Located east of Jerusalem’s Old City and separating it from the Judean Desert, the Mount of Olives is one of the most prominent sites in Jerusalem.

Located east of Jerusalem’s Old City and separating it from the Judean Desert, the Mount of Olives is one of the most prominent sites in the Jerusalem vicinity mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. It is first mentioned as King David’s escape route during the rebellion of his son Absalom, then later in the prophets; but it is most often referred to in the New Testament, being the route from Jerusalem to Bethany and a favorite location for Jesus' teachings to his pupils and where he wept over Jerusalem. Here, the Dominus Flevit Church was built by the Franciscan order in 1954 to designs by A. Barluzzi in the shape of a tear atop remains of a Byzantine church.

At the foot of the mountain, adjacent to the Church of All Nations, stand the Gardens of Gethsemane (Gat Shemanim- oil press in Hebrew), in which one finds the golden turreted Russian Orthodox Church of Maria Magdalene. Besides the compound of churches adjacent to Mount Scopus at its north, which includes the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the Basilica Eleona and the convent of Pater Noster, it is perhaps best known for the extensive cemetery that faces Jerusalem all along its western slopes.

Believed to be the place from which God will begin to redeem the dead when the Messiah comes, Jews have always sought to be buried here. The most famous of these graves actually lie at the foot of the mountain, flush against the Old City walls, including the Tomb Of Zechariah, the tombs of the sons of Hezir and Yad Absalom. Further up, among the 150,000 graves in the Jewish cemetery, one may find the final resting places of Jewish philosopher Nahmanides, Hebrew language reviver Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, former Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Chief Rabbis Avraham Isaac Kook and Shlomo Goren and media mogul Robert Maxwell.

Presently, the Jerusalem Municipality in conjunction with the Prime Minister’s Office is embarking upon an ambitious renewal and development project for the entire site. The 100 million shekel project includes the renovation of thousands of graves destroyed during the Jordanian rule over Eastern Jerusalem between 1948 and 1967 and the development and maintenance of roads, fences and a tourist information center. The project is expected to last for five years, due to the religiously sensitive nature of the area, which inhibits the use of heavy machinery.

Read more about the Mount of Olives

This beautiful teardrop chapel, the Dominus Flevit, commemorates the occasion of Jesus looking at the city of Jerusalem and, when realising that it was going to destroy itself by violence, weeping bitterly.

This beautiful teardrop chapel - which name means "the Lord Wept" -  was only built in 1955 over the site of a Byzantine construction. It commemorates the occasion of Jesus looking at the city of Jerusalem and, when realising that it was going to destroy itself by violence, weeping bitterly.

In the grounds are the remains of a Byzantine church, as well as part of the first century necropolis that surrounded the city. Extraordinary view.

Luke Chapter 19

41 And when he drew near and saw the city he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace!  But now they are hid from your eyes. 43 For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast up a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side, 44 and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

Read more about Dominus Flevit and related topics

The impressive Church of All Nations is known also as the Basilica of Agony, where Jesus endured his agony before his arrest, in the Garden of Gethsemane, on Mount of Olives.

The impressive Church of All Nations, built in the 1920s over earlier churches, relates the events of this place in brilliantly detailed floor-to ceiling mosaics: Jesus praying alone (Mark 14:35-36); Judas’ betrayal of Jesus (Matt. 26:48); the cutting off of the ear of the High Priest’s servant (Mark 14:47).  It is known also as the Basilica of Agony, where Jesus endured his agony before his arrest, in the Garden of Gethsemane, on Mount of Olives.

Across the lane is a less-frequented grove, where arrangements can be made for visitors to spend a more private time of worship and contemplation.

Visitors to of the Garden of Gethsemane are amazed when they learn that the gnarled olive trees they see could have been young saplings when Jesus came here with the disciples on that fateful night after the Last Supper.

Visitors to of the Garden of Gethsemane are amazed when they learn that the gnarled olive trees they see could have been young saplings when Jesus came here with the disciples on that fateful night after the Last Supper (Matt. 26:36; Mark 14:32; John 18:1).

Today the ancient trees rise from manicured flower beds; in Jesus’ time this would have been an olive grove where an olive-oil press – gethsemane in Greek – was located.
The impressive Church of All Nations, built in the 1920s over earlier churches, relates the events of this place in brilliantly detailed floor-to ceiling mosaics: Jesus praying alone (Mark 14:35-36); Judas’ betrayal of Jesus (Matt. 26:48); the cutting off of the ear of the High Priest’s servant (Mark 14:47).
Across the lane is a less-frequented grove, where arrangements can be made for visitors to spend a more private time of worship and contemplation.

When King Solomon constructed his first Temple in Jerusalem, the hillside on which he did so became the most important cultic site of the monotheistic world, and is still reverenced by Jews and Muslims today.

When King Solomon constructed his first Temple in Jerusalem the hillside on which he did so became the most important cultic site of the monotheistic world, and is still reverenced by Jews and Muslims today. Solomon (960 - 900BCE) built the temple that David was not allowed to, using Phoenician craftsmen from the neighboring kingdom of Tyre (See the lengthy account of the process in 1 Kings). He also built a circular platform around the edge of the hill to hold the courtyards that encircled the cedar wood and bronze building, and the whole edifice was to have been the focus of Jewish worship for ever. However, after his reign the Northern Kingdom declared autonomy, after which time the Temple was used by the tribes of Judea and Benjamin only.

In 586BCE the Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians as Israelites continued to be trapped between warlike Southern and Northern empires. The inhabitants of Judea were killed or taken into exile (excepting the farmers). It was only after fifty years and the auspicious intervention of Persia, the new inheritors of imperial power, that they had the opportunity to return and rebuild the Temple, the thought of returning having sustained many of them during their exile (See Ezra and Nehemiah).

This hastily constructed Temple stood until the Hasmonaeans shored it up in 186BCE, but was pulled down by Herod the Great in 20BCE who began a brand new building that was only finished sixty years after his death. He also constructed a much larger square platform around the hill to allow the Gentiles to go there without profaning the sacred areas towards the temple itself, and it is this platform that is the "Temple Mount" to this day.

This temple was destroyed by the Romans during the Jewish revolt in AD70, just six years after its completion. The platform was, however, allowed to remain andiIt became the basis for a temple to Jupiter in the new Hadrianic city of Aelia Capitolina, surviving until the Byzantine period when the area was turned into a rubbish dump, proving visibly to the recently pagan that God had turned his favor from Jew to Gentile Christian. Such was the state when Omar the first caliph marched triumphant into the city and, having forced the Christian Patriarch to crawl on his hands and kness from the Holy Sepulchre to the Mount as penance for desecrating it, built the Dome of the Rock where the temple had stood six hundred years previously.

Read more about Temple Mount and its surroundings

The Dome of the Rock, the magnificent octagon that dominates the city, is a shrine for Islam’s third most holy site and is the place where Abraham tried to sacrifice Ishmael.

This magnificent octagon that dominates the city is a shrine for Islam’s third most holy site. The piece of black stone it covers is at once the mountain where Abraham tried to sacrifice Ishmael (not Isaac as Jews and Christians believe), the site of the temple of Solomon, and the place from whence Mohammed departed skywards for his famous encounter with the heavenly—"The Night Journey". The building took three years to complete, from 688 to 691, and was erected as a deliberate snub to Christians and Jews, whose faith Islam had supposed to supersede. The location had shamelessly borrowed Judaism's heritage and most holy sight—the Temple Mount— the building was constructed to have a larger dome than that of the Holy Sepulchre's, and Syrian Christians were forced to Lay mosaics inside containing verses taken from the Koran about Christian misguided belief in the Trinity.

The Dome of the Rock has survived all earthquakes thus far, being built firmly on rock, and has never been destroyed, merely renovated. The new external tiling was put on in 1963 and the dome was re-gilded in 1993-94.

Genesis Chapter 22

 1 After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”  And he said, “Here am I.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the ass; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place The Lord will provide; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

The Western Wall was part of the most magnificent building Jerusalem had ever seen, built by Herod the Great as part of the plaza on which the Temple stood. Today, the Western Wall is an inseparable part of the Jewish People.

Visitors who stand at the Western Wall, looking up at the huge ancient stones – the last remnant of the Temple in Jerusalem – are almost always surrounded by people: some have come to celebrate a Bar Mitzvah, others to take pictures before a wedding, or to place a heartfelt prayer-note within the cracks between the stones. But they sense the presence not only of the here-and-now, but also of the untold numbers of people who for centuries streamed to this, the most sacred place in the world to the Jewish people.

The Western Wall was part of the most magnificent building Jerusalem had ever seen. It was one of four walls Herod the Great built to support the 1,555,000-square-foot plaza on which the Temple stood. It was almost 1,500 feet long – the rest can still be seen inside the Western Wall Tunnel. Originally it was some 90 feet high and reached some 60 feet into the ground.

But it is not because of its grand architecture that the Western Wall became an inseparable part of the Jewish People. Solomon, who built the First Temple, said it best with these words: “May Your eyes be open day and night toward this House, toward the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall abide there;' may You heed the prayers which Your servant will offer toward this place. And when You hear the supplications which Your servant and Your people Israel offer toward this place, give heed in Your heavenly abode...” (1 Kings 8:17).

It was Abraham who first linked the Jewish people to Jerusalem, when he offered Isaac in sacrifice on Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount, now above and behind the Wall.

The rock of the offering, over which the Dome of the Rock was built in the late seventh century, is known in Jewish tradition as the Foundation Stone of the world.

King David purchased this land; Solomon's First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE; Herod expanded the Second Temple, which was burned by the Romans in 70 CE, except legend says, for the Western Wall. It was then that Talmudic sages began to teach: "This is the Western Wall of the Temple, which is never destroyed for the shekhinah [the Divine presence] is in the west" (Bamidbar Rabah 11:63).

In the Middle Ages, the Wall received another name ­– the Wailing Wall, as Jews were observed here lamenting the Temple's destruction. A legend says that on Ninth of Av, the anniversary of the Temple's destruction, the dew glistening on the stones is the Wall itself shedding tears.

For 19 years, from 1948 until 1967, when Jerusalem was divided, Jews were separated from the Wall. But then, in the Six Day War, on June 7, 1967, Jerusalem was reunited. From then on, the Western Wall became not only a symbol of glories past and a place to leave a bit of oneself in the form of notes bearing prayers and blessings, but of the love and devotion of the Jewish People for their Holy City now and forever.

The Western Wall Tunnel is a treat for archaeology and history buffs, who are astounded to discover that as massive as the open-air portion of the Western Wall is, most of its nearly 1,700-foot original length lies beneath today’s Old City.

Faith, culture and history come together at the Western Wall in that special blend that makes Israel unique. Revered as the last remnant of the Second Temple, the Western Wall is Judaism’s most sacred site. But thanks to King Solomon’s “invitation” for everyone (1 King 8:41-42) to turn here in prayer, visitors of all faiths and cultures can feel a special bond.

You’ll find worshippers here day and night, but on Bar Mitzvah days (Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays) families from around the world and across Israel crowd the plaza to celebrate their sons’ first public Bible reading at age 13. Mingling here with Jews from every continent, each with their own customs, music, dress and liturgy becomes a colorful and unforgettable cultural adventure. For many visitors, placing a traditional prayer note within these ancient stones is a memory to treasure.

The nearby Western Wall tunnel is a treat for archaeology and history buffs, who are astounded to discover that as massive as the open-air portion of the Western Wall is – at over 180 feet long and over 60 feet high – most of its nearly 1,700-foot original length lies beneath today’s Old City.

The tunnels are those that have been created by numerous arches side-by-side supporting staircases going from the city to the Temple Mount. In ancient times there was a shallow valley called the Tyropaean running along the Western side of the Temple Mount (now filled in due to constant demolition and rebuilding) that separated the rich Herodian quarter from the Temple, and it was the need to bridge this that cause the arches to be built. These pathways still hold up the streets today, and the tunnel goes directly underneath the Muslim quarter.

