Kids From the South Relax in Jerusalem

Church of Nativity wired for live webcast

As over a billion people turn their eyes towards the Church of the Nativity this time of year, the holy site in Bethlehem is ready to go online via live streaming video in time for the holidays for the first time ever. 

Individuals unable to make the journey in person now have access to this unique site from the comfort of their own homes and with the same ease of checking email. 

Streaming will begin on Christmas Eve from 4 am to 2 pm CST (12 pm to 10 pm local time) through Christmas evening, and will be replayed through the following 48 hours improve access for viewers in all time zones. 

The two feeds, one from Nativity Square and one from within the Church, will be delivered by IPrayTV, which is a provider of internet broadcast services to faith-based organizations linking ministries to the Holy sites through simulcast.

Setting up equipment (Photo: IPrayTV)

The service has included streaming video 24/7 from key Christian holy sites in Jerusalem including Calvary, Mount of Olives, the Eastern Gate, the City of David, and the city of Jerusalem since its launch in October 2008.

The company has developed cutting-edge technology that will allow viewers to see these sites simultaneously on their screens to bring Israel live to every living room across the globe. Individual users may log on to the company’s website at any time, at no cost. 

“Since the site was launched two months ago, we’ve seen a strong desire among believers around the world to strengthen their connection with Israel and the Holy Sites,” said Mike Peros, Founder and CEO of IPrayTV.

For first time ever, holy site in Bethlehem goes online via live streaming video in time for Christmas

Bus stop in one of the Sderot schools

Rare first century half shekel coin found in Temple Mount dirt

A rare half shekel coin, first minted in 66 or 67 C.E., was discovered by 14 year-old Omri Ya’ari as volunteers sifted through mounds of dirt from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The coin is the first one found to originate from the Temple Mount.

For the fourth year, archaeologists and volunteers have been sifting through dirt dug by the Waqf, the Muslim authority in charge of the Temple Mount compound, in an unauthorized project in 1999. The dig caused extensive and irreversible archaeological damage to the ancient layers of the mountain. The Waqf transported the dug up dirt in trucks to another location, where it was taken to Emek Tzurim. 40,000 volunteers have so far participated in the sifting project, in search of archaeological artifacts, under the guidance of Dr. Gabriel Barkay and Yitzhak Zweig.

The project is sponsored by Bar Ilan University and funded by the Ir David Foundation with the assistance of the National Parks Authority.

The half shekel coin was first minted during the Great Revolt against the Romans. The face of the coin is decorated with a branch of three pomegranates and ancient Hebrew letters reading “holy Jerusalem.” On the flip side, the letters say “half shekel”.

The coin that was found in the sifting project, though it was well preserved, showed some damage from a fire. Experts believe it was the same fire that destroyed the Second Temple in 70 C.E.

Dr. Gabriel Barkay explained that “the half shekel coin was used to pay the temple taxes… The coins were apparently minted at Temple Mount itself by the Temple authorities.”

The half shekel tax is mentioned in the book of Exodus (Portion Ki Tisa), commanding every Jew to contribute half a shekel to the Temple every year for the purpose of purchasing public sacrifices.

Dr. Barkay added that “this is the first time a coin minted at the Temple Mount itself has been found, and therein lies its immense importance, because similar coins have been found in the past in the Jerusalem area and in the Old City’s Jewish quarter, as well as Masada, but they are extremely rare in Jerusalem.”

So far, some 3,500 ancient coins have been discovered in the Temple Mount dirt sifting, ranging from earliest minting of coins during the Persian era all the way up to the Ottoman era.

An additional important archaeological discovery in the sifting project was another well preserved coin, minted between 175 and 163 B.C.E. by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, against whom the Hasmoneans revolted. This revolt brought about the re-dedication of the Temple after Antiochus seized the Temple’s treasures and conducted idol worship in it. The coin depicts a portrait of Antiochus the Seleucid King.

The Arab Market in Jerusalem

Your Arabian Nights dreams come true in this colorful and atmospheric market, where legends seem brought to life. While it is somewhat dependent on tourism, the Arab market in Jerusalem’s Old City still pulses with a sense of authenticity. Spices piled high in burlap sacks emit a heady mixture of fragrances, and a multicolored variety of Middle Eastern candies and pastries offer new discoveries for the Western palate.

