Six Day War
The 1967 Six Day War reshaped Israel’s borders in less than a week, bringing the West Bank, Sinai, Gaza and the Golan Heights under Israeli control. Posts here cover the battles for Jerusalem (including the fight for the Old City and Ammunition Hill) and the campaign that took the central Golan Heights from Syrian positions.
7 articles
7 articles
The Priestly Blessing (Birkat HaCohanim) at the Western Wall
The unified Priestly Blessing (Birkat HaCohanim) at the Western Wall: a personal reflection on the service that takes place twice a year, when hundreds of cohanim recite a blessing dating back to the First Temple.
Gush Etzion / The Etzion Bloc
A field trip into Gush Etzion, the Jewish settlement bloc in the Judean Hills: the Convoy of 35 at Har Tuv, the 1948 massacre at Kfar Etzion, Yeshivat Har Etzion, the Roman-period Biyar Aqueduct, the Lone Oak, and Derech HaAvot.
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.
Southern Golan Heights
A stormy field-trip day around the southern Golan Heights: Hamat Gader's Roman bathhouse, the Peace Vista over the Sea of Galilee, Gamla's last stand, and the reconstruction at Umm el Kanatir.
Campus Golan Day 1: Central Golan Heights
Day 1 of the Golan Heights campus: a hike down Nachal Jilabun, wine tasting at the Golan Heights Winery, the Talmudic Village of Katzrin, and memorials at Mitzpe Gadot and Tel Faher.
Christianity Around the Sea of Galilee
Day two of our Christian odyssey takes us around the shores of the Kinneret: the Jesus Boat at Ginosar, the Mount of Beatitudes, the two churches at Tabgha, Capernaum, Kursi and Yardenit. With a quick lunch of St Peter's Fish in the middle.
The Jordan Valley
A field trip down the Jordan Valley: the Byzantine monasteries of Martyrius, St Euthymius and St Gerassimos; the baptism site at Qasr el Yahud; the Jordan Valley Monument; and an evening sing-song at the Mabua spring.
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