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AND THE HOLY LAND

GOLDEN NATURE GUIDES
B l RDS



F LOWERS

R E PT I L E S AND AMPH I B I A N S
F I SHES



FOS S I L S

W EATH ER






INS ECTS



STARS



TREES



MAMMALS

GAM E B I RD S



S EASHORE S

ZOOLOGY



S EA SHELLS OF THE WORLD

ROC K S AND M I N E RALS
NON-FLOW E R I N G P L ANTS

BUTTERF L I E S AND MOTHS




I NS E C T P E STS

ZOO ANIMALS





POND L I F E

S P I DERS

GOLDEN FIELD GUIDES
B I RDS OF NORTH AMERI C A
T R E E S O F NORTH AMER I C A
S E A SHELLS O F NORTH AMERI C A

THE SOUTHEAST



T H E SOUTHW EST

THE PAC IFIC NORTHWEST
EVERGLAD ES NATIONAL PARK
T H E ROC KY MO U N TA I N S



ACAD I A NAT I O N A L P A R K

WASHI NGTON, D.C.
ISRA E L AND THE HOLY LAND
MEXICO

GOLDEN HANDBOOKS
SAILING



PHOTOGRAPHY
F I SHING





GUNS



POW E R BOATS

CAMPING

HENRY GASS ER'S GUIDE TO PAINTING
THE S KY OBS ERVER'S G U I DE
S P ORTS C ARS



These books also available in the

195195



S K I ING



ANT I QU E S

SCUBA D I V I NG

DELUXE LIBRARY EDITION

ISRAEL
AND

THE

HOLY

LAND

1969 REVISED EDITION

by R I N N A SAMUEL
Ed ited by
ALEXA N D ER DOROZYNS K I
PHOTOGRAPHS BY WERNER BRAUN
ILLUSTRATIONS BY WALTER FERGUSON
COVER ART BY HARRY McNAUGHT

A GOLDEN REGIONAL GUIDE

GOLDEN PRESS



NEW YORK

FO R EWO R D
This guide presents many facets of the modern State of
Israel, as well as most of the important sites of the Holy
land and much of its flora and fauna.
The holiest places of both the Christian and the Jewish
faiths are within what was once Palestine; and Jerusalem,
where Solomon built his Temple, where Jesus was tried and
condemned to die on the cross, and from which Moham­
med is believed to have ascended to heaven, is close to
the hearts of Christians, Jews and Moslems alike.
Following the Six Day War which broke out between
Israel and her Arab neighbors on June 5, 1 967, no per­
manent solution has yet been found to the problems which
have harassed the Near East for the past twenty years. At
this writing, the entire area west of the Jordan River, the
Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Syrian plateau
(the Golan Heights) are under Israeli control. These areas
are now accessible to travelers from Israel, and have been
included in the text.
R.S.
October, 1 968

Copy r i g h t 1967 b y Western Pub l i s h i n g Company, I nc. All rights reserved, in­
c l ud i n g the right of reproduction i n whole o r i n pa rt. Des i g n,e d a n d produced
b y Les E d i t i o n s d e s Deux Coq s d 'Or, Paris, France. Pr i nted in the U .S . A . by
Western Pu b l i s h i n g Company, I nc. Pub l i s hed by Golden Press, New York,
N .Y. li b r a ry of Cong ress Cata log Cord Number: 67-29420.

2

A U T H O R'S NOTE
I am most grateful t o the many people and organizations
that have helped to make this book possible. Among them:
Drs. l. Fishelson and S. Helvig of Tel Aviv University; Drs.

I . Harpaz, S. P. Monselise, Y. Shiloh, and Professor H.
Oppenheimer of the Hebrew University; Dr. E. Mazor of
the Weizmann Institute; Dr. S. Terrien of Union Theological
Seminary; Drs. E. and H. Boyko, Mr. J. Hoofien, and Pro­
fessor David Samuel. Also, to the Israel Ministry of Religious
Affairs, the Israel Tourist Corporation and the Jordan
Tourism Authority.

R. S.

C ONTE NTS
The State of Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tips for To u r i sts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4
6

.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 1

Geology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14

Geog raphy

Natural History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18

Archeology in t he Holy Lan d . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

48

The Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5 2-

Mod ern Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

72

Cities a n d Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

91

The N e ig h bo rs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 43

Jordan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 47

Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 52

Syri a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 54

Le b a n o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 55

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 56

I n d ex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 58

B i b liography

3

ISRAEL i s a n i n d e p e n d e n t

repu b l ic, ca rved fro m Pal­
esti n e a n d esta blished in
1 94 8 as the fl rst wa rd of
the U n ited Nations. Israel
proper, with 8,000 sq .
m i les, is a bout the size of
the state of New J e rsey.
Dive rs i ty is th e most
c h a r a cteristic feat11re of I srael-d ive rsity of people, of
rel ig i o ns , of c l i m ate, of flowers, and of b i r d s . The l a n d ­
s c a p e is stri k i n g ly varied, w i t h p l a i n s a n d m o u n t a i n s ,
l a kes a n d s e a b o a r d , desolate h i l l s a n d p l e a s a n t v a l l eys,
fert il e fi e l d s and a ri d deserts, all with i n rel atively sh ort
d ista nces of each oth e r .
Eve n m ore re m a r k a b l e i s the contrast i n t h e custo m s
of-t h e people, who h ave c o m e fro m a l l p a rts of t h e
worl d . The p resent popul ation is over 2 % m i l l ion . Each
i n h i s own way i s loyal to traditions rang i n g from those
of B i b l i c a l d ays to those of the second h a lf of t h e 20th
century.
SABRA

is the fruit of cactus plant,

prickly an outside, sweet inside.

SABRA

is now the term to desig-

nate the Israeli-born Jew.

JERUSALEM,

old walled city on left and the churches of Mt. Zion

on right, seen from the terrace of King David Hotel.

Thousa n d s of years of h istory h ave left t h e i r m a r k i n t h e
Holy l a n d a n d a wea lth o f t a n g i b l e evi d e n c e c o n n ects
it with m a n ki n d ' s past. Contem pora ry fi n d s i n c l u d e h u ­
m a n relics o f mo re t h a n 1 00,000 yea rs a g o ; 1 0,000year-old Jericho; C a n a a n ite towns b u i l t 5 , 0 0 0 years
ago, Ro m a n theatres 2 , 000 years old, 1 2th century
Crusader w a l ls, a n d 1 8t h century Turkish towers .
The a n n a l s of the Holy la n d ' s antiqu ity a re exciti n g ,
b u t so is t h e story o f m o d ern Israel. T h e c h a l l e n g e o f a
l a n d poor in natural resou rces a n d t h e d rive towa r d s
prog ress by h e r citizens h ave m a d e t h i s a l a n d l i k e n o
othe r today.
OLD RABBI

i s a n immigrant from

Yemen in Southern Arabia.

ARAB BOY

is one of the many

Bedouin Arabs in Israel.

TI P S

TO

TOU RI S T S

Both Israel a n d Jord a n are access i b l e by a i r, by sea, a n d
b y l a n d . Visas a r e requ i re d for most natio n a l ities, a n d
c a n b e obtained either t h ro u g h Israel o r Jord a n i a n
c o n s u l ates o r you r travel agent. U n t i l June, 1 967, c ross­
ing from Jorda n i nto Israel was only possi b l e i n Jerusa­
l e m , through the M a n d e l b a u m Gate . At p rese nt, a r­
range ments to visit the holy p laces c a n easily be m a d e
i n I s ra e l . T h e borders betwee n Israel a n d i t s Arab
n e i g h bors a re cu rrently closed to tourists, a s t h ey h ave
been for m a ny years.
A valid s m a l lpox vaccine certificate is req u i r e d .
The b e s t t i m e to v i s i t I s r a e l a n d m o s t of t h e oth e r
l a n d s o f t h e B i b l e i s s p r i n g , when the h i l l s a re g reen a n d
w i l d flowers a re i n bloo m . B u t the t r i p c a n b e c o m ­
fortab l e i n a l l seasons : S u m m er is h ot, but the b rown­
ness of the h i l l s has its spec i a l charm, and s u m m e r n i g hts
are cool and sta rlit. The m onths from Nove m be r to
April a re the rainy o nes, b ut showers a re fol l owed by
bright s u n s h i n e .
Light-we i g h t cloth i n g is m ost comfortable a n d a p p ro­
priate. I n Israel, d ress is very casu a l : men wear open ­
c o l l a re d s port s h i rts. Wom e n c a n w e a r i nfo r m a l c l oth­
i n g , but should d ress conservatively w h e n visiti n g reli6

gious quarters and sites. A dark suit will suffice for any
but the most formal occasion.
A warm sweater may be needed in the evening. A
raincoat and rubbers are necessary in the winter-and
flat-heeled walking shoes are a must.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Comfortable,

even

luxurious,

hotels are available. In Israel, more than 200 hotels
have been approved by the Tourist

Corporation. In

Jordan, most of them are small inn-type hotels. Deluxe
accommodations are available to those who want them.
There are many reasonably priced youth hostels affili­
ated with the International Youth Hostels Association.
Christian visitors on a pilgrimage can stay in hospices.
A stay in a kibbutz, the collective community unique
to

Israel,

is

an

interesting

experience.

Reservations

should be made well in advance, particularly in summer.
lists of hotels, youth hostels, hospices, and kibbutzim
are available through travel agencies.

SABBATH is a day of rest in Israel. Government offices,
public places of entertainment, and shops are closed.
On Saturdays, most transportation stops, and in some
hotels only cold meals, ordered in advance, are served.
Friday is the day of rest for Moslems; the tourist facilities
in Jordan are unaffected, but the visiting of mosques
should be avoided.

THE CURRENCY in Israel is the Israel pound (IL), divided
into 1 00 agorot, and worth 28 U.S. cents. In Jordan,
it is the dinar, divided into 1 ,000 fils, and worth $2.80.

GUI DES

It will be helpful, in visiting sites of the Holy

Land, to take a guide to accompany you. licensed guides
are competent and knowledgeable. In Israel, guided tours
are available by plane, air-conditioned buses, and taxi.
In Jordan, a guide may be asked to show his Tourism
Authority license.

7

The official languages in

Israel are

Hebrew

and

Arabic, but many other languages are spoken, notably
French, English, Yiddish, German, and Russian. In Jordan
the language is Arabic, but English is widely used.
Reasonably priced, typical gifts are available, such
as ceramic and leather goods, jewelry, rugs, fabrics,
and sweaters as well as olive-wood bound Bibles, Bed­
ouin jewelry, trays, rugs, pottery, and glassware. Antique
collectors may come across interesting bargains in govern­
ment-licensed shops.
A typicallO-day tour:
1 st day: Arrival at Lad I nterna·
tianal Ai rport nea r Tel Aviv.
D rive to J e rusalem.
2nd and 3rd days: Visit J e ru­
salem , i nclud i n g the Old C i ty,
the Mou n t of Olives, Gethse­
m a n e and Bethlehem, Betha ny,
J e richo, Q u m ra n and Heb ron.
4th day: Visit Samaria, Naza­
reth , Ta bgha, Tiberias, t h e
Galilee a n d Safa d .
5 t h day: Banias, source of Jor­
d a n , a n d Gol a n Heig hts.
6th day: Visit H a i fa , Acre,
Caesa reo.
7th day: Visit Tel Aviv, J a ffa
a n d surrou n d i n g a rea . (Extra
day, eithe r visit Gaza a nd El

C A L E N DA R

Arish or fly ove r Sinai Penin­
sula .)
8th day: D rive to Beersheba a n d
Eilat v i a Rehovoth .
9th day: Eilat: Solomo n ' s Pilla rs.
Glass-bottom boa t or u n d e r­
water exploration of coral reef
in the Red Sea .
lOth day: D rive to Ma sa d a , He­
rod 's fortress, a nd t h e Dead
Sea . Ret u r n to Tel Aviv.
(In Jordan: A two-day tou r ca n
be ta ken from A m m a n to Petra,
50 miles south of the Dead Sea,
stayi ng overnight in a "tent
hotel" ope n from March 1 to
May 31, a n d Sept. 1 to Oct. 31.
Petra ca n only be reached o n
horseback from t h e "hotel,"
a bout 1 V2 hou rs each way.)

OF

E V E NT S

The Jewish era sta rts with the traditional creation of the
world i n t h e fa l l of B.C. 3 76 1 . The 3 5 4-day year h a s
1 2 m o nt h s o f 3 0 d ays; 7 leap years o f 1 3 m o n t h s e a c h
i n a 1 9-ye a r p e r i o d m a k e the length o f the Jewis h y e a r
average t h a t of t h e solar yea r .
The M o s l e m era sta rts w i t h the yea r o f th e Heg i ra,
8

Moh a m m e d ' s fl i g h t from Mecca to Med i n a i n A. D . 6 2 2 .
The year h a s 3 4 5 d ays m a d e u p o f 1 2 l u n a r m o nths.
Mos l e m d ates d o n ot reg u l a rly corresp o n d to sta n d a r d
d ates : 3 3 Mos l e m years are a p p roxim ate ly e q u a l to 3 2
sol ar years.
The Eastern Orthodox c h u rches fol low the Jul i a n cal­
endar ( n a m e d for J u l i u s C aesar) w h i c h i s 1 3 d ays be­
h i n d the Greg o r i a n c a l e n d a r ( n a m e d for 1 6th century
Pope Gregory X I I I I of the R o m a n Cath o l i c a n d Protes­
tant c h u rches.

M A I N JEWISH HOLI DAYS
YOM K I PPUR The Day af Atone­
m ent, 10 d ays after Rash Hash­
a n a h , t h e New Year. (Sept.-Oct.)
SUCCOTH T h e week-lang Feast
of the Tabernacles, five doys
later, reca l l s the booths l i ved in
by the I srael ites d u r i n g their 40
years i n the w i l derness.
S IMHAT TORAH The Rejoic i n g
i n the L a w on the l a s t day of
Su ccoth.
HANUKKAH The 8-day Feast of
Lig h ts (Nov.-Ja n.) m a r k i n g the
vi ctory of t h e Maccabees over
the Gree ks, and the reded ication
of the Te m p l e i n 164 B.C.
PURIM (Feb.-Ma r.) com m emo­
rates 5th century B.C. Queen
Esther, who saved her people
from a Pers ian p l ot to d estroy
them.
PESACH Passover (Mar.-Apr.) re­
calls the Exodus of the C h i l dren
of I s rael from Egypt. Beg i n s with
the tra d itional Seder service on
the first eve n i n g .
YOM HA'ATZMAUT I srae l 's I n ­
dependence D a y on the 5 t h o f
lyar. (Apr.-May)

SHAVUOT Pentecost (May-J une)
celebrates t h e Festival of t h e
Fi rst Fruits; also m a r k s t h e giv­
i n g of the Law.
MOSLEM HOLI DAYS
RAMADAN The 9th Mos l e m
month d uri n g w h i c h fasti n g i s
req , u ired from d a w n t o s u nset. I t
com m e m orates t h e revelation o f
t h e Koran .
I D A L FITR Th ree d ays of feast­
ing m a r k i n g the end of t h e
Ramadan Fast.
I D AL ADHA Fou r-day feast of
the Sacrifice co m m e morati n g t h e
r a n s o m of Abra h a m 's son I s h ­
m a e l with a ra m .
MUHARRAM Mourn i n g f o r t h e
d e a t h o f t h e Pro phet's grandson,
Husain.
CHRISTIAN HOLI DAYS
C h ristmas a nd Easter a re the ch ief
holidays. The d ates for Easter a nd
holidays con nected with it va ry
from yeor to yea r as Ea ste r is
always the first Sunday following
t h e full moon tho! falls o n o r
a fter Ma rch 21.

9

MEDITERRANEAN
SYRIA
SEA

....

JORDAN

--

e

.. __

__

-- ---

C ase Fire Line, June 1967

--

.

G E O G RA P H Y
ISRAEL l i e s on the eastern seaboard of t h e Med iter­
r a n e a n , a l o n g a n cient and modern routes con n ecti ng
Europe, Asia, and Afric a . It is bou n d e d by Le b a n o n a n d
Syria i n t h e north, Syr i a a n d Jord a n i n t h e east, a n d
Egypt i n th e southwest.
Israel p roper is 2 6 5 m i les long and varies i n width
from 1 2 m i les, n o rth of Tel Aviv, to 70 m i les, south of
Beers h e b a , and o n ly 6 m i les at E i l a t . The tota l a rea is
7, 9 9 2 s q u a re m i les, of w h i c h 1 72 a re wate r . I t is o n t he
s a m e l a t i t u d e ( 2 9 ° - 3 3 o N) a s the states of Georg i a
a n d Al a b a m a . The northern h a l f o f I s rael consists of
s uccessive para l l e l b a n d s ru n n i n g n o rth to south :
The Med i terra n e a n beach w i t h
its wh ite s a n d a n d occa s i o n a l
s t e e p c l i ffs.
The coastal plain, with its
cities a n d o ra n g e g roves.
The central m o u n t a i n s p i n e
w h i c h i n c l u d e s Ga l i lee a n d S a ­
m a r i a , a n d t h e· J u d e a n a n d H e ­
bron Mou n t a i n c h a i n s . H i g hest
point i n I srael i s Mou nt Meron ,

a l so k n own a s Mt. Atz m o n ,
(3,692 f t . ) i n northern G a l i lee.
The Rift Valley, farther east,
a l o n g which the Sea of Ga l i l ee,
the Jordan River, t h e Dead Sea,
a n d the Gulf of Eilat are located.
The Negev, I s r a e l ' s southern
half, a h i l ly to m o u n t a i n o u s des­
ert.

J U D E A N H I LLS a n d fert i l e p l a i n
below

OLIVE TREES i n southern coast­
al plain

THE CLIMATE of I s rael is influe nced by its l ocation be­

tween the we l l -watered lands of the Med iterra n e a n a n d
t h e a r i d reaches o f Africa a n d As i a . T h e weather i n t h e
Negev is l i ke t h a t o f l a rg e stretches o f t h e S a h a r a . I n
G a l i lee, it is s i m i l a r t o that o f t h e n o rth Mediterra n e a n .
The c l i m ate of Jerusalem rese m b l e s t h a t of central
Europe, while the coastal p l a i n e n j oys the typi c a l w a r m
s u m m ers a n d m i l d wi nters o f the Ita l i a n R ivie r a . Th e
o n e factor c o m m o n to t h e whole country is t h e d ivision
into o n l y two seasons-a d ry summer a n d a r a i n y wi nter,
which sta rts a r o u n d Nove m b er and ends in A p r i l . Be­
tween J a n u a ry and March, most of t h e yea r ' s rain pours
down i n sporadic torrents of seve ral hours' d u rati o n ,
u s u a l l y fol l owed b y s u n . I n spring a n d a utu m n, t h e h ot,
dust- l a d e n easterly o r southeasterly w i n d , the Sh arav,
fro m the Ara b i a n dese rt, m a kes for a few tryi n g days .
It is a coun try o f b r i g h t s u n l i g h t . I n J u n e t h e s u n rises
a bout 4 a . m . , i n Decem ber about 7 a . m .
THE RIVERS o f Israel a re few . The most i m p o rta nt a re
the Y a r k o n , n o rth of Tel Aviv, a n d the K i s h o n , n e a r
H a ifa, b o t h flow i n g f r o m t h e cen tra l m o u n t a i n s to t h e
Mediterra n ea n . The m ost famous is the J o r d a n , w h i c h
begins i n Le b a n o n a n d Syria a n d fl ows d ue sout h .
ARID RED CANYON i n
N e g e v o n t h e w a y t o E i lot

the

SANDY BEACH a l o n g th e Med i ·
terra ne a n coast i n N a t h a nya

R

y

s

A

Salkhad

Qasr el Azraq


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t"" ,
SAUDI

Oasr Mnbeua

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' ARABIA
,
'
'
'
'
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'

R

D

A

N

•••
AWI!IQUIIa

Cease Fire !..ine, June 1967

Note: Borders are shown as they
were from from 1957 to 1967.
LEGEND
Border
Roads
Railroad
-----

Rivers
----

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I

GEO L O GY
All the major geological formations common to the
Middle East are readily seen in Israel, due to the re­
markable variety of the country's geological structure,
and to its sparse soil coverage.
Outcrops of Precambrian rock-some of the most
ancient parts of the earth's crust-are found near the
Red Sea. The erosion of granite, syenite, gneiss, schist,
and other bedrocks which are crossed by thousands of
dikes (intrusions of molten rock into fissures of older
rock), produced the rugged landscape of Eilat.

