Just yesterday I drove from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee via the Jordan Valley. The southern part of the valley is desert, but even there the evidence of the winter rains were obvious.

Alongside the road

As we drove further north it became breath taking. The wild grasses were standing high and thick, and the flowers were coming out in their full glory.

I love this drive through the Jordan Valley at this time of the year, especially when we have had good winters, as we have had this year. And we are not finished. The day we drove there, was one of the brilliant pre-spring days, between heavy bouts of storm and rain. We were so lucky.

Of course we had to stop and enjoy the sight and take picture. And of course I have to share it with you.

The holiday of Tu B’Shvat begins this evening. It is also called the Holiday of the Trees, and in modern times is celebrated as such. It can in some ways be compared to Arbor Day, though it has deep roots in the Tanach (Hebrew bible) and Mishnah and Talmud.

Tu B’Shvat, the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month Shvat, was set in the Mishnah as the cut off date for the eating of fruits from new trees. For the first three years after planting, Jews are not supposed to eat the fruit from new trees.

Since the early 19th century it has become the holiday for planting new trees, any tree, not just fruit tree. In modern Israel it is customary for schools to arrange days of tree planting on Tu B’Shvat, in cooperation with the Keren Kayemet (Jewish National Fund), and local authorities.
In most years more than one million Israelis will participate in tree planting throughout the country.

As with any holiday, there are the traditional foods. Since Tu B’Shvat falls in the middle of winter, when few fresh fruits are available, the traditional foods are based on dried fruits, almonds, prunes, raisins, dried apricots and figs, among others.

Happy Tu B’Shvat

Related Story

When the almonds blossom it is the sign we are all waiting for.

Winter can be cold in some parts of Israel, particularly in the mountains of Judea, Jerusalem, the Galilee and Golan Heights. When we have good winters, the rain comes, and interspersed with sunny days.

It is also the time when the country goes green. Finally the trees have been washed clean of the summer dust, and grasses and wild plants sprout. The fields are also sprouting, and there are sometimes so many different shades of green that I find it hard to name them all.

Many tree, especially the fruit trees, stand bare without leaves. Then comes February with its good tidings. The almond trees are the first trees to burst out in flowers, like pink or white cotton candy scattered over the country side.

This is what we have been waiting for. Now we know we have reached the peak of winter, and spring will soon come, with its new abundance of colors.

Secrets of  A Nazi Mascot

It is International Holocaust Day, and a time to remember and reflect. This is a tribute to the will to live, and the memory of all those who did not. Alex survived, as a Nazi mascot.

There are events, days and stories that need to be remembered. Even though many would prefer to sweep them out of history. The Holocaust is one of those times.

But I so agree with Israel’s first Prime Minister, when he said: We must learn to forgive, but never forget. The story here is to me unforgettable, even though it’s the first time I hear it. But what a story. It includes the horrors of that time, but also the strange path life takes in such times. It includes the indomitable determination to live, as well as the strange ways the human brain will act in order to survive.

This is a tribute to all of this and more.

Christmas is a time of joy, of being together with family and loved ones, of giving and receiving.

Here in the land where Jesus was born, Christmas is not an official holiday, but is very much celebrated by the Christian communities, as well as visitors.

Manger Square at Christmas

The main mass takes place in St. Catherine’s Church Bethlehem, and in the Grotto of Nativity in the Church of the Nativity. The celebrations start long before the mass, with the arrival of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Click here for full details.
You have to purchase tickets to attend this mass, and only specially invitees will attend inside the Church. Most will see and hear the mass while standing outside in Manger Square.
If you ever do attend, remember to bring warm clothes. December can be very cold, even raining.

There are plenty of other places where you can participate in Christmas celebration in Jerusalem or Bethlehem or other places.

Below is a list of some of the services being held, either in English or multi lingual.

LATIN PATRIARCATE OF JERUSALEM AND BETHLEHEM – CHURCH OF NATIVITY, Bethlehem
DECEMBER 24 (Saturday)
1.00 pm                                          Beginning of celebrations
DECEMBER 25 (Sunday)
0.00 am at St. Catherine                  PONTIFICAL EUCHARISTIC CONCELEBRATION (Tickets required)

PONTIFICAL INSTITUTE – NOTRE DAME OF JERUSALEM CENTER,
New Gate, Tel. 6279111, Fax: 6271995
24 Dec.: 11.30 pm Carols and Christmas Midnight Mass (Multi-lingual)
25 Dec.: 10.00 am Solemn High Mass (Multi-lingual)
6.30 pm Holy Mass (Multi-lingual)

ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL OF ST. GEORGE,
20 Nablus Road, Tel. 6271670, Fax: 6273847, www.j-diocese.org
24 Dec.: 4.00 pm Carol Service in the Shepherds Field (YMCA) of Beit Sahour (Arabic/English)(reservations required)
11.30 pm Holy Eucharist “Midnight Mass” for the feast of the Nativity at the Cathedral, Jerusalem (Arabic/English)

