides and coordinator, this seems to override the political situation. It seems almost that it is irrelevant where the sites are located – they could be under Israeli control, Palestinian control, Jordanian control – what matters is the excavations themselves. I could almost imagine them wandering into Syria (if they could) despite the current troubles, even oblivious to them, in the pursuit of antiquity. It is as if archaeology is such a pure calling that it renders you invincible.

Having said that, they do remain sensitive to the political situation, but in order not to appear politicised they refrain largely from discussing it, merely pointing out the different Jewish and Arab towns as we go past and telling us a little about their history. Starting to get into politics would no doubt cause a riot in the class as there are a broad spectrum of views in the group and plenty of people not afraid to express them. So for the sake of peace we focus as much as we can on historical and geographical facts.

The day before our trip there was a terrorist incident at Tapuach junction, an important interchange in the West Bank near Nablus/Shechem which we knew we would have to cross three times the next day. We wondered if the trip might be cancelled on security grounds. Our coordinator reassured us that lightning was unlikely to strike the same place twice in 24 hours. Our fingers were firmly crossed!

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe biblical heartland of Benjamin and Samaria, in the West Bank north of Jerusalem and around Nablus/Shechem.
Key sitesThe archaeological site of Shiloh (religious capital of the Israelites for around 300 years and home to the mishkan); the viewpoint at Mt Kabir over Nachal Tirtza (Wadi Farah); Mt Gerizim, the holy mountain of the Samaritans, with its temple ruins and Byzantine church.
PeriodFrom the Israelite settlement period and the era of the mishkan (tabernacle), through the Hellenist and Byzantine periods, to the present-day Samaritan community.
Good to knowThis is a politically sensitive area with security considerations that can change quickly; check the situation before travelling. The scenery is stunning and the biblical archaeology is remarkable, but it’s a region best visited with a guide who knows the route.

### Shiloh and the tabernacle

View from Shiloh

Our day began at the archaeological site at Shiloh. It is actually one of a very small number of biblical locations of whose identification we are certain – an inscription was found on a mosaic in a Byzantine church at the site referring to this being the place of the community of Shiloh.

Shiloh was a very important city in ancient times; it was the religious capital of the Israelites for around 300 years from shortly after they entered the land. It housed the mishkan or tabernacle which was the non-permanent structure that pre-dated the Temple. It was also the birthplace of my namesake, the prophet Samuel, according to the biblical narrative. Having studied some of the Book of Samuel as a set text at university, it was quite exciting to be in the place where these stories unfolded, to imagine them in their setting.

There have been various finds of note at Shiloh. At the bottom of the Tel (an archaeological mound) are the remains of three Byzantine churches, one of which contains the inscription mentioned above. Going further up the hill are many more remains including a wall going back to the 16th century BCE (it seems there was a Canaanite settlement here before the Israelites arrived). Various clay jars were found containing what appear to be remnants from sacrifices and in fact remains of raisins from over 3000 years ago. These jars are now in the Israel Museum.

Model of the altar of the mishkan (tabernacle) at Shiloh

No evidence has been found of the mishkan, which is not surprising given that it was not a permanent structure. However we did visit the site where it is believed to have been situated – a wide flat space fitting the measurements described in the Bible.

Unfortunately we arrived at the site a little too early, next month they plan to open a brand new visitor centre with a very impressive audio visual presentation (we saw the trailer). From the site you can see modern day Shiloh further up the hill and its synagogue built in the style of the mishkan (at least based on the biblical description – we don’t really know what it would have looked like exactly). As we looked out on the beautiful scenery everything felt so quiet and peaceful, it was strange to think that in fact there is a lot of tension in the area.

### Mt Kabir and Nachal Tirtza

We drove north to our next stop: Mt Kabir. On the way we looked out into the fields where we could see farmers harvesting the wheat crop. I reflected on the fact that we are in the lead up to Shavuot (Pentecost), which was considered the festival of the wheat harvest (two loaves of bread would be offered as sacrifice in the Temple). Having grown up in England where the Jewish festivals do not really match the seasonal calendar, there is something special in seeing that here in Israel they do actually make sense.

Sheikh Bilal at Mt Kabir

We reached the peak of Mt Kabir and looked out below into Nachal Tirtza (also known as Wadi Farah). Sadly, it was largely covered in fog; a great pity as it was clearly a potentially spectacular viewpoint. We heard about the theory that this valley was the entry route for the Israelites into the area after the Exodus, and the archaeological evidence supporting the view. Although many still hold that they entered further south crossing the Jordan near Jericho. We gazed out on Mt Ebal which is in the Palestinian Authority control, so we can’t visit it, but contains archaeological remains of what was almost certainly a resting point of the mishkan (prior to Shiloh). At the peak of the mountain is Sheikh Bilal, considered the resting place of Mohammed's companion.

### Mt Gerizim and the Samaritans

Our final stop was at Mt Gerizim, the holy site for the Samaritans. We used the visit to the site to learn about the Samaritan religion, one of the smallest in the world (there are around 2000 worldwide). Mt Gerizim is their holy site and is believed to be the site of their temple which was around at the same time as the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. They only follow the first five books of the Bible and consider themselves the true adherents of Jewish tradition.

Everlasting Hill at Mt Gerizim

The site was vast and fascinating although most of the excavations are off limits to visitors – the slopes are steep and the Parks Authority is concerned about people falling. It is also still in use as a holy site by the community, a few hundred of whom live nearby after moving up the mountain from Nablus after the first Intifada. Among the holy sites there is the location of the Binding of Isaac and also the Everlasting Hill, considered to be the foundation stone of the world.

Byzantine church at Mt Gerizim

We continued through the ruins, most of which come from a very large settlement in the Hellenist period, probably Samaritans escaping the conquering Alexander the Great to live near their holy site. We arrived at the site identified as being the location of the temple, and wandered around the ruins of the impressive Byzantine period church which is now on the site. It seems that because of the frequent Samaritan rebellions against Christian Roman rule, their temple was razed and a church built in its stead.

View over Nablus/Shechem from Mt Gerizim

We headed away from the site back into the town whence we enjoyed a viewpoint over Nablus/Shechem, which was slightly better than at Mt Kabir as the mist had cleared a little. Our guide pointed out the location of ancient Shechem, which is one of the oldest settlements in the area because of its strategic position at the mouth of three fertile valleys and next to one of the main ancient roads known as the Way of the Patriarchs (as it is the route Abraham would have travelled from Dan down to Beer Sheva). He then pointed out Joseph’s Tomb which is also in the heart of the city and the location of the famous Casbah (where I had some wonderful knafeh when on a work visit a year ago!).

Sadly it was not feasible to pop into Nablus for some knafeh on this occasion so it was time to draw things to a close and return to Tel Aviv. Until next time!

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## Jerusalem: First Temple and Second Temple Periods

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/jerusalem-first-temple-and-second-temple-periods/
Date: 2013-04-29

We have a whole day dedicated to Jerusalem in the First Temple period, and a whole day dedicated to Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period, but it’s still not enough time to cover the vast amount of material, so this week’s trip was about filling in some of the gaps.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereA loop through Jerusalem stitching together lesser-known First and Second Temple sites, from Binyanei Hauma in the west to the valleys south and east of the Old City.
Key sitesThe Roman 10th Legion kiln under Binyanei Hauma (the Jerusalem ICC); David’s Tomb on Mount Zion; the Western Wall Tunnels and the Eastern Cardo excavations; the Second Temple mausolea of Nachal Kidron; the First Temple tombs at Ketef Hinnom behind the Menachem Begin Center; the Gei Ben Hinnom valley.
PeriodFirst and Second Temple periods (with a brief 1948 War detour at the Hinnom valley cable car).
Good to knowSeveral stops here are tucked inside or behind venues you’d never associate with archaeology (a convention centre, a heritage centre). They reward a guided visit; on your own you’d walk straight past them.

### Binyanei Hauma and the Roman 10th Legion

Roman kiln at the Jerusalem ICC

We began in Binyanei Hauma, also known as Jerusalem International Convention Center. This venue more normally hosts concerts and conferences than tour groups; I was somewhat surprised then when we entered and stopped in front of a display case showing artefacts from the Roman period, which I had never noticed previously. It turns out there was a big camp here for the 10th Legion of the Roman Army, we then headed downstairs and saw the remains of a kiln; it seems that it was quite a big centre for the manufacture of clay pots, roof tiles, bricks etc, all with the 10th Legion’s imprint. There was even an imprint of a sandal in one of the cases, a reminder of a sloppy soldier around 2000 years ago. I will be back in the Convention Center next month for the President’s Conference and will look forward to sharing my knowledge with the other delegates!

### David’s Tomb on Mount Zion

King David's Tomb

We continued to David’s Tomb on Mount Zion. Here we discussed the history of the site and why it is considered to be the location of the tomb of King David (and also why some argue it is elsewhere). The site also houses the room which is considered to be the location of the Last Supper, but we shall return to visit that on our trip to Christian Jerusalem later in the course.

### Through the Western Wall tunnels

We moved on by foot into the Old City to the Western Wall Tunnels. The famous image of the Western Wall that is exposed above ground is actually only a small section of the wall’s full length and height. Through the tunnels it is possible to walk much further along the wall, to get a greater idea of the grandeur of the building that was – the Western Wall of today is only an outer foundation wall for the podium on which the temple was built.

Inside the Western Wall Tunnels

It was an incredible feat of engineering exemplified by the quite frankly massive stones that were involved in its construction. The largest that has been found is 14m long and the experts at the Technion have calculated its weight at 570 tonnes. And it is about half way up the wall, so they would have had to have lifted it there. There was a short and very illuminating film illustrating how they would have put these stones into place.

The Western Wall (the Kotel)

We continued down the tunnels, past the closest point to the Holy of Holies, walking along an original 2nd Temple period street and into a Hasmonean period water channel, before exiting into the Muslim Quarter. We returned to the Western Wall, known as the Kotel, where our guide told us about some of the legends associated with it explaining why it was not entirely destroyed like the rest of the temple.

### An advance preview of the Eastern Cardo

Excavations in the Western Wall Plaza

Afterwards, a small treat. Facing the Kotel are some archaeological excavations which are complete and ready for the public but for some reason not yet open to them. But somehow our guide had obtained a key and we went down to see what was the Eastern Cardo (a shopping street) in the 2nd Temple period and also the remains of a First Temple home. It was nice to get this advance preview (although the excavations are visible from above, you can see more up close).

### The mausolea of Nachal Kidron

Mausoleum in Nachal Kidron (Valley of the King)

We then exited the Old City and walked down into Nachal Kidron, also known as the King’s Valley. Here are three ancient and imposing mausolea, two of which are often attributed to Avshalom (King David’s son) and Zechariah respectively, but in fact they are from the Second Temple period, i.e. a very long time after these personages would have lived. The architecture is interesting due to the unusual mishmash of Doric and Ionic columns together in the same structure; you can tell we’ve been learning about classical architecture in class!

### Ketef Hinnom and the Menachem Begin Center

Our next stop was at the Menachem Begin Center, located on Ketef Hinnom. I was wondering what Menachem Begin had to do with the ancient temples as we breezed through the centre, exiting out of the back, going up some stairs, and being confronted with a First Temple period burial site. As with the morning, it was fascinating to find this juxtaposition of ancient and modern at a venue which I had visited several times previously for various events, completely unaware of what lay just a few metres away.

First Temple period tomb at Ketef Hinnom

It was interesting to look at the excavated tombs and learn about the burial methods; even more fascinating was to learn that in one of the tombs excavators had unearthed some tiny rolls of silver. Written on them was the priestly blessing of the Cohanim, the oldest existing example of biblical text found outside the bible. The scrolls are now in the Israel Museum.

### Down through Gei Ben Hinnom

We exited the Begin Center and walked down the nearby valley, referred to as Gei Ben Hinnom. Here we heard about the Judaean King Achaz’s worship of the god Moloch; part of the ritual involved sacrifice of first born baby sons and would have happened in this valley. Somewhat unsavoury stuff.

View into Gei Ben Hinnom

We then branched off a bit from the ancient period, looking at the cable going from across our heads over to Mount Zion opposite us. In the 1948 war this was a secret way of getting supplies over to troops isolated in the mountain – a replica cable car was above our heads. As we wandered down further into the valley more surprises were in store – a Karaite cemetery where we paused to briefly learn about this religious group who only keep the laws of the first five books of the Bible without the later exegesis. We enjoyed the view down the valley leading to Nachal Kidron (whence we had come) and returned to our bus for the return home.

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## Nabatean Cities in the Negev

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/nabatean-cities-in-the-negev/
Date: 2013-04-21

Today’s trip was dedicated to the Nabateans, an ancient people of the Middle East. We don’t know a huge amount about them as they did not record their own history (or if they did, we have not found it), so their story is told through their encounters with others and archaeological evidence.

They were however clearly a very impressive people who built a massive trading network from modern day Yemen to the port in Gaza, navigating the desert wilderness and building ingenious cisterns that would collect the limited rainwater from the area and prevent it from evaporating so that they could be relied upon by the camel trains. Their capital was in Petra, now in Jordan (and famously featuring in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) whence they would set out across the Negev desert to the Gaza port and their spices and later wines would ship across the western world (their wine jugs were even found in the UK).

They originally constructed small waystations in the Negev but eventually these grew into larger settlements. As the Nabatean community in the Negev grew, new towns were constructed in the wilderness. The remains we have are from these larger, later settlements, dating from the Byzantine or late Roman period and have been designated a world heritage site by UNESCO.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Negev: Mamshit sits a few kilometres east of Dimona; Avdat is further south, on the road between Beer Sheva and Mitzpe Ramon, just south of Kibbutz Sde Boker.
What's thereMamshit: a compact city with Nabatean residential and military architecture, Roman-era frescoes, and two Byzantine churches. Avdat: a hilltop city named after the Nabatean king Oboda, with watchtower, ancient wine press, churches and a visitor centre showcasing the spice and incense trade.
PeriodFounded by the Nabateans (around the 1st century CE for Mamshit; earlier for Avdat) and developed through the Roman and Byzantine periods; both part of the UNESCO Incense Route inscription.
AccessBoth are Israel Nature and Parks Authority national parks with ticketed entry. Desert sites with limited shade; sun cover and water essential.