The Arab market in Jerusalem also has the added significance of being on the Via Dolorosa, the journey that Jesus is said to have taken to his crucifixion while carrying the cross. Thus the market attracts many pilgrims who are traveling in the footsteps of Jesus to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

As one of the more popular attractions in the Holy City, the Arab market is easy to find: it’s located just by Jaffa Gate, a popular entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City from the city center. This part of the Old City is known as the Armenian Quarter, even though Armenians are for the most part no longer in evidence. The Tower of David stands just outside the market, making this area of the Holy City a tourism hot spot.

THE WESTERN WALL

When Rome destroyed the Second Temple in 70 C.E., only one outer wall remained standing. The Romans probably would have destroyed that wall as well, but it must have seemed too insignificant to them; it was not even part of the Temple itself, just an outer wall surrounding the Temple Mount. For the Jews, however, this remnant of what was the most sacred building in the Jewish world quickly became the holiest spot in Jewish life. Throughout the centuries Jews from throughout the world made the difficult pilgrimage to Palestine, and immediately headed for the Kotel ha-Ma’aravi (the Western Wall) to thank God. The prayers offered at the Kotel were so heartfelt that gentiles began calling the site the “Wailing Wall.” This undignified name never won a wide following among traditional Jews; the term “Wailing Wall” is not used in Hebrew.

The Western Wall was subjected to far worse than semantic indignities. During the more than one thousand years Jerusalem was under Muslim rule, the Arabs often used the Wall as a garbage dump, so as to humiliate the Jews who visited it.

For nineteen years, from 1948 to 1967, the Kotel was under Jordanian rule. Although the Jordanians had signed an armistice agreement in 1949 guaranteeing Jews the right to visit the Wall, not one Israeli Jew was ever permitted to do so. One of the first to reach the Kotel in the 1967 Six-Day War was Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, who helped revive a traditional Jewish custom by inserting a written petition into its cracks. It was later revealed that Dayan’s prayer was that a lasting peace “descends upon the House of Israel.”

The custom of inserting written prayers into the Kotel’s cracks is so widespread that some American-Jewish newspapers carry advertisements for services that insert such prayers on behalf of sick Jews. The mystical qualities associated with the Kotel are underscored in a popular Israeli song, a refrain of which runs: “There are people with hearts of stone, and stones with hearts of people.” A rabbi in Jerusalem once told me that the Hebrew expression “The walls have ears” was originally said about the Western Wall.

Unfortunately, even a symbol as unifying as the Kotel can become a source of controversy in Jewish life. Ultra-Orthodox Jews have long opposed organized women’s prayer services at the Wall; prayer services they maintain may only be conducted by males. On occasion they have violently dispersed such services, throwing chairs and other “missiles” at the praying women. Under intense public pressure however, the right of women to pray collectively at the Kotel is gradually being won.

In addition to the large crowds that come to pray at the Kotel on Friday evenings, it is also a common gathering place on all Jewish holidays, particularly on the fast of Tisha Be-Av, which commemorates the destruction of both Temples. Today the Wall is a national symbol, and the opening or closing ceremonies of many Jewish events, including secular ones, are conducted there.

In footsteps of Dylan and Seinfeld: Kibbutz volunteering is back

And though the communal farm called the kibbutz is now little considered a central part of Israel’s society, volunteering there is making a marked comeback that is being noticed by young people worldwide.

For many, a stay on a kibbutz has again come to be viewed as the uniquely Israeli style of travel. Young people see it as a method of unlocking the Holy Land. Popular opinion holds that it easily trumps action-packed tourist trails through Europe or Asia, and indeed, young tourists from all over the world have discovered a new and supportable pace in the form of volunteering on kibbutzim.

Kibbutzim were first established before the country itself. Small groups of new immigrants adopted a socialist, communal style of living with the aim of developing their new country and working the land. These communities became an integral part of Israel’s culture and image. Lately, many kibbutzim have been marginalized as Israel becomes more economically stable and developed.

As the need for this mutually supportive institution has lessened, many kibbutzim have undergone “privatization.” Despite this, many still reach out to absorb volunteers who cannot support themselves for extended periods of time.

Nowadays, though kibbutzim may be less popular among Israelis, they can provide an invaluable opportunity for Jewish and non-Jewish travelers all over the world, to give as much as they get.

In return for several hours of work each day, usually in agriculture, young people find themselves able to volunteer and live long-term in Israel, giving them valuable time to explore the country and get to know their surroundings. Some kibbutzim offer ulpan programs for studying Hebrew, and the close community style of living allows volunteers to meet and befriend Israelis, merge themselves into a foreign society, learn a bit of Hebrew and do a bit of work.

Down south in Kibbutz Lotan, volunteers’ dedication to the ecological style and values of the kibbutz has been nurtured further by foster families.

