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.

Avdat: The desert sun with a Nabatean history

When I got out of the car at Avdat after driving through the desert region of Israel, I looked out and could only see the tan of the desert, and the sun beating off of it. The peacefulness which filled the air was relaxing, and I was thankful for the water bottle at my side as I stood under the hot sun.

The ruined town, which was destroyed in the 7th century by an earthquake, still can be seen when you first pass the guard tower, on your way to the main fortress. The ancient Nabatean fortress stands strong;  one might think the town would still be standing today if it weren't for the shifting land plates.

The cutout  camels and animals which mark the spice route can be seen throughout the desert as you follow the ancient path, but in Avdat, they are placed to welcome the visitor, to show where the animals drank, where the traders traded, and where the wine was stored in the cool homes, built into the hill to shelter the traveler, with its own ancient form of air conditioning.

On top of the hill, 100 square meters of the Roman Fortress can be seen, and the pottery house still has bits of ancient pottery scattered within the ruined walls.

While the colors are the same no matter where you look, the wall which surrounds the fortress and town helps someone find their way. The buildings situated outside of the town, however, are harder to find if you don't know where to look. The smell of the desert welcomes you.

Inside the main fortress, one can find many different buildings and wells. Don't forget to take in the view from the lookout, and see the buildings used for religious purposes, which have housed many different groups, including Christians and Muslims, and which still have alters and baptism pools in place.

My favorite part of the site was following the ancient water troughs through the ruined city, trying to find where they originated and ended. The precious resource was cherished, that much is clear from the setup, and the sun makes it clear how much it is still important today. 

When you travel, don't forget sunscreen, a hat and sun glasses- and most of all, water.

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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 email us at info@israelexperts.com for more information.