Trekking through Israel: Motza Ilit

   Motza Ilit sits in the shadows of the Jerusalem hills and is home to the Beit Havraah Arza, the vacation retreat for some of the greatest figures of modern Israeli history. The "Camp David of Israel" gave leaders and their families - as well as many simpler workers - a chance to relax, breathe and organize their thoughts in this socialist-style simple hotel, then run as a rest home for the Histadrut labor union's members.

   Such men as David Ben Gurion and Moshe Dayan walked the paths of Arza and planted trees on the grounds.

To read more about Motza Ilit, check out the IsraelExperts Blog.

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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 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.

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.

Where was ancient Modiin, the home of the Macabees? A look at Midya and the Macabee graves

The tombs of the ancient Macabees are still a mystery today. The writings of Josephus describe them as pyramids from which the sea can be viewed, but the memorial site that is marked  in Modiin is questioned. Many historians believe instead that the ruins in the forest close by that have not been excavated may be the actual burial place. Hirbat Sher is another suspected place, where Hasmonean tombs have been discovered—some with ornate inscriptions.  This location was discovered in 1907 by a group of Jewish school children who were directed there by an Arab sheepherder who described the area as the tomb of the Jews. 

The Arab town of al Midya is also a possible location for the tombs. Excavations at er-Ras, a nearby hill, revealed a tomb with a view of the sea. This location was proposed as the original location of Modiin in 1866 by Father Emmanuel Forner, a French Franciscan monk,  for a few reasons. 

Firstly, the tomb found there matched the description of the tomb of the Macabees, as found in the writings of Josephus. The 19^th century excavation revealed seven triangular tombs with a view of the sea.

Secondly, some believe its location corresponds with the location of the ancient city of Modiin according to descriptions in the Mishnah. 

Since 1948, candles have been lit on Chanukah to commemorate this as a place connected to the great battle.

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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 at education@israelexperts.com for more information.

Where was ancient Modiin, the home of the Macabees? A look at Titura Hill

Last time we looked at Um El Umdan; another possible location of the ancient Modiin is Titura Hill, an archeological site in the middle of modern Modiin. 

Remains have been found dating back to the 8^th century BCE, distinguishing this as a thriving city, not just a village like Um El Umdan (link to the Um El Umdan blog) is thought to be. The size of the city throughout history, along with the continuing habitation of the location, are some arguments presented by historians to establish this as the remains of ancient Modiin.

The story of the Macabees states that the tomb of the Macabees is built with a view of the sea.  Titura Hill also fulfills this requirement, as the sea can be seen from it on clear days.

The Hasmonean city was dismantled and the stones were used to build the crusader fortress, and other buildings which are there today.  Ruins can be visited from the Hasmonean period, through the Roman and Byzantine and Crusader periods and include wine presses and olive presses, water cisterns and caves used for hiding during the Bar Kokhba revolt. 

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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 at education@israelexperts.com for more information.

Where was ancient Modiin, the home of the Macabees? A look at Um El Umdan

Where are the ruins of ancient Modiin? Historians have argued about it for years. Um El Umdan is one possibility. 

The ruins of what is assumed by many to be the home of the Macabees in ancient Modiin can still be seen peeking out of the south edge of modern Modiin, on the road from Latrun to Modiin. Shmuel and I made a special trip this week in honor of Chanukah.

The ruins of Um El Umdan date back to the Hasmonean period;  according to some sources Um El Umdan was the home of the Macabees, the leaders of the struggle against the Greeks and Greek culture in Eretz Israel, and the heroes of our Chanukah story.  

A few things to check out:

The ancient synagogue located there is actually the origin of the Arabic name for the ruins: Um El Umdan means “mother of the pillars,” which were the central focus of the beautiful structure. Although the pillars were looted, their placement is still apparent when pointed out. 

The foundations of the town also included a row of houses, a marketplace and a ritual bath. These have recently been covered up to protect them.

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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 at education@israelexperts.com for more information.