The Underwater Observatory in Eilat: Seeing Israel from a different point of view

   The Underwater Observatory in Eilat looks at Israel from a different point of view- from the sea.

   Shmuel and I went to see it when we were down in Eilat with a group. Shmuel had not been to see it in 20 years and thus the experience reminded him of his childhood. In another way, the Underwater Observatory took us all back to our childhoods because of the brightly colored fish and beautiful aquariums.

   Over the last 20 years, the Eilat Underwater Observatory has changed a lot, with various new sections added. We were excited to be able to wander through the new rare fish exhibit, as well as the Amazon forest water exhibit and the shark tank.

   There was a 3D movie about sharks which was very enjoyable. The movable seats made it feel as if we were on the boat with the actors as we watched their trip and learned about sharks and shark migrations.

   It was a lot of fun to be able to go out to the underwater observatory to see even more, walking down the stairs to look out at the underwater view of Israel. We also enjoyed going up to the top of the observatory and feeling the wind as we looked at Israel and Jordan. Remember however- hold on to your hat and camera tightly. They will get blown away if you are not careful!

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IsraelExperts is a fully-licensed Israel tour operator; our head office is in Israel. Comprised of experienced Israel destination professionals, logistics experts, informal educators and accredited tour guides, IsraelExperts works with major organizations around the world in the field of Israel-Diaspora relations and Israel education, and offers you its ability to provide quality innovative programs. You can find us on line at http://www.israelexperts.com/ or contact us for more information.

Photo history of snow in Jerusalem

   Jerusalem on average gets heavy snowfalls every 7 years. It is one of the most beautiful sites to see. The city stretches out, covered briefly with a thin layer of white. The streets are quiet, except for the laughter of children who are experiencing snow-- many for the first time.

Snow by the Dome of the Rock 2003



   The largest snow storm in Jerusalem in the century prior to the founding of the State of Israel was in 1920, according to the British Handbook of Palestine. It states that snow was not uncommon during the winters, though that is not the case today.

Children play in the snow in Jerusalem 1921.

   In 1967, a late snowfall covered the city, keeping all but 500 of the thousands of Christian pilgrims away from services at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Easter weekend. The full news story can be read here.

   The last snowfall in Jerusalem occurred in 2008. So far, no snow has fallen year.

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IsraelExperts is a fully-licensed Israel tour operator; our head office is in Israel. Comprised of experienced Israel destination professionals, logistics experts, informal educators and accredited tour guides, IsraelExperts works with major organizations around the world in the field of Israel-Diaspora relations and Israel education, and offers you its ability to provide quality innovative programs. You can find us on line at http://www.israelexperts.com/ or contact us for more information.

Tu B’Shvat- Digging through ancient dirt to plant new roots at the Temple Mount Antiquities Salvage Operation

  

   When I was studying my first year in Israel, before I made aliya, we were required to volunteer once a week somewhere in Israel. I and a group of my friends chose to volunteer at the Temple Mount Antiquities Salvage Operation that sorted through the soil that had been removed from the Temple Mount during the excavations for Solomon's Stables.

   There was a lot of controversy over the method of dirt disposal and the process of the excavation as discussed in this article, http://www.echad.info/sifting/media/jpost14-4-05.html and a group got together and started sifting through the ruins to recover some of the artifacts that had been thrown out, including ancient coins, pieces of jewelry and many other items dating back thousands of years.

   On Tu B’Shvat, 2005 I had my most meaningful Israel Tu B’Shvat experience while volunteering.

   On the hill, over looking the Old City from just under the Hebrew University campus, where the dig was taking place at Emek Tzurim National Park, a man was planting olive trees. One of the dig volunteers went over and asked him if we could help.

   We spent that afternoon digging through dirt as we normally did, but this time it was not just to recover old artifacts. It was to plant new roots.

   While Tu B’Shvat celebrates the birthday of the trees that are planted throughout the entire year, there is something truly meaningful about being able to plant on Tu B’Shvat, looking over the city of Jerusalem, settling new roots into the ancient soil.