### Mamshit

View over Mamshit

Our trip was based around two of these settlements, Mamshit and Avdat. We began with the former, situated not far from the town of Dimona. Mamshit was in fact a later settlement (from around the 1st century), in Greek called Mamphis; indeed the epicentre of American rock and roll was named after Mamshit, although having been there a year or so ago I can testify that the surroundings of Tennessee are quite different!  As we wandered the ruins our guide taught us about the Nabatean culture, how to identify their architecture and to marvel at the way they managed to live in the desert. We also learned about their assimilation into Roman culture and indeed it seems that Roman soldiers were garrisoned in this city as evidenced by the baths complex and the large stash of coins that were unearthed; probably present to pay the soldiers. We noted an ancient fresco of the story of Cupid and Psyche as further evidence of the absorption into Roman culture; indeed our guide argued that these later Nabateans should be called ‘Descendants of Nabateans’ in order to maintain a distinction between those who maintained the original way of life and those who did not.

Mamshit: 'Nilus' Church

We also marvelled at two ancient churches in the complex, both with beautiful mosaic floors. These Nabatean communities adopted Christianity when it became widespread in the Roman Empire, and the baptisterium which they would have used in their proselytising of the surrounding nomads.

### Avdat

View from Avdat - note the greenery to the left coming from revival of ancient irrigation techniques

We headed further south to the jewel in the crown of the Nabatean cities in Israel, Avdat (also known as Ovdat). Named after its founder Oboda, this large city sits atop a hill a little south of Kibbutz Sde Boker. Its inhabitants were early proponents of Ben Gurion’s dream to make the desert bloom; we witnessed the remains of their networks of small channels and aqueducts to make the most of the 80mm of rain a year and to irrigate their terrace farms. In the 50s a small group returned to the area and restored these ancient structures, proving they worked, you can see the small patch of green in the middle of the desert.

At the base of the hill is a visitors centre with a good explanatory film and samples of all the spices and incense that the Nabateans used to transport. Ever wanted to smell myrrh? Now’s your chance!

Avdat: Church of St Theodore

We explored the complex, including a burial cave only for women (possibly priests in a temple to Aphrodite) a former camp site for Roman soldiers, a watch tower and more magnificent early churches. In one, marble inscriptions on the floor marked the final resting places for those who had served the church 1500 years ago. The site is a place of pilgrimage for Christians of today and we witnessed a group of French Catholics performing a mass inside one of the ancient church structures. It was quite moving.

Once Christianity became widespread in the Roman Empire the Land of Israel grew in importance as the birthplace of the religion – there was a great desire for wine from the Holy Land for religious ceremonies. We saw the remains of an ancient wine press and learned how it would function, also visiting wine cellars at the base of the hill.

Sadly our trip was cut short due to our driver (probably the most important person on the trip) suffering from awful toothache and we missed out on the bathhouse and nearby vast and impressive cistern, but it’s good to save something for the return visit!

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## South Mount Hebron

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/south-mount-hebron/
Date: 2013-04-16

It’s good to be back! Sadly I had an extended enforced absence due to a bout of glandular fever (that’s mono for any American readers) which kept me away from both work and studies for about 6 weeks. Thankfully things are now returning to normal and it was a great feeling to be back on the bus again with my coursemates even if it was 6.30 in the morning!

And what a return. This was one of the trips I had been really looking forward to since I signed up for the course. Hebron is one of the most ancient continually inhabited towns in the area, one of the four holy cities of the Land of Israel and site of the Cave of Machpela (also called the Cave of the Patriarchs), a place holy for Jews, Muslims and Christians as the final resting place of Abraham & Sarah; Isaac and Rebecca; Jacob and Leah. In more recent times, Hebron is sadly also a place of tension between Jews and Arabs. The reasons are too complex to go into in this blog and I’m wary of getting too much into the area of politics. Our guide did a good job of sharing viewpoints of all the involved parties without pushing any particular agenda, but this was over the course of a whole day; I think it would take me several blogs to come close to doing it justice!

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe southern end of the Hebron hills, running from the city of Hebron itself down through the South Hebron Hills towards the Yatir Forest and the edge of the Negev.
Key sitesThe Cave of Machpela and Tel Rumeida in Hebron; the Byzantine-era synagogues at Susya and Anim; the Yatir Forest; the viewpoint at Avigail looking out over the desert frontier.
PeriodSpans the biblical period (Tel Rumeida, the Patriarchs at Machpela), the Byzantine era (the Susya and Anim synagogues) and the present-day political reality of the West Bank.
Good to knowThis is a politically sensitive area; a knowledgeable guide who can present multiple viewpoints makes a real difference. Hebron in particular is a complex city to visit and best approached with someone who knows the access arrangements.

### The Cave of Machpela

Machpela Cave (Cave of the Patriarchs)

Modern day politics aside, it was exciting to visit the Machpela Cave for the first time; the second holiest site in Judaism, a place I had heard so much about but had never been due to nervousness about the tensions in the area. In fact, the building one enters is over the caves themselves, a later construction almost certainly by Herod. It is very grand from the outside but one feels that the later changes by Byzantine and Mamluk rulers have somewhat detracted from its interior.

Once it was possible to descend close to or even into the caves themselves but the Muslim authorities who are in charge of the complex do not let anyone do so and have not let anyone do so for hundreds of years (indeed until 1967 Jews were not allowed inside at all for around 600 years). Despite this, there was someone who did make his way into the underground tunnels in 1981. Our guide related this Indiana Jones-esque story to our amazement and showed us photos from inside; imagine our excitement when he then spotted the perpetrator wandering past; we then had the pleasure of hearing this incredible tale from the man himself.

Sadly another sign of the tensions is that Jews and Muslims are separated inside the complex with each group getting the whole thing to themselves for 10 days a year each. Christians are allowed in both sides. This meant that we did not get to see the sepulchres marking the resting places of Isaac and Rebecca; it also meant that it was impossible to escape from the fact that this was a complicated place and I felt it was a great shame that for most of the year neither Muslims nor Jews are able to visit the whole site because of the previous actions of extremists.

### Tel Rumeida and the biblical city of Hebron

Ancient ruins at Tel Rumeida

We left the cave and went up to Tel Rumeida, the site of the biblical city of Hebron. We explored some ancient remains and then went to a viewpoint over the city whence our guide explained to us the historical importance of Hebron as a local economic centre; its strong local culture and the realities of life there post-Israeli control in 1967 and since the city’s partition as per the Oslo peace process.

View over Hebron from Tel Rumeida

### South along the desert frontier

We left Hebron and headed south, still within the range of mountains known as Mt Hebron. Today’s theme was the desert frontier and to see how ancient communities coped and adapted to the trickier agricultural and security conditions associated with being so close to desert both in the east (the Judean desert) and in the south (the Negev).

### Susya

Byzantine era synagogue at Susya

Our next stop was Susya, the remains of a large Byzantine era Jewish settlement. It is something of an anomaly; no one can identify a Byzantine era town or city that would fit with this location and size. Susya is the Arabic name of the area, and that is what is used for now. There is a large synagogue with a beautiful mosaic floor together with various other excavated ruins and a somewhat dated but nonetheless interesting film imagining life here.

Byzantine era synagogue at Susya

However, on the way to the archaeological park we passed tents of people who had historically lived in the area, and indeed some were moved out of the area that is now the site. They are in constant tension with the Jewish inhabitants of modern day Susya which is in the hill facing them. While our previous trips in the West Bank had been around the edge and had pretty much avoided these tensions, here it was right in our face to see.

### Anim and the Yatir Forest

Byzantine era synagogue at Anim

We travelled further south and just out of the West Bank to another ruined synagogue, this time at Anim, in the Yatir Forest. We used this and also Susya to learn more about the lifestyle on the desert frontier and here specifically about the rich agricultural pickings in the area; near Anim were many vineyards for manufacture of wine and also grape sugar, also in the Byzantine period.

### Avigail and the road home

View over the Hebron hills from Avigail

We returned whence we came, stopping off on the way in Avigail, an illegal settlement outpost consisting of a few caravans containing about twenty families. Our guide explained how it was possible for this place to exist, and why they had so far been allowed to stay despite the fact that it was illegal under Israeli law. We tried to temporarily forget about this to enjoy the view out over the desert frontier landscape and heard the story of Abigail and David, which would have taken place in this area (hence the settlement’s name). With this, it was time to return home.

This trip was particularly interesting as it was areas that I had never seen before and, barring a tourist’s request, I think it is unlikely I will come back in the near future. On the one hand it was fascinating to see and learn about Hebron in person; to see the ancient ruins and landscape of the area. On the other hand the political situation was unavoidable and pulled me alternatively from right to left on the political spectrum. I ended the day thoroughly confused, which I actually think is appropriate – the situation in the West Bank really is confusing; absolutist and clear cut solutions to the tensions there are not readily available. Nonetheless, I still hope that peace will come to us soon.

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## Jerusalem in the First Temple Period

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/jerusalem-in-the-first-temple-period/
Date: 2013-02-12

“If I forget thee, o Jerusalem...”

So reads the famous psalm, but you might think that we had forgotten Jerusalem, given that here we were over three months into the course and yet to visit the country’s capital; holy city for three of the world’s largest religions; a place which apparently 3.5 billion people (I imagine the figure has been extrapolated from a statistically appropriate sample) would like to visit at least once in their lifetime.

Finally, however, the day was here, and it was with a certain amount of excitement that we ascended route 1 into the Judean mountains and entered the city limits. This is a city with so much historical and religious significance that I think around 13 of our 80 field trips will be spent here. It is certainly a place which we will have to become very familiar with in our future lives as tour guides. And here it all begins.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereJerusalem: the City of David slope south of the Temple Mount, the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, and the Haas Promenade viewpoint in East Talpiot
Key sitesHaas Promenade, City of David (Ir David) with its water tunnels, Hezekiah's Broad Wall, the Israelite Tower, the Ariel Centre
PeriodFirst Temple period: Israelite Jerusalem from the City of David through Hezekiah's expansion to the Babylonian destruction
Best forA complex full day focused on a single period; the Ariel Centre's film and model are a good closing summary once you've walked the sites in the flesh

### Looking out from the Haas Promenade

View north over Jerusalem from the Haas Promenade
This excitement was supplemented by a certain amount of nostalgia as we began the day looking over the city from the Haas Promenade viewpoint in East Talpiot. Many years ago, I spent four months living next to this promenade in a place called Kiriat Moriah (I was excited to note that our guide even pointed it out!) while a participant on the Jewish Agency’s leadership training programme for youth leaders from the Diaspora. I have many fond memories of philosophical conversations shared on this promenade while gazing over the tranquil landscape of Jerusalem. Indeed, from this vantage point, the city is extremely calm, belying the many religious, political and economic tensions that are ever-present here.

With our guide’s assistance we surveyed the view before us and identified key points of interest; some we would visit today, many we would visit in the future.

### Into the City of David

View from the top of the City of David over south and east Jerusalem
From the promenade we journeyed to the limits of the Old City and circled the walls before descending into the City of David. This site (Ir David, in Hebrew) showcases the archaeological remains of the city of Jerusalem at the time of the First Temple, which mostly was outside what are now the Old City walls. The ruins are on a slope running down from the Temple Mount which was the ritual and probably also governmental centre.

Our guide had assured us that this would be the most complex field trip of the course and he fulfilled his promise by taking us through the historiography of the many archaeological digs on the site; with each new dig more was uncovered, shattering previous theories and establishing new ones.

After a short break with a rather cheesy but cute and certainly informative 3D film about the site we continued down past various sites of significance (and their historiography). We noted signs of the Babylonian destruction and heard the story of the discovery of around 50 bullae in one of the digs. These bullae are clay seals for documents; two of them contained names of senior officials mentioned in the book of Jeremiah. It was one of the most significant finds in the whole of the country; corroborating some of the biblical narrative.

Inside the water tunnels in the City of David
We continued into a tunnel in the rock leading to an ancient reservoir watched over by a large guard tower. The current thinking is that these structures are from the pre-Judean rule over Jerusalem and were used to channel water from a nearby spring closer to the city where it could be protected and used for its inhabitants. We wandered through a further tunnel which was probably used to take the water to irrigate crops before heading out of the site. As this field trip was focused only on the First Temple period, we left some of the site for a return visit.

### Hezekiah’s Broad Wall and the Israelite Tower

"The Broad Wall": remains of Hezekiah's 7 metre wide northern defensive wall in Jerusalem
After a lunch stop in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City we continued our exploration of the First Temple period, stopping to see part of the large 7 metre wide 'broad wall' that was built (according to the Bible, by the King Hezekiah) to fortify the city against eastern imperial advances. It was at this time that the city walls expanded to include areas which are now the Jewish and Armenian quarters; prior to this archaeologists believe this area was inhabited by refugees from the northern Kingdom of Israel which had been laid waste by the Assyrians and indeed one can see remains of buildings which lie outside the wall.

Remains of the gate tower from Hezekiah's wall around Jerusalem
We continued, entering a building which contains in its basement the unearthed remains of a gate tower from this northern wall; this was the city’s most vulnerable point and indeed it seems that it may have been where the Babylonians made their eventual breach as Babylonian arrow heads were found in the excavations.

### The Ariel Centre

Model of Jerusalem in First Temple times at the Ariel Centre
From this Israelite gate tower we popped across the street to the Ariel Centre which has a few small exhibits related to the First Temple period together with an engaging film giving an overall summary and a model envisaging what the city looked like in this early time. The visit to the centre takes about an hour, is guided by its in house team and I think provides a very good overview of the period, for those interested.

With the First Temple era now witnessed in the flesh (or rather, the stone), and delightfully summarised, we returned home, with many more visits to Jerusalem to look forward to in the future.