Reach out in the tunnel to touch portions of the huge arches that supported Jerusalem’s streets over the millennia, the homes later built among them, and of course, the Western Wall itself, some of whose building blocks are the most massive ever discovered. You will re-emerge in present-day Jerusalem with a new appreciation for the magnificent and moving site.

The Davidson Center, which is built in the basement of an eighth-century building, offers to take you back through the ages where you’ll meet colorful figures of Jerusalem’s exploration in days gone by.

The glass doors of the Davidson Center near the Western Wall in Jerusalem swish open silently to welcome you. When they close behind you, you enter another world. It is the world of this city’s glorious past, showcased through the prism of advanced visualization technology.

The center was built into the basement of an eighth-century building, scrupulously preserving and enhancing it. As you follow the winding ramp downward, artwork and archaeological finds take you back through the ages, and you’ll meet colorful figures of Jerusalem’s exploration in days gone by.

A ten-minute, high-definition digital video ingeniously interchanges the experience of Second Temple pilgrims with that of present-day visitors.

The realization that the historic and spiritual treasures depicted – the Temple Mount, the Western Wall and the Southern Wall – still stand only a few strides away adds to the power of the presentation. The center’s highlight is a three-dimensional virtual reconstruction of the Temple, based on ancient writings and excavations, and produced by a team from the Department of Urban Simulation at UCLA. Pictures generated every 41 millionths of a second give participants the eerie feeling that they are really walking up the staircase to the Temple and through its towering colonnades to stand before the grandeur of the Holy of Holies.

The center maintains regular visiting hours for groups and individuals, and is closed on Saturdays. The virtual reconstruction session is part of a guided tour pre-arranged through the Davidson Center.

The City of David is the birthplace of the city of Jerusalem, the place where King David established his kingdom, and where the history of the People of Israel was written.

The City of David is the birthplace of the city of Jerusalem, the place where King David established his kingdom, and where the history of the People of Israel was written. It is within walking distance from the Old City of Jerusalem and the Western Wall, and is one of the most exciting sites in Israel. Visitors come from all over the world to see the strongest physical connection between the stories of the Bible and reality, the place where the Holy City started.

In the year 1004 BCE, King David conquered the city from the Jebusites and established his capital there. It was here where the People of Israel were united under King David’s rule, here where the Holy Ark was bought and here where the First Temple was built by King Solomon, King David’s son.

Today the City of David is an archeological park that tells the story of the establishment of Jerusalem, its wars and hardships, its prophets and kings, and the history of the Jews during Biblical times. The remains of the city are present in the ancient stones and the thousands of shards that cover the pathways between the buildings. Among the archeological ruins are large elaborate houses that bear witness to the high social status of the city’s residents, Warren's Shaft leading to the water tunnel that was used to transport water from the Gikhon spring outside the city, and the remains of one of several towers that was used to defend the well. It is thought that King Solomon was anointed and crowned king of Israel at this site. Among the ruins found in the city were personal seals for signing letters and documents bearing the names their owners – people who were mentioned in the bible.

One of the most fascinating parts of the City of David is the tunnel of Shiloh - a 533-meter-long tunnel that was carved during the period of King Hezkiyahu. The tunnel extends from the city to the well at Shiloh, and is an astounding engineering feat. Its builders carved the tunnel through solid rock beginning from opposite ends and succeeded in making the two sides meet in the middle. Visitors can walk through the tunnel which is partially filled with water, and come out at the pools of Shiloh.

The City of David and its remains and historical significance have made it an important and exciting tourist site.

Read more about the City of David

Warrens Shaft is the name of the underground waterworks system dating from the age of the kings of Judea.

Warren’s Shaft is the name of the underground waterworks system dating from the age of the kings of Judea. The entrance crosses a tunnel descending to a vertical shaft, whose end lies on the level of the Gihon spring.

Warren’s shaft is possibly the Jebusite water system that David used to conquer to city, but it is thought that the inhabitants of the lnd at that time lacked the technology to build such a work. The shaft enabled people to draw water from the Gihon spring without leaving the city, important in times of war, and was rediscovered in the last century by a British officer, Captain Warren.

2 Samuel 5

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would smite the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9 And David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built the city round about from the Millo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

St. Peter in Gallicantu is believed to be the location of Caiaphas' house, the setting for Peter's denial of his connection with Jesus on the night of his trial and the shedding of his self-recriminatory tears.

Site of a Church since at least the 6th century, this spot is believed to be the location of Caiaphas' house, the setting for Peter's denial of his connection with Jesus on the night of his trial and the shedding of his self-recriminatory tears.

Matthew Chapter 26

57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.’” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make?  What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes, and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spat in his face, and struck him; and some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

 69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a maid came up to him, and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the porch, another maid saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the cock crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

A thousand-year-old building houses the Tomb of King David, Israel’s famous king and ancestor of the Messiah. Some come here to pray and pay homage to him, while others pour over sacred texts all day long in the anteroom next to the tomb.

The thousand-year-old building that houses the Tomb of King David on Mount Zion in Jerusalem is almost always thronging; some have come to pray and pay homage to Israel’s famous king and ancestor of the Messiah, while others pour over sacred texts all day long in the anteroom next to the tomb.

Jews have streamed here for centuries to recite the Psalms written by David, whose life teaches many lessons about human nature.
The tomb is covered with a velvet cloth embroidered with the words David Melech Israel Hai Vekayam, the first song many Jewish children learn, which evokes the sense that David’s spirit is still with us.

Prayers at King David’s tomb also turn to Jerusalem, which David made the united capital of the tribes of Israel. The anniversary of David’s death coincides with the eve of Shavuot, when it is customary to pray and study all night at the tomb.

Read more about King David's Tomb and related topics

The Coenaculum is the traditional place for the "upper room" where the Last Supper was held. It is also associated with the room belonging to John Mark's mother in which the disciples were baptised in the Holy Spirit.

The Coenaculum is the traditional place for the "upper room" where the Last Supper was held. The crusaders, being literalists, made sure their chapel was on the second-storey of the building and "David's tomb" was subsequently installed below. It is also associated with the room belonging to John Mark's mother in which the disciples were baptised in the Holy Spirit, but this is difficult to verify.

In 1335, 80 years after the collapse of the crusader kingdom, the Franciscans who had remained at their posts as Custodians of the Holy Land bought the sight from the Caliphate. They were involved in an argument with the Jews over David's tomb in the 15th century, only solved by the Muslims taking charge and turning all of it into a mosque in 1551. Today Christians and Jews still share the building

Luke Chapter 22

7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the passover for us, that we may eat it.” 9 They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” 10 He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house which he enters, 11 and tell the householder, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?’ 12 And he will show you a large upper room furnished; there make ready.” 13 And they went, and found it as he had told them; and they prepared the passover.

 14 And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21 But behold the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22 For the Son of man goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 And they began to question one another, which of them it was that would do this.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

Read more about the Room of the Last Supper and related topics

The marvelous Church of the Dormition is a landmark of the city, and is the site where the Virgin Mary is said to have died, or fell into 'eternal sleep'. Its Latin name is "Dormition Sanctae Mariae" (Sleep of St. Mary).

This marvelous church is a landmark of the city, and is the site where the Virgin Mary is said to have died, or fell into 'eternal sleep'. Its Latin name is "Dormition Sanctae Mariae" (Sleep of St. Mary). The current church and Monastery, owned by the German Benedictine Order, was consecrated in 1906. It was noticeably damaged during the battles for the city in 1948 and 1967. In the crypt of the church lies a recumbent statue of the Virgin in death, and the rotunda above is noticeable for its glorious mosaic zodiac, a most unusual addition to a Christian church.

Read more about the Church of the Dormition and related topics

Pool of Bethesda is the site of the miraculous healing of a paralyzed man by Jesus, as recounted solely in the gospel of John, and also of the birth of Mary's mother, "Anne".

This is the site of the miraculous healing of a paralyzed man by Jesus, as recounted solely in the gospel of John, and also of the birth of Mary's mother, "Anne". The grounds contain extensive excavations revealing the original five pools and successive revealing remains of the Byzantine, Crusader and mediaeval churches built over the pools, as well as water run-off collection systems dating back to the eighth century BCE intended to supply the temple with water. The strata are labeled and color coded and easy to follow, but dwarfing all this is the purest crusader church in the whole country: St Anne's.

St Anne's church was built by the crusaders on a plot adjacent to that of the Byzantine church destroyed by Hakim (which had a small chapel built over it). Not long afterwards Salah id-Din took the city and in 1192 the church was turned into an Islamic school (there is still the opening inscription above the door). In subsequent years the church fell into disuse but miraculously was never destroyed because it made a handy rubbish dump. Thus it remained until 1856 when the Ottoman government, seeking a way to express gratitude to France for help in the Crimean war, gave her the church. It is still run by French fathers.

The sheep pools were an Aesclepion, a Greek "hospital" based partly on miraculous healing by divine intervention, partly on the merits of seclusion and rest and partly on theories that have of late come into vogue with Jungian Analysts.

John Chapter 5

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed. 5 One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your pallet, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked.

Now that day was the sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me said to me, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did this on the sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working still, and I am working.” 18 This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

The Via Dolorosa is the road Jesus walked from the place of Pontius Pilate’s sentencing to Golgotha. The name literaly means “way of sorrows.”

The Via Dolorosa, the road Jesus walked from the place of Pontius Pilate’s sentencing to Golgotha, means “way of sorrows.” The beautiful hymn that begins “On a hill far away...” has led many to picture this last road as a pastoral, quiet scene, a path wending its way, perhaps among old olive trees, up a mountain to where crosses stand starkly against the sky. Walking the real street in Old Jerusalem that bears the name “Via Dolorosa” means putting aside these images, but hopefully replacing them with other, even more meaningful ones that will bring you closer to moments you will always hold precious.

You’ll find the street can be noisy – with venders vying for your attention calling out their wares. Old stone buildings rise up on either side, and instead of a tree-lined country lane, seemingly endless stone steps ascend through the city. Christian visitors are sometimes startled to realize that this is not new; in fact, it is exactly what Jesus would have seen that Friday. It was Passover week; Jerusalem was bursting at the seams with pilgrims. Many would have looked away for fear of the Romans. Indeed, the Romans forced Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross (Mark 15:21).

For as long as Christians have been coming to the Holy City, they have walked the last path of Jesus. At least for the last 1,000 years, it is the same path visitors walk today.  As time went on, the sacred stories became sacred landmarks – the Stations of the Cross.

There are fourteen stations. The first is the Praetorium, where Pilate condemned Jesus and Jesus took up the cross (Mark 15:15). A convent now stands over a small part of this huge fortress. In its basement are ancient flagstones, by tradition known as the Gabata (John 19:13), or stone pavement. Beneath the pavement is a gigantic water cistern built by Herod the Great, which might have quenched the thirst of the Roman soldiers who taunted Jesus (Matt. 27: 27-31).

Emerging from the antiquities, about 20 feet below the present road, visitors find the Stations of the Cross modestly marked. When the Jerusalem Municipality found ancient stones during maintenance work some years ago, they repaved the present Via Dolorosa with them - the better to show the sacred sites to Christian visitors. Past the Praetorium is station three, where Jesus fell with the cross; tradition says this event recurred, and it is marked by stations two more times. The fourth station is where Simon took up the cross. Each station and its story: Jesus meets Mary, a noble woman of Jerusalem wipes the sweat from Jesus’ brow; Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem (Luke 23:27-30), and onward to the last stations the crucifixion and burial, located within the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The Via Dolorosa’s setting despite – or because – of its present-day atmosphere, imparts an authentic sense of Jerusalem as Jesus experienced the city in those last hours.

Luke Chapter 23

26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. 28 But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

 32 Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

Easily the most celebrated, yet most contentious, church in Christianity, Church of the  Holy Sepulchre contains the traditional sites of the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus under one roof.

Easily the most celebrated, yet most contentious, church in Christianity. The Holy Sepulchre contains the traditional sites of the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus under one roof.