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IsraelExperts is a fully-licensed Israel tour operator; our head office is in Israel. Comprised of experienced Israel destination professionals, logistics experts, informal educators and accredited tour guides, IsraelExperts works with major organizations around the world in the field of Israel-Diaspora relations and Israel education, and offers you its ability to provide quality innovative programs. You can find us on line at http://www.israelexperts.com/ or contact us for more information.

Hiking Yehudia- waterfalls and beautiful views of the north

   Despite the desert-like atmosphere that everyone assumes about a lot of Israel, this is not always the case. When my husband and I first started down the path of Yehudia, he commented, "I feel like I am in a rainforest."

   The hike started out winding through the ruins of an ancient village, which archeologists believe used to be Soganey, one of three Roman-Byzantine period fortresses in the Golan that were built by Josephus at the time of the Roman Revolt.

   The low hanging trees, cool breeze and sun made the day absolutely perfect, except for the heat from which we soon found relief when we approached the first water hole. It was so inviting that we were thankful we had brought our swimsuits, and immediately put them to use, and also changed out of our hiking shoes and into our water sandals. Splashing in the cool water, we felt comfortable in the summer heat, and it was hard to believe we are in the midst of a drought this year.

   We then continued on, following the water, hiking along the edge, and every once in a while traipsing through the water. We then reached another water hole, and a ladder leading down the waterfall, to enter it and move forward. It was incredible to transcend the ladder, once more dipping our feet into the water, and then almost completely submerge. I treaded water, waiting for my husband (who is not a wonderful swimmer) and then we made our way to the side, a very short distance away, together. We were thankful that we had been warned not to bring cameras with us. If you must bring a camera, ensure that items like that and car keys stay dry. Bring waterproof bags, or double pack them in zip lock bags and try to keep them out of the water.

   We then sat down and had a picnic lunch in the sun on a flat rock, as we caught up on our suntans and dried off.

   There are 11 different possible hikes in Yehudia, and appropriate ones can be chosen to suit ages, abilities, etc. It’s a beautiful place to hike, and to not only see but also to experience the beauty of Israel.

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IsraelExperts is a fully-licensed Israel tour operator; our head office is in Israel. Comprised of experienced Israel destination professionals, logistics experts, informal educators and accredited tour guides, IsraelExperts works with major organizations around the world in the field of Israel-Diaspora relations and Israel education, and offers you its ability to provide quality innovative programs. You can find us on line at http://www.israelexperts.com/ or contact us for more information.

Trekking through the Castel



Under the Castel is a secret room which is a lot
of fun to  explore.  Just make sure you have a
light with you!



   The ruins of the Castel sit upon the top of Moaz Zion, overlooking the road to Jerusalem. "Castel" was the Arabic name for the older side of Meveseret, and was taken from the English word "Castle," named for the castle on the hill, built during the Second Crusader Period. If you are going by public transportation, you need to ask for "the Castel," not Meveseret Zion. While the town is officially Meveseret, the natives still refer to it only as the Castel.  

   In 1948, the battle of the Castel was the key fight which opened the road to Jerusalem, allowing for the conquest of the western part of the city. There is a wonderful story of how this was accomplished, but you need to see the place to really understand it.

   My husband's family was one of a community of Kurdish Jews who moved into the area right after the Independence war. The Castel is still predominately Kurdish in origin as the families stay close to one another. My husband and I reside next to my in-laws.

   One of our favorite Shabbat hikes is going up to explore the Castel. What is fascinating is that the remains of the main building show all the different time periods, from the Crusaders until the 1948 War for independence.

   The lookout from the top of  Castel is the best (in my opinion) of the surrounding hills of Jerusalem, with a 360 degree view. The Arab Israeli village of Abu Gosh stands just over the hill, making the connection between the cities obvious by their close proximity. Jerusalem is in the distance on the other side. The hills are mapped out on a monument  and it’s easy to see why this was such an important place in the history of the land of Israel, as a look out, a connection between the cities, and a welcoming post on the way to the city of Jerusalem.

