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The Highways Are Empty

September 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Jerusalem on Yom Kippur

This was by no means my first Yom Kippur in Israel. I have seen major cities die from all traffic on this day, but it was the first time I was able to experience the completely empty highways.

Yom Kippur is the holiest day for Jews all over the world. In English it is usually called The Day of Atonement. It is best known as a full fasting day, lasting from sundown to sundown. It is a complete fast, meaning you can’t drink or eat anything for the 25 hours that it lasts. You are supposed to spend the day in the synagogue.

Now in Israel this is taken very seriously. In fact the whole country closes down, and I mean completely. It is more closed on this one day, than on any shabbat through the year. When I say closed down for Yom Kippur it means not just no work, for anybody, but it means no radio, no television, no entertainment of any kind, and it means no cars on the road. [Read more...]

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Three Cities Make Top Ten

September 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I know I as a guide has always claimed how exciting it is to visit Israel, and particularly Jerusalem. I never get tired of showing off this amazing city. And as I do I constantly see things, I’ve never noticed before. And now I have proof.

Jerusalem

One of the most popular travel websites, Trip Advisor, recently set up a list of top 10 culture and sightseeing destinations. No, sorry to say, Jerusalem did not make number uno, but a proud number seven.

The list was compiled following a survey on the site.

This is what they have to say about Jerusalem:

Religious pilgrims have been traveling to Jerusalem for centuries, yet you don’t have to share their zeal in order to appreciate this city’s profound cultural and historical significance. Plan on seeing the major sights, but also leave plenty of time to walk through the streets and simply immerse yourself in the daily life of such an ancient and revered place.

On a personal note, I must tell you that Jerusalem has developed its own very special after hours life. More and more young, secular people are returning to Jerusalem, and creating something new and exciting. [Read more...]

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Rosh Hashana, What Is It?

September 8, 2010 By 2 Comments

Rosh Hashana, literally head of the year, is accepted as the New Year within the Jewish calendar.

Jewish concept of a new year is somewhat different from Christian concept. Rosh Hashana is part of a longer period known as the High Holidays. It begins about a week earlier, includes Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Sukkoth.

Since Rosh Hashana symbolizes the beginnings, a traditional belief has it that this day is the sixth day of Creation (the day man was created and all creating completed). Rosh Hashana is also seen as the day of God inscribing you into the Book of Life, which is sealed on Yom Kippur.

A period preceding Rosh HaShana is known as Shlihot (forgiveness). For many this entails getting up earlier than usual, as the shlihot prayers are usually said at midnight or before sunrise. There are areas in Jerusalem where this has become a great tradition, attracting Jerusalemites from all its neighborhoods. [Read more...]

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Honey – Nectar of Rosh Hashana

September 5, 2010 By 1 Comment

JNF helps stimulate greater honey production

One of the most traditional and symbolic foods for Rosh Hashana is honey. Months before the holiday bee keepers all over Israel prepare themselves and their hives.

Honey, sweet honey, is used to bless the New Year. May the year ahead be as sweet as the honey. Tradition is to eat apples dipped in honey during the festive evening meal.

Only thing is Rosh Hashana falls at the end of the hot Israeli summer. There are no flowers to speak of, so how are the bees supposed to supply the growing demand for honey. [Read more...]

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King Solomon, Heat Wave, Dry Bones

August 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The summer in Israel is hot. In fact Israel is famous for its summers. We all know it is hot, and that in the hot summer there are days, even weeks that are hotter than normal.

Even though we know this, and we are prepared for it, we complain (while continuing our daily lives).
Of course it is much easier today with air condition in homes, cars, work places and what not.

How did they do it before all this modern inventions? Maybe even King Solomon with all his wisdom were just like us, making it more bearable by complaining.

King Solomon on the Heat

Courtesy: My favorite cartoonist, Yaakov Kirschen, creator of Dry Bones cartoons.

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Ibex on My Bonnet

August 19, 2010 By 1 Comment

There are some days as a guide that will always be remembered. Today was such a day.
Despite the incredible heat my tour today went to Ein Gedi, Masada and the Dead Sea.

I have been there more times than I can remember. The reason we visit is to walk up through the Nahal David Canyon, to the
fresh water pools and the waterfalls. In the middle of the desert. But for many of us it is also the opportunity to see the wild life, such ad the ibex and the hyrax.

