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.

The findings show that the settlement was created in the middle of the second century BCE and was inhabited for the greater part of the next 170 years, to be abandoned and destroyed around the time of the First Jewish Revolt against the Romans (66-70 CE).

The people of Qumran
The concensus among most archeologists and scholars is that it was settled by a Jewish sect, known as the Essenes. This sect is known from other sourches such as Josephus Flavius, Philo, Pliny the Elder, the Gospels, and the Dead Sea Scrolls themselves.

As important as Qumran is, it is the Scrolls that have become known as the most important Biblical find of the 20th century, shedding new light of a very special group of people, but also on the time itself when they were written, studies and eventually hidden away.

The site
The site consists of an arrangement of buildings – the tower, the scriptorium, the communal dining hall, the pottery storage room, the mikvot (ritual baths) as well as an impressive water collecting system and water cisterns. In addition working areas have been identified – ovens for cooking, kilns for burning pottery, a wine press.

The site gives an impressive view over the Dead Sea, the cliffs of the Judean Desert, as well as the adjoining plateau with two of the caves (4 and 5).

When first discovered it was often referred to as a monastary. However, that is impossible, as the people who lived there, the Essenes, believed their leader to be the rightful High Priest, who must be a descendent of Zadok, the High Priest at the time of David. Without women this could not be, even today.

Because of this belief the Essenes may also be the Zadokites, a group known from the above-mentioned writings.

A visit to Qumran will open up understanding of the last century BCE and first century CE. It is a glimpse into a very different time and an extreme life style even for its time.

We were on our way back to Jerusalem from touring Masada. What we experienced yesterday is one more reason, why I never get tired of touring to the Dead Sea.

We were lucky, just as we started heading back toward the cable car, we had one of the rare experiences – it started to rain. To begin with just dripping, but before we got to the cable car, it was pouring.

The shelter is built to give shade, not against a desert torrential downpour, so we and all the other people waiting to go down got pretty drenched. Still, an experience, so we took it in our stride. We also knew that within long we would be indoors, and heading toward the car.

It kept raining, but I was not worried. After all it had been dry the better part of the day.

Some fifteen minutes north of Ein Gedi I noticed loads of cars parked alongside the road, and people scrambling on the mountain side. This got me a little worried. Was there a flash flood, so we could not get back to Jerusalem? Then I saw it – the flash flood coming over the mountain. A 400 meter high waterfall in the desert.

One of those extremely rare moments. We stopped, just like all the others. My photos do not make justice to the magnificence of these moments.

And then I saw the second waterfall – even bigger than the first. The first one was absorbed by the ground close to the road. This second one was flooding the road.

Then the police came and chased us all away – no stopping on the side of the road.

Actually it can be dangerous. If the water intensifies you can get swept away. Neither I nor my two tourists cared. The view was spectacular.

Unfortunately in the end we had to move on, as did all the other spectators, but we really had an exceptional day on Masada and at the Dead Sea.

As a tour guide I am always on the road. I see the same places again and again. But every so often land and nature give me surprises.That happened yesterday, as I was touring Masada and the Dead Sea.

On purpose we had chosen yesterday to go to Masada and the Dead Sea. Weather forecast was for rain and storm, and the previous days had been just glorious. It’s always good to get out of Jerusalem, when there is that kind of forecast. At least down at the Dead Sea there is less chance of rain. After all, it only rains 5-10 days a year in the southern part and a little more in the northern part.

Despite the extraordinary strong wind we were able to see Masada in all its glory. And this time the starlings played along, and I was able to get a lot of good shots.

Just as we had finished seeing the model of the water collection system, a jerbil decided to come out and get some sun, and allowed me to take a picture of it.

But most spectacular was the view traveling back up northwards. Most of the time the water of the Dead Sea is smooth as a mirror, but yesterday the strong wind ripped up the water, so that small white tops appeared. A rare sight I could not catch in on film, but there were even small whirl winds on the water, as if the beginning of a hurricane.