The site was rediscovered by Queen Helena, Constantine's mother, who knocked the temple down and subsequently a huge basilica was built, which was dedicated on Easter day in the year 326.

The church was partially rebuilt in the next century by Justinian, and remained untouched until 1009, when the mad caliph Hakim destroyed virtually all of it. It was patched up by a Monk called Robert, but when the Crusaders came across from 1099 the church was rebuilt to only half of its original size, and thus it stands today.

Mark Chapter 15

22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). 23 And they offered him wine mingled with myrrh; but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him, and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour, when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with the scribes, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.

 33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Elo-i, Elo-i, lama sabach-thani?” which means, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And one ran and, filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

John Chapter 19

 38 After this Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds’ weight. 40 They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

Every step you take in the Jewish Quarter brings you closer to discovering tangible remains of a dramatic chapter in Jewish history, especially of the period of its greatest grandeur: the time of the Second Temple.

Every step you take in the Jewish Quarter brings you closer to discovering tangible remains of a dramatic chapter in Jewish history, especially of the period of its greatest grandeur: the time of the Second Temple.
This period is richly commemorated at the Burnt House and the Herodian Mansions.

At the Burnt House, whose exact date of destruction – a month after the Second Temple fell – was determined by finds there, a stirring audio-visual presentation shares with visitors to the complexities of Jewish life at this time. At the Herodian Mansions, visitors discover how wealthy Jerusalemites were 2,000 years ago.
In the centuries that followed, Jerusalem once again flourished, as archaeologists discovered and restored in the heart of the quarter: the colonnaded Cardo, or main street of the city. Nearby are remnants of Jerusalem’s walls from the time of the First Temple, which fell to the Babylonians with its destruction in 586 BCE.

Into that rich and varied mix, comes evidence of the Jewish experience in the Middle Ages, when the Ramban Synagogue was founded, the Four Sephardic Synagogues restored to their former grandeur and attesting to vibrant community life, and the landmark Hurva Synagogue, now undergoing reconstruction. At the end of visit you’re in on the secret: the Jewish Quarter is more than the sum of its historical parts, it’s a magical blend of them all.

The Burnt House is the house that used to belong to the Katros family, a priestly family mentioned in the Talmud. The house was burnt when Jerusalem was captured by the Romans.

The Burnt House is the house that used to belong to the Katros family, a priestly family mentioned in the Talmud. The house was burnt when Jerusalem was captured by the Romans.

A set of rooms belonging to the basement of a house, dating back to the end of the Second Temple period, was uncovered beneath the street. There is also a display of remnants of furniture, earthenware vessels and coins found on the site.

Read more about the Jewish Quarter and the Old City of Jerusalem

The Garden Tomb is an alternative site for the burial and Resurrection of Jesus, and despite questions of veracity is well worth a visit for the atmosphere of peace and the beauty of the gardens.

This site is an alternative site for the burial and Resurrection of Jesus, and despite questions of veracity is well worth a visit for any tour group simply for the atmosphere of peace and the beauty of the gardens. The guides are gracious and there is ample room to hold church services.

The location was decided upon in 1884 by General Gordon when he found the "corruption" of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by the historic denominations intolerable. Gordon was looking for "A green hill far away without (outside) a city wall", and upon finding the Sepulchre within the walls became convinced it was in the wrong place. Looking out from Damascus gate he saw a skull-like hillside opposite and felt certain it was "Golgotha": subsequent excavations at the site found a tomb close by that was immediately declared to be Jesus' and the picture as found in John 19 was complete. All was well except for questions over the line of the wall of First Century Jerusalem, the nature of limestone's decay and the layouts of First Century CE tombs versus Eighth Century BCE tombs, questions that still rage today.

Yad Vashem, Israel’s main Holocaust memorial museum and holocaust archive, is situated on the green slopes of Har HaZikaron, the Memorial Mountain (Mount of Remembrance) in Jerusalem.

Yad Vashem, Israel’s main Holocaust memorial museum and holocaust archive, is situated on the green slopes of Har HaZikaron, the Memorial Mountain (Mount of Remembrance) in Jerusalem.

Israel’s holocaust commemoration project began in 1953 with the task of perpetuating the memory of holocaust victims and documenting the history of the Jewish people during the holocaust so that it will be remembered by future generations. This project was an important step for the young nation of Israel at the time and was significant for the citizens of Israel, particularly for the survivors of the ghettos and concentration camps.

The new Yad Vashem museum was opened to the public in 2005. The museum is designed in the shape of a prism penetrating the mountain. A railroad car hangs over the cliff on the road winding down from the mountain. The car was used to transport Jews who had been banished from their homes to the concentration camps, and now serves as a monument.

The museum is divided into nine galleries that relate the stories of the Jewish communities before the Second World War and the series of events beginning from the rise of the Nazis to power, the pursuit of the Jews, their eviction to the ghettos and ending with “the Final Solution” and mass genocide. The personal experiences and feelings of the victims of the holocaust constitute the groundwork for the museum’s exhibits. The exhibits include photographs, films, documents, letters, works of art, and personal items found in the camps and ghettos, and excerpts from children’s diaries.

In addition to the exhibits, Yad Vashem has other monuments including the Yizkor Tent (Hall of Remembrance), where the ashes of the dead are buried and an eternal flame burns in commemoration; Yad Layeled, the children’s memorial, commemorates the one and a half million Jewish children who were murdered in the holocaust; The Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations has over 2,000 trees which were planted in honor of non-Jews who endangered their lives in order to rescue Jews from the Nazis; The archives and library of Yad Vashem house the world’s largest repository of material about the holocaust; The Hall of Names contains over three million names of holocaust victims that were submitted by their families and relatives. Names can still be submitted by visitors to the memorial and added to the computerized archive.

Visiting the Yad Vashem museum is an emotional and heartrending experience, but viewing the exhibits and remembering the holocaust and its victims is important to the citizens and leaders of Israel and of other nations.

Read more about Yad Vashem and related topics

The Knesset is the House of Representatives of the State of Israel. The complex includes a plenary, conference rooms, works of art and a hall for State receptions. Visitors may join guided tours.

IDENTITY CARD

Official Name: The State of Israel
Form of Rule: Parliamentary Democracy
Capital: Jerusalem
Area: 21,643 square kilometres
Population: 7 million persons
Distribution by Religion: 76.5% Jews, 16% Moslems, 2% Christians, 1.5% Druze, 4% without religious classification
Official Languages: Hebrew, Arabic
Currency: New Shekel
GDP per Person: 22,944 (calculated according to purchasing power)
Quality of Life Classification: 22nd place in world
International Dialing Code: 972
Internet Suffix: il

Israel is a country in the Middle East, on the narrow region connecting Africa and Asia. The State of Israel occupies most of the region known as the Land of Israel.

Israel is a developed country, located in a region that is geographically and climatically diversified. There are snow-capped mountains in the north alongside dry wildernesses in the south, and desolate areas alongside modern lively cities.

Israel’s ethnic and religious mosaic is rich and fascinating, and it has numerous cultural institutions and entertainment centers. Thanks to its rich history and sanctity for the three monotheistic religions, it has many ancient and holy sites. Most of the year, the climate in Israel is pleasant, and you can tour the country the whole year round. However, it is recommended to visit during fall and spring (September – November, April – June), when the temperature is especially pleasant.

Further reading about the State's Emblems, the form of rule and the economy…

The first thing one notice as one walks into the entrance foyer of the Supreme Court building, is the narrow staircase leading -as it were - into the sky.

Rarely does a manifesto or philosophical treatise serve as a fitting guideline for a work of art. Usually, raping form so that it will prove a thesis leaves one - at least in architecture - with a product that is hardly usable, rarely comfortable, where form and function follow excess verbosity.

Not so the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court moved into its current home in 1992, from its Russian Compound location, where it existed for 44 years. Planned by the brother-sister architect duo of Ram and Ada Carmi, and erected through a donation by Dorothea De-Rothschild, it is richly but sparingly adorned with antiques, such as the ancient Hamat Gader synagogue mosaic A guided tour of this striking edifice is a tour into the minds of its planners who leaned heavily on the Bible and the precepts of Jewish thought in guiding their fashion, somehow managing to unite the disparate, rounding the square, if you will.

The first thing one notice as one walks into the entrance foyer of the Supreme Court building, is the narrow staircase leading -as it were - into the sky. A Jerusalem stone wall on one side, and a bare flat wall on the other, it symbolizes the aspiration from the land (laws) towards the heavens (justice). This same theme is repeated in the visual leitmotif of straight lines (''Your laws are straight,'' Psalms 119:113) and circles (''He leads me in the circles of Justice,'' Psalms 23:3).

The sky is a major presence in the courthouse, since skylight plays a predominant role, nullifying the need for artificial lighting, except when the sun goes down. The circular library - open to the public - opens on to a pyramid, through which light streams down through circular windows; the vast foyer, which leads into the five austere courtrooms (the largest in the middle, the smallest on the sides), is in a constant state of change, thanks to the changing shadows thrown onto the walls by the shifting sun; and the entire structure opens onto the Courtyard of the Arches - reminiscent of the courtyard of the Rockefeller Museum - down whose center flows an artificial spring (''Truth will spring up from the earth'' Psalms 85:12).

The courtrooms are simple and elegant, the judges and lawyers seated along two tables that between them form a circle. The chambers of the 13 judges (2 of whom are temporary, and six - including the president - of whom are women) are off-limits, with easy access directly into the courtrooms. And the building is conveniently situated between the Knesset (Israel's parliament, to which there is a dedicated walkway through the Rose Wahl Rose Garden) and the site of the future Prime Minister's office and residence - thus the judicial branch serving as a mediator between the executive branch and the legislative.

Not to be missed is the museum, which displays a collection of artifacts collected over the years from the Turkish period of rule, through the British Mandate period and to the present day. A video presentation explains the workings of the court as the country's highest court of appeal and its additional function as the High Court of Justice, to which people or entities may appeal against a government institution.

Guided tours in English every day at 12 noon. Tel: +972-2-675-9612.

*The article is courtesy of the Jerusalem Tourism Authority

Read more about the Supreme Court and related topics

The Israel Museum, the largest museum in Israel, includes an Art Wing, the Shrine of the Book, a Youth Wing, Archeology department and Judaica and Jewish Ethnography. The Art Wing includes permanent exhibits and temporary exhibits of Israeli artists and art from all over the world.

You can behold the Dead Sea Scrolls themselves at the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book. Its landmark dome gleams white against the adjacent black wall

As you stand among the 2,000 year-old ruins of Qumran, overlooking the Dead Sea, you’ll gain deeper appreciation for the Dead Sea Scrolls – the oldest Hebrew Bible ever found – discovered right on the edge of the Judean Wilderness in 1947. The archaeological remnants and the fascinating displays at the Qumran National Park visitor center recall the lifestyle of the Essenes, who left Jerusalem seeking spiritual purity. The message of the Dead Sea Scrolls for Christians is manifold. For example, they were part of a widespread movement also spearheaded by John the Baptist. Their writers lived similarly to early believers, who “had everything in common” (Acts 2:44). Their scriptural commentaries echo the way the Gospels interpreted the events of the day with prophetic references, and they had a special focus on ritual immersion, which would eventually develop into baptism.

You can behold the Dead Sea Scrolls themselves at the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book. Its landmark dome gleams white against the adjacent black wall, recalling the group’s belief in the battle of good against evil. Fountains play on the dome, recalling water baptism, and its shape evokes the cover of the jars that held the scrolls, which you’ll see inside in the exhibit “A Day at Qumran.” And the precious Isaiah Scroll at the heart of the exhibit proclaims the scrolls’ prophetic significance.   

Next to the Shrine of the Book, the model of Second Temple Jerusalem has recently been reopened. It depicts the Holy City at the time of Jesus, a time of tribulation and hope that is the essence of the story of Qumran and its scrolls, and of our biblical heritage.

Read more about the Dead Sea Scrolls

The Model of Second Temple Jerusalem occupies 21,500 square feet next to the Shrine of the Book. Ancient Jerusalem’s palaces, homes and more are depicted in intricate detail, crowned by the Temple, the spiritual center of the Jewish People. 