14

K i n g S o l o mon's P i l l a rs at Ti m n a , n o rth of E i lat, were
ca rved out of P a l eozoic s a n d stone and con g l o m erate
by ra i n a n d wi n d . I n some loca l ities these roc k s a re sti l l
covered with s h a les, rich i n copper, w h i c h were d e posi­
ted by a n a ncient sea. It was fro m this " N u b ia n " s a n d ­
sto n e that K i n g Solo m o n ' s s l aves, a n d l a t e r R o m a n
prisoners, m i ne d nodules o f copper. The m i n e sh afts
and s l a g h e a ps c a n sti l l b e seen. The seas of Tri a s s i c
a n d J u rassic time, adva n c i n g f r o m the n o rthwest, n ever
reached a s far south as t h i s .
15

MAKHTESH in the Negev. Rem a i n s of Ro m a n e n c a m p m e n t
have been fou n d atop its ridge.

KING SOLOMON ' S PI LLARS
at Ti m n a carved in Pal eozoic
sandstone by rain a n d w i n d

Outcrops of sed i m e n ta ry roc k d e pos­
ited d u ri n g the Triassic a n d Jurassic periods a re vivi d l y
exposed i n t h e N egev M a k htes h i m-la rge, bowl-s h aped
eros ion a l d e p ressions surrounded by steep c l iffs u p to
1 , 3 0 0 feet h i g h . The Ma khtes h i m ta ke t h e i r n a m e fro m
t h_ e H e b rew word for g r i n d i n g m o rt a rs . They resu lted
from complex erosion over m i l l ions of years. The th ree
best- k n own Ma khtes h i m are the rou n d M a khtesh K a ton
(about 4 m iles i n d i a m eter); the m o re e l o n g ated M a k h ­
t e s h Gadol ( 9 m i les l o n g , 3 m i les wide); the M a khtesh
Ramon (25 m i les long, average width 5 m i les).
D u ri n g the Lower C retaceous Period sandstones were
d e posited in t h e south, shales and l i m estones to the
nort h . I n the l a tter strata oil has been fou n d a t H e l etz,
o n the coastal road to Beersheba, a n d gas at Zoh a r,
west of the Dead S e a . The Upper C reta ceous Era l eft
deep sed i m e nts : l i m esto n e, c h a l k, m a rl, c l ay, d o l o m ite,
and fl i n t . Out of these for m a tions Israel ' s m o u n t a i n o u s
reg ions h ave been s c u l ptured .
Mounta i n - b u i l d i n g s h ifts of the ea rth ' s crust of t he
MAKHTESHIM

16

MUSHROOM p i l l a r of N u b i a n
sand stone, s h a ped by rain a n d
w i n d blown s a n d

CHALK ROCKS o f R o s h H a n i kra
on Med iterra nean seashore n e a r
Lebanese bord er

Tertiary Period a re responsib le-a l o n g with erosion­
for t h e present-day relief. Some crusta l b locks were
heaved up; others s a n k . A c h a i n of s u n ken blocks fo r m s
the fa m o u s R ift V a l l ey. T h e Jord a n River, t h e Sea o f
G a l i lee, t h e D e a d S e a , a n d the G u l f o f E i l at a l l l i e i n
b a s i n s o f t he R ift . The Arava V a l l ey i s a nother s u c h
basi n . D u r i n g t he r a i n y P l eistoce n e E p o c h a l l o r m ost of
the d e pressions were fi l led with fresh wate r . Tod ay
most of t h ese l a kes a re s a l t or d ry.
I n Q u atern a ry ti m es t h e swa m ps of the H u l e h , a t
t h e h e a d of t h e J o r d a n Val ley, w e r e formed by lava
flows that b locked the u p pe r cou rse of t h e J o rd a n . The
Lisan Lake, m ost famous of the Pleistoc e n e fresh -water
l a kes, s h ra n k, beco m i n g the fres h -water Sea of G a l i lee
and the h i g h ly s a l i n e Dead Sea . Many h ot a n d m i n e r a l
s p r i n g s d eveloped i n the R ift Va l ley d u r i n g the Q uater­
n a ry; a m o n g them a re those at Tiberias, o n t h e Sea of
G a l i lee, a n d H a m e i Zohar, o n the D e a d Sea. It was i n
t h e Quate r n a ry t h a t t h e p resent outlin e o f Israe l ' s coast­
a l p l a i n o n the Med iterra n e a n was for m e d .
17

NAT U R A L

HIS TO R Y

PLANTS OF THE HOLY LAND
The outsta n d i n g fea­
t u re of t h e Holy La n d ' s p l a n t l ife is its variety. Vegeta­
tion r a n g es all the way fro m that typ i c a l of the Med iter­
r a n e a n-a s in the h i l l reg ions and a l ong the coasta l
p l a i n-to t h e l u s h tropical p l a nts of t h e Jor d a n Va l l ey,
a n d t h e h a rdy d esert s h rubs of the deep Negev. There
are s o m e 2 , 5 00 species of p l a nts, i n c l u d i n g over 200
m e ntioned in the B i b l e . Th e m e d i c i n a l herbs a n d w i l d
flowers o f the H o ly Land a re famous. T h e crocus a n d
the m e adow saffron a ppear r i g h t after t h e fi rst r a i n s
a n d a re fol lowed by a c a rpet o f oth er flowers, i n c l u d i n g
t h e hya c i nth a n d cyc l a m e n . F r u i t trees beg i n to bloom
i n Ja n u a ry. I n d i g enous trees include the Jeru s a l e m p i n e,
t h e ta m a risk, a n d the carob which, with the i m ported
eucalyptus, are widely used for a fforestation in Israe l .
Citrus g roves today cover m ore t h a n 1 00,000 acres.

Trees a re frequently referred to
i n the Bible. These a re six of m a ny of t h ese trees w h i c h
sti l l g row i n th e Holy La n d tod ay:

TREES O F THE BIBLE

Oleo europeo

OLIVE is one of the first trees
mentioned in the Bible. It
con reac h 25 ft. O l ive wood
was used to decorate the
Te m pl e doors a n d i s still used
·
ornamental ly. The fruit, har­
vested at the beg i n n i n g of
the autu m n , i s used for food
and oil. Grows m a i n ly in h i lly
reg ions.

ALEPPO P I N E g rows w i l d i n
Med iterra nean cou ntries, i s also
used for reforestation. I n tro­
d u ced from Lebanon, not Aleppo
U p to 60 ft.

sempervirens

CYPRESS u p to 80 ft. h i g h ,
g rows mostly i n h i l ls. U s e d large­
ly as o n orn a m e ntal tree a n d as
w i n d brea k i n· oran g e groves. I t s
wood was used i n s h i p b u i l d i n g
b y Phoe n i c i a n s, Gree k s a n d Ro­
mans.

CAUIPRI NOS OAK, u p to 40
ft., con a l so look l i k e s m a l l
s h r u b i f g rown o n dry so i l . I t
is co m m onest tree i n Holy La n d ,
c h iefly i n i t s dwarf form.
GREEN BAY TREE or Laurel,
Bibl ical e m b l e m of wea lth, con
be a s h r u b or tree. Broken ever­
green leaves e m it strong scent,
used as s p i ce.
D A T E PALM (up to 100 f t . ) h a s
6 f t . leaves, n o bra n c h e s . I n B i b l i ­
cal t i m e s i t s u p p l i e d food, f u e l ,
cloth i n g a n d was used i n tri u m ­
p h a l proces sions.

19

FR U I TS
GRAPE is t h e cultivated plant
m ost ofte n referred to i n the
Old Testa m e nt. W h e n Moses
sent scouts to ex plore "the
P r o m i s e d L a n d ," t h e y r e ­
turned w i t h the grape of
Esh kol, a branch with a s i n­
g l e c l u ster so large t h ey hod
to carry it o n a pole. Many
gropes now g row on terraces
hilly

.1\LMOND ( u p to 25 ft.) is t h e
forst t r e e t o fl o w e r i n the year.
P i n k or wh ite blosso m s a p pear
before leaves. Nuts were used
for oil and o i n t m ents.

APRICOT ( u p t o 30 ft.) o n e of
the Holy L a n d ' s popular frui ts;
u n k nown in Palesti ne before first
century B.C. I t has p a l e rose
fl owers with dark red centers.

FIG ( u p to 30 ft.) is one of the
first pla nts m entioned by name
i n the Bible. Flowers are e n closed
i n hollow conta i n e r a n d fert i l i zed
by fig wasp.

POMEGRANATE ( u p to 20 ft.)
has clear, red, ju i cy seeds i n s i d e
a th i c k jacket. The j u i c e w a s a
favorite beverage a n d its fl ow­
ers were used m e d i c i n a l ly.

BALSAM ( u p to 1 5 ft.) fs be·
l i eved to have been brought to
Solomon from Ethiopia by t h e
Queen of S h e b a . " Ba l m ," u se d
f o r perfu m e a n d m e d i c i ne, i s
f r o m the res i n of t h e tree.

CORIANDER (1 to 3 ft.) on u m ­
bell iferous p l a n t with leaves l i k e
parsley, belongs t o t h e carrot
f a m i ly. Seeds a n d leaves were
used to flavor food .

MYRTLE (3 to 10 ft.) prized for
its fragrant l eaves and scented
fl owers, i s sti l l col lected d u r i n g
the Feast of Tabernacles a n d
woven i n to a r i t u a l wand.
FLAX ( u p to 36 i n .) the most
a n c i e n t of oil k n own text i l e
flbdrs. Text i l e i s prod uced from
the ste m , oil from seeds.

GALBANUM, the juice of the
feru/a golbaniflua, a stron g-roo l­
ed peren n i a l with s m a l l g ree n ­
i s h ·wh ite fl owers, w a s b u rned a s
ir1cense i n t h e T e m p l e . W i t h aloe,
myrrh, fra n k i n c e n se, cassia, c i n ­
n a m b n , a n d o l i ve, it m a d e t h e
holy o i l t o a n o i n t offic ia ting
priests.

21

TALL ASPHODEL (3 ft.). A peren­
nial, dormant i n t h e s u m m e r, can
be seen over m uc h of the Holy
Land i n late wi nter and early
s p r i n g . I t i s a m e m ber of the l i ly
f a m i ly. Roots contain starch from
which g u m s and alcohol were
m ade in a n c i e n t t i m es.
COMMON CHRYSANTHEMUM
( 2 to 3 ft.) is fo u n d t h ro u g hout
I s rael a n d a d j o i n i n g areas i n
dense masses, often ta k i n g over
entire fi e l d s and roa d s i d es. Bril­
l ia n t gold fl owers appear in
March a n d A p r i l .
JACK I N THE PULPIT o r Friar's
Cowl , a pere n n i a l w h i c h g rows
in s h a dy p l aces in early w i n ter,
can be s potted by the greenish
striped s h eath e n c a s i n g the fl ow­
ers w h i c h g row o n a t h i c k sta l k .
Arab peasa n ts u s e t h e fl owers to
heal bruises a n d wou n d s.

1

7
22

PHEASANT' S EYE (1 5 i n . ) blos­
soms late i n t h e procession of
red s p r i n g fl owers. I n sects at­
tracted by bright calor, as flower
lacks scent and nectar. K n own
i n medicine for a l ka l o i d adon i n ,
s i m i l a r i n effect to d i g i ta l i s .
Grows i n coastal p l a i n , J u dean
H i lls, a n d Mou n t Carm e l .
SEA PANCRATIUM (1 0 i n . ) one
of the h a n d somest fl owers of the
coastal plain, b l oo m s i n late
s u m m e r before t h e forst ra i n s . The
stron g l y scented w h i te fl owers,
w h i c h open i n the eve n i n g , pre­
cede the long a n d spearl i k e
leaves.

EVEN I N G PRIMROSE (1 to 2
ft.), i n trod u ced from t h e U .S.,
i s fo un d a l o n g t h e coasta l p l a i n s
wh ere i t s roots g o deep i n t h e
s a n d . Flowers b l o o m a t the
height of s u m m e r a n d open
towa rd eve n i n g . I t s leaves are
covered with h a i rs which prevent
evaporati o n .
A N I S E FENNEL (3 f t . ) is a h i g h
b u s h l i k e h e r b fl oweri ng i n mid­
s u m mer. Deep taproots bring up
water and l eaves are so fi nely
d issected that t h ere is little
evaporati o n . In moist p l a ces, i t
g rows l a r g e j u icy leaves. T h e
f r u i t i s u s e d a s a s p i ce.

PALEST I N E I R I S ( 1 0 i n .). U n l i ke
I s rael 's m a n y other i r i ses, g rows
low and spreads. leaves are
t h i c k . Grows throughout m uc h of
the Holy l a n d . I t s Greek n a m e
iris h a s b e e n i n use s i n ce H e l l e n ­
istic t i m e s .
NAPLES G A R L I C (1 ft. ) i s o n e
of t h e m o s t c o m m a n a n d bea uti­
ful of t h e Allium s peci e s in Is­
rael. Grows i n h i l ly reg ions and
o n t h e coasta l plain. leaves a re
flat a n d h a i rless.
PERSIAN CYCLAMEN (6 to 8
i n .) is one of t h e Holy la nd's
most pop u l a r w i l d fl owers. li kes
rocky s h a d e i n the J u d e a n H i l l s
a n d i n Gal i l ee. Flowers from J a n ­
uary t o A p r i l .
Cyclamen
persicum

Erodium gruinum

SINUOUS SEA LAVENDER ( u p
to 2 f t . ) b l o o m s from Ma rch to
J u ly, mostly o n the coast. I ts
tou g h roots reac h down for water
below cru m bl y roc k.

CRAN E ' S B I LL (8 i n .) an a n n u a l
gera n i u m w i t h v i o l et-b l u e peta l s
whose color d e e p e n s d u r i n g t h e
d a y . W h e n d ry, s e e d s s p iral
rou n d on a thin ste m .

ITALIAN ALKANET (3 to 4 ft.)
also c a l l e d Ox-lo n g u e from the
shape o f its roug h leaves. It
bloo m s i n early s u m m e r t h ro u g h ­
out t h e Holy L a n d .

ANEMON E ( 1 2 i n .), below cen­
ter, g rows a l l over t h e Holy Land
i n a l l shades of red, wh ite, blue
and p u r p l e . O n ra i n y days t h e
blossoms re m a i n closed.

Anchuso

24

DWARF CHICORY (2 to 3 ft.)
bloo m s i n s u m mer but its fi n e
soft leaves sprout i n the m id d l e
of wi nter. A ra b s use i t f o r salad.
Flowers close by afternoo n .

Lupinus
hirsutus

CORN POPPY (1 to 2 ft ) , I ft.
Its leaves ore out by w i n ter, o n d
it bloo m s f r o m March to May.
Seeds are e n cased in a c h a rac­
teristic ''p e p p er-pot" pod.
PURPLE TOPPED SAGE, top
center, is of t h e m i nt f a m i ly. I ts
scented leaves attract i n sects.
Can either remain low a n d t h i n ,
or g row ta l l a n d spread.

HI RSUTE LUPI N (to 2 ft.). Leaves
fol d u p a t d u s k . Its b i tter seeds
are poiso n o u s ; root nodules e n ­
r i c h t h e s o i l w i t h n itroge n . Grows
in the coastal p l a i n .

SYR I A N CORN FLOWER ( 1 ft.)
bloo m s from February to May.
One of I s ra e l ' s b l u e fl owers. Re­
lated species g row in cornfields
throughout E u rope.

FRAGRANT NARCISSUS ( t o 1 8
i n .) a p pears t h ro u g h o u t t h e Holy
Land i n Nove m ber after t h e fi rst
ra i n s . T h e strap-s h a p e d leaves
f u n n e l m o i st u re to the roots.

25

D E S E RT

V E G E TATI O N

Acacia raddiana

UMBRELLA ACAC I A (20 to 25
ft.) is t h e most c h a racteristic tree
of the Africa n sava n n a h and its
northern m ost location i s the Ne­
gev. A m e m be r a f t h e m i mosa
fa m i ly.
SAXAWL TREE ( 1 0 to 1 2 ft.), a
true desert tree, l ives for several
h u n d red yea rs. It f u r n i shed fuel
for s m e l t i n g i n K i n g Solo m a n 's
m i n es at T i m n a .
Haloxylon persicum

Zizyphus spina-Christi

CHRIST'S THORN (1 0 to 1 5 fl.)
is easily recog niz e d by w h ite
twi g s and tiny yellowish-green
flowers. Its s m a l l ora n g e-colore d
fruit is e d i b l e .
RETAM or W h i te Broo m , desert
s h r u b com m o n in wadis, has
spread to coast w h e re i t stab i ­
l izes s a n d . Fragra n t fl owers look
like snow. B u l ldozed and burned,
i t i s g row i n g scarce.
Retama raetama

LAVENDE
( 1 0 to 1 5 i n . , b u t
u p to 2 ft. t h i c k stem ) is fou n d
on soft o n d d ry roc k s o u t h of
Dead Sea. Flowers f rom w h ite
to p i n k to p u r p l e.

MAR I A ' S I R I S ( 1 2 i n . ) e n d e m i c
t o s a n d y soil o f · t h e central
Negev, i s o n e of I srael's most
b ea u t i f u l p l a n t s . B l oo m s i n
spring.

AARONSOH N I A (4 i n .) i s a
com posite s h r u b com m o n a ro u n d
D e a d S e a a n d d e e p Negev. I t
l ives f o r o n l y a m o n t h or two,
in the spri n g .

JOINTED ANABASIS i s a poi­
sonous desert s u cc u lent. In late
s u m m e r h a s w h i te a n d p u r p l e
fruit.

SDOM APPLE ( 3 to 5 ft.) R i p e
f r u i t bursts to release seeds.
Beer can be m a d e with leaves,
a kind of rub ber with sap.

FLOWERS OF JERUSALEM AND OF THE CARMEL

S o m e of t h e Holy la n d flowers, thoug h t h ey c a n g row
in m a ny pa rts of Israel a n d J o rd a n , are associated with
spec i a l sites. Such a re the flowers of J e r u s a l e m , o n t h i s
page, a n d o f the C a r m e l , on t h e n ext.

,., ... , i•
STEVEN'S MEADOW
(4 in.) appears t h e
the year's fi rst ra i n .
t h i s crocus t h e " ra i n

SAFFRON
day after
Ara b s c a l l
s i g n a l ."

'�MJ/om

SPAFFORD'S STERNBERGIA (6
i n .) blooms in a u tu m n , its fl ow­
ers o p e n i n g each m o rn i n g a n d
c l o s i n g at n ig ht.
S I LVERY PLUMELESS THISTLE
One of t h e 25 local species of
t h istle, t h i s g raws m a i n ly on
roa d s ides, a n c i e n t q uarries, a n d
i n neg lected places.
GRAPE HYACI NTH (6 in.). Long­
stalked fl owers o n top are steri le.
Larger fl owers below a l o n g t h e
s t e m a r e fert i l e a n d c h a n g e
c o l o r from p u r p l e to g reen.
STEMLESS HOLLYHOCK is t h e
m ost c o m m o n of m a n y local hol­
lyhocks. Flowers g row i n g close
to the g ro u n d bloom in spring.
Other vari eties often reach a
h e i g h t of 9 fl.
SHORT-SPIKED STAR OF BETH·

28

PRETTY C ARMELITE (10 i n .).
Peta l s arra n g e d l i ke cross of t h e
K n i g hts of St. Joh n . Bloo m s i n
spring u n t i l m i d su m m er.

a

MARITIME S Q U I LL (3 ft.) blooms
in A u g u st a n d Septe m ber. The •.;l"'':J.o o1·iti,mo
b u l b conta i n s s u bsta nce u sed Ia
treat h ea rt d i sease.