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## The Biblical Judean Lowlands (Shfela)

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-biblical-judean-lowlands-shfela/
Date: 2013-01-29

After exploring the biblical Negev region on our previous field trip, this week we were staying in the biblical period but moving our focus to the area of the Judean Lowlands (the Shfela, in Hebrew). This is an area of hills and valleys that runs roughly from Mt Hebron westwards until meeting the flat coastal plain. Its main city is Beit Shemesh. In biblical times it was a border area between the tribe of Judah and the Philistines, hence it witnessed quite a lot of tension.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Shfela: hills and valleys running from Mt Hebron westwards to the coastal plain, around the city of Beit Shemesh
Key sitesTzora forest and Tel Tzora, Gan Golan sculpture garden, Tel Beit Shemesh, Khirbet Qeiyafa, Tel Azeka in Britannia Park, Tel Lachish
PeriodCanaanite and Israelite layers, with the biblical stories of Samson, the Ark of the Covenant, David and Goliath, and Sennacherib's siege all rooted in this landscape
Best forA full day of biblical archaeology; bring a torch for the cistern at Tel Beit Shemesh, and note that Khirbet Qeiyafa isn't signposted, so a guide is recommended

### The Tzora forest and Tel Tzora

We began our day with a drive through the Tzora forest along the so called ‘Sculpture Trail’. This was a project run by the JNF and encouraged mostly local residents (many new immigrants) to make sculptures in the forest. I don’t think I would particularly go out of my way to see these sculptures in the future, but we did also go up the Tel Tzora (you may recall by now that a Tel is an archaeological mound), where we had a commanding view of the area from which to take our bearings, and where we were able to visit the site traditionally associated with the grave of Samson and his father Manoah.

Samson's Tomb on Tel Tzora

Our guide took this opportunity to regale us with the story of Samson from the bible, which took place in the area of the Judean lowlands, pointing out key sites from the viewpoint. And then some members of the group took the opportunity to visit the tomb which is considered a place to pray for strength.

### The Gan Golan sculpture garden

Sculpture Garden in Beit Shemesh

Continuing our artistic opening to the day, we made a brief stop in the Gan Golan sculpture garden in the historical centre of Beit Shemesh. Golan Peli sadly was killed during the first intifada; his parents were artists and used this space next to their house to create sculptures and place them there in his memory. The sculptures all represent traditional ancient life or stories from the bible. It is a small garden, but if one is in Beit Shemesh anyway, it is a nice place to visit.

### Tel Beit Shemesh

Inside the ancient cistern at Tel Beit Shemesh

We pulled out of the modern town of Beit Shemesh and returned to biblical times, visiting Tel Beit Shemesh, the site considered to be the location of the biblical city of the same name. Here we read from the book of Samuel, hearing the story of the Philistine capture of the Ark of the Covenant and its return to the Israelites at Beit Shemesh. Our guide pointed out the route it would have taken as it was brought up to the city on a wagon from the Philistine territory. As part of the excavations they have discovered an ancient cistern and we brought out our torches to have a quick wander inside, which brought a small sense of adventure to our enterprise.

### Khirbet Qeiyafa

The Israelite fortress from the period of King David at Khirbet Qeiyafa

A short journey down Route 38 took us to Khirbet Qeiyafa, another archaeological mound. As recently as 2007 excavators here discovered a fortress in the Israelite style. The site has become important as carbon dating of olive pits unearthed here date the site to the period associated with the rule of King David (although as with most archaeology in Israel, this is majority but not consensus opinion). Various other evidence corroborates that it was a Jewish settlement. This would therefore be an extremely important site; the only site we have from this time period. But it remains fairly unknown to the public; excavations are still taking place and it is not signposted at all from the road. To visit, I recommend finding an appropriate tour guide!

### Tel Azeka and Britannia Park

View over the Judean Lowlands (Shfela) from Tel Azeka

Close by we visited another archaeological mound: Tel Azeka, which is in the midst of the Britannia Park, a JNF forest funded by donations from the UK (hurrah for the UK!). We ascended the tel and enjoyed a commanding view of the region. Our guide read to us from the story of David and Goliath and pointed out where various elements of the story took place. There is something very powerful in hearing these stories one grew up with in one’s childhood in situ. One begins to envision the tale taking place before one’s eyes; it becomes much more real.

### Tel Lachish

View over the Judean Lowlands (Shfela) from Tel Lachish

Our final visit was our most southern, Tel Lachish. This site is mentioned a huge amount in biblical and non-biblical sources from the time, and was host to a large complex of temples in the Canaanite period and the second most important Judean city in the Israelite period. The Assyrian king Sennacherib laid waste to it on his war campaign in 701 BCE and a relief of his battle is exhibited in the British museum in London. We made do with a copy and our guide explained the details of the battle; we were able to see the ramp that Sennacherib’s troops built in order to go up to and rout the Tel. It was a major victory but Sennacherib did not make it to Jerusalem; the bible says that his troops were struck by a plague; his memoirs say that he returned to defend a Babylonian invasion.

The Israelites did return to Lachish eventually but the city was attacked and destroyed again during Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion in the 6th century BCE. A somewhat unfortunate bunch, it seems. The ruins are extensive and the site also commands an outstanding view of the Judean Lowlands over to the coastal plain. It was with this view in our minds that we returned home to Tel Aviv.

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## Archaeology of the Biblical Negev

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/archaeology-of-the-biblical-negev/
Date: 2013-01-23

After various introductory field trips we are now at a stage where our weekly excursions are broadly supposed to tie in with what we are studying in class. Therefore, as we began our lessons on archaeology we spent last week exploring some of the tels (archaeological mounds) in the north, and this week we were doing the same but in the south, in the biblical Negev.

However, our first stop was unconnected. En route on the border of the Judean lowlands and the Negev is the Joe Alon Centre for Regional Studies (focused on the Negev region).

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe biblical Negev: the valleys of Arad and Beer Sheva, on the border between the desert and the rest of the country
Key sitesJoe Alon Centre for Regional Studies, Tel Beer Sheva (UNESCO), Tel Arad
PeriodEarly Canaanite through the Israelite kingdom, with a Bedouin cultural museum to frame the modern desert
Best forA long day with an early start; the sites are spread out across the south, and the sunset over Tel Arad is worth timing for

### The Joe Alon Centre

Learning about Bedouin culture at the Joe Alon Centre

The main part of the centre (and, in my opinion, the most interesting) is the museum about Bedouin culture. The Bedouin are a nomadic people who in Israel are mostly located in the Galil and desert regions. They are moving away from their traditional life and now the majority live in fixed accommodation; however on travels through the desert it is still possible to see their tents. Although the displays are a little tired and don’t look like they have been touched since the museum opened in the 80s, there is still a lot of interesting information and we were accompanied by a Bedouin guide who went into more details. There was also a short film about the Bedouin in the Negev which was a very good and concise introduction to their lifestyle and the challenges they face in the modern world.

After being led around the museum we were taken into a traditional tent structure where we were served sweet tea and learned about the important culture of hospitality. A most pleasant experience.

From there we quickly looked at the replicas of various cave dwellings in the Negev, from the late stone age to the Bar Kochba revolt, and enjoyed the view over the area from the elevated viewpoint. The tours and videos are available in English (although you probably need to call ahead) and it is a nice stop if one is heading southwards.

### Tel Beer Sheva

Descending into the vast water system at Tel Beer Sheva

We continued south to the region of the biblical Negev. Unlike the Negev of today, this was located only in the area of the valleys of Arad and Beer Sheva, and was a border region between the desert and the rest of the country. Our first destination here was the UNESCO world heritage site of Tel Beer Sheva. Located near modern Beer Sheva, it is considered by some to be the site of the biblical city where Abraham dug his well. The remains on the mound are later, from the post-Exodus period of the Israelite kingdom. They are very impressive (hence the UNESCO recognition). Our guide took us around, explaining the function of different structures and our theories on their uses and purpose. Most incredible was the underground water system, constructed in case of a siege. Huge caverns had been hewn out of the rock and covered with plaster; water was then secretly diverted from the nearby Hebron stream (when it was flowing) into this underground reservoir. We walked out through this water system (for extra fun, we were required to wear hard hats!) and saw the replica of the altar they found at the site; an impressive cube structure with horns on each corner; the original is now in the Israel Museum.

### Tel Arad

Remains of a late Canaanite period 'Arad House' at Tel Arad

Our final destination was at Tel Arad, located just outside the city of the same name, where we were honoured to be guided by one of the site’s main excavators. This tel is important as it contains the remains of a vast city from the early Canaanite period, with no further layers above it. This means that archaeologists can use it to really understand what life was like in this period, without the confusion of having other later constructions intermixed. We learned about the typical building construction, now found in other places but still called the ‘Arad House’ as it was here that it was discovered for the first time, and in such large quantities. Our guide also explained to us his theory that the Israelites came into Israel about 1000 years earlier than the current received opinion. Sadly (for him) he seems to be rather alone in this point of view, although he argued his case well. Given that it would mean reorganising the entire chronology of the ancient world, I can see why there might be some resistance.

The original altar in the temple at the Israelite fortress in Tel Arad

We then went up the hill to visit the Israelite period fortress. Although there was no inhabited settlement here since the early Canaanite period, there were fortresses along the border with the unruly desert nomads. The fortress was a large impressive structure, and contains the remains of a temple; evidence that there were other temples outside of the main one in Jerusalem. It seems to have been destroyed at some point, perhaps as part of the concentration of ritual Judaism into the capital city.

We enjoyed the stunning desert sunset over the ancient ruins and then began the long journey home.

Sunset over the ruins of the Israelite fortress at Tel Arad

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## The Ancient Sea Road (Via Maris)

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-ancient-sea-road-via-maris/
Date: 2013-01-14

It is the day before our weekly field trip and Israel is in the midst of its worst storms for ten years. The main motorway in Tel Aviv is flooded and closed. The trains aren’t running. Snow is forecast in the Golan and in Jerusalem. Amongst these fierce winds and torrential rain, some of the course members contact our coordinator. Surely tomorrow’s field trip is cancelled? It seems that it is not. Disbelief. And the beginnings of a mutiny. But in our night class, our coordinator makes it clear: “the tour guide course goes out into the field, even through fire and through water” (I think it sounds better in Hebrew). He was almost seeming to relish it. The rebellion was quashed.

So it was that we assembled, as usual, at 6.30am at Arlozorov bus station. Except this time we were all looking somewhat larger due to the multiple layers of clothing and waterproofs. Spirits were surprisingly high. We were in this together, “through fire and through water”. And off we set.

Our trip was to be connected to the Via Maris, the ancient Sea Road connecting the two great regional empires of Egypt and Mesopotamia. In the end, only some of the sites were connected to this road, but the majority of the day dealt with those that were. Remarkably, as we headed north the skies began to clear. A miracle?

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereNorthern Israel, tracing the ancient Via Maris route through the Jezreel Valley and up to the Gilboa ridge
Key sitesEl Ahwat, Katzir viewpoint, Tel Megiddo, Tel Jezreel, Beit Alfa synagogue, Mt Barkan and Mt Shaul on the Gilboa
PeriodBronze Age through Israelite, Roman and Byzantine layers, with later Crusader and modern history at Tel Jezreel
Best forA full day in fair weather; Tel Megiddo alone deserves several hours, and the Gilboa viewpoints are exposed, so save this itinerary for clear skies

### El Ahwat

El Ahwat

Nonetheless, the ground was extremely muddy at our first stop at El Ahwat. An archaeological site dating from the Bronze Age, some believe that this is the home town of the biblical character Sisera who famously met his end when Yael bashed a tent peg into his head. There seems to be a connection in the architecture with the Nuragic culture of Sardinia, and a theory is that the people who lived here came across the sea bringing their culture with them. Unfortunately the site was rather inaccessible as it was effectively a very large bog. But we got a bit of an idea. Sadly the bus driver was not so appreciative of the mud adorning our boots.

### Katzir viewpoint

Katzir viewpoint

We carried on a short drive to the small town of Katzir where we enjoyed a viewpoint over to the Carmel. Our guide pointed out key sites including the route of the Via Maris and the topographical features of the area. With this overview we moved on to the site that was to form the largest part of the day’s itinerary, Tel Megiddo.

### Tel Megiddo

A Tel is an archaeological mound. At some point in ancient history a group decided that point x was a good point to settle. Perhaps it was close to water, had good fields for agriculture, was easy to defend etc. Over the years the settlement might be destroyed, or deserted, and then later rebuilt, each time over the previous ruins, rising up and up to form a Tel. Israel is full of these Tels, each of which is an archaeological treasure trove of different periods of history. And one of the richest is Tel Megiddo.

Model of the Israelite city at Tel Megiddo

The site was made a UNESCO world heritage site in 2005 and has been under excavation since the beginning of the 19th century. And they’re still finding more and more. It had a prime location at a key junction on the Via Maris, close to arable land and a constant water supply, leading to many battles for its control. Eventually the Israelites wrestled control of it from the resident Canaanites and most of what is visible in the excavations is a mixture of the Canaanite and Israelite periods. Most impressive are the series of Canaanite temples on the east side of the Tel (facing the sun).

Sadly our excursion on the Tel was somewhat hampered by the darkening skies followed by hail. Yes, hail. Despite this, we gallantly continued around the site through bouts of being pelted by ice pellets. And our brave guide managed to impart to us a great deal of useful information. I think though, it will be worth a return visit in better weather.

View from the east side of Tel Megiddo

Also of note is that Tel Megiddo has been identified with the end of days vision of John at Armageddon. Har is Hebrew for mountain/hill; Har + Megiddo and the connection makes sense. Furthermore, a few hundred metres away has been unearthed a mosaic floor containing an inscription with the earliest known reference to the Christian religion. Hence there were a few groups of Christian tourists also braving the weather with us, and they have my full respect for doing so!

### Tel Jezreel

View from Tel Jezreel

From Megiddo we moved on to Tel Jezreel, another archaeological mound along the Via Maris. Our guide took us through the generations of occupancy of the mound from the Israelite period through to the Romans, Crusaders (the ruins of a church have been uncovered here) and the Arab village that was here for 100 years prior to 1948. We learned about the battle that took place here between the Israelites and the Philistines as recounted in the Book of Samuel, and then the later battles that took place here in the Israeli War of Independence. On the way out of the Tel we passed the monument for the soldiers who died in the battles to control the mound in the modern era.

