Methuselah - Ancient Date Tree from Masada - Watch the Film!

Whenever I visit Masada, which I do frequently, I talk about the ancient Judean date pits which were found in the store rooms by the archeologist Yigal Yadin back in the mid-1960's.  More specifically I mention Methuselah, the 2000 year old date pit which is growing on Kibbutz Ketura in the Arava.

For thousands of years, Judean date trees were one of the most recognizable and welcome sights for people living in the Middle East -- widely cultivated throughout the region for their sweet fruit, and for the cool shade they offered from the blazing desert sun.

The Judea Capta Coin minted after the destruction of Judea - the woman sitting under the date palm signified Judea

 

From its founding some 3,000 years ago, to the dawn of the Common Era, the trees became a staple crop in the Kingdom of Judea. Judean palm trees would come to serve as one of the kingdom's chief symbols of good fortune; King David named his daughter, Tamar, after the plant's name in Hebrew.
By the time the Roman Empire sought to usurp control of the kingdom in 70 AD, broad forests of these trees flourished as a staple crop to the Judean economy -- a fact that made them a prime resource for the invading army to destroy. Sadly, around the year 500 AD, the once plentiful fruit trees had been, driven to extinction for the sake of conquest.

In the centuries that followed, first-hand knowledge of the tree slipped from memory to legend. Up until recently, that is.
During excavations at the site of Herod's palace in Israel in the early 1960's, archeologists unearthed a small stockpile of seeds stowed in a clay jar dating back 2,000 years. For the next four decades, the ancient seeds were kept in a drawer at Tel Aviv's Bar-Ilan University. But then, in 2005, botanical researcher Elaine Solowey decided to plan some and see what, if anything, would sprout.
"I assumed the food in the seed would be no good after all that time. How could it be?" She was soon proven to be wrong.

Amazingly, the multi-millennial seed did indeed sprout -- producing a sapling no one had seen in centuries. Today, the living archeological treasure continues to grow and thrive; In 2011, it even produced its first flower -- a heartening sign that the ancient survivor was eager to reproduce. It has been proposed that the tree be cross-bred with closely related palm types, but it would likely take years for it to begin producing any of its famed fruits. Meanwhile, Solowey is working to revive other age-old trees from their long dormancy.

Watch this short film about Methuselah

Methusalah, October 2014

 Picture by Jill Rosenfield

 

 

Jerusalem on the Way Up - According to Trip Advisor

Leading travel website TripAdvisor has released a new list citing the Top 10 Destinations on the Rise around the world, and ranks Jerusalem as the fourth most popular site to visit. The new ranking comes in the wake of the Tourism Ministry’s announcement of record-breaking numbers of tourists to Israel for the first quarter of 2014.

To read more: Jerusalem City on the Rise by Viva Press of Israel 21c.

Well some of us already knew that, but if you haven't visited yet, now is the time!

Here are just a few reasons:

Buildings

Tower of Lutheran Redeemer Church - Christian Quarter

 

 

Food - Spice Shop

 

 

The People

 

Culture - The First Station

 



Spring in the Galilee - Rosh Pinna 2014

After the heavy snow and rain of mid-December, the country has been experiencing drought conditions. Even so, the almond trees are beginning to bloom and the spring flowers are appearing though in smaller numbers than usual.

Last week I had the opportunity to enjoy the spring in the Galilee - a truly wonderful experience!

The Almond Trees in Bloom in the Rosh Pinna Valley

 

I stayed in a small guesthouse in Rosh Pinna - the pioneer village established in 1878 by a group of pious young men from Safed. After three years of hunger and drought, all but three families left.

In 1882 a group of immigrants from Romania arrived and made the village their home. Aware of the previous troubles, they recalled the verse from Psalm 118:22 - "The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone (Rosh Pinna)" Thus Rosh Pinna became the new name of the village below the Arab village of Gei Oni with whom good relations were established.

In 1883 Baron Rothschild's clerks visited the town and agreed to sponsor its development and established a winery, a silk factory as well as a tobacco factory. The situated close to three springs, the village became the administrative center and seat of the Baron's representatives for all the Galilee villages.

In 1900 Rosh Pinna numbered 500 souls. One resident was Professor Gideon Mer who established a malaria research laboratory in his home. The results of his work was the eradication of the disease in Israel and many other countries.

Situated on the eastern slope of Mount Canaan overlooking the Sea of Galilee, the Hula Valley, Golan Heights and Hermon Mountain, the town has always been a tourist destination for those wishing to enjoy the many archeological, historical and religious sites in the area and the spectacular views the town affords.

Today there are almost 3000 people living in the town which has retained its original character. New neighborhoods and public buildings have been added alongside the stone houses built by the founders of the village.

I visited the area with Richard Woolf, a tour guide who has lived in Rosh Pinna for over 40 years. He toured me around the picturesque village.