The Model of Second Temple Jerusalem, one of the capital’s best-loved visitor sites, first opened in 1966 on the grounds of a Jerusalem hotel. It was built at the behest of the hotel’s owner, Hans Kroch, in memory of his son Jacob who fell in Israel's War of Independence. But when construction activities around the hotel necessitated the model’s move, the Israel Museum welcomed it, and it was reopened in 2006. The 1:50 model now occupies 21,500 square feet next to the landmark Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls, the earliest copies of the Hebrew Bible ever found, are displayed. Ancient Jerusalem’s palaces, homes, courtyards, gardens, theater and markets are all there in intricate detail, crowned by the Temple, the spiritual center of the Jewish People and the largest building project in the world of its day. 

A short film, screened in the new auditorium of the museum’s Dorot Foundation Information and Study Center, highlights the complexities of life in those days and is a companion piece to the Shrine of the Book and the model. The plot follows two fictional friends: one an acolyte of the sect that lived at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, the other a young Jerusalem priest, as each seeks his spiritual path in troubled times.

The model’s new setting allows visitors both to circumnavigate it and to view it from above, getting a glimmer of  the grandeur of this city, about which the sages said “ten measures of beauty were given to the world; nine were taken by Jerusalem.”

Nestled in the terraced hills southwest of Jerusalem is the village of Ein Karem, where picturesque lanes lead you to the traditional spot where Elizabeth “felt life” when she met her kinswoman Mary, and where John the Baptist was born and raised.

Nestled in the terraced hills southwest of Jerusalem is the village of Ein Karem, where picturesque lanes lead you to the traditional spot where Elizabeth “felt life” when she met her kinswoman Mary, and where John the Baptist was born and raised.

Luke 1:39 tells us that after the annunciation, Mary hurried to “a town in the hill country of Judah” to visit Elizabeth, who was also pregnant.  Centuries ago, Christians began to mark Elizabeth’s hometown at Ein Karem, whose name means “spring of the vineyard.”

Though just a short drive from Jerusalem’s modern neighborhoods, once you arrive, you can leave the everyday world behind and step back in time. You’ll still find the spring, where no doubt Elizabeth drew water for her household. If you arrive in the waning of winter you’ll see the almond trees rejoicing in their pink and white blossoms; in summer the grapevines on their terraces still bear fruit. As you watch children at play in the little village park, it’s easy to imagine John as a young boy clambering across these very slopes.

Ein Karem was less than a day’s walk from the Temple in Jerusalem to which Zechariah, John’s father, would be called to his duties as a priest.  It was while serving at the altar of incense in the Temple that Zechariah saw the angel Gabriel, who informed him that his aged wife Elizabeth would give birth after years of barrenness. The shock must have caused Zechariah to forget his manners at angelic meetings! He immediately questioned the angel’s words, and so was struck voiceless until the naming ceremony at his son’s circumcision.

In the cool, restful interiors of Ein Karem’s churches you can see where ancient Christians marked the site of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, and where Mary uttered her great praise poem that begins with the words “My soul glorifies the Lord...” (Luke 1:46). Keep your Bibles open to Luke’s Gospel here, because in the gardens, quiet corners and courtyards you can also pause over the story of Elizabeth’s naming of John (Luke 1:59-60) and Zechariah’s own poem of praise and prophecy (Luke 1:67-79).  Many legends surround John’s early years. One tells of his miraculous survival of the murder of the innocents by King Herod.  John was only a few months older than Jesus and thus, when the order came from Herod to kill all the boys in “in Bethlehem and the vicinity” (Matt. 2:16), John, too, was in mortal danger. It is said that Elizabeth managed to conceal her son in a cave (still shown to visitors) and though the soldiers came close, they unknowingly passed over his hiding place.

Ein Karem, so close to the city and yet with such a different atmosphere, is also a great draw for Israeli visitors, whom you’ll find strolling along the lanes with you, exploring the churches, browsing the little shops, savoring a cup of coffee or a meal, and just like you, enjoying a perfect interlude.

Ein Kerem has had a long Association with John the Baptist, being the reported town of his birth. The Church of the Visitation honors the visit paid by Mary, Jesus' mother, to Elizabeth, John's mother.

Ein Kerem has had a long Association with John the Baptist, being the reported town of his birth. This church honors the visit paid by Mary, Jesus' mother, to Elizabeth, John's mother. As this is the point at which Mary poured forth her song of praise, the Magnificat, the church is beautifully decked out with tiled representations of that canticle in just about every known language.

Luke Chapter 1

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” 46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.

For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on those who fear him

from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm,

he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, 52 he has put down the mighty from their thrones,

and exalted those of low degree; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent empty away. 54 He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.” 56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

The charming hillside paths, linking chapel to church to cottage to dining hall on the grounds of the Russian Orthodox Gorney Convent in Ein Karem, may best reveal themselves as the “village in the hill country of Judea” where Mary came to visit Elizabeth

The charming hillside paths, linking chapel to church to cottage to dining hall on the grounds of the Russian Orthodox Gorney Convent in Ein Karem, may best reveal themselves as the “village in the hill country of Judea” where Mary came to visit Elizabeth (Luke 1:39).

The convent, high on the slope above the Spring of Mary in the heart of Ein Karem, is enjoying major renovation – where once only the shell of a church stood because funds were lacking, burnished copper domes now catch the sun, and masons and artists are hard at work.

The small, colorful chapel is built around a rock that legend says was used as a pulpit by Ein Karem’s most famous native son – John. Ancient agricultural terraces sprout pepper trees, almonds and olives, cypresses and shady pines on the grounds of the convent, where the sisters welcome visitors.

Read more about Ein Karem

The Latrun Monastery is located on a rise with a fabulous view of the Ayalon Valley where God made the moon stand still (Josh. 10:12). A stop here makes for a peaceful interlude for Christian travelers on their way to or from the Holy City.

The Latrun Monastery is located on a rise with a fabulous view of the Ayalon Valley where God made the moon stand still (Josh. 10:12). Just across the Jerusalem highway from Emmaus (Luke 24:13), a stop here makes for a peaceful interlude for Christian travelers on their way to or from the Holy City.

The walkways of the monastery, built in the early twentieth century by French Trappist monks, charmingly frame vineyards from which they make grape juice and wine, and their church is an interesting mixture of Byzantine and Gothic styles.

The monks keep a vow of silence, except for those who sell wine and olive oil to visitors. The name “Latrun” comes from a twelfth-century castle on this spot called La Tour de Chevaliers (“the knights’ tower”). Later travelers believed the name was connected to the Latin word latro (thief) and saw this site as the home of the “good thief” crucified next to Jesus (Luke 23:40-43).  

Read more about the Latrun Monastery and its surroundings

Jaffa, Tel Aviv’s “older sister” boasts bountiful biblical history, along with charming lanes, antiquities, quiet churches, galleries and a picturesque fishing port.

Jaffa is a place for beginnings, both of many tours of Israel, and in the Bible. Jonah’s journey, Tabitha’s restoration to life, and Peter’s conversion of Gentiles all began here. Thus, Jaffa, Tel Aviv’s “older sister” boasts bountiful biblical history, along with charming lanes, antiquities, quiet churches, galleries and a picturesque fishing port.

The steeple of St. Peter's Church in Old Jaffa, overlooking the picturesque fishing port, has for over a century been a beacon signaling to sea-weary pilgrims that the Holy Land was near.

The steeple of St. Peter's Church in Old Jaffa, overlooking the picturesque fishing port, has for over a century been a beacon signaling to sea-weary pilgrims that the Holy Land was near.

The church’s charming red brick facade is an unusual accent in a city built of stone; its interior, with vaulted ceilings, stained-glass windows, marble-covered walls and huge painting over the altar of Peter's visitation by an angel, recalls churches in the Italian tradition.
 
St. Peter’s, which holds daily Mass in several languages for a lively local congregation, was built in 1654 over a medieval fortress. In the late eighteenth century it was twice destroyed, and the present structure was completed in 1894. World history is never far away anywhere in Israel, and Jaffa’s St. Peter’s is no exception: a room at the church reportedly hosted Napoleon Bonaparte when he came to the city in 1799.

Read more about St. Peter's Church and related topics

During the period between the 1920s and the 1940s, the part of Tel Aviv known as “The White City” was built. Tel Aviv is the largest open-air Bauhaus museum in the world, and a declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The city of Tel Aviv has always been a melting pot of cultures and artistic styles. In the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s Tel Aviv was a young, thriving city in the midst of economic, social, cultural and geographical change. It was during this period that the part of Tel Aviv known as “The White City” was built. The architects and designers of the city could not imagine that their choice of the Bauhaus style of architecture would eventually make Tel Aviv the largest open-air Bauhaus museum in the world. 

It was because of the “White City” that Tel Aviv was added to the list of 56 historical cities in the world in 2003, and became one of the few modern cities to be declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. 

The “White City” is a unique and beautiful residential neighborhood in the heart of Tel Aviv.  The neighborhood consisted of 4,000 buildings that were built during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s of which about 1,000 are still standing today.

The buildings, designed by the best architects in the city, drew on the Bauhaus style invented in post First World War Germany. Bauhaus design philosophy attempted to create a new, simple architectural language based on clean forms that met people’s everyday needs.

In Tel Aviv, the Bauhaus style gave rise to a typical Israeli style that was suitable for the hot Mediterranean climate and the city’s turbulent atmosphere. The simple, square white buildings sought austere beauty from the asymmetrical play between various geometric shapes. Round terraces were built alongside square windows, flat roofs, and tall pillars.  Ceilings were higher and rooms larger than usual and large windows overlooking the urban panorama were open to the pleasant evening breeze. In keeping with the Israeli tradition of warm hospitality, the terraces of these homes served as meeting places for the residents and their neighbors, as well as friends passing by. 

Visitors to Tel Aviv can visit these buildings in the area of Rothschild, Bialik, and Dizengoff streets, marvel at the beauty of the houses, and sense their great contribution to the city’s architecture. 

The impact of Bauhaus was not only in Tel Aviv. At the end of the 1920s a railroad was built to link Mandatory Palestine to Jordan. A white railway station at the border was built in the Bauhaus style with clean lines and a roof that rests upon square pillars, rounded on one side and square on the other. The station can be seen only within the framework of organized tours that leave from the area of the Israeli-Jordanian border. The graffiti on the walls add to its historical value. 

Independence Hall is a museum located inside Dizengoff House, where the State of Israel’s declaration of independence took place. Visitors can get a taste of recent history while enjoying a recreation of the hall and an exhibit portraying the background to the founding of the state.

At the renovated Tel Aviv Port the sea surges underneath an old wharf and an impressive wooden promenade, wide space suitable for bicycles and strollers. Many restaurants and cafes are scattered across the deck. In the Summer, visitors can enjoy many carnivals, parties and street fairs.

This is especially true in the eastern part of the park where you’ll find some very special gardens: The Rock Garden and the Tropical Garden. 
Israel is well known for its amazing variety of, well, everything, and the Rock Garden, one of the largest of its kind in the world, gives ample expression to Israel’s geological diversity A poet has certainly been at work on the sign-posted explanations for the various kinds of rock. In this beautifully designed setting, lowly limestone, for example, becomes “a gift from the sea” and granite “a message from the depths,” to name only a few of the treasures on display from nature’s sculpture studio. Wandering the trails in the 10-acre enclosure you’ll find the rocks interspersed with some 3,500 species of plants, including over six acres of cacti, many of them beautifully flowering. One trail leads to a scenic view of the Yarkon Park’s lake.

Across from the Rock Garden, is the five-acre Tropical Garden where a wooden walkway shaded by towering palm trees takes you its own tiny lake where swans glide and fish frolic. The rainforest-like micro-climate is the perfect home for the huge variety of orchids and vines you’ll see along the way.