GOLDEN HENBANE h a n g s down
from rock s and walls all over
Holy land. May have served as
model for head d ress of a n ci e n t
h i g h priests.
SUN'S EYE TULIP (14 i n .). A
owy scarlet fl ower of the h i l l
i o n s , whose long n a rrow

VILLOUS ROCKROSE
ft.) covers stretches of
mel. Bloo m s February
Peta l s
the

( u p to 3
MI. Car­
to May.
morn i n g ,

Arum dioscoridis

SPECKLED ARUM a p pears with
the fi rst rains. The leaves are
large, i n it i a l l y rolled up. En­
velope aro u n d t h e s p i ke h a s un­
p leasa n t smell. Poisonous.
PENDULOUS PINK i s a rare
wild fl ower fou n d on Mou n t Cor­
m e l and i n U p per G a l i lee. I t has
long slender bra n c h e s on short
woody ste m . I t bloo m s i n s u m ­
m e r . Makes a n i d e a l r o c k garden
p l a nt.
SPINY BROOM i s a h i g h t h orny
shrub which t h rives o n l i m e so i l .
I n s u m m e r i t h a s butterfly-s haped
fl owers. Grows o n l y o n and
a round Mou n t Carm e l.

CUSHION THYME is i m porta n t
f o r I s rael's beekeepers s i n ce it
bloo m s i n the d ry season when
relatively l ittle else i s i n fl ower.
Tiny, aromatic fl owers a re rich
i n nectar.

OLEANDER i s a frag r a n t fl ower
m ost c l o s e l y a s so c i a t e d w i t h
Mo u n t Carmel. Bloo m s a l l s u m ­
m e r . I t is poisonous, a l t h o u g h
t h e Oleander M o t h f e e d s on i t s
l eaves. O l e a n d e r t h i c kets a lso
g row a l o n g th e Jord a n .

FIS H

OF THE

H O LY

LAN D

About 3 0 0 species of fish h ave been i d e ntified i n Holy
la n d waters. A m o n g t h e m a re Med iterra n e a n and At­
l a ntic fi s h , m a ny tro p i c a l Red Sea fi s h , and fres hwater
fi s h i n t h e Sea of Galilee. N o fis h , of course, can s u rvive
the h i g h m i n eral content of the Dead Sea. Carp, t h e
m o s t widely e a t e n fi s h i n the a rea, is b re d i n a rtifi c i a l
po n d s . I ns h ore a n d p e l a g i c fi s h i n g (for fi s h t h a t l ive
n e a r the s u rface) is centered a l o n g the Mediterra n e a n
coast a n d a t E i l a t o n the Red Sea . Most of t h e trawl i n g
is d o n e i n t h e R e d S e a . T h e l ittle t u n a ( s o m et i m es c a l l e d
bon ito) is fou n d i n the Red Sea . The sole i s k n ow n i n
H e b rew as " Moses our teacher" b e c a u s e , accord i n g
t o l e g e n d , w h e n Moses p a rted t h e R e d S ea, h e a l s o
s p l it t h i s fi s h i n two. The h a lves l ater rejoi n e d , b u t sti l l
c a n be e a s i ly d ivided . Two o f the m ost typic a l fres h ­
water fi s h es o f t h e H o l y la n d a re pictured below. They
a re fou n d i n the Sea of G a l i lee.
CATF I S H ( u p to 4 'f.l lbs., u p t o
27 i n . ) i s s m ooth o n d scaleless
with broad head a n d fi n e teeth
i n bands. Tra n sverse mouth is
s u rrounded by w h i s ker barbe l s .
T a k e s a vari ety of f o o d i n c l u d i n g
i n sects. W h e n c a u g h t, it some­
times squeaks l i ke a k i tten.

ST. PETER ' S FISH (up to 4 'h l b s .
a n d 1 5 i n .). B e l o n g s I a t h e
c i c h l i d fa m i ly w h o s e a d u l t m a l e s
a n d f e m a l e s keep the you n g i n
t h e i r mouths u n t i l t h e y can m a n ­
age a l o n e . Tra d itional ly, t h e fi s h
S t . Peter w a s eating w h e n h e
learned t h a t J e s u s w a s r i s e n .

Ti /a p i a g a / i /e a

Clarias /azera

31

C O RA L R E E F F I S H
O F T H E R E D S EA
People, o i l , a n d the s h i p p i n g i n d ustry m ay o n e d ay
e l i m i n ate trop i c a l fi s h , sti l l one of the attracti o n s i n the
Red Sea. Mea n w h i le, m a n y are sti l l to b e seen , by skin
d ivers and visitors aboard g las s-botto m boats.
The s h a l low waters g l i m m e r with b ril l i a n t fi s h that
l ive i n colorfu l coral formations of varied shape, while
deeper p a rts of the g u lf abou n d with s h a r ks, h a m m e r­
fish, sawfi s h , a n d oth e r large fi s h . S i n c e t h e ope n i n g of
the Suez C a n a l , m a ny tropical fishes h ave entered the
Mediterra n e a n , and some species h ave a c c l i m atized
to the lower tem perature.
1 SQUIRREL FISH (5 i n .) or
Soldier Fish i s t i m i d by day and
active by n i g ht. large p reopercu­
lar s p i n e can i n fl i ct wound when
fi s h i s h a n d l e d .
Ho/ocentrus

5 SMOOTH FLUTE MOUTH (4
to 5 ft.) h a s e l o n g ated fl eshy
body a n d a prono u n ced tu be-l i k e
snout with mouth at t h e e n d .
Fistu/aria
6

IMPERIAL ANGELFISH (1 5
i n .). O n e of several a n ge l fi s h es,
a n d one of t h e most bea utiful
of a l l the reef fi s h e s i n the Gulf.
You n g ore a l m ost black.

PORCUPINE FISH (20 to 25
i n .). S h o rt body with d a r k blue
or brow n i s h s pots covered with
long s p i n e s w h i c h i n fl ate (as in
picture) when i n d a n ger. Yel low
fi n s.

Pomacanthus imperator

Diodon hystrix

3 FIRE FISH ( 1 0 to 1 3 i n .).
Po isonous s p i n es i n dorsal fi n .
Feeds o n s m a l l e r fi s h . When
moving, its i n de n ted fi n s may
h ave t h e appearance of fl a m es.

7 BOXFISH ( 1 8 i n .). E n cased
i n a n armor or hexagonal p l ates
w h i c h fuse i nto a s olid box. Slow,
feeds m a i n l y on s m a l l inverte­
brates.

2

Pterois volitans

Ostracion

4 MORAY EEL h a s t h i c k s k i n ,
very s m a l l g i l l o p e n i n g , a n d no
pectora l fin. Snout is poi nted a n d
has n u m e ro u s s h a r p teeth. larg­
est i s about 5 feet l o n g .

8 BUTTERFLY FISH (8 to 1 0 in.)
is the most com m a n a n d mast
vivid tropical fi s h i n t h e reefs of
t h e Red Sea. H a s com pressed
body a n d fine bristle-l i k e teeth .

Gymnothorax

Chaetodon /unu/a

32

E i g h ty-two species of reptiles h ave b een
fou n d in Israel : 40 l i z a rd s, 34 s n a kes, of w h i c h seven
a re poisonous, a n d 8 turtles . A l l of these reptiles are
c ar n ivorous except the tortoises, and a l l e g g - l a y i n g
e x c e p t the s a n d boa a n d some o f the s k i n k s w h i c h b e a r
l ive young .

REPT ILES

STARRED AGAMA ( 1 1 i n .) i s
co m m o n i n t h e n orth. Other spe­
cies a re m are w i d espread. Male
has two raws of scales an belly.

:���
\

TURKISH GECKO (to 5 i n .), com­
monest of 10 local species. C l i n g
to wa l l s .

C/emmys caspica

R IVER TURTLE (to 8 i n .), or Cas­
pian terra p i n , can b e seen on
river banks, near ponds a n d
m arshes.

34

E Y E D S K I N K (to 9 i n .) l ives
m ostly u n d ergro u n d . One local
species h a s n o legs.

GREEK B LI N D S N A K E (to 1 2 i n .).
A l m ost b l i n d , l ives u n dergrou n d .
Head (l eft) loo k s l i ke to i l .

D I C E D WATER SNAKE (JY, ft.).
I n crea s i n g i n n u m ber beca use of
irrigation. Eats fi s h, frogs.

PALEST I N I A N VIPER (to 4 ft.).
Bite can be fatal. Often fou n d
north of Beers h e ba , a n d along
coast.
BLACK COBRA (3 ft.). So m e ­
t i m e s fou n d south of the D e a d
Se a , i s r e la t e d to I n d i a n Cobra.

SYR IAN BLACK SNAKE (7%
ft.) is l a rgest in Holy la n d . Moves
ra p i d l y, eats m i ce, birds.
Eryx jacufus

JAVELIN SAND BOA (to 28 i n . )
i s dwarf m e m be r of b o a fa m i ly.
K i l l s prey by con stri ctio n .

MONTPELLI E R SNAKE (to 7 ft.)
i s fou n d on coastal p l a i n , even
i n b u i l t - u p areas.

CAMEL (7 to 8 ft.
h i g h at the h u m p). Popularly
known os t h e dromedary, it pro­
vides the Bed o u i n with tra n s por­
tati o n , m i l k, m eat, and woo l ,
a n d i t s d u n g i s b u r nt for fuel.
Lives on desert vegetation and
can d o without water for as long
as a wee k. A rid i n g c a m e l can
travel over 1 00 m i l es a day.

Althoug h the l i o n , the h i ppo pota m us, a n d the e l e p h a n t
h a v e l o n g b e e n ext i n ct i n t h e Holy la n d , wolves a n d
leopards c a n sometimes stil l be fou n d i n Ga l i lee a n d
i n t h e desert. Occasio n a l ly, the honey b a d g e r c a n b e
s e e n i n the Negev a n d i n p a rts o f t h e J o r d a n V a l l ey.
The m o n g oose sti l l roa m s in the coastal p l a i n a n d i n
t h e northern p a rt of Jord a n . The c a m e l c a n be seen a t
every Bedo u i n e n c a m p ment. A l l together, there are
some 70 species of m a m m a l s . Most a re s m a l l i s h , noc­
turnal, a n d c a n g o without water for l o n g periods.
S o me o� those co m m o n ly seen a re described below.

WILD B O A R (3 to 5 ft. long).
Now fac i n g extinction, it l ives
m a i n ly i n what i s left of the
Huleh swa m ps. Like all pigs, it
i s o m n ivorous. The male u ses
h i s curved t u s k s to battle h i s
rivals. A nocturn a l a n i m a l, i t
relies on extra-sharp s e n s e o f
s m e l l t o l e a d i t to food.

36

N U B I A N IBEX (40 to 60 i n .
l o n g , h eig h t 33 i n .). Lives i n
herds near t h e Dead Sea a n d i n
t h e desert where it fonds water.
The f e m a l e i s s m a l l e r and beard­
less. Herds c a n s o m e t i m e s be
seen wal k i n g i n single fi l e be­
hind a leader. A su re-footed
m o u n t a i n-cl i m ber, i t can j u m p
as h i g h as 7 ft. Has keen eye­
s i g h t and sense af s m e l l .
A R A B I A N GAZELLE (a bout 3%
ft. lang, tail 4 in., h e i g h t 2% ft.).
Grayi s h - b rown or g rayish-yel low,
d e p e n d i n g on s u r r o u n d i n g s .
Sharp s i g h t a n d h e a r i n g . Lives
i n rocky areas and t h i ckets. T h e
f e m a l e h a s s horter, t h i n n e r h o r n s .
A s o u t h e r n s p e c ies, t h e Dorcas
gaze l l e ( 2 ft. h i g h ) i s l i g hter i n
color, h a s l o n g ears, a n d lyre­
s h a ped horns.
STRIPED HYENA (about 3 ft.
l o n g , t a i l 15 i n .) can be fou n d
i n h i l l y areas. Its s hort, wea k
h i n d legs p reve n t it from pounc·
i n g on live p rey a n d it feeds
largely on carrion o r o n dying
an i m als, b u t w i l l kill d o m esti c
stock. Massive Ieeth a n d jaws
for crush 1 n g bone; dorsal crest
of long h a i r. Howl has ofte n
been m i sta k e n for laug hter. I s
noctu rnal a n d h a s poor s i g ht.
WOLF (about 3% fl. long, ta i l
1 5 i n .). T h o u g h c o m m o n t o t h e
H o l y L a n d d u r i n g B i b l i c a l t i m es,
i t is now seen rarely-near the
Dead Sea, in northern G a l i l e e
or i n S o u t h e r n Arava. F e e d s o n
deer, s m a l l d o m estic a n i m a ls,
also on mice, i n sects, a n d some
fruit. Those fou n d i n t h e south
are l i g hter in color a n d s m a l ler.

Gazella
gazella
gaze IIa

SYR.I AN J A C K A L (2'h to 3'h
ft. long, t a i l 1 2 Ia 1 7 i n .). Loo k s
l i ke s m a l l wolf. S e e n a l l over
the Holy La n d , particu larly near
i n habited areas wh ere i t fi n d s
i t s food : s m a l l a n i m als, birds,
carrion, also grapes and m e l ­
ons. Has a n e e r i e h i g h-pitched
s h riek. Ma i n l y nocturnal. No­
tori us carrier of rabies.

EGYPTIAN MONGOOSE, O R
ICHNEUMON, ( u p to 2 f t . l o n g )
w a s sacred i n a n c i e n t Egypt.
Lives i n hedges and a m o n g
rocks. Preys o n b i r d s , eggs,
m i ce, snakes, l izards. D i s l i ke d
by farmers because i t i s de­
structive to pou l try (and m e n ­
tioned as s u c h i n t h e Ta l m ud).
Mother a n d you n g have a char­
acteri stic " U n k u n k" ca l l .

SYRIAN HYRAX, k n ow n i n t h e
B i b l e as Cony, (up I a 20 i n .
long) lives i n colonies of u p t o
5 0 i n rocky cl iffs o r h i l l top boul­
ders c h i efl y near the Dead Sea,
t h e Carmel range, a n d northern
Ga l i lee. Although rabbit-sized ,
it is more closely related to t h e
elephant a n d t h e r h i n oceros.
Procavia capensis syriaca

I N DoAN C R ESTED PORC U P I N E
(about 3 0 i n . lon g). Holy Lan d's
largest rod ent. Widespread ex­
cept in sandy areas of the
south. Has a h a i ry m uzzl e a n d
crest o f l o n g w h i t e bristles.
Lives i n caves a n d b u rrows.
Erects its b la ck a n d w h i te q u i l l s
a n d rattles i t s tail w h e n f r i g h t­
ened. Feeds on roots a n d fruit.

38

EGYPTIAN FRUIT BAT (4 to 5
i n . long). O n e of I s rae l's largest
bats, with a wing span of 14 to
1 8 i n ches. lives on fruit (fi gs,
m u l berries, p e a c h es). H a s a
shri l l squeak. There are more
than 20 species of s m a l l i n sect­
eati ng bats, mostly in caves near
the Dead Sea, t h e Jord a n Valley,
and the Sea of G a l i lee.

ETH IOPIAN H E DGEHOG (7 to
9 in. lon g). Of I s rael's t h ree spe­
cies of hedgehog, this i s t h e
l e a s t known. Fou n d i n t h e N e ­
g e v . l i k e a l l h e dge hogs, i t i s n o t
a f a s t r u n n er. E a t s i n sects, m i ce,
a n d s n a k es-ev e n p o i s o n o u s
ones, a n d some vegeta ble m at­
ter. When frightened, rol l s u p
i nto a b a l l o f s h a r p spi nes. lives
i n bu rrows.

Paraech inus aethiopicus
pectoralis

JERBOA (about 4 i n . l o n g , t a i l
7 i n .). Two s pecies are fou n d
c h i efl y i n t h e south. S i m i l a r t o
the Kan garoo Rat, i t can l e a p as
far as 4 feet, u s i n g its long tail
for balance a n d s u p port. S hort
front legs are only u sed to hold
food. Feeds m a i n ly on seeds.
Can live without d r i n k i n g water.

ETRUSCAN SHREW (about 1 'h
i n . long) is t h e s m a l lest known
m a m m a l a n d o n e of four species
of sh rews i n I srael. Seldom
weighs more than Yo, of an
o u n ce. Hides i n p i les of straw
and i n weeds. Despite i ts s m a l l
size, it n e e d s a l o t o f food ( i n ­
sects) a n d on cold n i g hts often
eats m o re than its own weight.

Suncus etruscus etruscus

39

/
BI R D S

OF

THE

H O LY

LAND

Neal'ly 4 0 0 species of birds a re k n own i n the Holy
L a n d , but of these o n ly a bout 1 00 a re reside nts, t h e
o t h e r s b e i n g m i g rants, s u m m e r visitors or winter visitors.
Israel is i n t he m i d d l e of one of t h e g reat m ig ration
routes from eastern E u rope and weste rn Asia to Africa
and back, and t h ere is a n a l m ost consta n t move m e n t of
birds. Dece m ber and J a n u a ry are t h e o n ly months i n
which s o m e m i g ration d oes not norm a l ly ta ke p l a c e .
T h e m a n - m a d e c h a nges which h ave t a k e n p l a ce ove r
the past h a lf-century h ave, of course, affected b i r d l ife,
partic u l a rly in Israel. Some species have b e g u n to b reed
i n t h e country for t h e fi rst time; some h ave been de­
stroyed , while others, such as s o m e of the for m e r i n ­
h a b itants o f n ow-va nished swa m ps, h a ve h a d t o fi n d
n e w h o m es, often i n t h e sanctuaries a n d reserves set
aside fo r them. Most of t h e birds o n the fol l ow i n g pages
h ave been associated with the Holy La n d for thousa n d s
of years, a n d m a ny a re m e n tioned i n t h e B i ble. Sizes
i n d icated a re from bill tip to t a i l tip.
PALEST I N E B U L B U L ( 6 i n .). T h i s
res i d e n t is o n e of t h e f e w m e m ­
b e r s of i t s fa m i ly to l ive outs i d e
the t r o p i c s . Always seen i n p a i r s .
You n g bi r ds eat i n sects but
a d u l ts are vegetari a n .

HOOPOE ( 1 1 i n.) arrives i n Feb­
rua ry, leaves i n Septem ber, but
same stay throu g h the winter.
Fou n d i n north a n d center. Ca l l
is d i st i nctive, low " poo poo."
F l i g h t lazy and u n d u lati n g .

1 GREAT CRESTED GREBE ( 1 9
i n .). T h i s la rge a n d ex pert d iver
is a res i d e n t af Holy Land.
Black-necked Grebe (38 i n .) i s
a w i n t e r v i sitor.

2 WHITE PELICAN (55 to 70 i n . )

4 SMYRNA KINGFISHER (7 i n .) ,
a colorf u l , sol itary resident. Lives
i n o g a l lery which widens i nto a
c h a m ber wh ere it l ays 4 or 5
wh ite, s h i n y e g g s.

is passi n g m i g ra n t ofte n s e e n
nesti n g i n H u l e h Reserve. Pouch,
used i n catch i n g fi s h a n d stra i n ­
i n g food, c o n hold 3 g a l lo n s .

5 WHITE STORK (40 i n .) i s
s e e n i n fl o c k s f r o m February u n ­
t i l May, soa r i n g o r stan d i n g sti l l ,
somet i m e s w i t h w i n g o utstretc hed
to warm itself i n t h e s u n .

3 CATTLE E G R E T (20 i n .), a res i ­
d e n t a l s o known as Buff- backed
Heron, i s o n e of 1 1 h e ro n s i n Is­
rael. Often sta n d s o n t h e back
of a n a n i m a l , p i c k i n g off ticks.