### Beit Alfa synagogue

Ancient Beit Alfa synagogue

It was time to leave the Via Maris and our next port of call was at the ancient synagogue at Beit Alfa (somewhat confusingly located not in Kibbutz Beit Alfa, but in Kibbutz Heftziba, next door). The ruins of this ancient synagogue from the time of the Second Temple have been lovingly restored including a stunningly impressive floor mosaic. Interestingly, the mosaic includes the signs of the zodiac and an image of a foreign god. I doubt they would be allowed in synagogues today but it seems that in these ancient times they were just perceived as decoration (and indeed something that the people who made the mosaics knew how to do). Inside the synagogue you can watch a rather cute film which acts out the hypothetical story of the mosaic’s creation. It is a cute and creative way to explain what is before you and makes the site much more engaging, certainly for children but for adults alike.

### Mt Gilboa: Mt Barkan and Mt Shaul

View from Mt Barkan on the Gilboa

We concluded the day by driving up to the Mt Gilboa ridge at the edge of the Samarian hills. As we went up the steep ascent we were treated to stunning views of the valleys below bathed in sun with the streams running full of water (many of the streams in Israel are dry most of the year) and the fields rich colours of green and brown. We arrived at our first lookout point at Mt Barkan, the highest point on the ridge, but sadly the explanation of what we were seeing was curtailed by another hailstorm, this time the hail was around half a centimetre in diameter and it really hurt! Our guide bravely struggled on but eventually had to concede that our exposed position on the mountain top was not perhaps so wise in the current conditions. Still, we briefly enjoyed the view.

View from Mt Shaul on the Gilboa

We carried on a little further along the Gilboa scenic road to Mt Shaul. The hail had turned to light rain so we alighted and enjoyed the stunning views while our guide read to us the sad story of the first Israelite king, Saul. He is said to have fallen on his sword at this point. It is also apparently a very good spot for paragliding. The clouds parted so we took advantage to walk a short trail around the peak before returning to the bus, homeward bound.

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## The Jordan Valley

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-jordan-valley/
Date: 2013-01-06

As we move into the winter months the Jordan Valley was a welcome itinerary as it is well known for having somewhat warmer climes. We left Tel Aviv and ascended up to the Judean Hills into a dense fog, we were enveloped in an ambiance of mystique and perhaps slight foreboding as we crossed over the Green Line and headed to the town of Maale Adumim, and the Martyrius Monastery.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereJordan Valley and eastern Judean desert, from Maale Adumim down to Jericho and north along route 90
Key sitesMartyrius Monastery, St Euthymius Monastery, Monastery of St Gerassimos, Qasr el Yahud, Jordan Valley Monument, Ein Mabua spring
PeriodByzantine desert monasticism (5th–6th century), with biblical, Hasmonean and modern Israeli layers
Best forWinter day trips when the rest of the country is cold and wet; the valley sits well below sea level and tends to stay warmer

### Martyrius Monastery

Dining room at Martyrius Monastery

The Monastery dates from the 5th century (the Byzantine period). Today we would learn about the movement of monks in the Judean desert which is said to have begun with the arrival of Chariton in the year 337. This was an extremely significant movement numbering 20 000 monks spread across 60 monasteries by the middle of the 6th century. The first monasteries were called laura and consisted of a central cave for the head monk with smaller caves around it. They then evolved (often on the same site) into built structures for communal living known as a coenobium.

This monastery, named for the monk who was at one time Patriarch of Jerusalem, was a large structure housing around 250 monks and also offering lodgings to pilgrims on the Jericho-Jerusalem trail. As we wandered around the ruins our guide explained about how the monks would live in the desert conditions.

### St Euthymius Monastery

We then drove down the hill to the St Euthymius Monastery which has been excavated in the heart of the Maale Adumim industrial zone. St Euthymius inherited Chariton’s mantle as the major monk in the area of the Judean desert having come here from Armenia. He moved around several times but died and was buried in the site upon which the monastery was built. Much of the structure is original although some was restored at the time of the crusaders. In order to prevent his bones being removed by pilgrims St Euthymius left special instructions about a funnel to be placed above his tomb for them to anoint themselves on. We found the funnel, but sadly his bones were removed at some point in history and are now somewhere among the relics held by churches in Europe.

Inside a vast cistern at St Euthymius Monastery

Particularly impressive was the vast cistern (one of two of this size) used to capture as much rain water as possible to survive the desert heat. We climbed down to the bottom and gazed up at this incredible structure hewn into the chalk rock. An extremely impressive feat of engineering, it even used techniques to protect it from earthquakes (which evidently worked).

To add to the ambiance, our guide played the song “El Borot Hamayim” (to the water cisterns) and handed out sheets with the lyrics. A nice sing along was had.

### Monastery of St Gerassimos

Inside the church at the Monastery of St Gerassimos

We moved on past Jericho and headed North up route 90 to our final monastery of the day, that of St. Gerassimos. He, like Martyrius, was a disciple of St Euthymius and was credited with pioneering the establishment of monasteries in the area of Jericho. The site was restored over the past 30 years by the Greek Orthodox church and there are now lodgings there for pilgrims together with small mosaic and candle making factories. The church has been refurbished and there are beautiful paintings of various saints and scenes from the Bible, together with a brand new home made mosaic floor. The surroundings are very peaceful and shady in the desert sun although sadly they offer no respite from the desert flies.

### Qasr el Yahud

From this monastery it was a short trip to Qasr el Yahud, an old deserted crusader period monastery on the site of a church dedicated to John the Baptist and built on the orders of Helena (mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who also ordered the building of various churches in Jerusalem including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre). Just a few meters further and we found ourselves at the bank of the Jordan River at the site where John the Baptist baptised Jesus, effectively founding a new religious movement. There were many groups of pilgrims from around the world quietly praying or singing hymns together; it was a very special ambience.

A pilgrim collects water from the Jordan River at the site of Jesus's Baptism

The site is also important in Jewish history. It is here that the Israelites entered the Land of Israel for the first time, and where they spent their first Pesach as a free people. It was also the site where the prophet Elijah passed on his leadership position to Elisha before being whisked away to heaven in a chariot of fire. It is a site associated with new beginnings.

### Jordan Valley Monument

Jordan Valley Monument

After a spot of lunch our trip took a more sombre turn as we visited the Jordan Valley monument. Designed by the artist Yigal Turmakin and constructed from old parts of armoured vehicles, tanks and guns, it serves as a memorial to the Israeli soldiers who died in the area, particularly as a result of the period known as the period of pursuits. Once Israel took control of the West Bank in the 1967 Six Day War, Palestinians began to infiltrate from Jordan and carry out attacks. Many soldiers lost their lives to this guerrilla warfare and they are commemorated here.

The site also commands an impressive view over the Jordan valley and into Jordan itself. Our guide pointed out the sites of former strongholds of the Jewish Hasmonean kings in the area together with modern agricultural settlements.

View over the Jordan Valley at the Jordan Valley Monument

### The Alon Road to the Mabua spring

From the monument we took the winding road known as the Alon Road (after Yigal Alon, a former army commander and politician) deep into the Samarian hills. The scenery was stunning although it was also a little eerie; much of the area was deserted. Occasionally we would pass small villages or other signs of human life such as olive tree groves and a herd of goats with their shepherd. As we went through our guide pointed out sites mentioned in the Bible or of significant excavations. There is a great deal of history in these hills.

Eventually we reached our destination at the Mabua spring in Nachal Perat. The spring is unusual due to its unpredictable flow. There is an underground cave which fills with rainwater seeping down through the rock. When the water reaches a certain level in the cave, due to a sort of U-bend eroded in the rock, the water bursts out into the spring.

Remnants of Hasmonean aqueducts at Ein Mabua

As dusk fell we walked into the Nachal noting the remnants of what used to be a vast system of aqueducts across the desert, carrying water from the various springs to the Hasmonean fortresses. Now they are in ruins and merely serve as a playground for rock squirrels. We concluded with a little more of a group sing-song by the spring and with the sound of music in our ears it was time to return home.

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## The Lower Galil

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-lower-galil/
Date: 2012-12-31

The green and hilly region of the Galil in the North of Israel is divided into two, largely based on topography. The Lower Galil is lower in two senses of the word; it is both further to the South and has lower hills (affectionately referred to as mountains in Hebrew).

The Galil is a beautiful place to visit. The rolling green hills make a beautiful backdrop; they are filled with hiking trails. It is also an area of great historical significance. The Galil contains the city of Nazareth, the childhood home of Jesus, and a lot of the miracles he performed took place here. From a Jewish perspective, it became one of the main Jewish centres after the second temple was destroyed; there were several towns here which hosted the Sanhedrin, the Jewish parliament, and indeed the Mishna (Oral Law) was codified in one of these towns, Tzippori.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereNorthern Israel, between the Jezreel Valley to the south and the Beit Hakerem Valley (the dividing line with the Upper Galilee) to the north; the major city is Nazareth.
What's thereRolling hills with hiking trails; the city of Nazareth (childhood home of Jesus); Tzippori, where the Mishna was codified; archaeological tels, Muslim Arab villages, Crusader and Byzantine remains, and a patchwork of communal villages established from the 1970s onwards.
PeriodInhabited from the Bronze Age through Canaanite, Israelite, Roman and Byzantine periods; later a centre of Jewish life after the Second Temple, with Ottoman-era Arab villages and modern Zionist and communal settlements layered on top.
Best forVisitors with a half-day or more who want an overview of the region's geography, mixed Jewish and Arab life, and the deep historical layering of the north; combine with Nazareth, Tzippori or the lower Sea of Galilee for a fuller day.

### Tel Chanaton

But neither Tzippori nor Nazareth were the focus of today’s trip. Rather, we were to get an overview of the region. This overview began at Tel Chanaton. A tel is an archaeological mound. This means that it was a dwelling place for man over several centuries, and was destroyed and rebuilt several times. Each time it was rebuilt, the new settlement was constructed on top of the remains of the old one, and the mound grew.

Tel Chanaton was a dwelling place of man from the Bronze Age up until the end of the Persian rule in Israel, roughly a period of 3000 years, and then intermittently afterwards. It is mentioned in ancient sources including letters between Canaanite kings and indeed the Bible. From our lookout on the tel we learned about the topography and geology of the Galil in addition to the importance of its situation close to several ancient trade routes. It was a place for people to stop off while travelling and restock food and water. In later times it was also used to collect taxes from travellers.

Remains of Crusader fortress at Tel Hanaton

Israel is full of these mounds and many have been extensively excavated, but Tel Chanaton has not yet. Some excavation has taken place though and you can squeeze into a small tunnel that takes you into the remains of a Crusader fortress that was based here. There is something quite remarkable about being inside it, knowing that it was not originally buried in the earth. It helps understand the other mounds you see, knowing that all the remains were originally like this.

### Kaukab Abu al-Hija

We moved on from the tel to the Muslim Arab village of Kaukab Abu al Hija. This village is named after the great Husam ad-Din Abu al-Hija, a lieutenant of Saladin. He was known as a righteous man, a man of the people, who encouraged good relationships between Jews and Muslims. We heard a couple of the legends of his time in charge of the area.

In more modern times, this village stood out in the area by embracing the arrival of new Jewish villages. While other Arab villages protested, the mayor of Kaukab Abu al Hija argued in favour of the new arrivals saying that they brought with them better infrastructure and services to the area. He participated in cultural festivals that they organised and tried to develop his village for tourism. To this end, it was the first Arab village in Israel to have a ‘tzimmer’ (a sort of boutique BnB retreat) and they also developed a sculpture garden in the 1990s using work from Jewish and Arab artists in Israel.

Sculpture garden at Kaukab Abu al-Hija

There were many interesting sculptures in the garden, many connected with thoughts and hopes of peace. I found particularly striking the sculpture pictured of flowers of the symbols of the three major faiths against a stunning backdrop. Sadly our guide told us the flower with the Star of David was frequently broken (you could see where it had been restored); and the flower with the cross was torn down after the Pope made a speech a couple of years ago which was understood to have slandered Mohammed. Although this is sad, the encouraging thing is that the village council has consistently restored the sculpture. And hopefully it will endure.

### Yodfat

View over ancient Yodfat

We moved on to a viewpoint over a small hill (not a tel, we were told) which used to house the ancient city of Yodfat, where we heard the story of its demise. When the Jews rebelled against the Romans in 66 AD, the military commander Vespasian was dispatched with his son Titus (of the arch’s fame) to subdue them. He set out into the Galil to destroy Yodfat which was a key centre for the rebels, under the command of man called Yosef ben Mattityahu. The Romans broke the city walls after 47 days; most of the town had committed mass suicide but Yosef ben Mattityahu survived. He returned to Rome with Vespasian and latinised his name, taking on the surname of his new mentor. The new Josephus Flavius became the official historian for the Roman empire in this region and his accounts are vital for us today in understanding what took place here under the Romans and indeed in locating important archaeological sites.

### Hararit and Lavra Netofa

Chapel at Lavra Netofa

Our next stop was at the communal village of Hararit, where the inhabitants are followers of Transcendental Meditation and meditate together as a community. We passed through the village though to the fields behind it and to the Lavra Netofa. We heard the story of two Christian monks who came here to live an ascetic lifestyle in isolation, with a few followers. They found a Byzantine period cistern which they converted into a small chapel which was beautifully decorated for Christmas. It was incredibly peaceful and calm, and an appropriate setting for the story of the monks. The last of them passed away in 2005 but the chapel and community is now maintained by a group of nuns who moved here on their request for this purpose.

### Avtaliyon

We left Hararit and travelled a short distance to the communal village of Avtaliyon. Here we heard the story of the programme to encourage more Jews to move to the area of the Lower Galil in the 1970s and 1980s. At the time, the traditional founders of new communities, the kibbutz, moshav and youth movements, were waning in their strength and influence. So a new concept, that of the communal village, was created. The idea was that people would form a group based on shared interests; perhaps it would be Transcendental Meditation, as in Hararit. There were other new communities created by graduates of the Technion, or employees of Rafael. These communities have remained small but now exist in the Galil and all over the country. Our guide argued that they had helped transform the Galil into an area not known for a good standard of living to an area with a good lifestyle, good education and good employment.

Oil press at Avtaliyon

Here, we also learned about the manufacture of olive oil. 90% of olive oil in Israel comes from the Lower Galil. It is all made in the Arab villages except for in Avtaliyon, where they have their own press. Sadly, there was no time for tastings; a return visit is probably warranted.