Around the corner from the Tropical Garden is a bike-rental center. Regular two-wheelers are available, along with tandem bikes as well as “family bikes”– high, four-wheeled contraptions where two peddlers take the front with one or two seats behind them. Helmets are also available. 
With the breeze in your hair, ride your bike over to another of the park’s attractions, Seven Mills, a heritage site that straddles a narrow point of the Yarkon, where historic flour mills that ran on the stream’s power have been restored, and ducks and other water-loving birds abound. On the way, you’ll pass the lakeside paddle-boat rental station.

Ganei Yehoshua is also home to one of Israel’s largest water parks (complete with water slides, a wave pool and a toddlers’ pool), and a bird sanctuary and petting zoo. 

If you’re ready to for an active break from the city’s famous galleries and museums and to work off a few calories after eating and drinking well at Tel Aviv’s famous restaurants (and if there are youngsters who have been promised a chance to let off steam), start your Yarkon Park experience at the western part of the park at Sportec, an outdoor center with a 45-foot high climbing wall, whimsically known as “Olympus,” basketball and rollerblading courts (rollerblades and balls are for rent) and trampolines.

Read more about the Yarkon Park and its surroundings 

Caesarea National Park exhibits the remains of a pagan temple, a theater, a hippodrome, a bath-house and a sculpture garden.

Caesarea is a city of the past and the future, the new opposite the ancient. While new Caesarea is graced with magnificent modern homes, ancient Caesarea offers tourists the ruins of unique, impressive buildings. While golfers enjoy lush fairways, horse races are reenacted in the huge hippodrome in the national park. While modern Caesarea’s neighborhoods are quiet and serene in the glory of contemporary architecture, ancient Caesarea is bustling with tourists who come to see the wonders of the past that were built by one of the greatest builders of the ancient world - King Herod.

Caesarea’s antiquities park is one of Israel’s most impressive parks, housing unique buildings from various periods, bearing silent witness to the upheavals that have visited Caesarea over the past 2,300 years. Standing side by side over an area of 500 dunams (125 acres), there are architectural remains from the Hellenistic period (the 3rd century BCE) to the Crusader period (the 12th century), when Caesarea was a port city and spent many years as Israel’s capital. Caesarea was given to King Herod as a present by Augustus Caesar and is named after him. Herod built a massive port there alongside entertainment facilities, bathhouses and temples. In the Byzantine period, Caesarea was an important Christian center. The early fathers of Christianity (Origen and Eusebius) lived there and according to Christian tradition it was here that the first idol worshiper was converted - the Roman centurion Cornelius. In the Crusader period the city was fortified with walls and gates, which were eventually destroyed by the Mamluk Conquest in the 13th century.

A tour of the national park is like walking through a story, and wandering between the ancient buildings one can both sense how people lived here thousands of years ago and enjoy modern, contemporary experiences, such as the enthralling musical performances held in the beautiful Roman Theater. One can walk along the city walls and around the towers, wander through the ruins of the castle and the various temples, watch the horse races in the hippodrome, visit the ancient port and the tiny artists’ square and view the interactive 3-dimensional computer simulations of the city’s past. The port hosts cultural festivals year round and offers a wide range of activities: historic riddles, jeep tours, target practice with a variety of weapons, paintball, Tai Chi on the beach, toga workshops and treasure hunts. Caesarea’s beach offers the beauty of nature and diving enthusiast can explore the underwater ruins in the archeological park beside the port.

Alongside all the ruins are modern cafes, quaint restaurants, romantic corners and a sandy beach, and not far away is the ancient aqueduct that brought water to the ancient city of Caesarea, 9 kilometers away. Next to the national park is the rural town of Caesarea, which took its name from the ancient city. The town is full of activities, including golf courses, a pampering spa, fancy hotels, the Ralli Art Museum and a historic site that houses the remains of a magnificent palace with a mosaic floor of amazing birds and a rare and unique table top inlaid with glass and gold.

They say once you’ve read the Bible where its events actually happened, you’ll never be the same. Nowhere is this truer than on Mount Carmel, at Mukhraka.

They say once you’ve read the Bible where its events actually happened, you’ll never be the same. Nowhere is this truer than on Mount Carmel, at Mukhraka, which means “burned place,” where Elijah faced off against the prophets of Baal and God sent down fire from Heaven. (I Kings 18:17-46).

From the Carmelite Monastery roof or along Carmel’s hiking routes, the story is revealed: Surrounding limestone outcroppings are overgrown with lichen, black as the soot from the fire that consumed Elijah’s burnt offering; to the west is the Mediterranean, where Elijah’s servant saw the cloud signaling God’s renewed blessing (I Kings 18:44). To the northeast is more Scripture scenery on the palm of your hand: the Kishon Brook, where Baal’s prophets met their end (I Kings 18:40), winding through the fertile fields of the Jezreel Valley, also known as the Valley of Armageddon.


1 Kings Chapter 17

2 And the word of the Lord came to him, 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, that is east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord; he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.  7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

Acre (Akko) is a meeting place for East and West, new and old, beauty and ruins, all adding to its uniqueness. The variety of tourism sites makes it a bustling city full of cultural events, and there is another interesting adventure or attraction around every corner.

The waves from the Mediterranean Sea crash against the walls of Acre’s old city, washing the steep, thick sandstone walls that have survived the centuries. The walls, fortresses and strongholds of the city bear the marks of many nations that left impressive buildings behind them, beautifying Acre to this day. Thanks to these buildings, UNESCO declared Acre a World Heritage Site in 2001.

A visit to Acre is part of the Israeli experience. The city is a meeting place for East and West, new and old, beauty and ruins, all adding to its uniqueness. The variety of tourism sites makes Acre a bustling city full of cultural events, and there is another interesting adventure or attraction around every corner.

Acre was one of this region’s important cities in ancient times. Various cultures made their home here, the Crusaders captured it and the Ottomans lived here for many centuries. Even Napoleon Bonaparte tried to lay his hands on Acre and conquer it, but after two months of siege and failed attempts to storm the city’s walls, he retreated in humiliation.

The fascinating history that has passed through the streets of Acre, the legacy left behind by its conquerors, the buildings that adorn the city and the places of worship built there are just part of the experience this city offers. Among the high-walled alleys and underground passages there is a huge mosque and a Christian monastery, an inn and Turkish baths, halls built by the Knights Templar, with an extraordinary Templar tunnel and fascinating archeological findings. These are joined by intriguing museums and many churches, a row of hotels near the inviting beaches, a marina, restaurants and a picaresque fishing port.

Every year Acre hosts colorful festivals that attract thousands of visitors and tourists from around the world. Between the ancient alleyways a lively open market hums with activity, especially on weekends. The market is also the home of one of Israel’s most famous hummus restaurants, where one sometimes has to wait in line for a table for two. Nearby, in the fishing port, there are excellent fish restaurants that serve the best of the previous night’s catches. Not far away from the city is a beautifully manicured Bahai Garden, build by members of the Bahai religion in Israel. It is a real pleasure to wander the garden’s paths and enjoy the meticulously designed flower beds.

Acre is interesting and charming, good for a glimpse of the past, a festival or just a romantic evening stroll along the city walls over the sea.

Arbel National Park encompasses part of the Arbel stream, the summits of Mount Arbel and Mount Nita'i, as well as the Arbel ruins. There is an ancient synagogue at the site, a walking trail on the ruins of an Arab fortress, and an observation spot for rare birds.

The Sea of Galilee, or Lake Kineret, is Israel’s largest fresh water reservoir. For this and other reasons, the Kineret has become an important national symbol and is also a first class tourism center.

Mount of Beatitudes is the hill upon which Jesus was said to have preached the "Sermon on the Mount". The lie of the land next to the church forms a natural amphitheatre and there is a  beautiful church on its crest.

As the name suggests this is the hill upon which Jesus was said to have preached the "Sermon on the Mount". The lie of the land next to the church forms a natural amphitheatre sloping down to the lake side, so it is more likely that Jesus stood at the bottom of the hill, but this does not detract from the beauty of the church on its crest.

Matthew Chapter 5

1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 11 “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

Read more about the Mount of Beatitudes and its surroundings

At Capernaum – known as Jesus’ “own town” (Matt. 9:1) – “walking where Jesus walked” takes on thrilling new meaning.

At Capernaum – known as Jesus’ “own town” (Matt. 9:1) – “walking where Jesus walked” takes on thrilling new meaning. As you sit on the stone benches of Capernaum’s ancient synagogue, you’ll be reminded that right here, Jesus taught (Mark 1:21; John 6:59) and healed a man possessed by an evil spirit (Mark 1:23-27). It was the synagogue on this very spot, whose foundations you can still see, which Luke says was built by the centurion whose servant Jesus later healed (Luke 7:3-5). Jesus also raised from the dead the daughter of this synagogue’s leader (Luke 8:49-53).

The ruins that surround you here, from homes with ordinary tools of daily life to intricately decorated stone carvings, are powerful reminders of Jesus’ prediction about this town (Matt. 11:23). A highlight is Peter’s house, where Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law (Matt. 8:14-15; Mark 1:29-31). Peter’s house was a simple dwelling, like many others that archaeologists have unearthed in this small fishing and farming village. But unlike the others, here Christian pilgrims over the centuries left no less than 131 inscriptions on the walls. Jesus’ name appears frequently, as does Peter’s, along with crosses, pilgrims’ names and blessings. Eventually, in the mid-fourth century, a large church was built, whose mosaic floor you can still see, with Peter’s house as its centerpiece. Some years ago a modern church went up above the ruins. These walls, old and new, attest to the continuing reverence for the site of one of the best-loved healing stories of the Gospels, here in the heart of Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ Galilee ministry.

Read more about Capernaum and related topics

The quiet cove of Tabha on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee is the scene of many Gospel stories, including the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes.

The quiet cove of Tabha on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee is the scene of many Gospel stories, including the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes.
 
Early Christians marked the site of this miracle (Matt. 14:15-21; Mark 6:35-44; John 6:1-14) with a church containing magnificent mosaics. The small loaves and fishes mosaic, marking the place where Jesus uttered a blessing over the bread, has become a well-loved symbol of this place and the miracle.

Visitors love to take a walk along the Tabha-Capernaum promenade, built by the Tourism Ministry, to another part of the Tabha cove and the Church of Peter’s Primacy. This is the traditional site of the events of John 21 after the resurrection – Jesus cooking breakfast for the disciples, the miraculous catch of fish and Peter’s reconciliation. Tabha comes from a Greek word meaning “seven springs.” One, the Spring of Job, surges into the lake a short walk eastward along the promenade

Bethsaida is one of the three towns of the “Evangelical Triangle” of Jesus’ Galilee ministry.

Jesus clearly knew Bethsaida well (Matt. 11:21).
Early Christian travelers also knew the town, just north of the Sea of Galilee, which was home to Peter, Andrew and Philip (John 1:44) and, according to tradition, Zebedee and his sons.
It was also scene of the feeding of the 5,000 according to Luke (9:10-17) and of Jesus’ healing of a blind man (Mark 8:22-26). But in later centuries, when travel became difficult, its location was actually forgotten. Now, thanks to archaeology, Bethsaida has reopened its gates to visitors. Following the rediscovery of Capernaum, and more recently Chorazim, Bethsaida is the last of the three towns of the “Evangelical Triangle” of Jesus’ Galilee ministry to rejoin Christian itineraries.

Among the many treasures yielded by this 21-acre mound is a fisherman’s house, identified by stone net-weights, an anchor, a fishhook and even a needle for repairing nets, which recall Bethsaida’s fishermen disciples.

Visitors can also learn Old Testament history here; Scholars tell us this was the capital of Geshur, the hometown of Maacah, wife of David’s youth (2 Sam 3:3). Massive burned gates are evidence of the destruction of the north by the Assyrians in 732 BCE, as recorded in 2 Kings 18:10. A shaded spot with a wonderful view of the Sea of Galilee and natural-rock seats make a perfect locale for Bible study and prayer. And most thrilling of all, visitors can even walk a cobbled street from the time of Jesus. 