CHRIST CHURCH, Jaffa Gate, Tel. 6277727/9, Fax: 6282999
24 Dec.: 7.00 pm -10.00 pm Christmas Carols in the Church
24 Dec: 10.30 pm Nine Lessons and Carols with Eucharist
25 Dec.: 10.30 am Family Christmas Service with Eucharist

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER,
Old City, Muristan Road, Tel. 6266800, Fax: 6276222
24 Dec.: 5.00 pm International Service in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem
10.30 pm Christmette in the Redeemer Church in Jerusalem (free tickets required)
25 Dec.: 10.30 am Service in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer

ST. ANDREW’S SCOTS MEMORIAL CHURCH,
1 David Remez Street, Tel. 6732401, Fax: 6731711
24 Dec.: 11.15 pm Christmas Watchnight Service (English)
25 Dec.: 10.15 am Christmas Communion Service (English)

Services can also be found in Nazareth at the Church of the Annunciation and in Tiberias at the Scots Hotel.
Please visit Christian Information Center for further information.

From BIRTE EDWARDS, Your Guide to Israel

Haifa is spread on the northern slopes of the Carmel Mountain with the Mediterranean and the Bay of Haifa to the west and the north and is Israel’s third largest city.

Although the first settlement in the area has been dated to the 14th century BCE, it was and stayed a small village until the middle of the 19th century. The first push to growth and modernization came when members of the German Christian Templars settled there in 1868. They built and operated a steam based power station, opened factories and established a carriage service to Acco, Nazareth and Tiberias. The area they built is still known as The German Colony. The area has seen an almost complete restoration, and is today one of the “in” areas for good dining and living.

German Colony late 1930's

The next boost was in the late 19th century when European Jews settled there, developed agriculture and commerce. During the following waves of immigration many settled in Haifa, which was developing into the industrial area of the country. A further boost came during the British Mandate, when they built deep sea port, opened in 1933 and the oil refinery completed in 1944).

During the War of Independence the great majority of Arab residents of Haifa fled, so that today they are app. 10% of the total population.

Bahai Shrine, most famous landmark in Haifa

In 1909 The Bab, the forerunner for the Bahai faith, was laid to rest on land sloping down from the top of the Carmel Mountain to its base. Over the years, the Shrine has been enlarged and improved, and received its final shape in the 1950′s. The Shrine of the Bab, the second holiest place to the Bahai, and the surrounding 19 layers of terraced gardens have become one of the most famous landmarks of Haifa.

Haifa is today Israel’s third largest city with a municipal population of app. 275.000. But metropolitan Haifa includes a population of up to 600.000. It is the largest mixed population, with the majority being Jewish (90%), but with large minorities of Arabs (Christian and Muslim) as well as Druze.

Government building with port in background

For years Haifa was known as the “red” city, referring to the predominant population of manual workers. This was also expressed in the saying “Haifa works, Jerusalem prays, and Tel Aviv plays”. True, round Haifa are some of the largest industrial complexes in Israel (due in part to the proximity of the port). True, the port still plays a vital role in the economy of Haifa both as a commercial port and as a port for cruise ships. It also has the largest and oldest business park in the country (Matam).

But culture has always played an important part in the life of its residents.  It boasts the first municipal theater, as well as other theaters, The Haifa Cinematheque and congress halls. There are dozens of museums, as well as major institutions for higher learning, two of them with international credit – Haifa University and the Technion.

It is also still the only town in Israel with a subway and a cable car.
In short there is plenty to do and see while visiting Haifa.

Sites to see:
The Bahai Shrine and Gardens
Haifa Cable Car
Stella Maris and Elijah’s Cave
Israel National Museum of Science, Technology, and Space
Clandestine Immigration and Navy Museum

Courtyard of Citadel

There is a question I receive very often as a guide in Israel, in particular in the Old City of Jerusalem. It comes in various forms such as: “Are there any original buildings in the Old City?” “How old are these buildings?”

To talk about original buildings in Old Jerusalem is problematic. What is original? If we are talking about buildings dating to the first Jerusalem, the answer has to be an emphatic no. After all, Jerusalem has been built and destroyed innumerable times.

Dome of the Rock

If by original we talk about buildings that were built hundreds of years ago and are still standing, the answer must be yes. Examples of this are The Dome of the Rock and The El Aqsa Mosques on Temple Mount, built in the 7th and early 8th centuries, and still standing more or less as they were built. Another example is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built in the 12th century by the Crusaders, and incorporating even older building from the 4th century.
So these buildings are original, although not necessarily the first buildings on the site.

But often the questions relate to the ordinary buildings used as housing or other mundane purposes. Again, it’s hard to come with a direct answer.

Housing showing several stages of construction

Many years ago I lived in an old, restored house in the Jewish Quarter. It was an old house that had been renovated and modernized as part of the general renovation of the Jewish Quarter, following the Six-Day War in 1967.
I am not exaggerating when I say some of the walls were more than 5 ft. thick. At the time I did not question how that came about, but today I do understand the process.
A long time ago, a house was built there. With the passing of time, it may have been damaged through acts of war or natural causes. Instead of tearing it down, as is so often done today, new layers of stone were pasted on to the walls, thereby making it structurally sound again, but of course also adding depth to the walls. This probably happened many times, until it today has those amazing thick walls.