### Deir Hanna

Our final destination was the Muslim Arab village of Deir Hanna. The Arabic name translates as Monastery of John the Baptist, as a tradition says that he was born there. It is a large Muslim village with the ruins of an 18th century fortress at its centre. We visited the fortress and heard the story of its ruler, a local Sheikh called Daher el Omar who stood up against the Ottoman rulers, making himself an intermediary in their tax collection, and while doing so transformed the Galil region. There was barely a place around here that he did not influence, for example he built the city walls in Tiberias, in Akko, and even took a small village called Haifa, fortified and enlarged it.

Sadly for Daher el Omar, the Ottomans had enough of him after around 50 years and having grown in strength they sent a military force to wipe him out. No one replaced him and the Ottomans remained in full control until WWI.

Traditional Arab home in Deir Hanna

While in the village we visited a local home where the family hosts tourists and explains to them about traditional Arab culture, accompanied by traditional Arab cuisine (not to be sniffed at!). We learned about the traditional way of living and enjoyed some homemade olives (our course fees did not stretch to baklava and coffee, sadly). As the sun set, the call to prayer sounded around the village, and it was time for us to head home.

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## Tel Aviv Museums

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/tel-aviv-museums/
Date: 2012-12-23

This week, a later start (meeting at 8am, an extra 90 minutes of sleep!) as we were not leaving the confines of Tel Aviv. There are many museums in the city and several of them are concentrated around the university campus, located close to the northern suburb of Ramat Aviv. Today, we would be visiting some of these sites, partly to bed in some of what we have been learning in the classroom, and partly because these are important sites for us to be able to guide in the future.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereRamat Aviv, the northern Tel Aviv suburb across the Yarkon, in and around the Tel Aviv University campus.
What's thereThe Zoological Gardens (Israeli fauna up close), the Botanical Gardens (Israeli flora with biblical and ecological stories), the Palmach Museum (walk-through history of the pre-state defence force), and the Diaspora Museum (now ANU – Museum of the Jewish People; the diaspora story and synagogue models).
Best forHalf-day or full-day visit on a hot day, a rainy day, or as a thematic primer for visitors interested in nature, the founding of the State, or Jewish life outside Israel; pair two or three rather than trying all four.
AccessThe university gardens are open to the public with modest fees; the Palmach and ANU museums are paid sites with set hours, both offer English-language options (the Palmach requires advance booking and runs as scheduled walk-throughs).

### The Zoological Gardens

The day began at the Zoological Gardens. Having studied Zoology in class, this was an opportunity to get relatively up close and personal with the various species of bird, mammal and reptile found in Israel. Our guide, a PhD student at the university, took us around the various enclosures, showing how the animals camouflaged themselves in their environment, explaining about their hunting or survival techniques and their distinguishing features.

Pelicans at the Zoological Gardens in Tel Aviv

There was a huge range of animals (as might be expected in a Zoological garden). The most interesting were those you don’t normally get to see up close; the wolves, hyena, wild boar and wild cats. Also the snakes. Although I don’t like snakes. And there are quite a few poisonous ones in Israel, it turns out. The advice was: a black snake in the centre of the country is not poisonous, a black snake in the South is likely to be either a black python or mole viper, and these are definitely best avoided. I’m not a big fan of snakes, truth be told. I was happy to return to the flamingos. Got to love flamingos. Apparently they are not pink naturally; it’s to do with the way their bodies break down the enzymes in the algae they eat. And they only mate when they’re in a big group (so the garden has mirrors around it to try and persuade them that they are more numerous than they actually are).

### The Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens in Tel Aviv: Mediterranean shrub

After a good dose of fauna it was time for some flora; the Botanical Gardens were right next door and we headed over to meet our Botany teacher. Again, it was a case of seeing what we had learned in the class, in the field. It’s one thing to see the plants, but also interesting to hear some of the stories and legends behind them. The Hairy Thymelea (I kid you not) is considered to be the plant that Samson was bound with when he was captured by the Philistines. The appropriately named Christ’s Thorn Jujube is thought to be the plant that was used to make Jesus’s thorn crown. And the Judas Tree has a pink blossom because it is embarrassed by its treachery. Most fun was when our guide spotted a chameleon in the bushes and proceeded to lift it up and show it to us while telling us that we should never do such a thing. So, we got in a little bit of Zoology in the Botanical Gardens too.

Chameleon at the Botanical Gardens in Tel Aviv

### The Palmach Museum

We enjoyed a lunch break strolling around the university campus (where there was a lunchtime rock concert…a hard life these students lead) and then it was time to visit the Palmach Museum. The Palmach was the elite force of the Haganah, the pre-state defence force for the Jewish population of the British Mandate; many of its members played very important roles in civilian life, most famously Yitzchak Rabin and Moshe Dayan. In addition to learning how to fight, they also had to work the land. Hence the emblem of the unit had a sword together with two ears of wheat.

Palmach Museum

The museum is a walk-through experience which follows the story of a group of Palmachnikim who join the unit and end up playing an important role in the War of Independence several years later. Unlike many museums there are no displays or exhibits, rather one moves through rooms and watches, hears, sometimes even smells the story of the Palmach through the eyes of this small group. It really is an amazing story; teenagers as young as 16-17 signed up and trained themselves with very limited weaponry; they then played an important role in defeating the five armies that invaded Israel when it declared independence, although sadly many of them died along the way and they are remembered in a touching memorial at the museum’s end. The museum is in Hebrew but a headset providing an English translation is available.

### The Diaspora Museum

Diaspora Museum, Tel Aviv

Our final stop of the day was the Diaspora Museum which is actually inside the university campus. Founded in the late 70s by Nachum Goldmann and Abba Kovner, the museum was designed to answer the question of how the Jewish people managed to (largely) maintain their religion and culture in 2000 years of exile. Sadly, the museum seems a little dated; it seemed much the same as I remember it from 10 years ago and has not taken advantage of the advances in technology and museum design. But it still provides a good introduction to Jewish life, ritual and rites of passage; insights into communities outside of Israel and perhaps most interestingly, a collection of model replicas of synagogues from around the world of historical significance. Although I felt that Bevis Marks, the oldest synagogue in Britain, should probably have been featured, and wasn’t. Which hurt my national pride a little. Still, it is an important museum, I remember that my visit to the museum was the first time I really heard in detail about Jews who were from a radically different background to mine (the UK community is quite homogenous). And it’s quite amazing that despite being so spread out over such a long period of time, the core aspects of the religion remained the same everywhere. And on that positive note, it was time to head home.

 

 

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## Hula Valley

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/hula-valley/
Date: 2012-12-11

The Hula Valley is in the North of Israel; North of the Kineret (the Sea of Galilee) and on the way to the Golan Heights. While I have definitely passed through it on a few occasions, I think this was my first time actually visiting the sites in and around the valley.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereUpper Galilee, between Rosh Pina and Kiryat Shmona, north of the Sea of Galilee
What's thereHula Nature Reserve, the Agamon birdwatching lake, Rosh Pina's restored First Aliyah old town, the Crusader Castle of Chastellet and the Mishmar Hayarden memorial
Best forBird migration viewing (autumn and spring), early-Zionist history, Crusader archaeology
Good to knowMigration seasons peak around autumn and spring; dusk is often the most striking time at the Agamon

### Rosh Pina and Mitzpe Nimrod

View over Rosh Pina from Mitzpe Nimrod

I was familiar, however, with our first stop of the day, the First Aliyah town of Rosh Pina. Although I hadn’t been there for 10 years. We began our day at the lovely lookout point of Mitzpe Nimrod, but sadly it came with an upsetting story. Nimrod Segev was called up for reserve duty in the Second Lebanon War, and never came home. His family built the lookout in his memory, and we heard briefly from his father. It is a sad reminder of the fragility of life in this region.

Original Synagogue at Rosh Pina

We heard about the history of Rosh Pina, and learned about the First Aliyah. This was the first wave of mass immigration to Israel from the Diaspora in more recent history, beginning in 1882. These new arrivals were not the young socialist ideologues of the kibbutz movement; rather religious bourgeois families looking to make a new home in Israel. Sadly, it seems that life here was very difficult indeed. Our guide told us the stories of the inhabitants through the restored buildings of the old town and the memoirs of the town’s founder, David Shuv. The former office of the Baron de Rothschild’s clerks is now a small museum with a surprisingly interesting film about life in the early days of the town. The old town itself is quaint and has a few cute little cafes; it will be nice to pop back here at some point, there are a couple of hikes in the area and a nice rustic café would be the perfect ending.

### The Castle of Chastellet and the Afro-Syrian rift

Evidence of the Afro-Syrian rift in action at the Castle of Chastellet

We moved on to the Castle of Chastellet, the ruins of a Crusader fort which was destroyed after just ten months of existence by Saladin’s forces. Our guide painted a picture of the battle and the political ramifications of this fortress next to an important crossing of the Jordan River: Jacob’s Ford. The young King of Jerusalem was pressurised into building the fort by hawkish knights in his administration; even though it broke an agreement with Saladin not to try to seize control of the Jordan’s crossings. Saladin offered twice (with increasing amounts) to pay the king not to build the fort, but construction went ahead and deconstruction followed… The history was interesting, but also of note was that this fort is built right on the line of the Afro-Syrian rift which runs up the East of Israel. The evidence of this was that you could see how half of the North and South walls of the fort had moved gradually ahead of the other half; now there is up to 2 metres’ difference, after just 1000 years. In geological terms, that’s almost light speed. Quite fascinating.

### The Mishmar Hayarden memorial

Mishmar Hayarden Memorial

After this brief interlude in Crusader times we returned to the (relatively) modern day with a stop at the memorial for the Mishmar Hayarden settlement. This was also founded in the First Aliyah period. Due to the murder of one of the residents during the Arab revolt in the later 1930s, a small group of youths affiliated to the right-wing movement Beitar arrived to help with self-defence and also to assist with the farming. Then, in 1948, the Syrian army came over the border. Once they were repelled South of the Kineret they tried moving in North, and Mishmar Hayarden was the first settlement they encountered. The 20 families who lived there were no match for the Syrian army complete with tanks and air force and the town was captured and most of its citizens taken prisoner. The Haganah (soon to be the IDF) did not try and protect the town; after the war the prisoners were released but were not given the support of many others in similar situations and were not allowed to return to their land by the Israeli government. Some have said it was because Mishmar Hayarden was associated with the Right (because of the Beitar presence) and with the vast majority of Israel (and particularly the government) on the left, they were not afforded the support they should have had. Indeed, the site remained empty until the Begin government of the late 70s (Israel’s first right-wing government) when the memorial was built out of the stones of the former buildings.

### The Hula nature reserve and Oforia exhibit

Trivia Test at Oforia

On this slightly depressing note we headed further North and finally reached our destination of the Hula Valley nature reserve. Before going into the reserve we went to the Oforia [a cunning pun on the Hebrew for bird, off, and for euphoria] exhibit, which talked about the geological formation of the Hula valley and the animals and birds within it. It was somewhat overdramatic but really rather fun, particularly the interactive trivia quiz at the end and then the 3D film about the migrating birds with moving seats.

Having enjoyed this most interactive of exhibits we entered the reserve and learned about the modern history of the Hula Lake. At the turn of the 20th century this area contained lakes and swampland. As one of the early grand Zionist projects, the Israelis famously drained the water away. This was to help combat malaria (although it is unclear if malaria was still an issue at this point) and to free up land for agriculture. There was also the desire to put bases there against the threat of a future Syrian invasion.

It really was a marvellous feat of human ingenuity and engineering. Sadly, it was also an ecological disaster. The Hula was home to a vast array of flora and fauna, whose habitats suddenly disappeared. And there was also a problem of underground fires starting with the bare earth suddenly exposed to the strong sun, rendering the soil unusable for agriculture and also having the small problem of fire popping up all over the place.

 

Catfish in the Hula Valley Reserve

So, parts of the area have been returned to their original lake and swamp condition, and we are able to enjoy them (almost) as they originally were. Having wandered around the reserve we popped slightly further North to the Agamon reserve, also a man-made lake. This is particularly good for observing birds.

### The Agamon at dusk

Migrating Birds Land at the Agamon

Every year half a billion (!) birds migrate through Israel. This huge number is caused by the fact that Israel is a land bridge between Europe, Asia and Africa, and birds like to travel over land as the thermals mean they do not need to expend as much energy in flapping their wings. It is currently migration season and we arrived at the Agamon site at dusk. There was an incredible moment when I realised that the approaching clouds on the horizon were actually vast flocks of birds; a veritable swarm who took their turn to land in and around the lake in order to spend the night there, accompanied by a veritable cacophony of squawking and screeching. It really was quite magnificent, as I stood there I was overwhelmed by the forces of nature before me. It was a perfect ending to the day; soothing, contemplative, serene.

If you’re putting together a wider Galilee itinerary, my notes on the Lower Galil may also be useful, or have a look at the Plan Your Trip hub.

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## Ein Gedi

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/ein-gedi/
Date: 2012-12-04

The first time I went to Ein Gedi, the oasis of the Judean Desert on the shores of the Dead Sea, I was 16 years old, a participant in a month long group trip with my peers. It was August, boiling hot, we were in the middle of the desert, and we were going to do a hike. Things could have looked better. Little did we know that as we walked up the David stream we would soon come upon plunge pools where we would be able to have a much needed cool-off. It is the starkness of its surroundings that makes Ein Gedi so remarkable. A veritable oasis it was, and I will forever associate it with these fond memories.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereWestern shore of the Dead Sea, Judean Desert
What's thereNature reserve (Nachal David and Nachal Arugot), Chalcolithic temple, Byzantine synagogue with mosaic floor, kibbutz botanical gardens, Dead Sea sinkholes nearby
Historical spanChalcolithic (5000–6000 years ago) through Israelite, Roman/Byzantine, Mamluk and modern kibbutz periods
Good to knowEntrance to the nature reserve requires a ticket and closes a few hours before sunset; bring water and sun protection

### The field school and the kibbutz story

View over Ein Gedi Reserve and Kibbutz

We began our day at the Ein Gedi Field School, where we saw some ancient artefacts unearthed during excavations in the area. From a viewpoint over the nature reserve we learned about the different inhabitants of the area, dating back to the Chalcolithic period (that’s 5000-6000 years ago), moving through the period of the Israelite kings to the Byzantine era, when the area was famous for its production of the legendary afarsimon oil. This scented oil was so precious in the ancient world that both the Roman historians Pliny and Josephus make reference to how important it was for the Roman rulers to ensure they protected its production during the Jewish revolts. The knowledge of how to make this perfume was lost, but experts believe they have finally identified the plant from which it was sourced. Hopefully we would get to see it later.