For Christians, the Galilee Boat is one of the most precious and meaningful archaeological treasures in the world. Dating back 2,000 years, "the Jesus Boat" serves as a powerful visual reminder of the Gospel stories of Jesus and his disciples.

For Christians, the Galilee Boat is one of the most precious and meaningful archaeological treasures in the world.

On a drought-dried shore of the Sea of Galilee in January 1986, two brothers who were fishermen from Ginosar—called Gennesaret in Jesus’ day (Matt. 14:34, Mark 6:53)—spied a mysterious object poking up out of the mud. Twelve days later, an ancient vessel saw the light of day for the first time since it sank nearly 2,000 years ago.

Scholars say it was a combined ferry and fishing boat, and might have even served in a sea battle against the Romans, but for more than a million Christians who have seen it over the years, and for those looking forward to doing so, it will always be “the Jesus boat.” While no one knows exactly who rode in the boat or what its purpose was, it serves as a powerful visual reminder of the Gospel stories of Jesus and his disciples, many of whom were fishermen themselves.

After complex restoration, the Galilee Boat now sits above a calm blue-green sea at the Yigal Allon Center at Kibbutz Ginosar. At this superb indoor display, visitors learn that this mainly oak-and-cedar craft was patched repeatedly and lovingly with 12 different kinds of wood, and that these very trees still grow along the walk to the museum.

Sculptor and kibbutz gardener Yuvi Lufan, who along with his brother Moshe discovered the boat, is now part of the living history of the Galilee Boat. “Our parents taught us to love the Sea of Galilee,” Lufan says, “and I always knew it would give us a gift. And it did—a legacy that brought something special to the whole world.”

Mount Tabor was an important tribal border in the Hebrew Bible, the place where Deborah routed the enemy, the site of Jesus' transfiguration and the Rabbinic "navel of the world".

Mount Tabor was an important tribal border in the Hebrew Bible, the place where Deborah routed the enemy, the site of Jesus' transfiguration and the Rabbinic "navel of the world". But, even without the history, it is still worth ascending for the marvelous view.

Judges Chapter 4

12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abino-am had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-ha-goiim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?”  So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. 15 And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak at the edge of the sword; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-ha-goiim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.

Mark Chapter 9

 2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them, 3 and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” 8 And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

The Arab village of Kafr Cana in the Lower Galilee is identified in Christian tradition as Cana of the Galilee. Here, according to tradition, Jesus performed the miracle of the wine, when he went to a wedding of a poor couple and turned water into wine.

The Arab village of Kafr Cana in the Lower Galilee is identified in Christian tradition as Cana of the Galilee. Here, according to tradition, Jesus performed the miracle of the wine, when he went to a wedding of a poor couple and turned water into wine. In the 17th century Kafr Cana was officially recognized by the Vatican, and the pope officially confirmed that Kafr Cana is indeed Cana of the Galilee. Following this recognition the village was added to the list of Christian holy places. Some researchers identify Kafr Cana with the Kana mentioned in the ancient Egyptian Amarna letters (from about 4,000 years ago).

One way or the other, in the Roman-Byzantine period (1,000-2,000 years ago), there was a large Jewish community here, but apparently by the Mameluke period (about 800 years ago) most of the residents of Kafr Cana were Christian, although there was still a Jewish community here, too. Today most of the residents of Kafr Cana are Muslim.

In the center of the village are a few remains of ancient buildings and burial caves. The villagers have built new houses to the southeast and northeast of the ancient village. The most important site in the village is the Catholic church, built in 1879, on the traditional site of the miracle of the wine. Beside this church is the Greek Orthodox church of St. George, built in 1886, which house two stone jars that Greek Orthodox followers believe are the jars in which Jesus performed the miracle of the wine.

There is also a church named after St. Bartholomew, built, according to tradition, on the site of the home of Nathaniel of Cana  (St. Bartholomew), one of Jesus’ disciples.

Some 200,000 tourists visit Kafr Cana annually. Inspired by the miracle of the wine, a tradition has developed of holding weddings here, as well as renewing wedding vows to strengthen a marriage, and visitors customarily buy wine here. The street of the churches, in the center of the village, has been renovated and a promenade has been built, connecting the religious centers. Small plazas have been built along the promenade, with rest spots, and the facades and courtyards of the buildings have been attractively refinished. Infrastructure has been laid alongside the promenade for commercial and hotel facilities, so that visitors will be able to combine the comforts of modern tourism with their religious experience.

Nazareth is the cradle of Christianity, the city where, according to tradition, Jesus spent his childhood and youth.

Nazareth, or Natsrat as its name is pronounced in Hebrew, is the cradle of Christianity, the city where, according to tradition, the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit, and the place where Jesus spent his childhood and youth. Nazareth, in the lower Galilee, is located in the heart of a valley surrounded by mountains that embrace several of the most important Christian sites in the world. This is a city of religion and faith, of spirituality and holiness, but also a city with a rich history, fascinating archeology, modern culture and Middle Eastern charm.

Nazareth, which began as a small Jewish village about 2,000 years ago, became a stronghold of Christianity in the Byzantine period, just a few hundred years later. During that period the name of Nazareth spread far and wide, and the yearnings to see the place where the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ had lived turned the city into a popular pilgrimage site. These visits led to the building of the city’s first church - the Church of the Annunciation at the traditional site of Joseph and Mary’s home. Many more churches have been built throughout the city, and were destroyed and rebuilt with the changes in Muslim and Christian rule over the centuries. In the 19th century Nazareth attracted renewed interest and Christians returned to live in this city and rebuilt churches and monasteries. Today Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel and has about 30 churches and monasteries, as well as mosques and ancient synagogues.

A tour of Nazareth is like reliving its various periods. Every era left behind it a powerful symbol that became a delightful and popular tourism site in the modern era. Most of the sites are concentrated in the Old City, built in the mid-19th century in a charming Middle Eastern architectural style. A walk through the narrow streets, between the picturesque houses, is an amazing experience and it is worth walking slowly to enjoy their beauty.

There are many ancient churches in the Old City, with the Church of the Annunciation heading the list. The rebuilt church retained parts of the previous churches, from the Crusader and Byzantine periods. The church also houses an impressive collection of paintings.

Right next to this church is the Church of Saint Joseph, built on the ruins of agricultural buildings where, according to tradition, Joseph, Mary’s husband, had his carpentry shop. While the Church of the Annunciation was built on the site of Mary’s home, the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation is built over Mary’s Well, from which Jesus mother is said to have drank. This is a structure from the Crusader period and has some interesting frescoes. Right next to Mary’s Well is the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, inside a Crusader hall. According to tradition this is the location of the synagogue in which Jesus prayed.

Among the many other churches in Nazareth are the Mensa Christi Church, the Maronite Church, St. Gabriel’s Church and the Salesian Church. The Old City also has important buildings from the Ottoman period, including the Saraya, or Government House, built by Daher el Omar, the governor of the Galilee in the 18th century, and the White Mosque, which is used today as a house of prayer and an education and culture center. The White Mosque also houses a museum with exhibits that document Nazareth’s history.

No tour of Nazareth’s Old City would be complete without a visit to the local market, which has become a popular and well-known attraction thanks to the colorful stalls and the variety of merchandise. In the market you can enjoy a visual feast of fashionable fabrics, taste the spices and local foods, and by artwork and souvenirs. All the sounds, sights, smells and flavors promise an authentic Middle Eastern experience.

Nazareth is full of fascinating and lovely corners that will open your heart to their beauty. Another place that is worth visiting during a walking tour is the Nabi Sain ridge promenade to enjoy the marvelous view of the Galilee. You can visit the ancient Turkish bath house discovered during renovations to one of the city’s stores, take a peek at a fancy manor house with a display of the riches and customs of the Ottoman upper class in the 19th century, including some amazing frescoes. Also worth visiting is the Greek Orthodox bishop’s house, where you can walk through a series of underground passages discovered in the courtyard. Another interesting site is the compound built by the Russians as a hostel for pilgrims.

Nazareth, which has welcomed pilgrims for centuries, has Christian hostels and fancy hotels for the comfort of the tourists who throng to this important site, especially around Christmas. Dozens of restaurants serve delicious foods with wonderful aromas foods that attract visitors all year long. Nazareth is glorious during Christmas, when the city is decorated for the holiday and its colors and excitement join the holy atmosphere and the sounds of prayer emanating from the city’s churches.

The Basilica of the Annunciation is one of the world's most holy Christian Liturgical, built on the traditional site of the annunciation by the Angel Gabriel of the birth of Jesus.

The Basilica of the Annunciation is one of the world's most holy Christian Liturgical, built on the traditional site of the annunciation by the Angel Gabriel of the birth of Jesus. The central grotto is believed to have been the home of Mary. The basilica was built in 1969 on the site of crusader and Byzantine remains. This church is a must for almost any Catholic and Orthodox pilgrims.

Luke Chapte 1

 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High;

and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever;

and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I have no husband?” 35 And the angel said to her,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;

therefore the child to be born will be called holy,

the Son of God.

 36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.

St. Mary’s Well was almost the sole water source of Nazareth in ancient times, so it's fairly safe to say that Mary used to draw water from there. Recent excavations show that the whole complex was much larger than originally thought, and the part that the Greek Orthodox Church is built over is a small corner of the spring area.

When you stand atop the ancient mound of Megiddo, with the remnants of 25 civilizations beneath your feet, each hill and valley you see tells a biblical tale. The Book of Revelation set the great battle of the End of Days against this backdrop, and called this place Armageddon.

When you stand atop the ancient mound of Megiddo, with the remnants of 25 civilizations beneath your feet, each hill and valley you see tells a biblical tale. Every army that ever crossed this land clashed in its shadow. No wonder the Book of Revelation set the great battle of the End of Days against this backdrop, and called this place Armageddon.

Megiddo stands at the very hub of history. It was a central stop on the greatest trading route of ancient world, which crossed the land bridge of Canaan to link the far reaches of the Fertile Crescent – Egypt in the south and Mesopotamia in the north. Joshua (Joshua 12:21), King Solomon (I Kings 9:15) and the ill-fated King Josiah (2 Kings 23:30) all beheld its walls, which finally fell to the invading Assyrians.

When you come to Tel Megiddo, now Megiddo National Park and a World Heritage Site, you can’t help but sense the power of the massive gates that held the Egyptian army at bay for months, and the gates above them attributed to King Solomon. You will look down on a round altar where Canaanite sacrifices were carried out, and understand what the Bible means when it talks about “high places” where the Canaanites – and the Israelites – sacrificed to idols (2 Kings 23:19).  The remains of the city the Assyrians built here some 2700 years ago are here as well, now scattered across the landscape.

Another Megiddo highlight is the descent down 180 steps into the shaft and tunnel, hewn in an amazing engineering feat to channel spring water into the city in the eighth century BCE, during the reign of King Ahab.

Though no town existed here in Jesus’ day, a surprising illustration of the nativity story has become a popular photo op: stone feeding troughs in stables from the days of the Israelite kings are precisely the type of manger in which the baby Jesus was laid (Luke 2:7).

Right down the road from Megiddo, an amazing discovery was made in November 2005 in excavations prior to the expansion of a prison, of all things:  a mosaic floor bearing three inscriptions in Greek. Among them is one honoring a woman named Akeptos, “lover of God, who contributed the table to God, Jesus Christ as a memorial.” Archaeologists say that because the inscription mentions a table (and not an altar, a later custom) the Eucharist at the time must have still been conducted around a table, the way the first Christians did it. That may make this building unique in the Christian world, and we look forward to this site’s renovation, so Christian visitors can once again worship at what might be the oldest church ever found.

But nothing beats standing at the top of Tel Megiddo to take in the inspiring view:  Mount Carmel to the west, Mount Gilboa to the east, Samaria to the south and, to the north, just across the valley – Nazareth. What better place to pray over and ponder this incomparable rendezvous with past and future.

The Bible, geography and ancient and modern history in the Jezreel Valley are perhaps more closely entwined and visible than anywhere else in the country.