The clouds were heavy over the mountains of Jordan, and I was happy that Jordan also is getting some much needed rain. There were still some sun coming through, and it lit up the clouds. Enjoy the few photos I was able to get of this.

Image via Wikipedia

Ein Gedi is one of the most visited nature reserves in Israel, both by Israelis and by tourists. This is due to its unique nature as an oasis in the Judean Desert, but also because the easy trails within the reserve.

Ein Gedi is situated approximately half way on the shores of the north part of the Dead Sea. The two year-round streams, Nahal David and Nahal Arugot, are its basis. In addition to these two streams there are four springs in the area, to feed the streams and the wild-life. All the water to the reserve originates from the rain that falls in the higher sections of the Judean Mountains.

The water and the climate allow for a great variety of unique wild life, both in plant and animal species. This is not to say that these species are not to be found in other places, but in Ein Gedi they are closer together, and easier to see.

Among the plant species to be found in Ein Gedi are acacias, Christ-thorn and Sodom Tree, as well as giant reeds and cattails. Various forms of mosses and ferns clothe the mountain sides.

The animals most widely seen are the wild goats of Ein Gedi, the ibex, and the hyrax, also called the marmot. If you could be there at night you might see foxes, wolves and hyenas. Until a few years ago it might also be possible to see a spotted leopard, but from recent information it seems they have gone extinct.

Though most visitors come to Ein Gedi for its spectacular nature, there are many remains of human habitation, starting in the Calcolithic (Late Stone Age) period some 5000 years ago. From around the 7th Century BCE a Jewish community thrived in Ein Gedi, leaving behind the remains of the houses, production sites and particularly the synagogue from the 3rd-6th century CE. Remains of the watering system has been found, showing the importance of agriculture, especially of dates and the balsam tree. We do not know today what the name balsam tree refers to. However, in antiquity one of the most expensive perfumes was produced from it.

When visiting Ein Gedi you can chose from a number of trails, from easy family trail, such as Nahal David, the somewhat longer trail through Nahal Arugot, or even longer trails leading up to the higher mountains in Ein Gedi. Most tourists make do with the short Nahal David trail.

Visiting hours:
April-September 8 am to 5 pm
October-March   8 am to 4 pm. In these months last entrance is at 3 pm. at Nahal David and 2 pm at Nahal Arugot.

The best seasons are fall, winter and spring. The summer at the Dead Sea and Ein Gedi can be extremely hot.

For many months as I have been passing the old Turkish Inn on the road from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, I have been wondering

Gaza Synagogue Mosaic

what was being built. I am curious by nature, but I had no way to stop in and ask. But the cat is out of the bag.

In years gone by we used to stop at this place, as it had become known as the Inn of the Good Samaritan. The name is based on the parable by Jesus about the man that was robbed by highway robbers on his travel between Jericho and Jerusalem, and the treatment he received by various people passing by (Luke 10: 34-35).
Research and excavations have shown that the place existed in the late 2nd Temple period, became a monastery and resting site in the Byzantine period. In the Crusader period it was revived and also became a fortress to guard Jerusalem. And finally in the late Ottoman period it was rebuilt as a caravan stop. It was this last building that became known as The Inn of the Good Samaritan.

The rebuilding that has taken place has made the place into a unique museum, maybe even the only one of its kind. It is now The Museum of the Mosaics, and was opened to the public in the beginning of June 2009.

It houses and shows off mosaics from synagogues, Jewish and Samaritan, as well as Byzantine churches. These mosaics were found in Gaza and on the West Bank, and have up till now not been available to the general public. The exhibits are both indoor and outdoor.

No doubt this will become an important stop for many traveling the road between Jerusalem and Jericho or the Dead Sea. An additional advantage is that for the time being no payment is charged for visiting this new exciting museum.

I will admit that at the time of the writing of these lines, I have not yet visited the site, but I am sure to do so, as soon as opportunity arises.

Reminder: as a subscriber to Updates you are entitled to 10% discount on all touring services in private guided tours.

Courtesy: Jerusalem Post Online

For more than 25 years I have been taking visitors to what many consider a natural wonder – The Dead Sea.