We concluded by learning about the modern era; the kibbutz that was founded here by somewhat reluctant pioneers (they arrived in the middle of the summer heat) but they stayed, as they were commanded by Ben-Gurion to do so himself (I don’t think that Israeli prime ministers carry that sort of weight any longer!). We heard about the crops, the difficult balancing act of living with nature in the desert and not using too much of the spring water, and as our guide was a member of the kibbutz he was in the perfect position to talk about some of these tensions. All fascinating background information regaled over a stunning backdrop.

### Into the nature reserve

David Waterfall in Ein Gedi Reserve

#### Nachal David and the David waterfall

We moved into the nature reserve, hiking up the David stream to the David waterfall. It is named for David as the book of Samuel refers to him hiding there. Along the way, we paused to learn about the different plants and wildlife in the reserve; their origins and their uses. Our guide taught us about the geological processes which formed the rocks that we were seeing. Sadly, there was no time for a reprise of the plunge pool adventures.

Chalcolithic period temple at Ein Gedi

#### The Chalcolithic temple on the cliff

We turned back and took a steep climb out of the valley to the top of the surrounding cliff. On the way up, we passed signs of ancient civilisation; trenches that acted as an irrigation system for crops built on terraces on the cliff face, cisterns and the like. And enjoyed the sweeping views over the Dead Sea valley. Positioned on the top of the cliff was an ancient Chalcolithic temple. Only the bottom stones of the wall remain but you can clearly make out several rooms within the structure. We learned about its probable uses and imagined that in this place, over 5000 years ago, man was coming to pray to his god(s).

We concluded the hike with a more gentle descent past the Ein Gedi spring and a Mamluk period flour mill, arriving at the ruins of an ancient synagogue.

### The ancient synagogue and its cryptic curse

Byzantine Synagogue at Ein Gedi

The synagogue dates from the 3rd century. The floor contains a beautiful mosaic which has several unusual features compared to similar mosaics from the same period. It also makes a cryptic reference to a curse that would befall any member of the community who reveals its ‘secret’ to an outsider. Many people have posited that this ‘secret’ was with regard the manufacture of the afarsimon perfume. However our guide had a theory that in fact this community, because of its isolation in the desert, was able to hang on to various more mystical beliefs and practices that some Jews had brought with them to Israel from the Babylonian exile, but that the Pharisees (the rabbinic Jews, who had been in a power struggle with the priestly elites) had ruled out from the mainstream. His evidence was compelling; the mosaic makes reference to the three companions of the prophet Daniel (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah). In the rabbinic literature (midrash tehillin) it says “we say that the world is based on Abraham, Isaac, Jacob; others say the world is based on Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah”. Not conclusive, but interesting nonetheless.

### The Land of the Date Palm

Date Palms at Ein Gedi

Around the corner from the synagogue we encountered a hut made entirely of woven palm leaves, situated in the date palm groves. We paused here to learn about the ancient culture of the date palm in the Land of Israel, which was so prevalent that it was also known as the Land of the Date Palm. These trees had a huge variety of uses: food, construction materials, baskets, clothing, cleaning implements. This culture is largely lost but a member of the kibbutz had visited a village in Morocco where it is still alive to learn the techniques and had constructed the hut and its contents. Ben Gurion also saw importance in restoring the culture of the Date Palm and brought to Israel experts from Iraq and Italy to help build new plantations in the early years of the state.

### Sinkholes and Dead Sea diamonds

Dead Sea Sinkhole

From there, we headed across Route 90 to observe some of the sinkholes along the shore of the Dead Sea. It is dangerous to walk there, but as our guide was the leading expert in the country on these sinkholes, he knew how to tread. I’m pleased that I only found out later that he once fell into one and thought he was going to die (read his somewhat harrowing journal here - in Hebrew). Sadly, the Dead Sea is shrinking at a rapid pace. It used to be up to the road and is now some distance away; the pace was that it was going down 1m a year; now it is 1.5m. This is largely caused by the use of the main tributary, the River Jordan, as a source of water for drinking and agriculture; also by the removal of water by the Dead Sea factories to manufacture minerals. The sinkholes are one of the unfortunate side effects of this; caused by a resulting loss of underground pressure. They are though quite beautiful, in a bleak sort of way. Our guide introduced us to the ‘Dead Sea Diamonds’ which are buried in the clay around the sinkholes; these beautifully formed cubes are actually made of salt. So, in this case, I imagine the diamonds (sadly) are not forever.

Dead Sea Diamond

### The botanical gardens and Gilead's balsam

Gilead's Balsam - Source of Afarsimon?

Our final (and brief) stop as the sun rapidly set was in the botanical gardens in the Ein Gedi kibbutz. There, among other things, they have tried to research and collate the spices mentioned in the biblical book The Song of Songs. Most exciting was the opportunity to see Gilead’s Balsam, the plant from which it is now believed the legendary afarsimon perfume was manufactured. It is still unclear how to make the perfume from the plant, but it really does have a very strong and unique fragrance. We ran our hands over its leaves and the scent accompanied us all the way home to Tel Aviv.

If you’re planning a wider trip down to this corner of the country, you may also find my notes on the Northern Judean Desert useful, or have a look at the Plan Your Trip hub for putting a fuller itinerary together.

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## The Sharon Plain

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/the-sharon-plain/
Date: 2012-11-28

When people ask me for recommendations about what to see and do in Israel, the region of the Sharon coastal plain does not tend to feature in my replies. Stretching from the Taninim stream in the North to the Yarkon in the South, or in city terms from just North of Caesarea to the Northern border of Tel Aviv, it is a very important area for Israel. It has the highest concentration of inhabitants. It contains several cities of note, a lot of important agriculture and plenty of history. But, with the exception of Caesarea, the famous Herodian port city, it does not contain a huge amount of stops on the regular tourist trail. It’s also part of the coastal plain, so it has some nice beaches and cliff tops, but is rather flat, which does not make for particularly exciting scenery.

However, the guiding course covers everything, so we were to spend a day in the Sharon region. And I was pleasantly surprised by what we discovered; not necessarily enough to warrant a detour by a first time visitor to Israel, but plenty to interest the more seasoned traveller in search of something a little different.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe Sharon coastal plain runs from the Taninim stream just north of Caesarea down to the Yarkon at the northern edge of Tel Aviv.
What’s thereA mix of viewpoints, Ottoman and Crusader ruins, a wildlife stream walk and coastal archaeology; sites include Tzur Natan, Kakun, Nachal Alexander, the Cheftzi-ba farm, Apollonia (Arsuf) and Sidna Ali.
Time neededA full day if you want to combine several sites; Apollonia alone makes a good two-hour visit from Tel Aviv.
Good to knowBest for the more seasoned visitor rather than a first-timer; most of these sites sit off the main tourist trail, so a guide or a bit of planning pays off.

### Tzur Natan viewpoint

View over the Sharon coastal plain from Tzur Natan
We began our day at a viewpoint in the small moshav of Tzur Natan, right next to the Green Line. Technically we were not in the Sharon, rather in the foothills of the Samarian mountains, but we did have a good view over the Sharon in all its flatness. Here we learned about the history of the region; the name Sharon is an Akkadian word meaning forest, and indeed until quite late in the Ottoman period the area was covered with forests. This, together with the large amounts of swamps (which attracted malarial mosquitoes) meant that in fact it was one of the least inhabited regions of the country. It was only when the Zionists began to successfully drain the swamps that people began to settle here in their masses, due to the proclivity of water and the ease of building on flat land.

### The Sheikh Musharef tomb

Sheikh Musharef tomb and remains of Samaritan synagogue
We moved on to the nearby Ottoman period tomb for the Sheikh Musharef, a local holy man. The tomb was built on top of a Samaritan synagogue (you can tell as it faces Shechem/Nablus, and not Jerusalem), from the 6th century. We could identify the mikve (ritual bath). We paused in the site to learn about the geology of the Sharon area; its formation, the types of rock etc. All useful background for the rest of the day.

### Kakun reserve and crusader fortress

Alexandroni memorial at Kakun
We descended to the coastal plain to the Kakun reserve. Here we paused by the memorial to the Alexandroni brigade who overcame the Iraqi army who had reached this point in the 1948 War of Independence. I find stories about the 48 war particularly interesting as the odds were so massively stacked against the nascent Israeli country. Daring and bravery, together with a significant chunk of good fortune, won the day.

Crusader fortress ruins at Kakun
We then climbed the hill to the ruins of the Crusader fortress which used to stand at this point with an overview of two very important ancient roads: the Sea Road (Via Maris) which did not actually go along the sea shore, rather along the valley where you can now find route 6; and the road that ran from Caesarea to Shechem. We wandered around the ruins and admired the strength of the structure which had endured for so long.

### Hiking Nachal Alexander

It was time for a hike. We were dropped off by the turtle park at the Alexander stream. We learned about the habits of these soft-shelled turtles which have been enabled to flourish in the stream thanks to an extensive programme to clean it from various pollutants which had been killing off the wildlife. The project is a joint project between Israel and the Palestinians, as the stream source lies in Palestinian controlled land, and it was even awarded a prize in Australia as a result of its great success in cleaning up the stream. Heart warming!

Nachal Alexander
We enjoyed a pleasant stroll down the stream, concluding at the Khirbet Samra ruins, where our guide illustrated how the building had passed through different peoples (Arabs, Turks, British and Israelis) through history through a remarkable feat of rapid costume changing which certainly made the story much more entertaining. Good inspiration for our future guiding experiences.

### The Cheftzi-ba farm

Steam-powered water pump at Cheftzi-ba farm
Our bus met us at the hike’s end and we travelled north to the Cheftzi-ba agricultural farm. This land, just outside Hadera, was bought by an association called the Netaim (planters) at the turn of the 20th century. The idea was to make it into farmland and sell it to new immigrants who were interested in farming but didn’t want to start from scratch. To water the fields, they had Israel’s first pump (steam powered) which drew water and pushed it around the farm. Sadly a poisonous cocktail of locusts and the outbreak of WWI led to the collapse of the enterprise. The farm is now run by the national electricity company who refurbished it, partly to make up for the massive power station located at Hadera, and you can visit the old buildings, watch a surprisingly interesting film (these tourist site films used to have very low production values, but are rapidly improving) about the farm’s history (subtitled in English) and, in migration season, view some of the 2 million (yes, million!) cormorants who pass through on their way from Siberia to warmer climes.

### Apollonia (Arsuf)

View north up the coast from Apollonia ruins
Our penultimate stop took us back to ancient times as we toured the excavations at Apollonia (also known as Arsuf). Located next to Hertzliya Pituach, on the coast, this site has only been opened relatively recently for tourists. It contains the remains of a crusader fortress and also a very impressive Roman villa, together with some limited remains from the original Phoenician village where they manufactured glass along with the valuable argaman and techelet dyes. As if the archaeology was not interesting enough, the site commands wonderful views from a cliff top above the Mediterranean Sea; on a clear day Jaffa is visible in the South, Netanya in the North. We heard the story of the different generations of settlement in this place, together with the story of its violent destruction by the Baibars. Mind you, I’m sure the Crusaders would have been just as unpleasant to the Baibars, had they had half the chance. Given the proximity of this site to Tel Aviv (around 20 minutes drive), it’s definitely worth a short jump out of the city if one has a couple of hours free and wants to get a taste of ancient history from among the hustle and bustle of the modern metropolis.

### The Sidna Ali mosque

Sidna Ali mosque
We concluded the day just a short drive away from Apollonia at the mosque built around the tomb of Sidna Ali, a great local leader of the 11th century;  legend says that he could always tell the truth and people would come to him for judgement of disputes. Once he died he was buried here and to settle disputes people would come and walk towards a stone with their eyes closed. The first to touch the stone is the one who is telling the truth. From this peaceful location we learned about the Mamluk policy of building holy pilgrimage sites along the coast to ensure a constant flow of pilgrims who would be able to keep an eye out for any future Crusader attack. Whether or not Sidna Ali is buried here is up for discussion – there are two other sites in Israel which also claim the honour. The British banned Muslims from visiting this site as punishment for their rebellion in the 1930s, and it fell into disrepair. Recently, the Waqf (the Muslim religious authority here) petitioned the government for the land, and successfully took over the site and restored it. It is really rather picturesque.

So, it seems the Sharon was able to throw up a fair amount of positive surprises. Somewhat off the regular tourist trail, it is true, but with some sites that are well worth a visit.

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## Mount Sedom

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/mount-sedom/
Date: 2012-11-19

On the one hand it seems a bit churlish to continue with this blog with a war going on; however I very much feel that we must continue to live as normal a life as possible. Indeed, the class continues, our trips continue, so I will continue to write about our activities.

For our third trip we headed southwards again to the Dead Sea region, taking a different route (so we could learn a new route, and also be told about new things that we were passing), and heading towards Mt Sedom. The day contained fewer sites than the first two, partly because of the long journey times from Tel Aviv (around 3 hours in each direction) and partly because of two reasonably long hikes which were part of the programme.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereMount Sedom sits at the southwestern corner of the Dead Sea, off Route 31 between Arad and Route 90, about a three-hour drive from Tel Aviv.
What’s thereThe Meitzad Zohar viewpoint, the Nachal Peratzim badlands, a hike across Mount Sedom itself (a salt mountain that is still growing), and views over the Dead Sea pools and the Dead Sea factories.
Time neededA long day. Two hikes plus several viewpoints fill the visiting hours; allow for the long drive each way.
Good to knowThe famous Flour Caves and the Sedom Cave are officially closed for safety reasons. Bring proper hiking shoes for the steep descents.