SPUR-WINGED PLOVER ( 1 0
i n . ) i s a res i d e n t, seen i n fi e l d s
or n e a r water, i n p a i r s o r s m a l l
fl o c k s . I ts c a l l i s a n o i s y "zac­
zoc-zee."
6

41

EUROPEAN BEE-EATER (6 i n .).
Breeds in the n orth ond center
of l sroel. Seen from Morch to
October resti n g o n telegraph
poles. Catches i n sects o n the
wing.

TRISTRAM'S GR�CKLE (7 i n .).
A sweet-si n g i n g res i d e n t swa l ­
l o w f o u n d usually near t h e Deod
Sea. lays 3 to 5 pa l e blue eggs
i n rock cleft nests. Ca n be la med,
RED RUMPED SWALLOW (7
in.). A s u m m e r breeder seen
from Morch to October_ B u i l d s
e n c losed nest with spout-shape
e n trance out of tiny, rou n d mud
bricks.
1FT (6 i n .). A s p r i n g breeder
seen from February to J u n e. Very
ro p i d fl i g h t a n d s h r i l l screech .
Lorge flocks c o n be s e e n o n d
heord over large towns.
CRESTED LAR K (6 i n .), a com­
m o n resident, seen i n o p e n cou n ­
t r y . P l u m per a n d p o le r t h o n t h e
S kylark, its s o n g (a l i q u i d " !wee­
lee-too ") is also less m u s i c o l .

WHITE WAGTAIL· (7 i n .). A rare
res i d e n t but a co m m o n ond pop­
ular visito r from October to
April. The Bloc k-headed Wag ­
tai l breeds in t h e Jordan V o l l ey.

A R A B I A N BABBLER (6 i n .). A
res ident of t h i s south As ia n a n d
African family seen m a i n l y
a rou n d t h e Dead Sea, whose
chattering choruses a re r e m i n i s­
cent of h u m a n l a u g h ter.

Porus major

PALESTI N E GREAT TIT (4 i n .).
Northern i n sect-ea t i n g resident,
builds m attress- l i ke nest i n holes
of trees, d ra i n p i pes, a n d wa l l s .

PALESTINE S U N B I R D (2 in.) i s
t h e s m a l lest b i r d i n I srael a n d
Jord a n . D r i n k i n g nectar from
flowers, it i s often m ista k e n for
a h u m m i n g b i rd .

GREENFINCH (6 i n .). T h i s resi­
d e n t i s t h e sweetest songster in
the Holy land. A com m o n seed­
eater of gardens and fields.
Nests from A p r i l to J u ly.

GOLDFINCH (4 i n .). A sociable,
s i n g i n g resi d e n t seen i n gar­
dens, orchards, and fi e l d s . Flocks
often forage for food o n t h e
road s i d e i n f a l l a n d winter.

CHAFFINCH (6
winter v i si tor.
low "tsip-tsip,"
cade of several
" c hoo-ee-o. "

i n .). A co m m on
Flight c a l l is a
song is a cas­
notes e n d i n g i n

GRACEFUL WARBLER (3 i n .) i s
w i d e s p r e a d i n t h e Holy land.
I d e n t i fi a b l e by c i r c u l a r motion of
its long ta i l and l ow c h irp. Nest
is purse-shaped.

DEAD S E A SPARROW ( 3 i n .), a
s u m m e r breeder, fou n d o n l y i n
t h e southern part o f Jorda n Val­
ley a n d aro u n d t h e Dead Sea.
B u i l d s large n ests i n ta m a r i s k
bushes.

43

1 LITTLE OWL (8 i n .) . Bobs o n d
bows w h e n f r i g h te n e d . l i k e t h e
eag le, s t o r k , rave n , a n d pelican,
it is a b i r d w h i c h , accord i n g to
the B i b l e , Jews a re for b i d d e n to
eat. E a g l e Owl is over 20 i n .

4 PALM DOVE (6 i n .). A resi­

2 GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO
(15 i n .). A s u m m er breed e r i n the
north and center, i t l ays its eggs
mostly in the nests of t h e Hood ..
ed C row. A noisy bird, it some­
times sounds like a h e n .

S R O C K PARTRIDGE (1 3 i n .), o r
C h u kar, a r e s i d e n t throug hout
the Holy La n d , is a p a p u l a r g a m e
b i r d . Nests a m o n g rocks a n d l ays
6 Ia 1 5 p i n k i s h -ye l low e g g s i n
A p r i l a n d May.

3 P I N - T A I L E D SAN DGROUSE
is p i geo n - l i ke desert bird with
feathered feet. Flocks to water
morn i n g and even i n g . You n g can
run as soon as hatched. Five
other species i n I s rael.

QUAIL (7 i n .). A passing m i ­
gra nt, it breeds m ostly i n rough
pastures. Tog ether with m a n na,
quail was eaten i n the d esert by
the C h i l d re n of I s rael d u r i n g t h e
e x o d u s from Egypt.

44

dent s u m m e r breeder rel ated to
t h e com m o n Turtle Dove. D rowsy,
persistent " coo-coo " i s p robably
the "voice of t h e turtle" referred
to i n Bible as sign of s p r i n g .

6

1 ROLLER ( 1 2 i n .). A p a s s i n g m i­
grant a n d s u m m er breeder, t h i s
j ay-l i k e bird i s s e e n i n a p e n
fi e l d s a n d by the ways i d e . Feeds
a n i n sects, frogs a n d l iza rds.

4

2 BONELLI ' S EAGLE (26 ta 29

5 EGYPTIAN VULTUR E (23 Ia
26 i n .). A s u m m e r breeder, nests
o n c l i ffs, m ostly i n caves. O n e
af several s p e c i e s af vulture i n
Haly La n d , i t h a s beautiful fl i g h t
but i s c l u m sy a n t h e g ro u n d .

i n .). A res i d e nt, it sweeps an
rabbits and birds, h u nts falcons.
Its relative, t h e Spatted Eagle, is
a passing m igr an t a n d a w i n ter
vi sitor.

3 RAVEN (25 i n .), the largest af
t h e craw fa m i ly, can be seen a l l
aver t h e H a l y L a n d . Often seen
scari n g . Cry i s a c h a racteristi c,
deep, harsh " kaarrp."

LESSER KESTREL ( 1 3 i n .).
Glides a n d hovers, p l u n g i n g
steeply I a catch m i ce, beetles,
etc. The rare scaly falcon breeds
near Dead Sea.

SYR IAN J A Y ( 1 3 i n .). T h i s res­
ident i s fou n d m ostly i n t h e Car­
m e l Ra n g e , near Jerusalem and
i n the Upper Gal i l ee. I s k n ow n
f a r its a b i l ity ta i m i tate a t h e r
b i rds a n d even cats.
6

45

I N S E C T S AN D O T H E R
A RT H R O PODS
Experts est i m ate that there m ay be some 70, 0 0 0 species
of i n sects in the Holy L a n d , of w h i c h o n l y s o m e 4 0 , 0 0 0
h ave as y e t b e e n d e s c r i b e d . Repeated d estruction of
town s in t h e past, present-day afforestatio n , the i ntro­
d u ction of new p l a nts and flowers, the d r a i n i n g of
swa m ps, a n d irrig ation h ave a l l served to i n c rease the
n u m be r a n d k i n d of Israe l ' s i nsects and other a rth ro­
pods. A m o n g the most c o m m o n a re scorpions, butter­
flies (over 1 , 000 species), ants, cric k ets, p rayi n g m a n ­
tises ( m ore t h a n 1 5 species), beetles, centipedes , bees.
Danaus chrysippus

SDOM BUTTERFLY (2 i n .), seen
i n lower Jordan V a l l ey and
around Ein Ged i . Caterpillars are
i m m u n e Ia poison of the Sdam
a p ple.

OLEANDER MOTH (2% i n .).
Feeds on poisonous oleander
leaves. Its caterp i l lars have yel­
low " h orn" o n the last back seg­
ment.

J U DEAN SCORPION (2 to 3 i n .).
JERICHO SCORPION (6 to 7
in.). Bath h i d e by day a n d m ove
slowly. They are d a ngerous to
s m a l l a n i m a l s and c h i l d ren.

GOLIATH SPIDER (body 1% i n .).
Not a true spider, is often m is­
taken for tarantula. Nocturnal,
it h i des by day. Not poisonous.

A LM O N D B O R E R ( 1 'h i n . ) .
Adults feed o n stone fru i t trees
such os a l m o n d s , apri cots, p l u m s,
o n d peaches.
ORI ENTAL WASP ( 3.4 in. wing).
Sting con be fotol to m o n . Nests
m o d e of p o p ier-m oche of tree
bork, soil, ond solivo. Raids bee­
h ives.

Copnodis
carbonaria

Vespa orienta/is

GIANT GRASSHOPPER (5 to 7
i n .). Holy L a n d ' s l a rgest i n sect.
W i n g less ca r n i vore, it feeds
i n sects o n d small o n i m ol s .

PRAYING M A N T I S ( 2 Y, i n .), or
K i n g Solom o n ' s C a m e l . Female
d evours m o l e ' s heod ot m a t i n g .
Moves so slowly v i c t i m i s c a u g h t
u nawares.
J UDEAN CENTIPEDE (4 i n .) hos
ot Ieos! 40 legs. Fi rst poir of legs
g ive p a i n f u l s t i n g . Lives under
stones o n d bork i n t h e north.

DESERT LOCUST ( 2 '/2 i n .) was
o n e of the Ten Plagues of Egypt
during exod us. Swa r m s from Su­
dan about once every 30 years.
SCARAB B EETLE ( 1 i n .). Sacred
to a n c i e n t Egypti a n s . Seen on
coastal sand d u n es, rol l i n g d u n g
balls, s o m e u s e d as e g g deposi-

Marble g r i ffi n dated Ia 3rd century fou nd near Erez in southern I srael

IN

ARC H E O L O GY
T H E H O L Y LAN D

S i n c e t h e fourth m i l l e n i u m B . C . , the Holy la n d h a s been
the crossro a d s of d i fferent c u l tures, and h a s served as
a land bridg e between t h e contine nts of Europe, Africa,
and Asi a . Its p l a ce i n a rcheology is u n i q u e . The fi rst
mod ern excavation of a Pa lesti n i a n site was m a d e i n
1 8 5 0 by a French explorer, b u t t h e earl iest scie ntific
a rc h eolog i c a l work is dated fro m 1 8 6 5 , when t he
Palesti n e Ex p loration F u n d was esta b l ished a n d exca­
vatio n s started i n Jerusa l e m .
I n 1 8 70, the American Palest i n e Exploration Society
beg a n its work. The best k n own of t h e e a rly Pal esti n e
a rcheolog ists w a s F l i n ders Petrie, who fi rst i ntro d u ced
a syste matic record i n g of finds and used pottery fo r
d ati n g .
Excavations i n Israel t a k e place i n " seasons"-so m e­
t im e s fou r s e a s o n s to a sum mer. A t the e n d of each
season, t h e finds a re rem oved for study, research, a n d
even t u a l d is p l ay.
48

Successive
layers
i n a typ i c a l
M i d d l e East
tell

A TELL ( a bove) is a flat-topped a rtifi c i a l mound, com­

m o n i n the Middle East. I t is m a d e u p of a series of
destroyed vi l lages a n d cities, with the o l d est layer of
h u m a n occupation at the botto m . With e a c h new settle­
m e n t, t h e area fo r b u i l d i n g beca me s m a l ler, giving the
te l l its pecu l i a r s h a p e . The n u m ber of l ayers can vary
from one, as in the C h a lcolithic sett l e m e n t of Beers h e b a ,
t o 2 3 , s p a n n i n g centu ries f r o m the E a r l y B ronze a g e to
H e l l e n i stic ti mes, as in Hazor. A tell m u st be excavated
by h a n d to p reve n t d estruction of its contents.
I m po rta n t m us e u m s i n Israel are : I n J e r u sa l e m , the
Israel M u s e u m a n d t he S h ri n e of The Boo k next to t h e
H e b rew U n iversity; The Museum o f R e l i g i o u s Anti q u ities
at the C h ief R a b b i n ate; t h e Herb ert E. C l a r k col lection
at the YMCA; the Muse u m of the B i b l i c a l Pontifi c a l I n ­
stitute, a n d the Palestine Muse u m , a g ift o f J o h n D .
Roc kefe l l er, J r . I n T e l Aviv, th e " H a ' a retz " c o m p l e x of
m u s e u m s a n d t h e Te l Aviv-Jaffa Anti q u ities M u s e u m i n
Jaffa . I n H a ifa, the M u n i c i p a l Museum o f A n c i e n t Art,
the Eth nolog i c a l Museu m , a nd the " D a g o n " Archeo­
log i c a l Col lection .
49

THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS are a m o n g tile g reatest of a l l

modern a rc h eolog i c a l fi n d s . I n s p r i n g 1 947, a Bed o u i n
s h e ph erd d i scovered on t h e c l iffs over K h i rbet Q u m ­
r a n , at t h e n o rthwest end o f the D e a d S e a , a cave
w h i c h conta i n e d e i g h t earthenware j a r s . I n side, he
fou n d b u n d les of p a rch ment wrapped in l i n e n , w h i c h
t u r n e d out t o be a n cient Heb rew m a n uscri pts, d at i n g as
far b a c k as the fi rst century B . C .
The d iscovery re m a i ned u n noticed for m a n y months,
a n d the m a n uscri pts passed from hand to h a n d . The i r
s i g n ifi c a n ce g r a d u a l ly bec a m e known i n t h e fol lowi n g
years. I nternatio n a l tea m s o f scholars s e t o u t t o study
them, and expe d itions were sent to look for more. The
Dead Sea Scro l l s were fo u n d to conta i n com p lete m a n u­
scripts of t h e Boo k of I s a i a h , a co m m entary on the B i b l i ­
ca l B o o k o f H a b b a k u k (Jewish prophet of the 7th c e n ­
tury B . C . ), a n a poca lyptic p o e m te l l i n g of t h e stru g g l e
between the S o n s o f L i g h t a n d t h e S o n s o f D a r k ness,
a n d psa l m s . Since then, frag m e nts of every boo k of
the Heb rew Bible except Esther h ave been i d entified .
Of t h e h u n d reds of scro l l s that h ave been fou n d n e a r
the Dead Sea, m a ny a r e d ispersed i n i n stitutions
t h rough out the world .
U n rol l i ng a Dead Sea scro l l

I n 1 95 1 , Bedouin tribesmen d iscove red more scro l l s
on the steep h i l l s n e a r th e Wa d i M u r a b a at, s o m e 1 0
m i les south of Q u m r a n . These scrol ls, i n H e b rew, Greek,
and Ara m a i c (the l a n g u a g e used by Jesus) were more
recent-fi rst century B.C. a n d fi rst and seco n d c e n t u ry
A. D .-c; n d were probably h i d d e n d u r i n g t h e seco n d
Jewish u p r is i n g . A m o n g them were fou r letters by B a r
Koch ba, a Jewish l e a d e r d u r i n g the revolt a g a i nst t h e
Rom a n s ( A . D . 1 3 5 ) .
There w a s , a m o n g the scrol ls, a " M a n u a l o f D i s c i ­
p l i n e " w h i c h s e t s down rules a n d re g u l ations f o r a
m o n astic J ewish sect, probably the Essenes, to w h i c h
J o h n the B a ptist m ay h ave belonged . N o t m u c h is k n ow n
a bout the Esse n e s . It is bel ieved that, i n p rotest a g a i n st
l i centiousness, they formed a n a ustere sect, were p e r­
secuted, a n d too k refug e near the Dead Sea . They a re
m e ntioned i n P l i n y ' s Natural H istory, a n d d o c u m e n ts
fou n d in a C a i ro syn agogue m e ntion t h e i r exod us to
D a m ascus.
The State of Israel has a c q u i red sever a l scrol ls, which
are on permanent exh i bit i n the Shrine of th e Book of
the Israel N at i o n a l Museum i n Jerusa l e m . Other scrol ls
a re i n the P a l estine Archeo log i c a l Muse u m i n J e r u s a l e m .
The S h r i n e of t h e Boo k

THE

PAST

The l a n d of t h e B i b l e
h a s l o n g b e e n the focus o f i ntense a r c h e ­
olog i c a l i n terest. P e r h a p s as far b a c k a s
a m i l lion yea rs a g o i n the lowe r P a l eo­
l i t h i c Age, when e l e p h a nts and h i p popot­
a m i roa med the j u n g les w h i c h t h e n cov­
ered the l a n d , prim itive m a n in the Jord a n
V a l ley a l ready m a de too l s from p e b b l e s .
A b o u t 1 00 , 0 0 0 y e a r s ago, N e a n d e rth a l
Ma n appeared i n t h e c aves o f t h e G a l i lee,
the C a r m e l Mounta i n s, and the J u d e a n
Desert. later h e beca m e exti nct.
At about 3 0, 0 0 0 B.C. h e was followed
by Homo s a p i e n s . From 1 5, 0 0 0 B . C . t h e
c l i m ate bec a m e what it i s now-lo n g h o t
s u m m e rs a n d short rainy w i n ters-a n d
m a n left h i s caves f o r the fl rst t i m e to l ive
outdoors. By 8 , 0 0 0 B . C . t h e Natuflan C u l ­
ture ( n a m ed f o r Wad i N atufa i n t h e h i l l s
o f J u dea), h a d produced h ouses a n d the
beg i n n i n g s of art a n d of a g r i c u lture. With
t h e Neolithic Era (the n ew Ston e Age)
came i n tens ive a g riculture and the d o m es­
tication of a n i m a l s . Perh aps the worl d ' s
o l d est known town , Jericho, w a s b u i l t t h e n .
D u r i n g this era, (75 00-4000 B . C . ) , the
Ya r m u k C u lture flourished . N a med fo r the
excavation site n e a r the River Yarm u k in
t h e n o rthern part of the Jordan V a l ley,
w h e re beautiful fertil ity fi g u res h ave been
fou n d , it h a s to its credit o n e of m a n ki n d ' s
g reat d iscoveries-the m a k i n g of pottery.
PRE - H I STORY

CHALCOLITHIC copper objects
fou n d in a cave of the J u d e a n
desert near t h e Dead Sea

BElT YERACH m e a n s House of
the Moo n i n H ebrew. lake Ti berias i s i n bac k g rou nd

Excavations of the C h a lcolithic period-t h e Copper­
Stone Age of the 4th m i l l e n i u m B .C .-h ave b ro u g h t to
light a civi lization with a h i g h ly d eveloped copper i n ­
d u stry. A t N a h a l Mish m a r n e a r t h e D e a d S e a , s o m e 4 0 0
'
copper a n d iv ory tools, m ace-heads, staves, a n d sta n ­
d a rds w e re fou n d wra pped i n a m at. These peo p l e fl rst
built u n d e rg rou n d ho uses, then h uts with stora g e pits,
and fi n a lly t i m ber-roofed cottages. D u r i n g the secon d
m i l le n i u m B . C . t h e e m p i res of the Mi d d l e East i n t h e
v a l l eys of t h e N i l e a n d the Euph rates sta rted t a k i n g
shape.
A m a ssive e a rly Bronze A g e city ( e a r l y 4 t h m i l l e n i u m )
w a s fou n d i n B e i t Yerach, a few m i l es south o f Tiberias.
It was r i n g e d by a 2 5 -foot w a l l ( l ater rebuilt by S o l o m o n )
a n d boasted g ia n t g ra i n si los. l i k e m o s t of t h e H o l y
La n d ' s h istoric s ites, this settlement was covered over
by a series of s u bsequent com m u n ities . Beit Yerach was
d estroyed , proba b ly i n the 24th century B . C . , a n d b u i l t
u p a g a i n l a t e r . It h a s re m n a n ts o f a 4th century A . D .
syn a g o g u e, a 5 t h century A . D . Rom a n b a t h h ouse, a n d
a 6 t h century A . D . Byzantine ch urch .