The Bible, geography and ancient and modern history in the Jezreel Valley are perhaps more closely entwined and visible than anywhere else in the country.
The central Jezreel Valley, roughly 380 square kilometers in size, is bounded on the north by the Nazareth mountains and Mount Tabor, on the east and south by Mount Gilboa and the mountains of Samaria respectively, and on the west by Mount Carmel – all of which are Scriptural stars.

The passes through these mountains have been significant in world history for thousands of years, emphasizing Israel’s role as a bridge linking Africa, Asia and Europe.  Ancient caravans bearing merchandise and the innovations of far-off cultures, and the armies of antiquity passed this way, as attested by the famed ruins of some 25 cities at Tel Megiddo, Tel Jezreel and other antiquities sites.

Jezreel means “God will sow” – a hint at its fertility, although by modern times neglect had turned most of it into swamps. But beginning in 1911, pioneers drained the swamps, making the valley bloom again.

Today it is Israel’s breadbasket, sprouting wheat, cotton, sunflowers and even fish ponds. Among its many attractions are historical and biblical treasures such as Tel Megiddo (Armageddon) national park, the mosaics at Beit Alfa and Tzippori national parks, the cultural mosaic represented by the Circassian village and museum in Kafr Kama and the pioneering and historical museums at Kfar Tabor and Kibbutz Ein Dor, family fun and hands-on learning at places like  the silk and honey farm at Moshav Shadmot Dvora, countryside cuisine at the region’s many fine restaurants, hiking portions of the Israel Trail and the Bible Trail on Mount Gilboa, a wide selection of bed-and-breakfast accommodations run by  rural families,  as well as the numerous religious and heritage sites in Nazareth, and more, all make the Jezreel  one of Israel’s most inviting visitor destinations.

Nain is the site of a Byzantine Church that commemorated Jesus' first raising of a human from the dead. In the last century, a new Church was built by the Franciscans.

Nain is the site of a Byzantine Church that commemorated Jesus' first raising of a human from the dead. In the last century, a new Church was built by the Franciscans.

Luke Chapter 7

11 Soon afterward he went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, Do not weep.14 And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, Young man, I say to you, arise.15 And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, A great prophet has arisen among us! and God has visited his people! 17 And this report concerning him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977

Yardenit is the unique and registered site of baptism for Christian pilgrims, at the place where the Jordan River flows out of the Sea of Galilee and into the Dead Sea.

Yardenit is the unique and registered site of baptism for Christian pilgrims, at the place where the Jordan River flows out of the Sea of Galilee and into the Dead Sea.

Yardenit is a crossroad for many pilgrims, one among other holy places around the Sea of Galilee, such as Capernaum, Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes.

Every year, over half a million tourists from all over the world visit the site.

The baptismal site is located on the banks of the Jordan River between magnificent eucalyptus trees and the natural river flora. It is an ideal spot for recollection in serenity and tranquility. Comfortable and adequate facilities are available for religious ceremonies on the banks of the Jordan River.

Tiberias is synonymous with vacations in Israel. Here one can enjoy a variety of activities in a city that offers a wonderful mix of relaxation, nature, history and contemporary attractions, serene quiet, active water sports, and pilgrimage sites.

The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth in any land mass (417 meters below sea level, to be exact). The quantity of water that evaporates from it is greater than that which flows into it, such that this body of water has the highest concentration of salt in the world (340 grams per liter of water).

How far does one have to descend to reach the Dead Sea? About 400 meters below sea level. How deep is this salty lake? Almost the same (in the northern section). Fascinating? Absolutely! Every detail about the Dead Sea is fascinating.
Here are a few more: The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth in any land mass (417 meters below sea level, to be exact). The quantity of water that evaporates from it is greater than that which flows into it, such that this body of water has the highest concentration of salt in the world (340 grams per liter of water).

It is called the Dead Sea because its salinity prevents the existence of any life forms in the lake. That same salt, on the other hand, provides tremendous relief to the many ailing visitors who come here on a regular basis to benefit from its healing properties. All these and more make the Dead Sea so fascinating, so different and so interesting.

The Dead Sea can also be called “the lowest health spa in the world.” Sea salts are produced from the southern section for industry, and in the northern section promote tourism and good health. The composition of the salts and minerals in the water are what make it so unique and beneficial for the body.
The sea bed also has deposits of black mud that is easy to spread on the body and provides the skin with nourishing minerals. As if that were not enough, the bromide in the air is also beneficial to the body’s systems, thus making the Dead Sea a provider for good health and healing for vacationers from all over the world.

It is a truly priceless national treasure. The western shore (inside Israel’s borders) is dotted with organized beaches and bathing areas that provide convenient access to the water. Beside two of the therapeutic beaches (Neve Zohar and Ein Bokek) large tourism centers have been established, providing the most pampering tourism services.
You will find dozens of hotels, hostels and guest houses, restaurants and shopping centers, as well as surprising tourism enterprises that offer a wide range of challenging activities (jeep and bicycle tours, camel tours and Bedouin hospitality, rappelling and more), alongside art and cultural activities (galleries and artists’ studios), and of course the unique agriculture, adapted to the local climate.

The Dead Sea is on the edge of the Judean Desert, a hot, barren region at the foot of Ha-He’etekim cliff, which has also become an important center of desert tourism. The coastline is dotted many springs, surrounded by wild plant life. The special combination that has formed in this place, between desert landscapes and oases with plentiful water, plants and animals, attracts both the eye and the heart and draws many tourists to sites such as Mt. Sdom, Nakhal Darga, the Ein Gedi nature reserve and the Einot Tsukim (Ein Fashkha) reserve.

Alongside these breathtaking natural sites there are also some purely historic sites of considerable importance in Israel’s past, which preserve the ancient charm of this area. Among the most prominent sites are the Massada (Metsada) fortress, ancient Ein Gedi and the Kumran cave site where ancient scrolls were found, including the Dead Sea scrolls, which offer some insights into early Christianity and the Essenes sect that lived at the site and is considered the beginning of Christian monasticism.

The northwestern region of the Dead Sea is also a pilgrimage site for Christians who have visited here over the centuries especially during the Easter season. From here they go to the Jordan (the traditional site of Jesus’ baptism), and many still follow this tradition in our times. A tour of the Dead Sea region would not be complete without a visit to the amazing monasteries built on the cliff walls. In the fourth century ascetism became popular among Christians, who wanted to live their lives as Jesus had. Many believers wanted to devote themselves to God and the Judean Desert became a ideal destination for monks, who built phenomenal monasteries, some of them carved into the stone faces of the desert cliffs. Among these monasteries are St. George, Quruntul, Khozeba and Mar Saba. Some of the monasteries are still operating and even welcome visitors, who can gain their own impressions of the intensity of the desert and its wild beauty.

Standing among the 2,000 year-old ruins of Qumran, overlooking the Dead Sea on the edge of the Judean Wilderness, visitors gain deeper appreciation for the Dead Sea Scrolls, containing the oldest Bible ever found, and discovered right here.

Standing among the 2,000 year-old ruins of Qumran, overlooking the Dead Sea on the edge of the Judean Wilderness, visitors gain deeper appreciation for the Dead Sea Scrolls, containing the oldest Bible ever found, and discovered right here.

You’ll see a room where scribes may have copied the scrolls, a pavement where the hard-working inhabitants dried dates, a potters’ workshop, a dining hall, and a ritual bath, recalling the way of life of the Essenes who left Jerusalem seeking spiritual purity.

At the visitor center, designed like Qumran’s ancient buildings, an exciting film links the fabulous landscape with the story of its people, recalling that John the Baptist may have lived here. A dramatic view of the cave in which most of the Dead Sea Scrolls were found tops off the experience, and whets your appetite to view the scrolls themselves at the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem.

Read more about Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls 

The living landscape of David’s hideout from Saul is one of the many attractions of the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve on the shore of the Dead Sea, an oasis made all the more entrancing by its contrast with the surrounding desert.  

The living landscape of David’s hideout from Saul is one of the many attractions of the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve on the shore of the Dead Sea, an oasis made all the more entrancing by its contrast with the surrounding desert.  

As visitors climb the path toward the sparking waterfall, the picture of David hiding from King Saul (1 Sam. 24:1-22) comes alive with a view of cliff-side caves. The sprightly animals that gave the site its biblical name, the “crags of the wild goats” (1 Sam. 24:2), rest at the cave entrances and walk the reserve. The water gurgling through the tangled reeds and under shady acacias once nourished the beds of spices that enrich the poetry of the Song of Solomon  (Song 1:14). The remains of a town and a synagogue with a mosaic floor tell the dramatic story of Ein Gedi’s people at the time of Jesus and in the following centuries.

Massada, one of the most exciting places in Israel, is situated on the top of a mountain with steep sides and a flat top overlooking the desert panorama to the west and the Dead Sea to the east.

Massada is one of the most exciting and frequently-toured places in Israel, and relates a story of perseverance and power, faith and surrender, ambitions, and a tragic end.  Massada is a place where battles were waged with rocks and flaming arrows, as well as battles of the human spirit. 

Massada is situated on the top of a mountain with steep sides and a flat top like a parapet overlooking the desert panorama to the west and the Dead Sea to the east.  The thrilling story of the site reveals the courage of the defenders of Massada and their battle against the conquering Romans. 
The story, related against the background of the ancient panorama, is as thrilling as a Hollywood movie, and is filled with tension, struggle, and love.

The fortress of Massada was built in the year 30 BCE by King Herod, whose architectural feats have left their mark throughout the country.  At the beginning of the great revolt against Rome in the year 68 BCE, the site was conquered by a group of Jewish zealots, and Massada became their last stronghold.  In the year 72 the Romans besieged Massada and succeeded in reaching the steep fortress after constructing a huge earthen ramp on its western side.  In the year 73, the 960 Jewish zealots living at the top of Massada chose to commit suicide rather than to fall into the hands of the Romans alive. Their deeds left behind a saga of courage, heroism, and martyrdom. 

The remains of the fortress of Massada are well-preserved and have been reconstructed in an effort to pay homage to the site and its heroic inhabitants.
The most impressive structure on Massada is King Herod's northern palace, built on three rock terraces overlooking the gorge below.  Near the palace is a large Roman style bath house with a colorful mosaic floor and walls decorated with murals.  Many other buildings at the site - such as the luxurious western palace, the mikveh (Jewish ritual bath), storerooms, watchtowers, and synagogue relate the history of Massada, especially when viewed with artifacts such as storage containers, decorated pottery, scrolls, and coins. 

The beautiful embossments and murals that were discovered on the walls of buildings on Massada were restored by Italian experts to preserve them for years to come. This is the largest and most complete Roman siege camp that remains today.

Massada is extremely high, and can be ascended on foot by the winding "snake path" or by a cable car that runs from the tourist center at the feet of Massada to the top. 
The tourist center also features a movie about the story of Massada, a model of the site, and an exhibit of the archeological findings. 

A visit to Massada is a thrilling and exciting experience.  The chilling story and the archeological remains contribute to the special atmosphere of the site, and preserve its magnificent past.  In the year 2000 readers of Traveler Magazine rated Massada as the best tourist site of its type in the world, and in 2001 UNESCO declared Massada a World Heritage Site.   

The Hai Bar is a nature reserve dedicated to reintroducing extinct species mentioned in the Bible to the wild. The animals can be seen in hourly guided tours in vehicle caravans. Near Hai Bar there is also a predator's center and a dark room for observing nocturnal species.

Timna Park in southern Israel offers geological wonders such as Solomon’s Pillars, towering sandstone columns so perfectly formed that it is almost impossible to believe they were not man-made.

The geological wonderland of Timna Park is one of the biggest attractions in southern Israel. Only 17 miles north of Eilat, a visit to Timna is a great way to break your drive to Israel’s Red Sea Riviera. On a shorter stay you can see the highlights and enjoy the air-conditioned multi-media presentation, while on a longer foray you can also chose from several hiking routes, each with its own special appeal. Among the attractions, the windows of Timna’s restaurant frame what at first you’ll think must be a desert mirage – a lake! Use of a paddleboat is even included in your entrance ticket, as is the fun of filling a bottle with the multicolored sand for which the region is famous.