Winter Wonderland Jerusalem, December 2013

Even though snow is not a rare occurence in this city, this morning Jerusalem experienced its heaviest December snowfall since 1953. Schools have closed and public transport is at a standstill as Jerusalem's residents stay at home and keep warm.

Coming fast on the tail of an unusually warm November, Jerusalemites have been suprised by the sudden freezing temperatures which are affecting much of the Middle East. Snow is always a cause for great celebration especially among the children who look forward to building snowmen and generally having fun.

The snow storm was the fiercest in over 100 years cutting off roads to the city and electricity to many households. The sun is finally coming out and melting the snow but a huge amount of damage has been caused to infrastructure which will take some time to repair.

Jerusalem of white and gold





View to the Knesset

   

 



Old City Walls

 

Just received: Pictures from the Jerusalem Bird Observatory taken earlier today

 

 



A Shabbat Morning Stroll in Jerusalem

This month marks my 30th year in Israel! When I first moved to Jerusalem there was very little to do on Saturday for entertainment in the west part of the city. Certainly no restaurants or movies. The situation is very different today.

It was a beautiful autumnal day with bright sunshine and blue skies. I took a walk with a friend to the First Station and this is what we found along the way.

The beautiful Armenian mosaic by David Ohannessian at the Jerusalem House of Quality on the Hebron Road - formerly the St. John's Opthalmic Hospital.

 

 

We continued to the charming St. Andrew's Scottish Church where we ate brunch and, on exiting, crossed to the Lions' Fountain in the park opposite where an Ethiopian wedding celebration was taking place.

 



The Happy Couple

 

 

 



Then onto the First Station which opened in May this year and has quickly become a popular hub of entertainment. The place was filled with people walking, cycling, eating, shopping and watching an open-air jazz concert. What did we do before this place opened??

Jerusalem is alive and well, even on Saturday!

The Jerusalem Bird Observatory - another hidden gem in Jerusalem

Hidden away on a tiny, one-acre plot (5,000 square meters) between the Knesset (the Israeli parliament), the Rose Garden and the Supreme Court, sits the Jerusalem Bird Observatory - JBO.

The JBO was established in 1994 by the Society for Protection of Nature in Israel - SPNI - in order to preserve one of the last bird and wildlife refuges in the city.   The site is one of the few traditional birdwatching areas in Jerusalem that has not been harmed by development, and its central location makes it an attractive educational and tourist center for the public.

I wrote an earlier piece about the 500 million birds passing through this country in the autum and spring as they migrate to and from Europe and Africa.

It is possible to stop by the JBO any time of the day and night to sit and watch the birds who stop off at the small pond to rest and refuel on their long journey across continents.

The Hoopoe

Voted Israel's national bird in 2008

 

At present the JBO is receiving a USAID grant promoting a joint Israeli - Palestinian ringing project. The JBO offers monthly activities to the general public. These include: afternoon bird walks, nature walks, bird banding (ringing) for students from preschool to college age. It is also possible to arrange private bird watching trips to all parts of the country.

 

Watch a short movie about the JBO





 On your next visit to Jerusalem, take the time to enjoy this special place  - only a stone's throw from the Knesset but much more relaxing and spiritually rewarding.



Herod the Great: The Man and His Mausoleum

Was King Herod really such a bad guy or did he have the wrong PR agent? What did he look like? Was he a cruel tyrant or a shrewd politician? What do we really know about him?

Herod (Getty Images)

 

Some of these questions can be answered at the world's first exhibit on Herod the Great which opened in February 2013 at the Israel Museum - Herod the Great: The King's Final Journey.

Following the discovery of Herod's tomb in 2007 by the late Professor Ehud Netzer, it was decided to mount an exhibition on his building projects. The exhibition follows Herod's final journey from his winter palace in Jericho to Herodium where he planned his burial place.

The life and legacy of Herod the Great, ruler of Judea from 37-4 BCE and considered among the most important imperial figures in history, is the focus of this groundbreaking exhibition. The exhibit focuses on his projects in Jericho and Herodium and his relationship with Rome. Rare artifacts from the sites are displayed for the first time together with items from the Roman world.

The exhibition also features a monumental, full-size reconstruction of the burial chamber of the king’s mausoleum, including the intricately carved sarcophagus believed to have held his body, together with fragments from the Second Temple of Jerusalem and reconstructed palace chambers decorated with meticulously restored wall paintings and stucco and mosaic work.The scale of the exhibit eclipses the usual painstaking work necessary to produce the average museum show. With some 30 tons of columns, stones and frieze fragments from Herodium, floors had to be reinforced and ceilings raised at the 900-square-meter exhibition space.

 

A tour of the exhibit helps us understand Herod's world and the building styles and techniques that he introduced into the country. Love him or hate him one cannot fail to be impressed by his work.





 Watch a short movie on the exhibit

The exhibit s proving to be extremely popular. During Passover week alone over 35,000 people passed through the exhibit and many more have followed.

STOP PRESS! Due to popular demand the exhibit has been extended until January 4, 2014.
Don't miss it!