53

EARLY ART from H o l y La n d : C o p p e r sta n d a r d , dated to e n d of 4th
m i l l e n i u m B.C., and C a n a a n ite fi g u r i n e s

With the Bronze Age, a n urban civili zation started
to develop-the civilization of the Canaanites, who
lived in independent, fortified ci ty-states, each under
its own k ing, each worshipping its own Gods. Jericho
and Hazor, mentioned in the Book of Joshua, are char­
acteristic of this era. From the beginning of their history,
these city-states were prey to the great empires of
Mesopotamia and Egypt, and all were harried by rovin g
bands of invaders.
HAZOR 4th m i l l e n i u m C a n a a n ite
c i ty d estroyed by J o s h u a ot the
end o f the 1 3 t h c e n t u ry B . C .

TEL QUAS I LE wa s esta b l i s h ed i n
t h e 1 2 th c e n t u ry B.C. Here, a
f u rn a c e for m e l t i n g bronze

B I B LICAL TIMES

Tod ay, the background of even the

earliest stories of the Bible has been largely proven
historically correct.

During the

2nd

m i llenium

B.C.,

Abraham o f Ur led his clan from Mesopotamia into
Canaan, where t hey settled . Clay tablets, excavated at
Mari on the Euphrates, provide evidence of similar
tribal movements during this period . The Patriarchs­
Abraham, his son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob, whose
second name was Israel-are buried
Hebron. About the

1 4th century B . C . ,

in a cave in
Jacob's

son,

Joseph, was sold into slavery by his brothers and taken
to Egypt where, later, driven by drought, they joined
him. The descendants of Jacob's twelve sons-Reuben,
Simeon,

Judah,

Dan,

Naphtali,

Gad ,

Asher,

levi,

lssachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, and Joseph-formed the
twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph's own tribe was d ivided
between his two sons, Ephraim and Menasseh . Each of
the tribes was allotted part of the Promised land upon
their return from Egypt, except for the priestly house of
levi, to which no specific territory was given.

55

About 1 3 7 5 B . C. , Moses led the Children of Israel
out of Egypt and across the Wilderness of Sinai up to
the borders of the land which God had promised Abra­
ham. Moses died, but the Israelites crossed the Jordan,
near Jeric h o, under the command of Joshua, who con­
quered western Canaan, marking the end of a little­
known ancient Canaanite civilization. By about 1 2 0 0
B . C. t h e Israelite infiltration of Canaan was deep but
control was still weak. The land was under constant
attack by the surviving Canaanites, t h e neigh boring
peoples, and later by the sea-going P hilistines from
Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Goth along the
Mediterranean coast. In th eir attempts to h old their
territory, the Israelites united over a period of two
hundred years under a succession of secular " spontane­
ous " leaders, known as the " J udges, " of whom the
most popular was Samso n. The P hilistines,

however,

eventually dominated large parts of the country, which
later became known as Palestine-the Land of the
Philistines.
Th e exploits of Samson, who, blinded, pul led down
t h a Philistine temple of Dagon, and the battle of young
David against Goliat h , are part of the struggle of the
Hebrews against t h e P h il­
istines,

w h o eventually

captured the Sacred Ark
of the Covenant, a trans­
portable temple. T h e last
and greatest

judge

was

the prophet Samuel, who
anointed

the

flrst

king,

Saul .
A s i a t i c p e o p l e , from an a n c i e n t
Egyptian wall p a i n t i n g

DAVID

AN D

S O L O M ON

The threat of subju g ation by the Philistines forced the
Israelite tribes to form a kin g dom, first under Saul
( 1 0 2 5 - 1 0 0 6 B . C .) and then under David ( 1 0 0 4 - 9 6 5
B . C .) . David made Jerusalem the religious and admin­
istrative center of the new kin g dom .

He united the

northern and southern tribes, conq uered Damascus and
parts of Lebanon, wiped out remainin g Canaanite en­
claves, and defeated the Philistines. He extended Israel­
ite influence to the Euphrates and alon g the Mediter­
ranean coast to Tyre and Sidon. When K i n g David
died, he bequeathed his kin g dom to Solomon, his son
(9 6 5 - 9 2 2 B . C .), establishing a dynasty which rei g ned
in Jerusalem for 4 0 0 years.
Solomon was not a conquerin g warrior, but he con­
solidated his father's conquests. He set up a cha in of
fortified cities to protect his kingdom and concentrated
on commerce. He turned
Israel

into

a

center

of

trade, developed a cop­
per minin g and smeltin g
industry in the Negev and
built a port for trade with
Afric a .

He

married

the

dau g hter of an Eg yptian
Pharaoh, and played host
to the colorful Queen of
Sheb a . Solomo n under-

Sidon

Damascus

Tyro
Hazar

Acre

Cor

Ramoth Gilead

M��Giddo

taanach

ISRAEL

$hechem
Belt,-J oron
er
Gef

Rabbath Ammon

took vast construction pro­
grams, anc hired Phoeni­
cian craftsmen to build his
m a g n i ficent

Temple

in

Beersheba

Tamar

Jerusalem.
Etzion

Geber

ARMAGEDDON is corru ption of
Hor Meg iddo, H ebrew for the
Hill of Meg iddo. In Revelation,
Meg i d d o i s the s i te of the battle
to be fou g h t at the end of t i m e .

A bove i s a reconstruction of the
B i b l ical city. Excavatio n s have
u n covered 20 layers, t h e earliest
of the Cholcolith i c Period, the
last of the 4th century B.C.

EXILE TO BABYLON
At Sol o m o n ' s d eath i n 9 2 2 B .C .
the m o n a rchy s p l i t i n t o the northern k i n g d o m o f Israel
a n d t h e southern kingdom of J u d a h , of w h i c h Jerusa l e m
re m a i ned the capita l . T h e s e k i n g d o m s were relentlessly
h a rassed by the rival e m p i res of Egypt, Syria, a n d Assy­
ri a a n d by i ntern a l revo lts a n d assassinations. As a
succession of fiery p u b l i c preachers-the Proph ets Eli­
j a h , E l i s h a , Hosea, A m os, a n d I s a i a h-g r i m l y pre d i cted,
the wea kened k i n g d o m of Israel fe l l to Assyria w h i le
the k i n g d o m of J u d a h dwindled i nto a vass a l state of
the Assyrian E m p ire. Its
end c a m e after B a bylon
conq uered the rem n a nts
of the Assyrian Em pire
(587 B . C . ) .

A T MEGI DDO, a n c i e n t water
t u n n e l to well outside city w a lls

THE SECOND TEMPLE
In 5 8 6 B . C . Jerusalem was
razed by t he B a bylo n i a n a rmy. The Tem p le was de­
stroyed and m ost of the popul ation exiled to Ba bylon­
until 5 3 8 B . C . when B a bylon, i n its turn, fe l l to Cyrus of
Persia who perm itted the Jews to return h o m e . The
g r a n d c h i l d re n of those who had been t a k e n to B a by­
lon b u i l t a seco n d Te m p le, co m p l eted in 5 1 5 B . C .
F o r t h e n ext 2 0 0 years, t h e J ews were re l a tively
auto n o m o u s a l t h o u g h sti l l part of the Pers i a n E m pi r e .
I n 3 3 3 B . C . t he a r m ies of Alexa n d e r t h e G reat swept
through the M i d d l e East and conquered J u d e a . After
Alexa n d e r ' s death, control of J udea passed fi rst i nto
the h a n d s of the Ptol e m ies of Egypt; t h e n , in 1 9 8 B . C . ,
t o the Gree k-infl uen ced Seleucid K i n g d o m o f Syria .
About 1 6 8 B . C . , the Syrian k i n g , Antioc h u s I V Epi­
p h a n es, p l u n d e red the Te m p l e a n d consec rated i t to
the god Ze u s . Led by a priestly fa m i ly-t h e H a s m o n ea n s
-th e J ews rebelled i n 1 6 8 B . C . a g a i nst i n c re a s i n g
Syr i a n persecutio n . W i t h J u d a s Maccabee at t h e i r h e a d ,
t h e y d rove the Syri a n s out o f Jerusalem a n d i n 1 4 2
B . C . esta b l i s h e d a n i n d ependent H a s m o n e a n k i n g d o m
w h i c h ruled J udea until 63 B . C .

ANTIOCHUS IV EPIPHANES,
wea r i ng the Greek d iadem
HASMONEAN period d rawi n g
o f wors h i p p u r s u i n g t w o m e r·
chant s h i ps

\\-7;

�::\� '
59

Then c a m e the Ro m a n s . I n 4 0
B . C . , H e rod the Great, supported by Rome, w a s d e c l a red
" Ki n g of J u d e·a . " H e constructed the port of Caesarea
and the fortress of Ma�ada and re b u i l t the Te m p le, a d d ­
i n g to i t s s p l e n d o r . One wa l l erected by H e rod sti l l
sta n d s today i n the Old City o f J e rusa lem-t h e western
w a l l , better known as the Wai l i n g W a l l , to w h ich J ews
for centuries c a m e to mourn the destruction of the
Te m p l e . Not l o n g before Herod ' s death, Jesus was born
i n Beth l e h e m . In A . D . 6 the R o m a n s a n nexed J u dea,
which beca m e a Roman subprovi n ce of Syria . I n A . D .
2 9, u n d er t h e R o m a n Procu rator ( o r I m pe r i a l Gove rnor)
Pontius Pi late, J esus was crucified i n Jerusa l e m .
I n A . D . 66 the J ews a g a i n revolte d . Rom a n legions
pou red i n to the land a n d i n A . D . 70 the Tenth Leg ion
broke t h e Jewish rebel lion, overpowe red Jerusalem,
b u rned the Te m p l e to the g ro u n d , a n d sold thousands
of J ews i nto s lavery. One pocket of i n s u rrection sti l l
rem a i n e d . I n t h a t d esert fort, Masada, w h i c h H erod
had b u i l t not fa r fro m the Dead Sea, a g ro u p of Jews
fo u g h t o n for th ree n 1 ore years . In A . D . 1 3 2 , a nother
desperate Jewish uprising broke out under B a r Kochba,
who was crushed by Em peror H a d r i a n ' s leg i o n s in A . D .
ROMAN DOM I N ION

1 35 .
S c a l e m o d e l of t h e T e m p l e i n J e r u sa l e m

MASADA (a H e l l e n ized form of
the H ebrew Metzuda, m ea n i n g
stron g h o l d ) w a s b u i l t b y Herod
on a huge fl at-topped roc k j u t­
ti n g out from the Wi lderness of
J u d a h , some 1 ,500 feet a bove
the l evel of the Dead Sea. There
were storehou ses, a palace, a n d

cisterns fi rst used by H erod i n
h i s battle a g a i n s t t h e H a s m o ­
neans. I n A . D . 7 3 , i t fell a f t e r a
siege by the Rom a n Tenth Le­
g i o n ; a l l but five of a thousa n d
o f i t s Jewish defe n d e rs were
dead. Masada is sti l l b e i n g ex­
cavated .

J U D E A CAPT A coi n com m e m ­
orat i n g Rom a n v ictory i n Pales­
tine

PONTIUS PILATE 'S n a m e o n
stone s l a b fou n d i n Caesarea

With the fa l l of the Tem ple, w h i c h
h a d been t he foc a l point of J ewish l ife i n P alesti ne,
Mesopota m i a bec a m e the n ew center for J u d a i s m .
D u r i n g t h e fi rst century, t h e C h ristia n religion sta rted
spread i n g i n the eastern Med iterr a n e a n , m a i n ly thro u g h
S a u l o f Ta rsus-St. Pa u l . A t t h e b eg i n n i n g o f t h e 4th
century Emperor Constantine made C h rist i a n ity the
officia l religion of t h e Roman E m ,: i re . I n A.D. 3 24, the
e m p i re s p l it i n to two-a western p a rt, ruled from Rome,
a n d a n eastern pa rt, ruled from Byz a n ti u m (Consta n ­
tinople). Consta ntine w a s enthroned e m peror o f the
Byz a n t i n e p a rt . Consta ntine l avished time and treasure
on t h e l a n d that h a d c rad led h i s faith. He a n d h i s
mother, H e l e n a , b u i l t scores of c h u rc h es, of w h i c h t h e
m ost fa m ou s is t h e C h urch o f the Holy S e p u l c h re i n the
O l d C ity of Jerusa l e m . Pilgrims flooded t h e country,
a n d h u n d reds of m o na steries s p r a n g up. Palesti n e p ros­
pered, a lthough the g rowth of Byz a n t i n e Orth odoxy
resulted in persecutio n of the J ews a n d of those C h rist i a n
g roups t ha t d i d not a c c e p t the offic i a l dog m a .
BYZANTINE RULE

ST. HELENA, mother o f Con­
stantine, is said to have d iscov­
ered Golgotha and the "true
cross."
BYZANTINE MOSAIC i n Tab­
gha, one of many in Holy Land

The fi rst wea k e n i n g of By­
zantine r u l e c a m e in A . D . 6 1 4 when the Pers i a n s cap­
tured Jerusalem and h e l d it for 1 3 yea rs. Byz a n t i n e r u l e
fi n a l ly e n d e d i n A . D . 640 when C a e s a r e a , its l a st
stro n g h o l d i n Pa lestine, fel l to the inva d i n g Ara b s .
The Mos l e m s constructed a m o s q u e , t h e D o m e o f t h e
R oc k , i n A .D . 69 1 , o v e r t he s p o t w h e r e t h e T e m p l e h a d
once stood a nd f r o m w h i c h Moh a m m e d i s bel ieved t o
have ascended to h eave n . Jerusalem beca m e a c ity
holy to I s la m . At fi rst, Mos l e m rule fro m D a m ascus was
tolerant. But with t h e tra nsfer of the Mos l e m political
capita l to Baghdad i n A.D. 762, the attit u d e of t h e
C a l i p h ate bec a m e i n c reasi n g ly h osti le, both to J ews
and to C h risti a n s . When power passed to an Egypt i a n
dynasty, t h e Fati m i d s , who fou n d e d C a i ro i n A. D . 9 7 3 ,
the situation worsened . Palesti n e h a d b e e n u n d e r
Mos l e m r u l e f o r n e a rly fou r centu ries, w h e n t h e order
(only p a rt ia l l y execute d ) g iven i n A . D . 1 009 by C a l i p h
H a k i m t o d e stroy t h e Holy S e p u l c h re i g n ited the C h ris­
t i a n Holy Wars. The fi rst Crusade was l a u n ch e d i n A . D .
1 09 6 .
MOSLEM DOM I N I O N

RAMLA, the o n l y town b u i l t by
the Mos l e m s ir. Pa lestine, wos
fou nded in A.D. 7 1 6 by C a l i p h
S u l e i m o n . The W h ite Tower, ris­
ing 90 feet above r u i n s of o
mosque, wos b u i l t in the 1 3th
or 1 4t h century. The town was
b u i lt ot the j u n ction of two i m ­
portant ca .·ava n routes, south­
north from Egypt to Syria, and
west-east from the Med iterra­
nean i n la n d . Today, i t lies along
the moin Tel Aviv-Jerusalem
h i ghway, t h e busiest i n I srael.

CRUSADER castle i n Jordan, and scene from sta i ned g l ass w i n dow

Throug hout the H o ly La n d , t h e re m­
n a nts of castles, c h u rc h es, m a n o r h o uses, a n d h ospices
built by the Crusad ers c a n sti l l be see n . I ns p i red by the
preac h i n g of Peter the Hermit a n d org a n ized by Pope
U r b a n II, the F i rst C rusade ( 1 096- 1 099) u n d e r Godfrey
de Boui l lon took th ree years to reach Palestine fro m
F r a n c e . Twe l v e t h o u s a n d C r u s a d e rs - n o b l e s a n d
k n i g hts, serfs a n d free m e n-ca ptured J e r u s a l e m , a n d
esta b l i s h e d t h e Latin K i n g d o m o f J e rusa l e m , formed on
the feu d a l pattern of m e d i eval Europe, a n d d e p e n d in g
upon it.
T h e Latin Kingdom, known a s Outre m e r (the land
beyo n d t h e sea), consisted of t h e Kingdom of Jerusalem,
t h e cou nties of Edessa a n d Tri poli, a n d the pri n c i p a l ity
of Antioc h . Althoug h it l asted less t h a n a h u n d red years,
m a ny c h u rches were b u i lt d u r i n g that ti m e . The C h u rch
of the H o ly S e p u l c h re was restored and t h e Mos lem
D o m e of the Rock i n .1 erusalem was co nverted fo r Ch ris­
tian use. The Moslems, u n ited under t h e Saracen warrior
S a l a d i n , eve n t u a l ly defeated the Crusaders o n the
p l a i n of the Horns of H atti n, betwee n Tiberias a n d
N a z a reth, a n d retook J e r u s a l e m i n A . D . 1 1 87.
THE C RUSADES

64

1 6TH CENTURY m a p af the Holy L a n d

The T h i r d Crusade ( 1 1 8 9- 1 1 9 2 ) was headed at fl rst
by F red erick B a r b a rossa of the Holy R o m a n E m p i re . H e
drowned i n a river before h e rea ched t h e H o l y La n d ,
a n d m a ny o f h i s wel l-equi pped troops turned b a c k .
R i c h a rd t h e Lion - H e a rted o f E n g l a n d a n d P h i l i p Aug ustus
of France went o n . They q u a rreled consta ntly, and P h i l i p
returned h o m e . S a l a d i n c a m e o u t from J a ff a t o h a lt t h e
C r u s a d e r a r m ies b u t R i c h a rd , outn u m bered 3 0 to o n e ,
fou g h t h i m to a sta n dsti l l , a l t h o u g h h e c o u l d not t a k e
Jerusa l e m . The res u ltant truce, s i g n e d i n 1 1 9 2 , stip u ­
l ated t h a t t h e C h ristia n s wou l d h o l d a n a rrow s t r i p o f
t h e seacoast between Tyre a n d J affa, but that J e r u s a l e m
wou l d re m a i n Mos l e m .
The s u bsequent C rusades (from 1 2 0 2 to 1 2 9 1 ) to
reg a i n J e r u s a l e m were led by the g reat C h risti a n m i litary
orders. s u c h as t he Te m pl a rs a n d t h e Teuto n i c K n i g hts,
and by such fa mous h istoric a l person a l ities a s Pope
I n n ocent IV, St. Louis ( lo u i s IX of France), and the p r i n c e
who was to beco m e Edward I o f Eng l a n d . H owever, a l l
o f these Crusades fa i l ed on t h e whole.
65

ST. A N N E, f o r m e r C r u s a d e r
c h urch, near Beit-Guvrin

RUINS of Belvoi r, a Crusader
castle in I srael

J e r•Jsal e m c h a n ged h a n d s severa l times, a n d was
fi n a l ly seized in A . D . 1 2 5 8 by S a l a d i n ' s successors, the
Egypt i a n M a m e l u kes. These were mercena ries, m ostly
of Georg i a n and Circassian orig i n , who reest a b l i s h e d
Mos l e m r u l e over Palestine, contro l l i n g it f r o m Safad
a n d Gaza. The M a m e l u kes l a sted from 1 2 5 0 to 1 5 1 6
when they were d efeated by the Turkish Su ltan, S e l i m I ,
who c a ptu red Jerusa l e m . F o r t h e next 400 y e a r s , Pa les­
tine was a Turkish provi nce, g ove rned from Constanti­
nople, t h e seat of t h e s u lta n ate which was to provid e the
country with the m ost ruin ous rule it had eve r k n ow n .
T u r k i s h a q u e d u ct i n Naharia, north of H a i fa

THE

CRUSADES

First Crusade ( 1 096 - 1 099) led by Godfrey of Bou i llo n , Raymond
of Toul o use, Robert of Flanders, a n d Robert of N o r m a ndy-resu lted
i n the conquest of Jerusalem and creation of the Lati n K i n g d o m .
Second Crusade ( 1 1 47- 1 1 48) led by Conrad I l l of Ger m a n y a n d
Lou i s V I I of Fran ce-was org a n i zed i n res ponse to t h e fall of t h e
pri n c i pa l ity o f Edessa a n d e n d e d i n fail ure.
Third Crusade ( 1 1 89- 1 1 92) led by Richard I (the Lion-Hearted) of
E n g l a n d , P h i l i p II of France, Frederick I (Barborossa) of Germa ny­
resulted in a truce with Salad i n and esta b l i s h m ent of a second Lati n
Kingdom .
Fourth Crusade ( 1 20 1 - 1 204) k n own as the " Consta n t i n o p l e Crusad e "
- i n s p i red by Pope I n nocent I l l a n d l e d b y P h i l i p o f Swabia, Baldwin
of Fland ers, a n d Theobal d I l l of C ha m pagne. Aimed a t t h e con q u est
of Egypt, i t e n d e d with the Crusader conquest of Christian Consta nti­
nople i n 1 204.
Children's Crusade ( 1 2 1 2) 20,000 c h i ldren led from Germa n y by
a c h i l d from Cologne, a n d from France by a you n g s h e p herd, got
no farther t h a n Marse i l les and Genoa. I t s c h i l d -troops e i t h e r d i e d
en r o u t e or w e r e k i d n a p ped a n d s o l d i n to slavery.
Fifth Crusade ( 1 2 1 7- 1 22 1 ) led by A n d rew of H u n g ary and Leopold
V I of Austria fought in Palesti n e a n d failed i n its attem pted c o n q u est
of Egypt.
Sixth Crusade ( 1 2 2 8 - 1 2 29) led by Frederick I I , E m peror of Ger­
m a ny, a c h ieved (by n "gotiation, not by fi g h t i n g ) t h e recovery of
Jerusa l e m_, in Mosl e m h a n d s s i n ce 1 1 87, as well as Nazareth a n d
Beth l e h e m . T h e K i n g d o m of Jerusa l e m n o w co m prised western
G a l i l ee, the Bay of Haifa, the Sharon Plain, and t h e Jerusa l e m
Corridor. I n 1 266, Jerusalem w a s lost to Bai bars, t h e future Ma m e­
l u k e S u ltan of Egypt.
Seventh Crusade ( 1 248) led by St. Lou i s of France a g a i n s t Egypt,
was routed. In 1 250, St. lou i s reached Acre w h ere h e re m a i ned
for four years, a n d fortified Haifa, Caesarea, Jaffa, etc.
I n 1 263, Ba i bars attacked a n d destroyed most of the Crusader
strongholds i n the Holy land.
Eighth Crusade ( 1 270) St. Lou is com m a n d ed a nother CrllSade (with
t h e future Edward I of E n g l a . o d ). H e hoped to conquer T u n i s , but
died at Carthage. In 1 27 1 , Prince Edward, t h e last of t h e Crusaders,
led h i s own, u n successful Crusade to Acre. In 1 29 1 , Acre fell to
Baibars' g r a n d so n and the k i n g d o m of Jerusalem c a m e to a n e n d .