### Meitzad Zohar viewpoint

View from Meitzad Zohar viewpoint
We began the day though, at the Meitzad Zohar viewpoint. I’ve actually stopped off here before; it is a small lay-by on route 31 from Arad down to the Dead Sea, not too long before the junction with route 90. It is a lovely view (as evidenced above), but it was nice to also know a bit about what we were looking at. There was some ancient history: beneath us were ruins of what archaeologists think was a Roman customs house. Salt was a major commodity in ancient times (some Roman soldiers were paid in it; this is the origin of the word salary), and the checkpoint was located in a narrow part of the road towards Mt Sedom (a major source of salt) to stop people taking it without permission.

In more modern times, we heard about the Lot Operation; part of the War of Independence when a company of soldiers hiked down this route to win back the Dead Sea factories which had been taken by Jordanian forces. I always find it interesting when you find these connections from ancient to modern history.

### Nachal Peratzim and the badlands

View over Nachal Peratzim and the Amiaz Plain badlands
For our next stop, we turned off road onto a dirt track which led us up to the Arazim Plain, which lies just past Mt Sedom. This was probably a lake many many years ago, now the lake has evaporated and the former bed slowly eroded by various streams; this sort of landscape is referred to as ‘badlands’ of which the most famous examples are in North and South Dakota in the US. We went into one of the small ravines created by a stream called Nachal Peratzim. As we hiked down the currently dry bed of the stream, we noticed beautiful patterns along the ravine walls.

Layers of sedimentary rock in Nachal Peratzim
These patterns were caused by centuries of wet (winter) and dry (summer) seasons. In the winter, rain would wash lots of mud into the former lake, creating a grey/brown layer of sediment. In summer, the water would evaporate with the heat, leaving a new layer of white sediment because of the minerals the water naturally contained. These layers are pretty straight, but in various places are jumbled up, looking a bit like a marble cake. The geological theory is that these were caused by seismic activity (the Dead Sea falls in the Great Rift Valley which is a fault line). The rocks were beautiful and it was very interesting to hear the theory behind it.

We continued hiking down the stream bed until we reached the entrance to the Flour Caves. I have very fond memories of trips to the flour caves with various different groups. They are covered in a white plastery powder, reminiscent of flour, and the fun part was to throw it at each other. Then, on emerging, we would be given some watermelon, leaving us with white faces and bright red lips. Very ghoulish. As you can imagine, this sort of activity was very popular with bus drivers. Sadly, the caves are now closed; some seismic activity caused some of it to fall down a few years ago and it is deemed too much of a risk to let people in, particularly in this sad age of litigation when things do go wrong. Our guide pooh-poohed the risk but still wouldn’t take us in; of course there is no way we could take tourists in there, sadly.

### Crossing Mount Sedom

View over Dead Sea pools and mountains of Moab and Edom from Mount Sedom
We returned to the bus and then a short drive took us to the start of a new hike, crossing Mount Sedom. We learned about the formation of the mountain, which is largely composed of rock salt (entirely composed of rock salt at its base). Without getting too much into the geological details, rock salt, when put under pressure, becomes malleable, a bit like plasticine. The pressure on the salt in the valley by heavier minerals is pushing the rock salt out and upwards, as it is constrained in how far it can go outwards by other rocks blocking its path. This mountain is still actually growing, at the rate of 3mm per year (that’s pretty quick in geological terms). I never took much of an interest in geology before, but the guide made it pretty compelling. I tried to feel the mountain growing but cannot say I succeeded.

The hike was lovely, with stunning views over the Dead Sea pools and Jordan across from us. Perfect time of year; it was warm, but not too hot. A very steep descent though, not so kind on the knees. Huge respect to the 75 year old man on the course who took it all (literally) in his stride.

### The Sedom Cave

Inside the cavern in the Sedom Cave
After finishing the hike at the bottom of the mountain, we travelled a very short distance south to the entrance to the Sedom Cave. The mountain has various caves created by the rock salt being surrounded by other, harder rock, and then being dissolved/eroded by rain fall. The cave had a very nice new sign outside it saying that, like the flour caves, it was dangerous to enter. But we went in anyway (having made it clear to us that it was at our own risk). Again, not somewhere we can take tourists, at least while the sign is there, but it was quite stunning to clamber through the darkness and arrive in a cavern with an extremely high ceiling and a hole in the roof, letting in light and lending a very special ambience to the place. Hopefully it can be reopened soon.

### The Dead Sea factories

Monument to the workers of the Dead Sea factories
Our final stop of the day was by the Dead Sea factories. Not the most aesthetically pleasing sight, but still interesting to learn about the history of the factories which were originally envisioned by Theodore Herzl in his novel about the Zionist utopia, Altneuland. The factories are a huge part of the economy in the Negev region (indirectly employing 4000 families) but they do exact a toll on the environment and remain a controversial subject in Israel. For now though, they continue to operate, and are apparently the largest Bromine producers in the world.

And that was that; as the sun set behind us, it was time to head home to Tel Aviv.

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## Nachal Kziv and Montfort Crusader Castle

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/nachal-kziv-and-montfort-crusader-castle/
Date: 2012-11-16

Not part of the course, this one, but such a wonderful day out that I think it is worth writing about. A friend recently popped over to Israel for a few days and I said that we should go on a trip. I asked him for his interests and they were as follows: food, hiking and history. After a bit of research, I decided on an itinerary, and off we went.

We headed North from Tel Aviv, our destination for the beginning of our hike the small village of Mitzpe Hila, recently made famous as it is the hometown of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who last year returned home after being held a prisoner by Hamas for several years. Our starting point was just outside the entrance of the village, where the trail headed down to Nachal Kziv, the longest stream in the Galilee.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereNachal Kziv is the longest stream in the Galilee; the Montfort Crusader castle sits on a ridge above it in the western Galilee.
What’s thereA wooded stream hike with springs (including Ein Tamir), the ruins of an old flour mill and the 13th-century Montfort fortress.
Time neededAround four hours for the full hike at a leisurely pace, including a splash in the spring and time to explore the castle.
Good to knowCan be done as a water hike if you bring appropriate footwear; the ascent up to Montfort is steep, so save some energy for the climb.

### Hummus at Abu Adham

Serving the hummus at Abu Adham

First however, there was an important stop - a small turn off from Route 70 took us into the village of Kfar Yasif, famous as the home of the hummus restaurant of Abu Adham. This small hummus place became so famous in Israel that it has spawned a franchise with a few Abu Adhams now appearing in Tel Aviv. However, in my opinion, nothing beats the original, whether in terms of simplicity of menu, price, or (most importantly) taste [with thanks to hummus101.com for the picture].

### Down to Nachal Kziv

Our bellies mightily full, we headed to the beginning of our hike. We went gradually down the bank of the stream, thankfully covered in thick woodland which shaded us from the afternoon sun. Every now and again there would be a break in the trees and a glimpse of a beautiful view over the Galil, such as the one below.

View from South bank of Nachal Kziv

After quite a steep climb down, pausing to let a local goat herder pass with his flock, we arrived at Ein Tamir, a small spring that contributes to the Kziv stream. This was a great place to cool off and have a quick paddle while doing our best not to disturb the fish swimming around our feet, a quite pleasant sensation. A nice reward after such a steep descent.

Ein Tamir

We continued down the river, criss-crossing via stepping stones when every now and again we ran out of river bank (the trail helpfully pointed us in the right direction when we needed to do so). It would probably have been more practical to have done this as a water hike and just walked through the stream; unfortunately neither of us had brought appropriate shoes on this occasion. However, it was quite fun to jump along the stones, trying to identify the best route, avoid wobbles, and a good feeling of achievement on safely reaching the other bank.

Hiking down Nachal Kziv

After a while we arrived at what appeared to be a mini canyon; erosion having taken its toll on the surrounding rock. It was really rather beautiful.

Nachal Kziv

Eventually we exited the shade, fortunately the heat of the day was already abating and it was very pleasant to be in the sunshine. We continued along the stream, continuing to cross over every now and again, and passed the ruins of an old flour mill, testifying to the impact of mankind on the area. The ruins were somewhat forlorn, although aesthetically pleasing in a rustic way; it felt a bit of a shame though to encounter this evidence of human construction as part of the beauty of this trail was the fact that we were almost alone; for the city dweller this isolation gives a certain sense of freedom and connection with nature; the mill reminded us that we were not so far from civilisation as we imagined.

Ruins of a flour mill along Nachal Kziv

### Montfort Crusader castle

Eventually it was time to begin our climb back up the river bank, and we could already spy our prize. Outlined against the setting sun was the Montfort crusader fortress. The ascent was steep and unkind on our tired legs but we pushed on and my, was it worth it. We had the stunning ruins of Montfort to ourselves, the remains of an 800 year old defence against the Mamluks. The remoteness of the castle, the fact that we were the only ones there, really gave us a sense of adventure, a sense of exploration. I can't really explain how, but the castle retained a sense of majesty and might that could still inspire awe.

Among the ruins at Montfort

As if this was not enough, the backdrop was a spectacular panorama over the Galilee. In most directions the scenery remains woodland, I suppose that it is much the same as it was 800 years ago. Standing on the viewing platform, I tried to imagine the crusader knights rushing around the castle, looking out over the same hills below that I was looking over now.

Panorama from Montfort Castle

We concluded our hike with a bit of a scramble over some rocks back up to where we had left the car, arriving just before darkness set in, and just in time to enjoy the colours of the sunset. The hike took about four hours in total, going at a leisurely pace and allowing for a nice splash in the spring and a good wander around the castle. We returned to Tel Aviv, happy with an excellent day out.

For anyone interested, details of the trail can be found here on the Tiyuli website.

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## Mount Carmel

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/mount-carmel/
Date: 2012-11-12

After our desert adventures last week it was now time to head northwards to the somewhat leafier region of Mount Carmel. I’m beginning to appreciate the unearthly hour at which I have to leave the house for the day trip. We are between times in Tel Aviv, as it were. The late night revellers have made their way home; the gainfully employed are yet to start their commute; and so the city rests, tranquil, the odd street cleaner pottering about here and there. A rest before the craziness begins once more.

Mount Carmel is actually less of a mountain and more of a mountain range. Or rather, more of a large hill range, as at its high point it reaches just 546m above sea level; even Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest peak, is over two times taller. It is an offshoot of the Samarian hills, geographically speaking, although it is not directly connected, at least anymore, thanks to various bits of tectonic activity and weathering.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereA coastal mountain range in northern Israel, rising to 546m above sea level and stretching inland from Haifa.
What’s thereMediterranean woodland, hiking trails, the Chai Bar wildlife reserve, the Derech HaDorot archaeological park, Druze villages and the Muchraka monastery linked to the prophet Elijah.
Time neededA full day to cover the range; individual sites can each be visited in 1–2 hours.
Access notesThe Chai Bar is open to groups by prior arrangement except on weekends and chol hamoed (intermediary days of festivals).

### Mishmar HaCarmel and the 2010 fire

Panorama over Nachal Oren from Mishmar HaCarmel
We began our day with a panoramic view over the Oren stream (note that most streams in Israel don’t actually contain water during most of the year) from the Mishmar HaCarmel Nature Reserve. We learned about the geographical features of the range, the Mediterranean Woodland that one finds on its slopes (largely evergreen, meaning that we have a landscape that consistently retains a lush, green appearance), and the history of its settlement. Due to the lack of fresh water (only three springs on the mountain) it was largely devoid of human settlement until recent times; even now it is mostly woodland and large swathes of the range have been designated as a National Park which means that further building is prohibited.

We continued on our way, sadly witness to scenes of devastation still present from the terrible forest fire of December 2010. I remember driving up to Netanya and seeing the huge plumes of smoke billowing towards the heavens. The fire raged for four days, claiming 44 lives, and reached temperatures of up to an incredible 1000°C. On our route, we passed the place where 37 prison cadet officers, on their way to evacuate the prison at the top of the hill, were trapped by the fire and tragically did not manage to escape. They are remembered by a recently dedicated monument.

### Little Switzerland

Our next stop was in the area of Little Switzerland, so called by European immigrants for whom the greenery reminded them of their former home. As much as it is lovely, I’m not sure how close it comes to representing the beauty of the Swiss countryside, but I suppose that in comparison to the flatness of the coastal plain and the barrenness of the southern deserts, the association makes sense. And I imagine that, so far from homes in Europe, in a time when communication across such distances would have been very difficult, it was probably nice to have some sort of connection to their places of origin.

Limestone 'notch' (צניר) in Little Switzerland
The area is full of hiking trails and for the first time so far on the course we took one of these, down towards the Yuval Katan stream, learning how to read the trail signs and identifying various plants as we went. Eventually we reached our destination, a large ‘notch’ in the rock formed by erosion over millions of years. We sat, rested and enjoyed the view over the Kelach stream, while our guide explained to us the geological processes which formed such notches and why they were present in the area. We hiked back, enjoying the freshness of the mountain air, and the pleasant temperatures; quite the contrast to last week’s venture into the desert where temperatures were still searing even though it was early November.

### The Chai Bar

View over the Chai Bar
From the end of the trail it was just a short bus ride to the Chai Bar. This is an intriguing project, initiated by the Nature and Parks Authority in Israel. For different reasons, over the decades and centuries, various types of animals that were native to Israel have become extinct. In the Carmel region, it was largely because of hunting. So, the Chai Bar organisation was set up to try and reintroduce these animals to the Israeli landscape. There are two locations, one in the Negev desert, and one here on the Carmel. The animals are sourced from various locations in the Mediterranean and Middle East, gradually acclimatised to Israel, and then released into the wild. It has been running since the seventies with quite some success; in this reserve some of the animals include various types of deer, eagles and a fire salamander. There is a short explanatory film which includes quite an exciting story set against the backdrop of the Iranian revolution; the Israelis had arrived to collect some pre-ordered animals when the revolution broke out, and just managed to get them and get them onto the last El Al flight out of the country using a good combination of initiative and chutzpah. Afterwards, one can wander around the enclosures and enjoy the view from the lookout point. A note for any budding visitors: apart from weekends and chol hamoed (intermediary days of festivals) you can only access the Chai Bar as part of a group which has pre-arranged the visit.