A friend of mine also lived in an old building. And one day they decided to scrape away the newer levels. When they reached Crusader columns, they decided they had gone deep enough. And from then on part of the decorations of their living room were these 12th century columns.

Stone in secondary use

Another thing to understand is that most common building material in Jerusalem, indeed in Israel, is stone. In Jerusalem it is referred to as Jerusalem stone. But quarrying stone is expensive and takes time. So it was normal to use stones from destroyed buildings to build the new buildings.
Examples of this can be seen especially in archaeological sites all through the country. But many buildings in the Old City show this feature as well.

City wall next to Dung Gate showing several layers of construction

There are also architectural features that can easily be seen as you walk the alleys of the Old City that show how a building has undergone changes. There are arches in walls, now blocked up. There are walls with stones from obvious different ages.

So the answer to those first questions on being original and age of buildings is that there are original buildings. But there are even more stones that may have been quarried two thousand or more years ago, that are now in secondary use in relatively modern buildings. These stones are the proof of the continuous life in Jerusalem for more than three millennium.

How many construction periods do you see? Southern Temple Mount wall

History of Jewish people (and Israel) in three minutes?

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words.
So how many words is a short animated movie worth?

One of the things that can be a little difficult is to understand the history of Israel and the Jewish people. What happened when – who were involved – who is the father of who and what they did and how it influenced history.

That’s why I often use pictures to explain a point. I love the fact that  many of our sites have models and drawings. In some places there are even short movies. The feedback from my tourists tell me how much these tools help them understand what happened or what something looked like.

One issue that is often brought up by my tourists is how to remember the the history of Israel, and the history of the Jewish people, and how the two are connected. It’s not easy to remember 3000 years of history, when you hear it the first time. It is still not easy to remember after hearing it several times in the course of a short visit, while trying to absorb and remember lots of other information.

That why I thought this little video might help.

Actually, it’s a history of the Jewish people, but the land of Israel is an integral part of that. Yes, a bunch of history of the land is missing in this video, but that’s because it’s the story of the Jewish people. Maybe one day I will come across something similar on the history of the Land of Israel.
If you need something to help you with the history, here’s a timeline I once created.

I am not saying I agree with everything the video says, but at least it’s said with humor. Have fun.

Entrance, obviously

When I first came to Israel in 1971, there were not many things happening in Jerusalem.

But one of the events that did take place was the Jerusalem International Book Fair. As avid readers we used to go there, browse among the thousands – no, sorry – tens of thousands of volumes in English, Hebrew, French, Spanish, and many other languages.

Angola and Romania

Two publishers in one corner

The Book Fair is for publishers to present their books, new or older publications, best sellers or less well known. They present books in almost all categories – literature, on art, crafts, professional topics, movies, history – local and worldwide and much much more.

It is also more friendly to the public, with reading areas and chairs for more comfortable browsing.

Every day there are some 25 events going on, such as

Panel Discussion on “The Digital Age – A new definition of publishing

Book presentations with the author

Dialogue between two authors – Israeli and visitor

Poetry Readings

Book Launches

Authors signing books

Special Exhibits

and much more

The Book Fair of course begins with the Opening Ceremony in the presence of Israeli leaders, especially the President of Israel. During the Opening the Jerusalem Prize is awarded. This year to the British writer, Ian McEwan.

Israel Radio Broadcasting

Even if you can’t make it there, you can still get some feel for what’s going on. A special corner was set up as a broadcasting station for Israel Radio. Interviews with writers, publishers and other involved in bringing all of this to us all.

It’s always great to see how many people still come browse for and buy books, especially in this age of electronic information. It is said that there are more readers per capita in Israel and that they read more books than anywhere else.

The Jerusalem International Book Fair takes place this time of the year every 2nd year in the Binyanei Ha”Omah Convention Center.

Opening hours usually is from 10 am to 10 pm on weekdays, and Friday to 1 pm.

If this is of interest, the best way to get further information is to google (as I did) Jerusalem International Book Fair.

Full photo coverage

This is rare footage of Jerusalem in 1918.

It was found with a Jewish family in Amsterdam. It is not clear if the head of the family filmed it himself or assembled it from various pieces.
It was uploaded by Yaacov Gross presumably for Hebrew speaking audience.
I apologize to my English readers that all titles are in Hebrew, but I hope you will enjoy it anyway. I wish I knew how to add English
subtitles.

The film shows Jerusalem inside the walls – Temple Mount, The Western Wall or as it was known then – the Wailing Wall. You will see the Arab market and Damascus Gate, as well as street scenes from just inside Jaffa Gate. There are shots of the Tomb of David on Mt. Zion, of “David’s Well” – better known as the Gihon Spring today; of Rachel’s Tomb and the Tomb of Absalom in the Kidron Valley.
There are also a few shots of Jaffa Road, main street of Jerusalem outside the Walls, then and now.

The film is shows Jerusalem after the collapse of Ottoman (Turkish) rule. But before the British rule has really taken affect.

It seems that the intention of the film was to encourage Jewish tourism to Jerusalem.