67

In 1 53 8
S u l e i m a n I ( S e l i m ' s son), re built t h e wa l ls w h i c h sti l l e n ­
c l o s e Jerusalem today, repa i red i t s w a t e r s u p p ly, a nd
org a n ized t h e l a n d tenure syste m . But with i n a centu ry
Turkish i n terest i n the develop m e n t of P a l esti n e d e c l i n e d
a n d Palesti n e ' s t r a d e , i n d ustry, a g riculture, a n d popula­
tion all c a m e to a virtu a l sta n d sti l l .
Turkish overlords, or Pashas, beca m e more o r less
i n de p e n d e nt of the weak central Govern m e n t . The most
fa mous of these was Ahmed el J a z z a r ( 1 775 - 1 8 0 4 ) ,
"The Butcher, " who fortified Acre a n d d efe n d e d it,
with British h e l p, a g a i nst B o n a p a rte in 1 79 9 . After two
months of fi g hting, B o n a p a rte, who h a d m a rched into
the Holy L a n d after h i s co nq uest of Egypt, withd rew.
In 1 8 3 1 , Turkish Palestine and Syria were i nvaded
by t h e Egyptia ns, who re belled a g a i n st Turkish rule. The
Egypti a n s too k over the rule i n both cou ntries for n i n e
years, u ntil they were d riven o u t i n 1 8 40 b y the Euro­
pean a l l ies of the Turkish Sulta n .

SULE IMAN TO NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

1 3t h o r 1 4t h century Mosque la m p , a n d Ara b j ewelry

Z i o n i st " S h o m r i m , " Jewish ormed watch m e n , in 1 907

By t h e e n d of t h e
1 9th century, a n ew factor ap peared : t h e Zionist m ove­
m ent, n a m e d for Zion, once the site of the Te m ple, a n d
a sym bo l o f J u d a is m .
T h e Jewish l i n k with Pa lestine h a d re m a i n e d u n ­
broke n . H e re a n d th ere, i n t h e o l d Jewish q u a rters of
Jerusa l e m , Safad, Tiberias, and Hebron, a few thousa n d
i m poverished a rti s a n s a n d sch o l a rs d evoted t h e i r l ives
to religious stu d i e s . But in the 1 8 8 0 ' s after i n c re a s i n g
persecution o f the Jews i n R u s s i a , t h e fee l i n g g rew
a m o n g the J ews of Europe that a concrete solution m u st
be fou n d if the J ewish peo ple were to s u rvive. The
Zionist m ove m e n t for m a l l y c a m e i nto b e i n g i n Switzer­
l a n d i n 1 8 97. It d rafted p l a n s for a mass return of t h e
J ews to P a l e s t i n e a n d f o r the creatio n of a J ewish
Home. The fou n d e r of the World Zionist Org a n ization,
Dr. Theod o r Herzl, a V i e nnese jou r n a l ist, h a d visited
Palestine i n 1 896, a n d traveled t h ro u g h out Europe to
e n l ist s u pport for his p l a n . Deg a n i a h , "The Cornflower, "
fou n d e d in 1 909, was the first Jewish c o l l ective settle­
ment (kibb utz) .

THE RISE OF MODERN ISRAEL

69

I n 1 9 1 0 t h e fi rst h ouses of
an all-Jewish city, Te l Aviv, rose on t h e s a n d d u nes
north of Jaffa. By 1 9 1 4 , there were 47 Jewish a g ri­
cultural sett l e m e nts i n Turkish Pa lesti ne, most of them
o n land owned by the Jewish Nati o n a l Fund, p u rc h a sed
with contributions from J ews the world over . Turkey
e n tered Wor l d War I o n the side of Germany. In 1 9 1 7
a Jewish m i l itary formation-the Jewish Leg i o n (as p a rt
of the con q u e r i n g British Army)-l a n ded in P a l esti n e .
I n N ove m ber, 1 9 1 7, the British p u b l ished t h e B a lfou r
Declaration, w h i c h a n nounced t h a t the Gover n m e n t
viewed w i t h favor the esta b l i s h m e n t i n Palestine o f a
N at i o n a l Home for t h e Jewish peo p l e . I n Decem ber,
1 9 1 7, Brita i n ' s Field Mars � a l A l l e n by received the s u r­
re n d e r of Jerusalem from the Turks.
The League of Nations a l lotted the Mand ate over
Palesti ne to Great Britain in 1 920. The first British High
Com m issioner, a J ew, was appoi nted i n 1 920. Ara b
l eaders opposed the development of the J ewish State,
but the Jews formed their own defense orga n i zation
and developed a n independent, econom ic, and cul­
tura l life. By the beginning of World Wa r II, the J ews
in Israel n u m bered just under half a m i l l ion. J ewish
i m m igration was officia l ly restricted, but n evertheless con­
tin ued i l lega l ly throug h the 1 940's.

THE BRITISH MANDATE

MEMORIAL from t h e 1 94 8 I s ­
rael W a r o f I n dependence wos
made of the ru sty carcasses of
arm ored trucks destroyed d u r i n g
fi g h t i n g o n the road f r o m t h e
coast t o Jeruso l e m .

THE PROC LAMATION OF THE STATE
I n 1 947, t h e
l a s t of m a ny B r i t i s h a n d i nternatio n a l com m issions o f
i n q u i ry recom m e n d e d t h e p a rtitio n i n g of P a lesti n e i nto
a Jewish and a n Ara b State, a proposal which w a s
accepted by t h e U nited N ations. O n May 1 5, 1 94 8 ,
t h e British withd rew, a n d t h e state o f Israel w a s pro­
c l a i m e d . David Ben Gurion was the fi rst Pri m e M i n ister .
The War of I n d e p e n d e n ce, pu nctuated by truces, l a sted
until t h e m i d d le of 1 949, when a r m istices were s i g n e d ,
a n d Isra e l ' s frontiers d e l i neate d . But p e a c e was n o t
d ec l a re d . About a third of the Ara b popul ation e lected
to stay i n Israel, t he rest fled to t h e s u rrou n d i n g Ara b
cou ntries ( m ost of t h e m to Jord a n ) . Border i n c i d ents
m u lt i p l i e d . I n October, 1 95 6 , the Israeli Army advanced
towa rds t h e Suez Canal. With their with drawal in
March, 1 957, a U n ited N ations Emergency Force too k
over t h e patrol i n g of the Israel-Egypt bord e r . I n J u n e,
1 967, following the with d rawa l of UN EF, a b rief w a r
bro k e out b etween I s r a e l a n d the su rrou n d i n g Ara b
countries, res u l t i n g in the m i l itary d efeat of t h e l atte r.
Today Israel is a parlia m entary repu b l i c whose Presi ­
d e n t i s e lected f o r fi v e years. leg i s l ative power i s vested
in the K nesset, a c h a m be r of 1 2 0 m e m b e rs e lected b y
u n ivers a l s uffra g e . The C a b i n et, h e a d e d by t h e P ri m e
Min ister, i s resp o n s i b l e to t h e K n esset.

KNESSET, or assem bly, b u i l d i n g
is i n Jerusa l e m . Asse m bly i s
n a m e d after Haknessef Hagdola,
1 20 - m a n lawg i v i n g body of Jews
d u r i n g the Pers i a n r u l e of Israel
which started i n 550 B.C.

M O D E RN

ISRAEL

One of t h e first laws passed by the
Kn esset w h e n the State of Israel was proc l a i m ed g ave
a l l J ews the right to s ettle in Israel. With i n th ree years
t h e Jewish population of 6 5 5 , 000 was d o u b l e d . In the
first ten years of Isra e l ' s existence, a m i l l i o n J ews i m ­
m i g rated i nto it fro m a l l over t h e world, m ost o f t h e m
with n o fi n a n c i a l m e a n s . World J ewry raised t h e enor­
mous funds req u i red to fi n a nce the i m m ig ration a n d
settle t he n ewcomers on the l a n d . Airl ifts were or­
g a n ized to tran sport t h e m ; " O peration M a g i c C a rpet"
flew i n a l l the 50,000 J ews of Ye m en, i n southern
Ara bia, and " Operation Ali Saba" b ro u g h t i n the J ews
of Iraq. At fi rst, the newco m ers l ived i n m a kesh ift ca m ps .
later, t hey were g iven perm a n e nt homes. S o m e went t o
the b i g cities, b u t m ost were settled i n new towns
i n t h e G a l i l ee a n d the Negev, where they could
work either i n a g ricu lture or l i g h t i n d ustry. O n e of the
most advanced of these a reas is lac h i s h , the site of a
former C a n a a n ite city destroyed by J o s h u a i n t h e 1 3th
century B.C. Specia l cou rses, u/panim, were set u p to
teach H e b rew to tens of thousands of a d u l ts .
THE PEOPLE

Druse festivities a n d do nees

Israel i I nd e p e n dence Day

THE H EBREW
LANGUAGE

After the 6th century B . C . ,
Hebrew ( a l a n g u a g e close­
ly related to C a n a a n ite
a n d Phoenicia n ) ceased to
be the m a j o r l a n g u a g e of
the Jews, a n d Ara m a ic, a n
a n cient S e m itic l a n g uage,
too k its p l a c e . H e b rew was
reserved for prayer a n d
s t u d y, a n d o n l y s o m e
7,000 words were i n use.
I n 1 8 8 1 , a Russia n J ewish
journ a l ist, Eliezer Ben Ye­
h u d a , settled in Pale�tine,
a n d compiled a d i ctionary
which listed thousands of
o l d word s a n d h u n d re d s
of new o n es, which h e
fo rmed m a i n ly from a n ­
c i e n t H e b r e w r o ot s . I n
1 9 2 0 , Hebrew, with Ara b i c
a n d E n g l is h , b e c a m e o n e
of the country' s th ree o ffi ­
c i a l l a n g u ages. Heb rew
a n d Ara bic a re the offic i a l
l a n g u a g e s of I s r a e l today,
and E n g l i s h i s t a u g h t i n
school. The deve l o p m e n t
o f Hebrew, w h i c h n o w h a s
over 5 0 , 0 0 0 words, is e n ­
t r u s t e d to t h e H e b r e w
La n g u a g e Academy.

TRANS·
l i TERATION

AlPHABET

NAME

X
:1
J
1
n
,
t

ALEF

-

1

BET

B or V

2

G I MEL

G

3

DALET

D

4

NUMBER

HAY

H

5

VAV

v

6

ZAY I N

z

7

n


K H ET

Kh

8

TET

T



YOD

I or Y

1 J
?

9
10

KAF

Kh

20

LAM ED

L

30

tl �

MEM

M

40

1 .J

NUN

N

50

D

SAM EKH

s

60

li

AY I N

-

70

PAY

P or F

80

r �
p

TSADE

Ts

90

KUF

Q or K

1 00

l
tv

RESH

R

200

SH I N

Sh or S

300

n

TAV

T or Th

400

1 /:"j

El

HEBREW ALPHABET L a n g u a g e
is written from r i g h t to l eft. Let­
ters are shown with t h e i r n a m e,
s p e l l ed in E n g l i s h a n d trans­
l i terated. Letters m a y a l so rep­
resent n u m bers. Vowe l s are
either o m itted, o r represented
by special s i g n s .

73

1 . I m m igrant from Cochin I n d i a
2. Ye men ite J e w
3 . Copt
4. Jewish wom a n from I raq
5 . Ye menite i m m igrants
6. I s raeli wom e n i n t h e ormy

7. Moroccan i m m igrant
8. Kibbutz n i k i n E i n Ged i
9. K i bbutz g irl on a n n u a l march
1 0. O l d Bedo u i n woman
1 1 . Bedou i n s h e p h e rdess spins
wool.
1 2. Ara b s hepherd

S I X-POINTED STAR OF DAVID
h a s been a sym bol of J u d a i s m
s i n c e the M i d d l e A g e s . Above,
in Caperna u m

MENORAH i s t h e l a m p w h i c h
l i t t h e a l tar af t h e Tem ple. It
i s represented i n t h e d e s i g n af
the I srael State sea l .

J U DAISM is t h e worl d ' s o l d est m onoth eistic fa ith . It

i s a fa ith without s a i nts, without a h i era rchy, and with­
out m issio n a ries. It is not proselyti z i n g : i t d oes not try
to m a ke conve rts. J u d a i s m today has n o central p l a ce
of wors h i p a l t h o u g h i n a n c i e n t times t h i s was t h e function
of t h e Tem p l e . The syn agogue is a house of both p rayer
and of study; rabbis are tea c he rs and l e a d ers of th e
con g regation but not reg a rded a s m ore h oly t h a n t h eir
floc k .
N i n e-tenths o f Israel ' s two a n d a h a lf m i l l i o n people
a re J ewi s h . For the most pa rt, I s rael ' s J ews a re neither
m ore nor l ess rel i g ious t h a n J ews e l sewhere, b u t t h e
tra d itions of J u d a i s m , particularly of i t s h o l y d ays a n d
festiva ls, a re i m pri nted on the everyd a y l ife of t h e
cou ntry. R a b b i n i c a l cou rts h ave kept, s i n ce the t i m e of
the Turks, sole jurisd iction in J ewish m a rriage a n d d i­
vorce a n d in certa i n other m atters . Tra d ition a l ly, a Jew
is a person whose mother was a J ew.
76

CHIEF RABBINATE is in Jerusalem. Ra b b i n ical courts h ave
j urisd ictian i n certain personal
m atters.

CHAGALL'S sta i ne d g lass windaws i n Hadassah Hospital sym balize the Tri bes af I srael. H e re,
Naphta l i

For a l l J ews, the S a b b ath sta rts o n F r i d ay eve n i n g ,
e n d s o n S aturday a t s u n d own, a n d is t h e o ffi c i a l d a y of
rest. There is a l most no p u b l i c tra n s portation on t h e
S a b ba t h ; s h ops, g overn m en t offices, p u b l i c i n stitutio n s ,
a n d theatres are c l osed . B e c a u s e m a n y o f Isra e l ' s J ews
are ort h o dox, t h e state e d ucation a l system encom passes
both secu l a r and religious schools w h e re c h i l d re n a re
t a u g h t t h e h istory, geogra phy, a n d l a n g u a g e of t h e i r
l a n d , a s we l l a s o t h e r s u b jects.
Jewish ritual d ietary l aws ( ka s h rut) a re enforced in
t h e a r m y, in all hospitals, o n Israeli s h ips and a i rcraft,
and in m ost l a rg e hotels. Two d istinctive featu res of
Israe l ' s s p i ritu a l l a n dscape a re the re l ig ious c o l lective
sett l e m e nts which fa r m t h e i r l a n d accord i n g to Jewish
l aws ( a m o n g t he m the s a b bati c a l year, d u r i n g w h i c h
fi e l d s a re a l l owed to rest) a n d t h e specifi ca l ly rel i g i o us
p o l it ic a l p a rties represented i n the K n esset. Israel h a s
over 4 , 0 0 0 syn agogues.

77

B u k haran J ews celebrate Pass­
over.

Scribe capies Tara h.

THE TORAH (or law) i s s u m m a rized i n t h e F ive B oo k s of

Moses (Genesis, Exod us, leviticus, N u m bers, Deuteron­
omy) and sti l l serves a s the basis of J ewish religious law.
Althou g h h u n d reds of rules and reg u lations ( d e a l i n g
w i t h t h e o rg a n ization o f a Jewish society, w i t h eco­
n o m ics, a g ricu lture, etc., as we l l a s with basic eth ics)
a re conta i n ed i n the Tora h , t h e basic credo of J u d a is m
is s e t d o w n i n the B o o k o f Deute ronomy, wh ere i t i s
writte n : " He a r 0 I s r a e l , the lord o u r G o d , t h e lord is
O ne . " The Te n Com m a n d ments a r e fo l l owed by the
l aws t h at h e l p ca rry t h e m out.
R ab bis of a n t i q uity k n ew the Torah by h e a rt a n d
bel ieved t h a t a l l aspects o f h u m a n beh avior could be
g u i ded by its i nterpretation . As t i m e passed, the sages
h a d to m e m o rize not o n ly t h e Torah but a m a ss ive body
of co m m e nta ries and rulings. With t h e d ispersion of
the J ews ( D iaspora) th ese were writte n down and are
k n own as t h e Ta l m ud .
S a b bath i n Hebrew m e a n s rest. J ews a re e n j o i n e d to
keep the s eventh day c o m p letely free of work, g iven to
study and conte m platio n . S pec i a l prayers a n d c h a nts, as
well as s p ec i a l foods, a re part of t h e celebrati o n .
78

Eat i n g m atzot, u n l eavened bread

Purim spring carnival

Th e most widely prac­
ticed of t h e J ewish c ustom s are those w h i c h mark t h e
stages o f m a n 's l ife . The Brith M ilah, circumcision o f
J e w i s h boys o n the eighth day after b i rth, symbolizes
the everlasting cove n a n t betwee n God and t h e J ews .
The Bar-Mitzvah, a boy's 1 3th birthd ay, m a kes h i m a
fu l l m e m ber of h i s com m u n ity. For t h e fi rst ti m e, h e is
perm itted to wear tefillin a t h i s m o r n i n g p rayers . Th ese
are two leather boxes contai n i n g portions of the Tora h ,
which a re worn o n the left a r m a n d fore h e a d . Observa n t
Jews over 1 3 wear a tallith, or fri nged prayer s h aw l , i n
syn a g o g ue . T h e y w e a r a s k u l lc a p or a h a t a t a l l t i m es,
from c h i l d h ood o n , to rem i n d them that God is a bove
them . Religious women cover their h a ir.
Wed d i n g s ta ke place u n d er a canopy. T h e marriage
contract is rea d . The ring m ust be p l a i n and without
stones. At t h e e n d of the ceremony, the g room b re a k s a
g lass in m e m ory of t h e destruction of the T e m p l e .
J e w i s h wo m e n are entrusted w i t h the task of m a i n ­
tai n i n g the customs perta i n i n g t o the household­
ch iefly, u p h o l d i n g t h e d ietary rules of kashrut; for
i n st an ce, m e a t a n d d a iry d ishes m ust be kept separate.
C USTOMS AND TRADITIONS

79

ARABS

In additi o n to nearly three million Jews living

in some 70 cities and towns and in 750 villages, there are
about 300,000 Arabs in Israel, who live in Jerusalem, in
over l 00 towns and villages, mainly in Galilee, and culti­
vate their own land. Over a million Arabs reside in the
territories administered by Israel since the summer of 1 967.
Most of the Arabs are Moslems. Islam, meaning sub­
mission (to God's will) is the youngest of the three great
monotheistic

religions,

and

has

300

mi llion

faithful.