It truly is a wonder. The Dead Sea is but a small part of the Syrian-East African Rift Valley, but extremely unique within that unique natural phenomena. It lies some 420 m (app. 1300 feet) below sea level, and its shores are thus the lowest dry point on earth.

As if that is not enough the Dead Sea is also the saltiest body of water on earth with a salt (actually mineral) content of app. 33%, some 8.5 times saltier than any oceans.

The Dead Sea got its name due to no living creatures being able to live there. But that did not stop people of ancient times to understand its economic value in salt extraction as well as health care.

Today The Dead Sea is not just a tourist point, but also a place for health and beauty care. Even Cleopatra is said to have come here for health and beauty reasons. People come here from all over the world to benefit from the Sea’s and the areas therapeutic qualities. Some of the afflictions that can be treated here are skin problems like psoriasis and eczema, rheumatism and arthritis, general muscle aches, and more.

Treatments is a combination of bathing in the Dead Sea, the use of the famous black mud found in abundance on the shores and rich in many minerals, as well as sunbathing. Lying so deep there is a thicker atmosphere at the Dead Sea than anywhere else, making sunbathing healthier and safer.

Of course you don’t have to suffer from ailments to enjoy the Dead Sea. In fact you can even take it home with you in the form of a great number of beauty and health products being produced today by many various companies.

Of course when visiting the Dead Sea there are a number of natural and historical sites to see as well, such as Masada, Qumran, the nature reserve of Ein Gedi with a possible glimpse into the wildlife of the Judean Desert, such as the ibex and the hyrax.

Unfortunately the Dead Sea is seeing some hard times. Due to changes in water management on both the Israeli and Jordanian side, as well as a continuous lack of rain fall in the Middle East, as well as some other unknown reasons, the Dead Sea has been shrinking over the last 30 years or so.

There are talks between Jordan, Israel and the Palestinians of creating a channel from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, to utilize the drop in height for hydroelectric purposes, but also to allow for water to enter the Dead Sea. This project is strongly contended and as of the writing of this no decisions have been made.

The Dead Sea is a contender in the New Seven Wonders of the World contest. I only discovered this today so there is not much time left to vote. I did and if you read this in time, maybe you will also want to do it.

Whether the Dead Sea is voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World or not, it is worth a visit.

Situated toward the south end of the Dead Sea, but actually part of the Judean Mountains, Masada is a compelling story of Jews and Romans in the first century CE.

The English name Masada comes from the Hebrew Metzada, which simply means “Fortress”. And that’s exactly what it is. Rising to a height of app. 450 m above Dead Sea (app. 50 m above sea level) with steep slopes on all sides, Masada is almost impossible to attack and conquer.

It was for this reason that Herod the Great chose it for the magnificent palaces he built there. The northern palace was intened to be the family palace. Herod chose the most spectacular locations and building plan, hanging the palace on three terraces on and below the nothern point.

Within the palace compound he built two Roman baths, storage rooms for food, wine, oil, wood. Guarding the palace entrance he built what modern archaelogists have termed “The Commandant’s House”. The three levels of the palace were connected with a staircase shaded most of the way.

In addition he built the Western Palace, intended to be the palace where visitors could be received and stay. It too has a Roman bath house and storage rooms. Scattered alongside the walls that surround the plateau are additional rooms, probably for servants and slaves, as well as workrooms for baking and cooking, as stables for mules and more.

Herod also made certain that there was plenty of water. Masada’s water collection system is one of the most brilliant of the ancient world.

But Masada is better known for the events that took place on the eve of Passover in the year 73 BC. In 66 BC the Jews of Judea and Galilee had started a rebellion against the Roman Empire. For four years the rebels held out, but finally in the year 70 CE the Roman reconquered Jerusalem, an event that for all intents and purposes ended the rebellion.

The exception was a handful of men, women and children who continue their struggle for freedom from Masada.
Well, I will not give away all the details, just know that the way it ended caused reverberations down through the generations and way into the modern State of Israel.

If you enjoyed this RETWIT ON TWITTER