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IsraelExperts is a fully-licensed Israel tour operator; our head office is in Israel. Comprised of experienced Israel destination professionals, logistics experts, informal educators and accredited tour guides, IsraelExperts works with major organizations around the world in the field of Israel-Diaspora relations and Israel education, and offers you its ability to provide quality innovative programs. You can find us on line at http://www.israelexperts.com/ or contact us for more information.

The Organic Botanical Gardens of Eilat

The Organic Botanical Gardens is a new, peaceful way to spend the morning of your Eilat vacation. Shmuel and I were down there last month and were thrilled to be able to walk through a lush green chemical-free rainforest in the middle of the desert.

The gardens just opened this past June, after 12 years of hard work.
We walked in through the main gates and the sand. A twisted tree greeted us and the guide informed us that this tree was one of only 3 trees there that predated the Organic Botanical Gardens.

Walking along the path, there was a cool breeze, and the trees whispered. I did not feel like I was in the middle of a desert, but instead, in the middle of a rainforest. The plants were labeled with hand made boards.
This site was an observation point for the Israeli Army during the 1973 war with Egypt. The plants surround the remains of the guard post.

In the rainforest we got a cooling mist as the sprinklers went on-- not enough to get us very wet, but enough to bring relief from the heat. We ended our visit in the cactus garden, before making our way down the steps and back to the main gate.

All furniture, gates and hand rails on the stairs were recycled from plants in the garden. We stopped and looked at the nursery before leaving, wishing we had room in our car for a plant to take home. This self sustaining, organic, desert botanical garden is truly an oasis of beauty in the middle of a sandy desert.

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IsraelExperts is a fully-licensed Israel tour operator; our head office is in Israel. Comprised of experienced Israel destination professionals, logistics experts, informal educators and accredited tour guides, IsraelExperts works with major organizations around the world in the field of Israel-Diaspora relations and Israel education, and offers you its ability to provide quality innovative programs. You can find us on line at www.israelexperts.com or contact us for more information.

Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat- בא: to come or to leave?

Today we begin the Hebrew month of Sh'vat. The Torah portion is "Bo/בא" or "Come" in Hebrew.

Despite the name of the Torah portion - about coming - the story is actually about the 10 plagues, and ends with the Jews leaving Egypt. Why is it that we call the Torah portion "Come" when we are going?

In his commentary, Rav Aryeh Kaplan distinguishes between the interpretations of בא with the explanation - "Go. Literally, "Come." Alternatively, this may be an idiomatic use of the word come."

We have here a word whose meaning cannot be predicted from the meanings of the constituent words. Instead, we are required to look at the bigger picture. Where were they arriving at the end of their journey? This Torah portion is the physical beginning of the Jews’ trip from Egypt to Israel.

The definition of 'come' is to approach or move toward a particular person or place while the definition of 'go' is to leave a place; depart. The Torah specifies that this action, coming to Israel, is a progressive action. Coming to Israel is not dependent on where you are coming from, which shows the importance of Israel in the big picture of the Torah and the Torah portion.

A trip is not special due to its origin. What is special is where you end up. Thus the name of the Torah portion specifies this, with the name "Come" or "בא" .

Have a happy Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat and we hope to help you "Come" to Israel in the near future.

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IsraelExperts is a fully-licensed Israel tour operator; our head office is in Israel. Comprised of experienced Israel destination professionals, logistics experts, informal educators and accredited tour guides, IsraelExperts works with major organizations around the world in the field of Israel-Diaspora relations and Israel education, and offers you its ability to provide quality innovative programs. You can find us on line at www.israelexperts.com or contact us for more information.

See it in Israel

Now you can find out more about places in Israel through our interactive IsraelExperts Map.


View See it in Israel in a larger map

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IsraelExperts is a fully-licensed Israel tour operator; our head office is in Israel. Comprised of experienced Israel destination professionals, logistics experts, informal educators and accredited tour guides, IsraelExperts works with major organizations around the world in the field of Israel-Diaspora relations and Israel education, and offers you its ability to provide quality innovative programs. You can find us on line at www.israelexperts.com or contact us for more information.