The first year of the Moslem calendar is A . D. 622, the
year of Heg ira, the flight of Mohammed from Mecca
after he denounced Arab idolatry. Moslems accept both
the

Old

and

prophets

and

the

prophets,

New

Testaments,

revere

Biblical

Jesus. But

the

Mohammed

is

first

among

constitute

the

Koran.

and

his

words

In Israel, Arabic is an official language, appearing
together with Hebrew on coins, stamps, bank notes, and
in official publications. The language of instruction i n
Arab schoob i n Israel is Arabic, with Hebrew taught as a
second language. Moslem religious courts have jurisdiction
in matters of personal status for Moslems (marriage, di­
vorce, etc.). Israel has nearly 200 mosques.
EI-Jazzar Mas q u e i n Acre

Leadi n g Minorities In Israel
202,000
Mosl e m
2 8 ,000
Druse
2 2 ,000
Gree k Catho l i c
1 6,500
G r e e k Orthodox
1 0,000
Rom a n Cathol i c
2,800
Maronite
P rotesta nt
2,000
1 ,500
Mo nophysite
(Arm e n i a n ,
Gregorian, Coptic)
1 50
Boh o i

MI NOR ITIES Among t h e la rgest Ara b m i n orities i n
t h e H o l y la n d a re t h e D ruse, a Mos l e m com m u nity w h i c h
b roke a w ay f r o m I s l a m i n the 1 1 th century. They b e l ieve
in the divi n ity of K h a lif Hakim (996- 1 020) and are
n a m ed after his a postle, I sm a i l Darazi, who l eft Egypt
to spread h is secret religion th roug h Syria . Most of t h e
D ruse l ive i n the n orth o f I s r a e l , i n Syria, a n d i n leba n o n .
The Ci rcassi a n s a r e a Moslem g roup, w h ose a n c estors
c a m e from the Russia n Ca ucasus in the 1 9th century.
There a re some 1 2 ,000 in I srael and Jorda n .
T h e B a h a i sect, esta b l ished by A l i N u ri B a h a A l l a h ,
exi led t o A- :re by t h e Su lta n i n 1 868, e m p hasize s u c h
principles as charity, h u m i l ity, a n d l ove o f one's neigh­
bor. B a h a i s m h a s m ore t h a n a m i l l i o n fol l owers i n t h e
U .S., Canada, J a pa n , a n d I n dia, b u t o n l y a f e w h u ndred
in the Holy land. The Ba h a i tem p l e on Mount Carmel,
burial p l ace of Ba ha A l l a h , is the center of Ba haism.
The Karaites a ccept on l y the l i tera l law of the Bible.
Most of them l ive near Ramla. The Sa m a rita n s a re a n
a ncient sect who recog n ize o n l y the fi rst five books of
the Old Testa m ent and Joshua. Some l ive nea r Tel Aviv;
others in N a b l u s, the B i b l i c a l Shechem .
Druse leaders

B a h a i te m p l e i n Haifa

Pope Paul VI
Supper

in

H a l l of Lost

Bened ictine monk on Mou n t Zion

The C h rist i a n com m u n ity i n J o rd a n a n d
Israel exceeds 200,000 with about 5 5 , 000 o f t h e m
living i n Israel . Most o f t h e C h ristians a re Ara b s whose
a n cestors were co nverted during t h e Crusades. The rest
a re c h iefly of Europe a n orig i n , m e m bers of re l i g ious
or.d e rs i n c h a rg e of h o ly sites, hospices, a n d school s .
There a re also a n u m ber o f i nterest i n g but little k n own
a n cient C h ristian m i n orities. The m a i n C h risti a n d e n o m ­
i n ations are t h e Cathol ic, Orthod ox, Monophysite, a n d
t h e P rotestant.
A m o n g the Cathol ics, the m a jority a re Greek Catholic
who are s u b ject to the a uthority of the Patriarch of
Antioch a n d of all the Orient, who res i d es either in
D a m ascus or i n Ca iro. Services a re cond ucted c h i efly
in Ara bic. The Maron ites, or Syri a n Catholics (from J e a n
Maron, fou n d er o f t h e c h u rc h i n t h e 7 t h century), h ave
been u n ited with Rome s i n ce the Crusades. Their
Patriarch i n Lebanon receives Papal co n fir m ation .
R o m a n Cath o l i c m o n ks a n d n u n s are h e a d e d by the Lati n
Patria rch in the O l d City of J erusa lem . Fra nciscans h ave
custody of m ost of the C h risti a n holy sites.
CHRISTIANS

82

Coptic serv i ce i n Jerusalem

Russian Orthodox service

The Easter n Orthodox C h urch, i nd ep e n d e n t of R o m e ,
h a s fou r patriarch ates : Constantinople, J e rus a l e m , An­
tioch, and Alexa n d r i a . Th ere are sever a l Gre e k a n d
Russ i a n Orthodox c h u rches or monasteries o n s o m e of
the m ost i m porta nt holy sites.
The Monop hysites d iffer fro m Cath o l i c and Orthodox
c h u rches i n that they recog nize o n ly o n e nature of
J esus, w h i l e t h e Ecu m e n i c a l Council of C h alced o n i a
·(4 5 1 ) h a d d e fi n e d two c losely l i n ked but d istinct n a ­
tures, o n e h u m a n , one d ivi n e . The Monophysites eve n ­
tually s p l i t i nto th ree c h u rc h es, which h ave a f e w t h o u ­
s a n d m e m bers i n t h e Ho l y La n d : The A r m e n i a n C h u rc h ,
whose Patriarch or Catholicos res ides i n Turkey; t h e
J a cob ite c h u r c h , w h ose m e m bers a re c h iefly i n Syr i a
a n d Iraq w i t h a P a t r i a r c h i n Antioc h ; a n d the C o p t i c
C h u rc h , w h i c h is u n d e r the Patriarch o f A l e x a n d r i a w h o
a lso h a s authority ove r t h e Mo nop hysite C h u rc h o f
Abyss i n i a ( Eth iopi a ) .
There a r e a b out 2 ,000 Protesta nts i n Israel, a n d
there a re various types o f Protesta nt c h u rches t h r o u g h ­
o u t the Holy L a n d .
83

O i l tanker in Eilat

Marble q u a rry near Acre

From the eco n o m i c p o i n t of view,
Israel is physical ly poor. It has neither water power,
coal, nor natural forests; only a l ittle proven gas a n d
o i l , few m i n erals, a n d l i m ited farm l a n d s . I t s m a i n
assets a re t he fertile s o i l on wh ich i t s oranges are
g rown, and t h e pota s h and other deposits of the South .
But h istory h a s brought about a ra p i d expa n s io n of
the coun try ' s economy. Over a m i l l ion i m m i g ra nts h ave
had to b e fed , housed, and clothed, and a g reat effort
has been m a d e to a c h i eve eco n o m i c se lf-sufficiency.
Contributions from Jewish com m u n ities a b road, l o a n s
fro m forei g n g ove r n m e nts, a n d reparations f r o m Ger­
m a ny h ave h e l ped to cover the deficit in the b a l a n c e
o f trad e . Exports h ave g reatly i ncreased . A m o n g t h e
m a i n prod ucts sold a b road are phosphates, potas h ,
i n d u stri a l d i a m o n ds, c itrus fruits, textiles, b a n a n a s , p ly­
wood, p l astics, a n d eg g s . Trans port is a m a j o r p a rt
of t h e cou ntry ' s economy. The merchant fl eet h a s more
than 9 0 ocea n-going vesse l s . The El AI Israel Airlines
c a rry ove r h a lf of all a i r passe n g e rs to and fro m I s ra e l .
THE ECONOMY

84

National Water Carrier from t h e Sea of Galilee to t h e Negev Desert

By dra i n i n g swa m ps, a nchorin g sand d u nes with
specia l vegetation, i m proving the soi l , com bati n g ero­
sion, and f i n d i n g n ew sou rces of water, Israel has c u l ­
tivated over a m i l l ion acres o f l a n d , w i t h a l m ost a t h i r d
o f this a rea irrigated. The most i m porta nt water project
is the Nati o n a l Water Ca rrier, which bri n g s water from
the Sea of Ga l i lee to the N egev. There are desa l i n a tion
pla nts i n Beersheba, at Eilat and on the Mediterra n ea n .
A m o n g t h e n e w i n d ustri a l crops introduced i n Israel,
the m ost s u ccessful are cotton, pean uts, and sugar beets .
More t h a n three - q u a rters of the country ' s food is now
loc a l ly g rown . Oil wells p rovi de about a tenth of the
country ' s o i l n e e d s . I m ported o i l is piped fro m Eilat
to refi n eries i n H a ifa. There a re i m porta n t c e m e n t works,
n ota bly a t Ra m l a . The economy is a m ixture of p rivate,
state-ow n e d , and cooperative enterprises . The Histadrut,
Isra e l ' s General Federation of Labor, is at t h e s a m e
t i m e a federation o f tra d e u n i o n s a n d o f soc i a l welfare
a ssociations, an e d u catio n a l a g e n cy, and an own e r of,
or partner in, m a ny econo m ic enterprises .
85

Pastora l scene near MI. Tabor

Tru c k i n g oranges to H a i fa

AGR I C U LTURE h as l a rg ely beco m e m od e r n ized . la n d

recl a m ation h a s t a k e n three m a i n for m s : d r a i n i n g
swa m ps, terra c i n g , a n d s o i l conservation i n the Negev
a n d on the c ree p i n g coasta l d u n e s . D r a i n a g e of the
last and l a rgest swa m p a rea, the Huleh V a l l ey, w a s com­
p l eted i n 1 9 5 8 ; 1 5 ,000 acres of land were redee m e d .
T h e l owe r i n g o f t h e g ro u n d water t a b l e h a s i m proved
the q u a l ity of a n o t h e r 1 5 , 0 0 0 a cres in the v a l ley, a n d
perm itted g o o d c rops o f cotton , c o r n , w h eat, p e a n uts,
a n d flower b u l b s . Nearly 1 00,000 a cres of h i l ly tracts,
c h iefly in the U p per G a l i lee a n d the J u d e a n H i l ls, h ave
been rec l a i med by blasting out the rocks, g atheri n g
t h e stones, a n d terra c i n g . I n t h e Neg ev, contour p l ow­
i n g , c l o s i n g deep g u l l ies, and p l a n t i n g s h elter b e lts
h ave p u s h e d b a c k the desert for m ore th a n fo rty m il e s .
The c u l tivation a n d export of fl owers h a s b e c o m e a n
i m p o rta n t i n d ustry, uti l i z i n g Israe l ' s a b u n d a n t s u n l i g h t
a n d m i l d w i nters. Between Dece m b e r a n d April, h u n ­
dreds of thousa n d s o f flowers a re fl o w n t o E u r o p e . T u l i p
b u l b s , g rown u n d e r I s ra e l 's favo r a b l e c o n d itions, a re
tra n s p l a n ted to b l o o m i n Hol l a n d .
86

Agave is g rown for its fi bers.

Arab farmer u s i n g tractor

C ITRUS i s Israe l ' s most i m porta n t a g r i c u l t u r a l c r o p .
A b o u t three q u a rters of t h e c i t r u s y i e l d i s exported,
m a i n ly to Europe. G roves cover a n a re a of over 1 00,000
acres t h r o u g h o u t t h e cou ntry, except i n t h e h i l ly regions
a n d i n t h e d e e p N e g ev, where there a re o n ly a few
experi m e n t a l citrus f a r m s .
T h e sweet ora n g e ( ca l l ed the " g o l d e n a p p l e " i n
H e b rew) is m od e r n Israe l 's m o s t pop u l a r fruit. T h e
S h a m outi o r a n g e , n ative of P d l e s t i n e , proba b ly takes
its name fro m t h e A r a b i c word for a b a r r e l - s h a p e d o i l
l a m p, w h i c h t he fruit res e m b l e s . Israel i s t h e world ' s
second l a rg est producer o f g ra pefrui t . T h e l e m o n , t h e
sour o r a n g e , a n d t h e l i m e w e r e a l ready fou n d i n Pa les­
tine at t h e time of t h e Crusades. But t h e vari ety c h iefly
g rown i n Israel is t he Eureka l e m o n , fi rst deve l o p e d in
C a l ifornia from S i c i l i a n seeds, orig i n at i n g fro m the
H i m a l ayas. T h e C l e m e n t i n e t a n g e r i n e i s a lso g rown (it
was d eve loped in A l g e r i a by a Tra p p ist m o n k, a
Brot h e r C l e m e nt) . The s h a d d o c k (or p u m m e l o ) , t h e
l a rgest of a l l citrus fruit, i s som eti m e s as m uc h a s 1 0
i nc h e s in d i a m eter; Israelis c a l l it t h e Goliath .

87

K i b butz school c h i l d re n

K i b b u tz-g rown fl owers

THE K I BBUTZ, in H e b rew, m e a n s " g ro u p . " But d u r i n g

t h e past 5 0 yea rs, the w o r d h a s a c q u i red a special
m e a n i n g . Israe l ' s 230 kibb utzim, o r v o l u n t a ry c o l l e ctive
sett l e m e nts, tog e t h e r with a n e twor k of fa r m i n g v i l ­
l a g e s (mosh a vim), f o r m t h e b a c k b o n e of t h e cou ntry ' s
a g r i c ul t u r e . They h ave m a d e a stri k i n g contribution t o
I s r a e l ' s d e v e l o p m e n t . T h e fi rst kibbutzim were e stab­
lished a t t h e turn of t h e century to rec l a i m and g ua r d
t h e l a n d , i n t h e f o r m o f s m a l l p i o n e e r i n g co m m u nities
based on fu l l e c o n o m i c e q u a l ity a n d d e d icated to
m a n u a l l a bo r and work i n g the soi l .
T h e l a n d o f t h e kibbutzim i s own e d b y t h e J ewish
Natio n a l F u n d . A central org a n ization provides t h e i n i­
t i a l too ls, l i vestock, seeds, a n d b u i l d i n g m at e r i a l s for
n ew sett l e m e nts. N o kibb utz m e m ber i s paid for work­
i n g , but receives h o u s i n g , c l oth i n g , m e d ic a l s e rvices,
books, poc ket- m o n ey, and food i n a co m m u n a l d i n i n g
h a l l w h i c h is a l s o t h e soc i a l center. C h i l d re n atte n d
kibb utz s c h oo l s . T h e sta n d a rd o f l iv i n g varies with t h e
fi n a n c i a l state of t h e kibb utzim, s o m e o f w h i c h own
thriving factories o r fi s h i n g fleets. Many of t h e m h ave
88

Animal

e arner

in k i b b utz

Nahal soldier a n patrol

g uest houses for tou rists, and some even h ave hote l s .
T h e Moshav O vdim (workers' cooperative vi l l a g e ) i s
a n o t h e r system o f g ro u p l i v i n g u n i q u e to I s r a e l . It is
:n o re pop u l a r nowad ays t h a n t h e kibb utz a m o n g new
i m m i g ra nts because moshav m e m bers l ive with their
own fa m i l ies, i n t h e i r own h ouses, a n d work t h e i r own
l a n d . Heavy fa r m eq u i p m ent i s s h a red and t h e p r o d u c e
is m a rketed col lectively.
The Nahal (trom the Hebrew i niti a l s for "Pioneer
F i g hting Youth") is yet a n other system, combin i ng m i li­
tary service with agricultura l work. It is operated by a
specia l secti on of the I srael Defense Force ( i nto w h i c h
both wom e n a n d m e n a re conscri pted ) i n the m o s t d a n ­
g e r o u s pa rts o f Isra e l . A t 1 8, a l l I s r a e l i s are drafted for
two to three years. Those who opt for Nahal spend the
first few m o nths in i ntensive m i l itary tra i n i n g a s a g roup,
then a few m onths i n a n esta b l ished kib butz. F i n a l ly, a n d
sti l l together, t h e groups j o i n a frontier sett l e m e n t,
chiefly i n m o u n tainous or d esert a reas sti l l too exposed
for civi l i a n s . After their service, m a n y Nahal youngsters
rem a i n on t h e frontiers to form new kibb utzim.
89

MANDELBA UM GATE wa s t h e
fa mous c rossi n g point betwee n I s-

C IT I ES

raeli a n d J o rd a n i a n sectors of Jerusa l e m . I t has n ow bee n removed .

AND

SITES

I n h a bited s i nce t h e beg i n n i n g of t h e
O l d Sto n e A g e , a n d occupied 3 , 0 0 0 years a g o by K i n g
David whose fortress capital it beca m e , Jerusa l e m
perches 2 , 5 0 0 feet above t h e sea i n t h e b a re J u d e a n
h i l ls . I t s C a n a a n ite n a m e was Yerus h a layi m , a n d it i s
ca l led E l Q u d s-th e h o ly-in Ara b i c . Always a c i t y o f
contention, coveted , b e s i e g e d , a n d often con q uered,
J e rusa l e m was d ivided u nt i l J u ne, 1 967.
Sacred to th ree faiths, J e r u s a l e m is t h e c a p ital of
IsraeL The m o d e r n Israeli c ity ( p o p . 200,000) was b u i l t
i n t h e l a st h u n d red years a n d l ies west of the O l d C ity
(pop. 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ) . Scores of c h u rc h es, syn a g o g ues, a n d
mosques attest t o J e rus a l e m ' s u n i q u e spiritu a l c h a racter.

J E RUSALEM

JERUSALEM O n t h e a p posite
page, t h e city in the 1 5th cen­
t u ry, from a n i l l u m i nated m a n u ­
script. I n t h e foreg rou n d , a n
aba n d o n ed castle, probably Ath-

l it. Then, Ra m l a with its m i na ­
r e t s . I n t h e wa l l ed c ity, D o m e of
the Roc k, and Holy S e p u l c h re
(with op e n -top d o m e). Top l eft,
Mou n t of O l ives.

91

JERUSALEM, N ew C i ty, seen from t h e sout h .

BE N E D I CTI N E m o n a stery of t h e
Darmition

w h e re,

a ccord i n g

to

C h risti a n

trad itio n ,

the

Virgin

Ma ry fe l l inta ete r n a l slee p .

MOUNT Z I O N , at rig ht, wi th
t h e rotu n d a of the Mo n a stery of
t h e D a r m i t i a n , built a t t h e begi n­
ning

of the century o n g ro u n d

g i v e n to t h e G e rm a n K a i s e r b y
the T u r k i s h S u l ta n . At l eft, the o l d
w i n d m i l l of Ye m i n Moshe Monte­
fiore, the o l d e st Jewish sett l e m e n t
outsid e the c i t y w a l l s .

