Independence War
The 1948 war out of which the modern State of Israel emerged, known as the War of Independence in Israeli usage. Posts here cover the battles for Jerusalem and the corridor leading into it, the Jewish Quarter of the Old City (lost to Jordanian forces in 1948 and recaptured in 1967), the southern front, and the campaign that set Israel’s pre-1967 borders.
11 articles
11 articles
The Battles for Jerusalem
A Jerusalem field trip across two wars: the Greek Orthodox monastery of San Simon and its 1948 battle, Kibbutz Ramat Rachel with its First Temple palace remains, and Ammunition Hill, the memorial to the 1967 capture of the Old City.
The South in 1948
A field trip along the 1948 southern front: the Ad Halom Bridge that stopped the Egyptian advance, Kibbutz Nitzanim and the Women of Valour Centre, Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, and Kibbutz Negba where Operation Yoav broke through into the Negev.
The Road to Jerusalem in 1948
A field trip along the 1948 road to Jerusalem: the Masrek viewpoint over Shaar Hagay, the snow-covered Castel, the Kiriat Anavim cemetery for the Harel Brigade, the Yad Lashiryon Armoured Corps memorial at Latrun, and the Burma Road that finally broke the siege.
Campus Eilat Day Two: Eilat and the Eilat Mountains
Day two of Campus Eilat: starting at Umm Rash Rash and the story of the Ink Flag, hiking the Red Canyon and ascending Mt Tzefachot for the four-countries view, before ending at the Eilat Underwater Observatory.
The Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem
A walk through the modern history of the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City, visiting the Ramban, the Four Sephardi Synagogues, Tiferet Yisrael, the Karaite Centre and the Hurva, and closing at the memorial for those who fell in 1948.
Settlement of the Negev in the Modern Period
A field trip through the north-western Negev and Gaza Envelope: water and security at Nir Am, the Black Arrow memorial, the RAF and ANZAC memorials in the Beeri Forest, the Maon Synagogue mosaic, Mitzpe Gvulot, the Nachal Besor bridge and Kibbutz Ruchama.
Campus Upper Galilee day one: Western Upper Galilee
The first day of our three-day campus in the Upper Galilee: an arab cemetery at Kfar Yasif, a crusader sugar refinery, the Adamit and Goren parks, the grottoes at Rosh Hanikra, and two memorials to war-of-independence operations.
Jerusalem: First Temple and Second Temple Periods
A field-trip filling in the gaps between the two Jerusalem temple-period days: the Roman 10th Legion's camp under Binyanei Hauma, the Western Wall Tunnels, an advance preview of the Eastern Cardo, the Kidron mausolea and the burial tombs at Ketef Hinnom.
Tel Aviv Museums
A field-trip day around Tel Aviv University — the Zoological Gardens, the Botanical Gardens, the Palmach Museum and the Diaspora Museum, with a chameleon cameo and a touching memorial.
Hula Valley
A day in the Hula Valley: Rosh Pina's restored First Aliyah old town, the Mitzpe Nimrod lookout, the Crusader Castle of Chastellet, the Mishmar Hayarden memorial and the Hula and Agamon reserves at dusk when half a billion migrating birds land.
If you are going to Israel, you would be mad not to give him a call.
Amol Rajan, BBC presenter and broadcaster
Having been on trips in Israel with seven different tour guides, Samuel stood above all the rest.
Seasoned Israel traveller
Samuel is one part walking encyclopedia, one part storyteller, one part stand-up comedian.
Berkeley Haas Business School student