Today was no different, except as we turn in toward the parking lot a great herd of ibex was feeding along side the road. Breathtaking as usual. We of course stopped to admire these exquisite animals, who are shy but not really afraid of people.

After a while we tore ourselves away, and I drove into the parking lot, and I was lucky to find a space under a tree that would give shade to the car. One of my tourists was the first out of the car, but within seconds she jumped back in, saying: What is that? pointing to the front of the car.

There, on the bonnet of my car stood a magnificent male ibex. I never saw him, as I pulled into the parking space, but he must have seen me immediately, and said: “Well, how nice of her to park right there. I can use the car to reach the leaves of that tree much easier”. [Read more...]

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David, King of Israel

August 15, 2010 By 1 Comment

Michelangelo

Without knowing it David became one of the most influential of historical figures. Whether he existed as told in the biblical stories or not has no importance here. For millenia and till today people hear the stories about King David, and many believe them true.

The account of David is one of the most detailed accounts of anyone in the Bible, beginning with his ancestors and to his death,  and descendants. We hear about his accomplishments as a warrior, as a player of the lyre and the writer of songs. But we also hear about his frailties and faults, of his relationships with some family members and supporters.

Who Was King David

David was the second king of ancient Israel. He is accredited with uniting the two kingdoms, Judah and Israel, under one united Kingdom of Israel. He is also the conqueror of the small town of Jebus, making it into his capital, under the new name Jerusalem. It is these two events that made the historical imprint.

He is generally believed to be born in 1040 BCE*, became king of Judah 1010 BCE and in 1003 BCE created the united Kingdom of Israel. He died in 970 BCE, to be followed by his son Solomon. [Read more...]

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Qumran of the Dead Sea Scrolls

August 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The site of Qumran is located a little inland on the north western shores of the Dead Sea. It lies on a low plateau at the foot of the mountains of Judea, a plateau made up of lime-rich marlstone.

The name Qumran is clouded in the fog of time. The site has been known to modern scholars since the middle of the 19th century. The rather large cemetary at the foot of the plateau was the main point of interest.

Discovery of Qumran
All of this changed in 1947, when some ancient scrolls came to light, found in caves surrounding the ruins. These were the first of many scrolls and fragments that today make up the Dead Sea Scrolls. Soon afterwards new exploration and surveys were made of the area led by Roland de Vaux, under the auspices of the Jordanian government. This was eventually followed by full scale excavations, again by Roland de Vaux. Since then many further excavations have taken place, each of them revealing new insights. [Read more...]

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Herod’s Palace in Caesarea

July 28, 2010 By 5 Comments

Palace and hippodrome from the south

No tour through Caesarea is complete without a visit Herod’s palace. Although completely in ruins enough remains for us to see the enormous size of the largest of all the palaces built by Herod the Great. The partial reconstruction is an invaluable addition to understand what Herod’s palace must have looked like.

Caesarea was an impressive construction. As was Herod’s way he always chose the most impressive and often most difficult place for his own palace. In Caesarea he outdid himself.

The palace is situated on a promontory into the Mediterranean Sea on the south side of Caesarea, lodged between the theater and the hippodrome. In its final form it consisted of two levels, the lower, western level being earlier that the higher eastern level. [Read more...]

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The Jordan River

July 16, 2010 By 1 Comment

For all its fame the Jordan River is not really a river. At least not when compared to the really great rivers of the world, and even the Middle East, such as the Mississippi, the Nile and the Euphrates. And still it is known my more people than most of the great rivers.

Songs have been written, stories are told, traditions and important events are told again and again. And against this there are other aspects to this venerated old river.

No one today will see it in its whole length, but only snatches and bits and pieces. In some places you may see fast flowing waters where modern water fun can be entertained. In other places a slowly meandering old river venerated for its religious importance.

The Upper Jordan River

The Jordan River runs from its sources Dan, Banias and Hazbani at the foot of the Hermon Mountain via the Sea of Galilee and empties out in the Dead Sea, for a total length of 320 km. The first part from the sources to the Sea of Galilee is also known as the Upper Jordan River. This part is some 80 km in length and has a steep drop from app. 343 m above sea level (near Banias) to 214 m below sea level (Sea of Galilee). [Read more...]

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