“It’s a great idea that helped make kibbutz and Israel itself a home away from home,” says Rebecca Fiala from Australia with enthusiasm. “I felt as if I could finally break through the tourist route and meet the people, as well as know that I always have a place to stay.”

For those volunteers already familiar with the country, kibbutz opened doors to the vast variety of tourists Israel receives from all over the world.

“Kibbutz is such a small place- never realized that by volunteering in Yotvata I’d find friends from so many countries,” says Max Hatfield from Florida.

“After taking part in a jam-packed birthright tour, working in date fields with an international crowd as well as the down to earth kibbutznikim was a great change of pace,” Hatfied adds, in a reference to birthright Israel, a program offering free 10-day trips to Israel for Jews abroad who have never visited the country.

“The weekend trips to Eilat didn’t hurt either!’

Some kibbutzim take an active part in organizing trips and excursions for volunteers, as well as allowing them an intimate glimpse into the local culture. During the recent holiday season, Jewish and non-Jewish volunteers were welcomed into sukkot, booths built to mark the fall harvest festival. Volunteers were also given an opportunity to attend synagogue, celebrate the Jewish New Year and even glimpse a Jewish wedding ceremony or two. Many volunteers who knew nothing about Judaism felt they gained an incredible vantage point into the religion itself as well as the psyche behind Israeli society.

Many kibbutzniks are migrants themselves, and many are volunteers who came back to the farm to stay. “The common feeling of being bound together by defending Israel and making it a better place is catchy!” says Fransisco Alvarado, 24 from Ecuador. “It leaves you wanting more.”

And even if eventual immigration is not the end result, kibbutz most importantly allows young travelers to support themselves while in Israel, and to return time and time again.

“I have been back four times and been able to live for months in this simple but fulfilling style of travel,” says 24-year-old Timothy Tucker from South Africa. “I volunteered in all corners of the country, Yiftach in the north, Kibbutz Baram in the center, and Yotvata in the south.

“Working on kibbutz was just a deeper, more personal way to get to know Israel, as well as giving me an individual connection with the land. I worked in the fields here, and now I feel a part of them.”

Most importantly, the volunteers taste the fruits of their labor even after leaving the kibbutzim. “The sense of family and mutual care on kibbutz is just as present in wider Israeli society,” says Alvarado. “It’s as if I haven?t left. I get well-meaning advice from complete strangers on the street- feel as if this country watches out for me simply because I am here.”

If you want to become part of your own personal Israeli community, are looking for a low budget way to travel, or simply searching for new experiences, contact the Kibbutz Program Center at:

International Conference at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem

Sleeping next to Gilad Shalit’s house

Aviva Gilad’s mother

They don’t want you to feel sorry for them, but they also don’t want you to stay away from guestrooms they built with

their own hands for fear of vacationing in a community with so much emotional baggage. ‘Accommodating people at this beautiful place where we chose to live 20 years ago, seemed to me like the best thing to do,’ says kidnapped soldier’s mother

Gilad Shalit is still alive,’ says the sign placed at the entrance to the Western Galilee community of Mitzpe Hila, as if wishing to signal to those who have not noticed that this is the place where the kidnapped soldier’s family lives and this is where he grew up before being  taken captive  by terrorists at the Kerem Shalom military post in 2006.

Some 140 families live here in modest houses facing the woods, and most are united in their support for the Shalit family and in the battle for Gilad’s release.

I spent 24 hours in Mizpe Hila, which has made the headlines in the past two years, and was met with a splendid view from the balconies, warmhearted hospitality at the unique guestrooms, and more than 40 travel routes by foot, field cars, two-wheel vehicles and bicycles.

Open on weekdays as well

“The embrace we get from our neighbors is heartwarming,” confirms Gilad’s mother, Aviva, who continues with great efforts to nurture the two pleasant guestrooms in the wooden cabins she built about four years ago.

 The rooms are spacious, warmly furnished, have a large Jacuzzi and a balcony facing the forest. Shalit, as most of her neighbors who own guestrooms, views the accommodation business as a perquisite. The breakfast is prepared by Aviva herself on weekends when she doesn’t work outside the house.

“I have been working at the American Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel for a long period of my life, and in recent years I reached the conclusion that I want an additional source of income for the future of the family. Accommodating people at this beautiful place, where we chose to live 20 years ago, seemed to me like the most suitable thing to do.”

Do your guests come here because of the publicity you gained due to the grave circumstances?

“Our first names don’t appear on our website, so some of the guests don’t even know where they’re coming to. Those who open the guest book and read what people wrote to us understand who we are.