The star of Timna Park is Solomon’s Pillars, towering sandstone columns so perfectly formed that you might really think they were a gargantuan public works project initiated by the biblical king for whom they are named. But of course, they, like all the other formations in the 23-square-mile park, are nature’s handiwork. So are stripes of magma frozen in geological time in the cliffs, and the sandstone, in its soft palette of pastels, shaped by wind and water into strange shapes like “the mushroom” and “the sphinx.”

One of the shorter hiking routes takes you right through Solomon’s Pillars to behold the image of the Egyptian goddess Hathor carved into the stone, and to her ancient shrine at the foot of the cliffs of the other side. This imposing Lady of the Rock was the patroness of miners, as you’ll discover at the exciting multimedia presentation, “Mines of Time,” where the pharaohs, kings, queens and quarriers, who knew this region millennia ago, come alive. After enjoying the presentation, you’ll be able to decipher the mystery of the 8,000 or so stone circles discovered in the park: they once led to shafts that were the first copper mines in the world (one of which you can explore). Copper mining was renewed for a time in the early days of Israel as a livelihood for the newborn city of Eilat; a byproduct is the beautiful teal-to-turquoise rock known as Eilat stone, which is an Israeli jewelry trademark.

From October to April, groups can enjoy rappelling, archery, and a zip-line at the park. During the summer months, regular park hours are extended to offer sunset tours, and you can attend an evening show at the illuminated cliffs. Timna Park can also be an imaginative venue for your special family celebration in Israel.  

www.timna-park.co.il

 The underwater observatory offers aquariums rich in marine life. There is also a simulator of an undersea journey and a submarine ride that dives to a depth of 60 meters.

The Ramon Crater is the largest crater in the Negev. It is about 40 kilometers long and its maximum width is about 10 kilometers. There are interesting sites inside it, such as Ha-Minsara ("The Saw-Mill") and Nahal Nekarot, for which there are organized excursions for the whole family.

On the edge of the Ramon crater sits the town of Mitspe Ramon. This pleasant, quiet town, built in the landscape of the largest of the Negev craters, between paths and cliffs, mountains and springs, has recently become a thriving tourism town.

On the edge of the Ramon crater, at a height of some 300 meters above it, sits the town of Mitspe Ramon. This pleasant, quiet town, built in the landscape of the largest of the Negev craters, between paths and cliffs, mountains and springs, has recently become a thriving tourism town. Mitspe Ramon was founded in 1951. A few decades ago, when desert tourism began to flourish, Mitspe Ramon developed along with it, offering visitors lodging in lovely guest rooms and many other tourism services.

Today Mitspe Ramon is an important stop for desert tourists. The southern part of town has a wide variety of hotels, hostels, campsites and a Bedouin inn. It is the starting point for jeep, bicycle or camel tours. Here one can rappel down the steep cliffs and get a real adrenaline rush.
 
The visitor's center on the edge of the crater offers an amazing view of the crater’s beauty and its treasures. The zoological garden houses local desert animals, including snakes, lizards and mammals. In the eastern part of Mitspe Ramon there is a large sculpture park, and to the west is a one-of-a-kind alpaca farm and a desert archery center. The crater itself is full of fascinating geological phenomena, charming nature spots, ancient historical sites, easy and difficult hiking paths and endless expanses of breathtakingly beautiful desert.

Read more about Mitspe Ramon and related topics

Avdat was founded by Nabatean traders as a way station on this Incense Route. Long before, the Israelites had wandered near here through the Wilderness of Zin.

As you stand among the ruins of the Negev Highland city of Avdat, the echoes of the bells tinkling on the bridles of the camels that passed this way in their caravans of hundreds, bringing the riches of the East – frankincense and myrrh – to market via the Mediterranean. Avdat was founded by Nabatean traders, the masters of those caravans as a way station on this Incense Route. Long before, the Israelites had wandered near here through the Wilderness of Zin.

At the visitor center a short film will introduce you to the mysteries of this site. Then you’ll visit a luxurious ancient bathhouse with a dressing room, two steam rooms, a furnace and a 210-foot-deep well. At the top of the city, you’ll discover a third-century guard tower with a Greek inscription, and a Nabatean shrine to their god Oboda (after whom Avdat was named). This temple eventually became a church, whose pillars frame a magnificent Negev desertscape.

Considering the surrounding desert, you’ll be amazed to find a wine-press here, revealing agricultural skills that tamed their harsh surroundings by harvesting every precious drop of water into a complex system of channels and cisterns. From the top of the hill, you can see the Ben Ari Farm research station, where today’s Negev farmers have studied ways to emulate these ancient achievements.

Avdat’s homes once covered not only the visitor path you now walk, but the entire slope below, now part of the 518-acre Avdat National Park. Once you’ve experienced Avdat, you’ll know why its ancient cultural, social and economic impact on the region has placed it, together with its Negev sister-cities of Mamshit and Shivta, on UNESCO’s prestigious list of World Heritage Sites.

The legendary Incense Route is a 2,000 year old commercial success story. Valuable goods traveled the route, which started in Yemen to the East, crossed Saudi Arabia and Jordan to end in Israel in the Gaza port, where they were loaded onto merchant ships bound for Europe.

The legendary Incense Route is a 2,000 year old commercial success story.

At the time, without transportation, roads or maps, long caravans of camels traversed difficult trails navigating among robbers, looters, obstacles and narrow-minded rulers. Valuable goods traveled the route, which started in Yemen to the East, crossed Saudi Arabia and Jordan to end in Israel in the Gaza port, where they were loaded onto merchant ships bound for Europe. There the women of the Roman Empire could enjoy the perfumes of the frankincense and myrrh, the flavors of the eastern spices, and the useful salts for cooking and preserving foods.

The 2,400 kilometer Incense Route journey took about six months. The camel caravans including thousands of individuals, moved at a sluggish pace, passing through 56 stops, where they stopped, rested, took care of the animals and gathered strength for the day to come.

The Israeli section of the Incense Route covered about 150 kilometers. Across the Negev there are still ruins of the route, and many travelers set out to follow them in exploring the desert and try to experience the lifestyle of the masters of the desert. Several of the rest stops remain starting with the Arava's Moa on the Jordanian border, where the ruins of an inn, a guard post, agriculture, caves, storerooms, and an aqueduct are still evident. From here, the route continues northwest to Mamshit, a large city whose impressive ruins include an inn, churches, a bathhouse, rainwater collecting pools and other structures.

The next stop was the city of Ovdat, located high on a hill. Here too are ruins of a fortress, churches, an oil press, a ceramics workshop, homes, a bathhouse and even burial caves.

The caravan continued from Ovdat to Shivta, a small town with a well developed water system, pools, oil presses and a few churches. The next to last and northernmost stop was Halutsa, of which there remain the ruins of a theater and church, and from where the caravans headed straight to Gaza. A few minor stations were added along the way – Kasra, Nekarot, Makhmal and Grafon – as well as an additional inn, Ein-Saharonim, of which there is still a courtyard surrounded by workshops and a bath.

Along the route, there are reservoirs, guard towers, ritual sites, bathing facilities and milestones that marked the route.

Moa, Mamshit, Ovdat, Shivta and Haluza, as well as Ein-Saharonim, are all accessible with any vehicle. The route itself, through the desert is passable only in jeeps, although bicyclists and pedestrians can also enjoy the fascinating path. In 2005, UNESCO declared the Incense Route a world heritage site, and Israel invites you to the Negev and Arava to follow the footsteps of nomads and enjoy the impressive stories and splendid history that left behind a silent witness to a stormy age.

The capital of the Negev, the Old City, the university, the Turkish railway station, and the Bedouin market represent only a part of the colorful mosaic offered by the city of Be’er Sheba, a city full of life and proud of itself, as you will be told by any of its 185,000 inhabitants.

Be’er Sheba, spelt Beersheba in most English translations of the Bible, is a major crossroads whose potential was felt by Abraham, father of the Jewish people, who arrived here 3,700 years ago. He dug a well to water his flock, made a covenant of peace with Abimelech, the king of Gerar in those days, and the two swore allegiance to one another. “Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them took an oath" (Genesis 21, Verse 21). To symbolize his ownership of the well, he planted a tamarisk tree. Thus the city of Be’er Sheba struck roots at that place and at that time. Abraham’s descendants continued to live here, in a place that was the cradle of monotheism.

Be’er Sheba is located at the intersection of two ancient important international road junctions: The "Way of the Sea" (Via Maris) which extended along the shoreline in the west, and the King’s Highway (the Valley Route) in the east. Consequently, the city is mentioned throughout biblical times as a wayside station, as a resting spot, as a border point and as a ritual center.

Tel Be’er Sheba, five kilometers east of the city, is usually identified with biblical Be’er Sheba. The site is fascinating, and contains the ruins of a walled city from the Israelite monarchic period. Due to the wonderful finds there, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 2005. In the Roman Period, the settlement spread to the area of present-day Be’er Sheba, and was located in the center of the Limes Palestinae, the Roman defense layout from Rafah (Rafi’akh) to the Dead Sea, which mainly consisted of fortresses built the borderline. When the Romans converted to Christianity, it served as the Episcopal residence (the residence of the Bishop) and several churches were built there. The Crusaders also built a fortress in the city, but when it was destroyed it remained desolate for a long time.

Modern-day Be’er Sheba was founded at the start of the twentieth century by the Ottomans, and was the only city that the Turks built in the Land of Israel. Remains of buildings from this period and from the time of the British Mandate can be seen in the Old City, located in the south of the city. These include the Governor’s House – the residence and office of the city’s governor, which was built in 1906 and today houses the Negev Museum of Art; the city’s first mosque also built in 1906; the Turkish railway station built during the First World War; the station manager’s house; the water tower that supplied the trains’ steam engines with water; the Saraya – the Government House (today the city’s police station); a public garden; and additional buildings that tell the fascinating story of Be’er Sheba under Turkish rule.

The Jewish city was established in 1949. It developed and turned into the center of the south and became the capital of the Negev. Today, it has museums, a zoo, historical sites, one of the largest universities in Israel, and on Thursdays – the famous Bedouin market.

The market was officially opened in 1905, and became a weekly event where the Bedouins sold various wares. Nowadays, the market has modern stalls (footwear, clothing, etc) alongside authentic Bedouin stalls where you can buy unique items such as copper products, glassware, jewelry, beads and precious stones, as well as mats, carpets, cushions, and the like. The market is variegated, vibrant, exceedingly charming, and colorful.

Another important hub is the Center for Ethiopian Craftsmanship where new immigrant women preserve the ancient handicraft traditions of Ethiopian Jewry as practiced in their home villages, and engage in modeling earthenware, embroidering, sculpting, and straw crafts.

Be’er Sheba is the gateway to the Negev – you can start from here on endless walks and car trips.

Head to Tel Aviv-Yafo today. On the way, stop at the tranquil Latrun Monastery, overlooking the Valley of Ayalon, where Joshua made the sun stand still. The monastery was founded in 1890 by French Trappist monks, and the monks, who maintain a vow of silence, produce wine from their own vineyards.
  
Then, it’s on to Jaffa  the ancient seaport mentioned in the biblical narrative of Jonah and the whale, and in the story of Solomon’s import of the cedars of Lebanon. Jaffa’s fishing port, St. Peter’s Church, artists quarter, Visitor Center and panoramic view of Tel Aviv are all highlights.

Walk through the area known as the White City to see the preservation of buildings of Bauhaus architecture of the 1920s and 1930s, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and stop at Independence Hall, where Ben-Gurion declared independence in 1948.

On Tuesdays and Fridays, enjoy the crafts market on Nahalat Binyamin Street. The nearby open-air Carmel fruit and vegetable market is open daily, and is a colorful opportunity to mingle with the locals.
   
Enjoy a fish dinner or a snack at the Tel Aviv Port and an evening walk through Yarkon Park where you’ll find the locals enjoying cycling, jogging and enjoying family time on the lawns.

Overnight: in Tel Aviv