### Derech HaDorot and Mitzpe HaMifratz

From the Chai Bar we crossed over Route 672 (the main road on Mt Carmel) to another fascinating conservation project: Derech HaDorot (Road of the Millennia). In this case however, the focus is on antiquities rather than wildlife. As you can imagine, Israel is full of areas of archaeological interest. In addition, as a country with a rapidly expanding population and developing economy, there is a great deal of construction and development. We learned about the Law of Antiquities which means that any construction project that discovers archaeological remains needs to pause their work for the experts to move in and excavate; the construction company even has to fund the excavations. However, once the digs are over and the archaeologists have removed whatever artefacts can be salvaged and photographed where relevant, the remains are built over, never to be seen again.

Canaanite ruins at Derech HaDorot
This is where the late Dr Reuben Hecht comes into the picture. He set up the Hecht Foundation, part of whose remit is to salvage these sites and painstakingly extract them from their location in full, moving them to a new site, Derech HaDorot, so we can enjoy them for posterity. Without meaning to sound crass, it’s a sort of Disneyland for archaeologists who can peruse numerous structures from different parts of the country and different time periods in a relatively small space. I found it remarkable and think it’s a great project; the best thing is that it will only get better with time as more excavations occur.

View over Akko Valley from Mitzpe HaMifratz
Within walking distance was another viewpoint, known as Mitzpe HaMifratz, where we enjoyed the view over the Valley of Akko. Here we heard the story of the 200 Days of Terror in 1942 when it was feared the Nazi forces were about to reach the British Mandate of Palestine. The Jews made plans to make a last stand on the Carmel; fortunately these plans were never needed.

### Druze country: the Grove of the Forty and Daliyat-al-Carmel

Grove of the Forty
We continued on foot down a hiking trail to the Grove of the Forty (Churshat HaArbaim), a site that is holy for the Druze people (more on them later) and contains trees that are around 400 years old. The site was peaceful and beautiful, I could understand why it would be considered holy. We received a short preamble about the Druze religion and the trees in the area.

Much more on the Druze was to come in their biggest city in Israel: Daliyat-al-Carmel. We walked into the old town, ending at the relatively new memorial to the Druze who have sadly fallen in Israel’s wars. The Druze are a small people (around 1 million globally) who are mostly based in Israel, Lebanon and Syria. The religion dates back 1000 years and began in Egypt before persecution forced them to flee to the areas where they are based today.

Shrine to Abu Ibrahim in Daliyat-al-Carmel
Probably because of this persecution, the religion is a closely guarded secret; they also have a principle of fierce loyalty to the government of whichever country is their base. This is why many Druze sided with the Israelis in the War of Independence; since the 60s they also have mandatory conscription to the Israeli army (unlike the Bedouin or other Israeli Arabs) and are much more assimilated into Israeli society. On the way out of the old town we passed the shrine to Abu Ibrahim, one of the first preachers of the Druze faith. It is said that he hid in a cave here while escaping persecution (sadly a regular theme for the Druze). It is a pretty building and worth a visit if passing through Daliyat-al-Carmel for its popular market. Speaking of which, we gladly received fifteen minutes of free time to peruse said market. I put this time to good use by heading straight for a sweet shop. Delicious!

Traditional sweets in Daliyat-al-Carmel. Yum!

### The Muchraka

Our final stop of the day was at the Muchraka, a Carmelite Monastery said to be at the site where the prophet Elijah challenged the prophets of the Canaanite god Baal to a showdown in order to prove God’s might. The story (related in 1 Kings 18) is great; a good mix of danger, drama, suspense and a cheeky bit of humour. All topped off with a divine miracle, not something to be sniffed at. As our guide related the story, I tried to picture the scene; the prophets of Baal struggling to save face; the multitude of the people watching in awe. Elijah certainly had a flair for the theatrical.

Panoramic view from Muchraka
We finished off with a brief visit to the chapel and we concluded the final hours of daylight with the magnificent panorama from the balcony on the monastery roof (my picture sadly did not come out well, so thanks to Wikipedia for the above). And with that, it was time to head home. Until next week!

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## Northern Judean Desert

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/northern-judean-desert/
Date: 2012-11-04

And so it begins. After some logistics and forms the night before, we gather as the sun rises over Tel Aviv at Arlozorov bus station, ready to set out on our first trip on the guiding course. The previous night, our rakaz (coordinator) had instilled the fear of God into everyone, promising that the bus was leaving at 6.30am and if you were not on it, then tough. And then he said it again, several times. Obviously, the last thing you want to happen having already woken up at the crack of dawn is to make it all worthless by missing the bus, so it was that when I showed up half an hour early there were already about half the course there to meet me. And yes, we did leave on time.

Our first journey took us south into the North of the Judean desert. But before we could get to our first site of the day, we had about 90 minutes of travel time. I pulled out my travel pillow, looking forward to catching up on those lost hours of sleep. This went well for about 5 minutes before our guide grabbed the microphone and started pointing things out as we travelled down the road, and of course we were writing this all down.

One of the things that I love about this country is the incredible concentration of sites of interest. I must say, however, that this can be a mixed blessing; when on the guiding course one receives far more content than one would on a normal tour, to equip us for every situation and eventuality, so significant concentration is required. “On the left, an ancient archaeological site; on the right, the site of Israel’s first soap factory; look at the rock here which is a reddish colour because of the copper, etc”. And I dutifully listened, and looked, and noted, and worked out some of the more complicated Hebrew words (limestone, flint, aqueduct, weaving ant, to name but a few of the additions to my lexicon on this trip).

We passed Jerusalem and began the descent into the Judean desert. I love the desert. Israel has two: the Judean Desert, and South of it the Negev. Both are rocky (there is a small area with some dunes). The craggy rocks, the undulating hills (Israelis call them mountains, but having spent two and half years in Switzerland, I’m not sure), the weaving valleys, I find it all so incredibly beautiful. And tranquil. An amazing tranquillity in the desert. A place to enjoy the aesthetics, to think and absorb the beauty of nature. And lots of historical, geographical and geological information too, on this occasion.

### Quick facts & guide tips

WhereThe northern Judean Desert, stretching east of Jerusalem down to the Dead Sea, mostly along routes 1 and 90.
What's thereA cluster of sites within a short drive of each other: the Inn of the Good Samaritan, the Wadi Kelt viewpoint, Einot Tzukim, the Ruins of Mazin, Qumran and Nabi Musa.
When to goAutumn to spring is most comfortable; the desert can be punishing in summer.
Getting aroundThe sites are spread out along the highways; a car or guided day is the practical way to combine several in one trip.

### Along the way to the Dead Sea

Mosaic at Inn of the Good Samaritan

#### Inn of the Good Samaritan

There are of course many sites of interest, and our first stop was at the Inn of the Good Samaritan. According to tradition, this is the site of the famous Good Samaritan parable told in Luke’s gospel. In the 6th century a church was built here, and you can visit the partial reconstruction. There are also a variety of artefacts and stunning mosaics (like the one above) from around the area (partly in an air-conditioned museum). The museum also contains a very interesting display on the Samaritans (the original sort, not the British charity), who still exist in Israel although latest numbers put them at under 1000. We will learn more about them as the course progresses.

View over Wadi Kelt/Nachal Prat

#### Wadi Kelt viewpoint

Back on the bus and a short hop down route 1 to this stunning viewpoint over Wadi Kelt. The view was so breathtaking that it required a moment's reflection before turning to the important matter at hand of identifying the sites of interest; I can now point out a variety of locations from the viewpoint; from Jerusalem to Jericho; from a palace of Herod to the birthplace of Robert Kennedy’s assassin. Just in case you were wondering, of course.

As we continued on towards the Dead Sea we had a short nature break; I was thrilled to bump into an old friend and very experienced guide who had been advising me about the career transition, Mike Hollander. It was something of a heart-warming moment and seemed to me to be a good omen.

#### The Ashlag factories

The next step, via Lido junction (the lowest point on land in the world), was the site of the Ashlag factories, the first factories at the Dead Sea, used to mine potassium. The story of the Russian tourist who happened upon this area, had the idea to start mining, and nagged the British authorities for nine years to let him do so, was quite remarkable. But it was also sad to realise that the Dead Sea waters used to come up to this spot, but are now several kilometres away. More on that later. This site fell into Jordanian hands in 1948, and was then taken by Israel in 1967, at which point it became an army base. An evidently very bored officer on reserve duty took a crusader map of the Jordan valley and painted it on the walls (cheekily adding in the local Lido junction). It is actually pretty impressive, an extract is pictured below.

Painting of Crusader Era Map near Lido Junction

#### Einot Tzukim

Onwards South we went with the next stop being Einot Tzukim, the ‘lowest nature reserve in the world’. I’m not sure that is particularly anything to shout about on its own, but that should not let anything be taken away from the nature reserve. Based around 130-170 fresh water springs in the middle of the desert, King Abdullah of Jordan was so taken with the area that he designated it for his use only, when it was Jordanian territory. When it was no longer Jordan, Israel made it a nature reserve, and it was remarkable to see the freshwater springs and also to learn about the extensive wildlife, set right in the middle of such an incredibly barren and unwelcoming landscape. The reserve also encompasses an archaeological site; the theory is that it was used to make the mythical afarsimon oil, known to have been an extremely valuable commodity in ancient times. No one knows what afarsimon was for sure (the word exists in modern Hebrew and means persimmon, but it is not the same fruit) but the search continues. There is also some modern history – the day of declaring the state Ben Gurion came here with his wife for a bit of 'me time' before heading up to Tel Aviv to make history. No doubt he was enjoying the serenity of the desert before what he knew would be complete chaos. And so the ancient and modern worlds connect.

Einot Tzukim

#### Ruins of Mazin

Slightly further South we braved the oncoming traffic to cross over route 90 (the longest road in Israel) and visit the Ruins of Mazin. This consists of the remains of what was an ancient ship yard on the Dead Sea, with evidence that it was an economic resource even in ancient times – a stash of coins nearby probably used to pay for asphalt brought up by the ships.

Ancient shipyard at Ruins of Mazin

#### P.E.F. Rock

We then began the journey in the direction of home, slowing to take in the rather depressing Palestine Exploration Fund (P.E.F.) Rock. The P.E.F. was founded in 1865 and still exists, with the purpose of exploring, mapping and excavating the land of Israel, which was at the time under Ottoman control (they may have been gathering intelligence on the side, cheeky things). The rock marked the height of the Dead Sea at the beginning of the 20th Century. 100 years later and it’s quite sad to think that it is now some distance away from even touching the rock. It’s caused largely by a huge increase in the use of the tributary, the Jordan River, for water by all its surrounding countries. Hopefully the scientists and politicians can find a way to fix it.
 

P.E.F. Rock - lines show previous height of Dead Sea

Replicas of scroll containers found at Qumran

#### Qumran

Our penultimate stop was at Qumran. I remember stopping at Qumran once before; a family road trip to Eilat. Dad saw the sign and decided that he wanted to stop there; I think everyone else wanted to get home (it’s quite a long drive). I vaguely remember it being closed in any event. This time, I certainly appreciated it more. Qumran is the site around which many of the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were found; their discovery is quite an incredible story. Some of these scrolls date back to the 2nd Century BCE, and are the oldest copies of the books of the bible in existence. I studied them a bit at university, and this context always adds more to visiting a historical site. It is thought that here lived a group of Essenes, a sort of ascetic cult that broke away from the mainstream Judaism in the Second Temple Period. There is a good explanatory film and small museum and then you can walk around the site. I always find it amazing to wander around these ancient places, to imagine people walking those same paths thousands of years ago. It must have been tough in Qumran, in the middle of the desert, an unforgiving place where it sometimes rained once in two years. They must have been pretty committed.

Mikve (ritual bath) at Qumran

Caves at Qumran

#### Nabi Musa

Eventually we were thrown out at closing time. There was time for just one more brief stop on the way home, Nabi Musa, the site where Muslims believe Moses is buried. Night was falling and prayers were beginning so we didn’t stay long; a quick peek at the shrine and some history outside before heading home, arriving at Arlozorov at 6.45, just over 12 hours after we had left.

### The day in review

Quite an intense first day! In addition to all the general information, we also received lots of useful practical tips, such as good places to stand and address a group in a particular site; good routes; ideas about how to integrate sources. One has to pay just as much attention to the way the material is delivered, as to its content. At every site I was thinking about how I would relate it when my time to guide will come; plenty of food for thought. All in all, very enjoyable, although completely exhausting. Looking forward to more to come!

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## Accepted!

URL: https://myisraeliguide.com/accepted/
Date: 2012-10-09

I've been a little nervous til now as although I've been telling my friends about the new career decision, I was yet to be formally accepted onto the course. The process works as follows: one signs up and pays a registration fee and provides various bits of documentation. One is then invited to a va'adat kabalah (acceptance committee) which is essentially an interview panel.

Not all the providers of the course in Israel do this but the school I have chosen claims it wants this extra rigour to ensure that the course participants are appropriate and committed. I suppose it makes sense, but I always get a bit nervous before interviews.

I was told to prepare an 8-10 minute speech on a subject of my choice (with the caveat that it could not be too technical or related to guiding) and that I would be tested on various aspects of my knowledge of Israel: geographical areas, periods of history, system of government and current affairs. Oh, and it would all be in Hebrew.

What made the preparation particularly tricky was that depending on which website you read (or even if you read Wikipedia in Hebrew or English) there were discrepancies about dates, and also the geographical areas of the country (one site divided the country into three areas; another into about fifteen, for example). So, I prepared as best as I could, and hoped for the best.

I came in to meet the four people interviewing me and after a short introduction launched into my speech on the history of hip hop music (I don't think it was a subject they had heard previously). I was half-way through and they cut me short; this could have been good or bad news; fortunately it turned out to be the former (they were satisfied that I was able to speak in front of a group and were not desperate to hear the intricate details of the East Coast/West Coast rivalry).

Then followed a series of questions about different parts of the country; I was asked to point out things on a map, describe periods of history and talk about some sites I had visited. I certainly didn't get everything right, but by the end they told me that they were very impressed by my knowledge after just two years in the country (thank you FZY!) and that I was accepted!

The course starts in October. More to come!

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