“Sometimes, when I have the mental strength, I talk to the guests and answer their questions. At the end of the day we receive a lot of support and sympathy from most of the people who come here.”

But this sympathy could easily become burdensome.

“Several weeks ago one of our guests, and I have no idea who it was, distributed a petition on the internet asking people to come stay with us, hinting that we need the money. I would like to make it clear that I don’t want people to be under the impression, God forbid, that we are poor. We work and make an honest living.

“But the people of Israel’s response was immediate. We received hundreds of phone calls from people who wanted to spend the weekend here. Naturally we couldn’t meet the demand and had to send some of the guests to stay with our neighbors. On weekends there’s no problem, the guestrooms are full, but we would be happy to accommodate more people on weekdays as well.”

Isifiya and Daliat El Carmel

The Druze village of Isfiya is located on the top of the Carmel Mountain commanding a panoramic view of the surrounding green hills. The village has a rich tradition of openness, hospitality, and warmth that is characteristic of the Druze community.

The Druze village of Isfiya is located on the top of the Carmel Mountain commanding a panoramic view of the surrounding green hills. The village has a rich tradition of openness, hospitality, and warmth that is characteristic of the Druze community. Its special location and rich ethnic tradition and culture have proved especially attractive for travelers and tourists. Isfiya was first established during the 17th and 18th century by Druze from the mountains of Lebanon. They were later joined by several Egyptian families, and in 2003 the village was merged with the neighboring Druze village of Daliat El Carmel. The two unified villages are known today as Ir Carmel. The village has opened itself to tourists, while at the same time preserving its traditional Druze life style. The Druze are well-known for their warm hospitality and receive guests with smiling enthusiasm. The Isfiya residents are no exception, and welcome visitors into their homes, where they can get a close glimpse of Druze religious customs and traditions. Advertisement   Visitors can walk through the narrow streets of the village and wander through the picturesque alleyways on their own, but it is recommended to go with a guide, who will add to your visit by showing you around and telling you interesting stories about the community. In the center of the village are several old buildings built in the style characteristic of northern Israel and southern Lebanon. There is also an olive press in the impressive ancient quarter where visitors can learn about the process of making olive oil and make oil candles. The main street of the village has a lively bazaar filled with a variety of colorful shops. Nearby restaurants serve guests spicy ethnic foods. The colorful market is filled with visitors on Shabbat and is a noisy, festive place filled with exotic aromas and colors. Visitors who wish to learn about the Druze culture from close up can lodge in an authentic Druze home or in guesthouses run by the local residents. Guests can enjoy traditional foods, listen to stories, and watch special performances of traditional music, song and dance. Those who would like to have a religious experience can visit the Druze house of prayer, the mosque, or in the Catholic-Maronite Church. The western entrance to Isfiya has a beautiful promenade overlooking the view. Isfiya is a good departure point for nature walks in the Carmel Mountains nearby. Daliyat el-Carmel is a colorful village that offers wonderful hospitality with a smile and is also very interesting. Daliyat el-Carmel was founded in the 17th century by Druze from Mt. Lebanon. Daliyat el-Carmel’s colorful market, open on Saturdays, is only an excuse to come to this special place. On the main street dozens of stores offer their varied wares and one can get lost in the abundance and variety. Between the stores are many restaurants serving genuine Druze ethnic foods, bakeries that fill the air with the sweet smell of baklava pastries. Other food stands sell high quality olive oil, olives, pita bread and locally produced labaneh cheese. The flurry of activity, the colors, the new beside the old, and the village bustling with people are a multi-sensational experience not to be missed. The market also has a few galleries where cultural evenings can be held, alongside the Druze hospitality. Apart from Daliyat el-Carmel’s main street, with its tourist center, on 22nd Street there is the house of Sir Laurence Oliphant, an Englishman who loved the Holy Land and moved here in 1880 to help the Jews during the period of the First Aliya wave of immigration. Today his house serves as a military memorial to village residents who served in the Israel Defense Forces and gave their lives for their country. The front courtyard of the house is a plaza that overlooks the slopes of the Carmel hills. The Druze heritage house is on 8th Street and houses an exhibit about the Druze lifestyle. One can also just wander around the village to no specific place; walk through the narrow passageways that wind their way between old houses, prayer halls and holy sites, beside olive oil presses, textile workshops and art galleries. In recent years the villagers have begun hosting groups in their homes, and such a visit offers a glimpse of their houses, culture and tradition. The local residents offer tourists and genuine ethnic foods, wear their traditional clothes, tell stories about the Druze heritage and there are even guest houses designed with an authentic Druze décor.