COENACULUM, i n t h e top sto ry
of the b u i l d i n g o n Mt. Z i o n w h i c h
i s sa i d to co nta i n t h e to m b o f
D a v i d , i s t h e H a l l o f t h e la st S u p -

p e r w h e r e J e s u s a nd the D i sci p l e s
c e l e b rated t h e first n i g h t of t h e
Pa ssove r a nd i n stituted t h e rite o f
t h e E u c h a rist.

E I N KAREM, just west of Jeru­
salem, i s a pretty h a m let where,
accord i n g to tra d ition, St. J o h n
t h e Baptist w a s b o r n to t h e H ig h
Priest Zacharias a n d h i s wife
E l izabeth. A pro p h et i n the tra­
d ition of E l i j a h , John preached

a n d l i ved i n the desert near the
Dead Sea, ate locusts a n d wild
honey, a n d wore a g a r m e n t of
rough ca m e l 's h a i r. Ein Karem
means t h e S p r i n g of the V i n e ­
yard. The C h u rc h of S t . J o h n ,
a bove r i g h t , is Russian Orthodox.

MONASTERY OF THE CROSS
belon g s to t h e Greek Orthodox
C h u rc h . The legend is that the
tree from which the cross was
fashioned for the crucifixion of
Jesus g rew here. In the M i d d l e
A g e s , the monastery w a s owned
by Georg ians from Southern
Russia.

RUSS IAN CATHEDRAL, in the
Russian Co m po u n d which once
housed the Russian p i l g r i m s to
the Holy land, stands where t h e
Assyr i a n s cam ped w h e n they l a y
s iege to Jerusa l e m i n 700 B . C .
O n t h e s a m e s ite t h e Ro m a n s
prepared f o r t h e a s s a u l t o n t h e
c i t y i n A.D. 70.

SANHEDRIA is t h e b u r i a l p lace
of t h e S a n h e d r i n , the s u p r e m e
c o u r t of I srae l in a n c i e nt t i m es,
whose 72 m e m bers sat i n j u d g ­
m e n t i n t h e Te m p l e a r e a . A t
r i g h t i s o n e of t h e entrances t o
t h e necropo l i s . B e l o w a re the
tombs cut i n t h e rac k .

Another a n cient s ite i n the N ew C ity i s H e rod ' s
fa m i l y tom b, ne a r the K i n g David Hote l , a m a u s o l e u m
o f h u g e ston e b l o c k s , c l osed by a sto n e d oor whose
hinges are a lso cut from sto n e . Herod ' s own tom b i s
nea r Beth l e h e m . A mon u m ent o f t h e H e rod i a n period
was d iscovered i n the center of the Russian c o m p o u n d
b u i l t by Tsa rist R u s s i a i n the center o f N ew J e r u s a l e m :
it is a h u g e broken col u m n , bel ieved to be o n e of t h e
col u m ns f o r the Herod i a n te m p le w h i c h was d estroyed
by the sold iers of Titus i n A . D . 70.

J ERUSALEM
HEBREW UNIVERSITY was
founded i n 1 925 an Mount Sco­
pus. A new c a m p u s has been
b u i l t s i n ce 1 94 8 in n ew Jerusa­
l e m , with t h e help of the
Fri e n d s of t h e H e brew U n iversity
i n U.S., Canada, Great Brita i n ,
a n d e lsewh ere. C a m p u s fac i l ities
i n cl u d e a hostel far more than
1 ,500 students, s ports field, a
gym n a s i u m , te n n i s courts, a n d
a students' center.
U N I VERSITY h a s a n e n rol l m e n t
af about 1 2,000 f r o m a l l conti­
nents. I srae l i students, both boys
and g i rls, serve in the Army be­
tween h i g h school and u n iver­
s i ty. The Med i c a l School h a s
b e e n s e t u p by Hadassa h ; t h e
Wo r l d H e a l t h O rg a n i z a t i o n
h e l p ed o r g a n i z e c o u r s e s f o r
students from t h e deve l o p i n g
cou n tries. I n t h e fl o o r of t h e
A d m i n i stration b u i l d i n g, a beau­
t i f u l 1 5th c e n t u ry mosaic found
i n t h e V a l l ey of Jezreel has
been set. T h e U n i versity offers
degrees i n h u m a n ities, Jewish,
Africa n , a n d As ia n studies, l ife
sciences, physics, m athe m atics,
law, a n d m e d i c i n e .
JERUSALEM with i t s c o o l m o u n ­
ta i n weath e r i s k nown a s a
pleasant s u m m e r resort. T h e
city's p l a n n i n g depart m e n t h a s
decreed t h a t a l l n e w b u i l d i n g s
s h o u l d be b u i l t or faced with
p i n k-gold Jerusalem sand stone,
a n d the m odern c ity h a s a
h a ndsome beauty a n d d i g n ity af
its own. H ere, the wel l- ke pt
Jerusalem M u n icipal Park.

THE NEW A N D THE OLD
YA D VASHEM i s the National
Mon u m e n t to t h e six m i l l ion Jews
of Europe killed by the Nazis
during World War I I . Literally,
it means " ha n d and n a m e " ;
fi g u r a t i v e l y , " m o n u m e n t a n d
m e m or i a l . " The s q uare b u i l d i n g
of u n c u t bou l d e rs conta i n s a n
eternal fl a m e , arch ives, a n exh i­
bition h a l l , a n d a record of a l l
k nown n a m e s of t h o s e who were
killed.
M E A S H E A R I M i s the old q uar­
ter of the c i ty, esta b l i s h ed i n
1 875, where Orthodox East E u ro­
pean J ews have preserved the
custo m s of t h e i r g h ettos a broad .
T h e y sp eak Y i d d i s h , believing
that Hebrew should be reserved
for prayers and sacred read i n g .
O n e s m a l l group of u ltra-ortho­
dox J ews calls itself "Guard i a n s
o f the C i t y " a n d e v e n refuses to
recog n ize the a uthority of the
state. T h e cobbled l a n es, d a r k
synagog ues, a n d s m a l l houses
seem to be of another century,
D r i v i n g a car in the old q uarter
on Saturday i s not reco m m end­
ed, as it i s considered to be a
desecration of t h e Sabbath.
MARKET PLACE i n t h e old
q u a rter i s freq u e n ted c h iefly by
strictly observan t Russian and
Pol i s h Jews. Men wear beards
a n d side curls because the B i b l e
forbi d s s h a v i n g , a n d d ress i n
b l a c k coats a n d f u r h a t s on Sab­
bath and holy days. Their way
of life i s devoted to study a n d
prayer, a n d m a n y v i e w modern
I s rael i s a n d tourists with scorn.

V I EW OF OLD CITY from Notre
Da m e Monastery terrace.
1 )

Mou n t S c o p u s o n d t h e o l d H e -

brew U n iversity c a m p u s ;

2 ) Jer­

i c h o r o o d o u t s i d e of t h e w a l l s ;

3)

the

J E R U S A L EM-T H E

Damascus

OLD

Gate ;

4)

C ITY

H istory i s nowhere c r a m m e d i n to so s m a l l a n a rea as i n
t h e w a l l e d O l d C i ty o f J e rusa l e m . With i n t h is c n e s q u a re
m i l e, Abra h a m offe red Isaac to t h e lord, David r e i g n e d
a n d Solomon b u i l t t h e Te m p l e , Jesus p r e a c h e d a n d w a s
sentenced to d i e on the cross, a n d Moh a m m e d i s b e ­
l ieved to h ave asce n d e d t o heave n .
Egypti a n h i e roglyphics d ated t o 2000- 1 9 00 B . C .
m e n tion t h e n a m e o f a town w h i c h w a s i nterpreted a s
Urusa l i m , a n a m e w h i c h rea ppea rs i n 1 4t h c e n t u ry B . C .
i n d i p l o matic a rc h ives o f A m e n - h otep IV . T h e n a m e
Urusa l i m m a y orig i n ate from the s a m e root as t h e A r a b i c
S a l a m (the H e b rew S h a l o m ) , " p e a c e be with you . "
J e rusa l e m was o n e of t h e last cities t o b e c o n q u ered
by t h e I s r a e l ites . It i s a stro ng point w h e re t h e n ative
J e b usites, probably s u p ported by t h e P h i l isti n e sea­
people, res i sted u n t i l a bout 1 000 B . C . The city was
taken by strata g e m , when some of Davi d ' s sol d i e rs
entered it through a water t u n n e l .
1 00

A u g u sta

V i ct o r i a

H o s p i .ce ;

5}

Church; 8 }

Dame

of the

Rac k .

Mo u n t of O l i v e s ; 6 } G a r d e n of

T h e H o l y S e p u l c h re a n d C a l v a r y

G e t h se m a n e ;

are o u t s i d e of t h e p i ct u r e .

7}

Pater

Noster

St rategical ly situated between lands conquered by
the tribes, Jerusa lem became the cap ital of David ' s
Kingdom and l ater the Kingd om o f J udah . I n 70 1 B . C .
Jerusalem was besieged but saved by a plague among
Assyrian soldiers. When the city fel l to the Babyl onians
in 5 8 7 B . C . , many Jews were exi led and some returned
after 5 3 8 B . C . , when Cyrus of Persia became the master
of the wor l d . Jerusalem ' s nex t master was A l exander
the G reat. In 1 67 B . C . , a Syrian army of Antiochus was
gar risoned there. A few years later " gueri l las " (notab ly,
J udas Maccabee) drove out the Syrians. The Romans
took over in 63 B . C .
Today, the O l d City on Mount Moriah i s enclosed
by a wel l - preserved crenelated wa l l

built

under

the

Turkish Sultan, Suleiman I I , in 1 538. It has seven gates:
J affa Gate to the west; lion's Gate (St. Stephen's) to the
east; New Gate, Damascus Gate, and Herod 's Gate on
the north; Zion Gate and Dung Gate on the south. Inside,
there is a tangle of narrow streets and dark arcades, a
jumble of stone houses, shops and bazaars, and sites holy
to th ree rel igions.

101

The a rrival of Pope Paul VI at the Damascus ::>ate in Jerusal e m , J a n ­
uary 4 , 1 964

Jesus went to Jerusalem at the beg i n n i n g of h i s m i n ­
istry, probably i n A . D . 2 8 . He h e a l e d t h e s i c k , a n d s p o k e
i n the c o u rt of the Te m p l e .
When J e s u s retu rned to J e r u s a l e m i n A . D . 2 9 , it w a s a
tri u m p h a l entra n c e . He went to t h e Te m p le, d rove out
the m o n ey c h a n g ers and the mercha nts, and for the
next few d ays preached i n J e rusa l e m , retu r n i n g to
Bet h a ny at n ig h t .
Tra d ition a l ly, the last S u p p e r too k p l a c a i n a h o u s e
i n the southwestern c o r n e r o f the city. F r o m there Jesus
went to the Mount of Ol ives, stop p i n g i n the s m a l l
g a rd e n o f Get h s e m a ne, w h e re He w a s a rrested a n d
taken to t h e H i g h Priest ' s pa lace, t o t h e p a l a c e o f t h e
R o m a n Gove rnor, a n d then t o Herod ' s Pa l ace, a l l with­
i n the city w a l l s .
H e r o d Antipas, w h o ruled G a l i lee u n d e r R o m a n
1 02

T h e Mou n t of O l i ves, Gorden of Geth semane, o n d the Bas i l ica of t h e
Agony

s u pervis i o n , m o c ki n g ly ordered Jesus to be sent to
Pontius P i l ate, the R o m a n Gove rnor, who con d e m n e d
H i m t o d e ath b y crucifixi o n . T h a t n i g h t J esus was kept
i n t h e Anto n i a Fortress, wh ere H e was w h i p pe d . The
pave m e n t of t h e fortress h a s s i n ce b e e n u n covered by
archeolog ists and m a rks which m a y h ave been m a d e
on t h e ston e s for t h e " K i n g 's G a m e , " s u c h a s was pl ayed
by t h e s o l d i e rs g u a r d i n g Him, h ave been i d e ntifi e d .
I n t h e m o r n i n g Jesus was taken a l o n g what is n ow
k n ow n as t h e Via Dolorosa to t h e H i l l of G o l g oth a (the
s ku l l ) , and crucifi e d . T h is was o utsi d e the city ' s l i m its,
so that the c h u rc h of the H o ly S e p u l c h re, b u i l t a n d
r e b u i l t seve ral t i m e s t h ro u g h o ut t h e centuries, m ay n ot
actu a l ly be o n t h e site of t h e crucifixion . T h e location
of t h e garden of Joseph of Ari m at h e a , w h e re t h e body
of Jesus was b u r i e d , h a s n ot b e e n ascerta i n e d .
1 03

VIA DOLOROSA, t h e p a t h of
J e s u s f r o m t h e A n to n i o Fortress
to C a l v a ry, i s a term w h i c h c o m e
i n to u s e i n t h e 1 6t h c e n t u ry.
T h e p a t h i s fo l l owed by pious
C h r i s t i a n s every F r i d ay, p a rt i c ­
u l a rly d u r i n g H o l y W e e k (a bove},
with slops at the Fourteen Sta­
tions o f the Cross, esta b l i s h e d
by tra d i t i o n s i n c e t h e 1 5t h c e n ­

tu ry. T h e fi r s t stat i o n , Condem­
nation, i s i n t h e cou rtyard of a n
A r a b s c hool , a n d t h e l o s t at t h e
H o l y S e p u l c h re .

is the
most b e a u t i f u l C r u s a d e r c h u rc h
i n t h e H o l y La n d , l o c a t e d on

S T . ANNE'S C H U R C H

t h e s i t e o f a Rom a n v i l l a . I t was
fi rst n a m e d for the V i r g i n Mary,
ond o r i g i n a l ly b u i l t o n the s u p ·
p o s e d s i t e of t h e h o u s e of J o a ­
c h i m a n d A n ne, t h e birthplace of
t h e V i rg i n . L a t e r r e n a m e d f o r St.
A n n e , i t was turned by Sa l a d i n
i n to a s c h o o l f o r d e rv i s h e s . T h e
a rc h w a y s h o w n h e r e i s a n e x ­
a m p l e of t h e c h u rc h ' s u n u s u a l
a r c h itecture.

THE HOLY SEPU LCH RE, a c h u rc h orig i n a l ly b u i l t on

the site bel ieved to be that of Mount Calva ry, where
Jesus d ied o n the c ross, is a patchwo r k of resto rations
a n d a d d itions. In its rotu n d a is the s m a l l s h rhe w h i c h
covers t h e tra d it i o n a l s ite o f J e s u s ' to m b ; i t is t h e C h a pe l
o f St. H e l e n a , Em peror Consta nti n e ' s m other, w h o c a m e
to Jerusa l e m i n 3 2 6 i n s e a r c h f o r the " true c ross , " w h i c h
she i s s a i d t o h ave fou n d o n this s p o t . Severa l c h a pels
a n d c h u rc h e s h ave been erected a r o u n d t h e site of
the to m b , a n d a Jewish buria l c h a m ber is said to conta i n
the b o d y o f Joseph o f Ari m ath e a .
1 04

GETHSEMANE T h e Franciscan
C h u rch of G e t h s e m a n e , o r
" C h u rch o f A l l Nations," i s n ew,
but erected w h e re once stood a
4th century bas i l ica. B e h i n d it i s
the G a r d e n o f G e t h s e m a n e
( m e a n i n g " t h e o i l press") where
Jesus was betrayed by J u d a s,
a n d wh ere violets a n d cycl a m e n
s t i l l bloom , u n de r g narled o l ive
trees. T h e a n c i e n t trees sti l l
sta n d i n g today d o not date from
t h e ti m e of C h r i st, but m ay have
grown from s hoots of trees cut

down by Titus' s o l d i ers. (At the
time of the Arab conq uest of
Palestine, the Gard e n of Geth­
semane, a r e l i g i o u s s h ri n e, was
e x e m p t from t h e tax o n a l ive
trees.) A bove i s the R u s s i a n con­
vent of St. M a g d a l e n a . T h e
Mou nt of Ol ives (2,680 ft. a bove
sea level) is topped with a c l us­
ter of c h u rches a n d convents; a l ­
so g a l l eries k n own a s t h e To m b s
o f t h e Prophet s a n d ven erated
by J ews as the to m bs of Zecha­
riah, Ma l a c h i , and H a g g a i .

C a lvary is a p latform, reached by steps built i n 1 8 1 0.
Th e Chapel of Golgotha was once covered with
mosaics, of w h i c h o n l y frag m e nts re m a i n . I t was be­
l ieved in the t h ird century that Ad a m h a d b een b u ried
_
i n the C a lvary and that h i s skull was d iscovered w h e n
C h rist d i ed ( h e n c e the n a m e o f Golgoth a , " t h e p l a ce
of the s k u l l " ) .
The Holy S e p u l c h re i s s h a red b y represe n tatives of
most of t h e c h u rches of C h riste n d o m . D u r i n g Holy
Week it offers a r a n g e of C h risti a n cere m o n i a l seen
nowhere e l s e i n the worl d .
1 05

THE C ITY of Jerusa l e m was a stro n g h o l d of t h e Jebu­

s ites i n the B ronze Age u n t i l ca ptured by David about
1 000 B . C . It was the seat of the Jewish kingdom u n ti l
i t was d estroyed b y the B a bylo n i a n s i n 5 8 6 B . C . , a n d
a wealthy capital u n d e r the Herods. I t was d estroyed by
Titus in A . D . 70, a n d repl aced by a city b u i l t by H a d ri a n
i n t h e seco n d century A . D . T h e w a l l s t h a t surro u n d t h e
O l d C ity today were b u i l t l a rgely u n d e r S u l e i m a n t h e
Mag n ificent i n the 1 6th century-a n d t h e y a re g e n e ra l ly
l ocated north of the Herod i a n w a l l s .
E a s t o f t he wa l ls lies the V a l l ey of K i d r o n , s e p a rati n g
J e r u s a l e m fro m the M o u n t o f Ol ives. Jesus crossed the
val ley with H is D isciples afte r the Last S u pper, o n H i s
w a y to the G a r d e n o f Get h se m a ne, w h ere H e w a s
a rreste d . S o u t h of the O l d C ity w a l l s is the V a l l ey of
H i n no m (from which comes the word Geh e n n a , m e a n i n g
H e l l ) a c ross w h i c h r u n s t h e roa d south t o Beth l e h e m .
A m o n g t he m a n y m o n u m e nts i n t h e O l d C ity, some
of t h e most fa mous are, i n a d d ition to those cited a bove,
the Mosque of A ksa, believed to h ave been b u i l t as a
b a s i l ica by J usti n i a n in A . D . 5 3 6 , a n d p a rtly d isfig u red
by restoration i n 1 9 3 8 . I t conta i n s the to m bs of t h e
a s s a s s in s o f Thomas 6 Becket, who j o i n e d t h e K n i g hts
Te m p l a r after the m u rder.
T h e c i ta d e l k n own a s
Davi d ' s Tower, which i n ­
corporates t he r u i n s o f t h e
p a l a c e of H e rod t h e
Great, was i n fact e rected
h u n d reds of years afte r
David.
The Wa i l i n g Wal l

1 06

T h e D o m e of t h e R o c k

The southeast corner of
the Old C ity is t a k e n u p by a sto n e c o u rtyard, in t h e
ce nt e r o f w h i c h sta n d s t h e Dome o f the Rock, or Mos q u e
o f O m a r, o n e o f the worl d ' s m o s t bea utifu l relig ious
structures. Octago n a l i n s h a pe, crow n e d by a g reat
golden d o m e, i t i s deco rated with Pers i a n tiles that
g low g reen, b l ue, and gold. Every d ay, and p a rt i c u l a rly
o n Frid ay, faithfu l Mos l e m s fl o c k to pray near and in
the mosque.
I t was com pl eted i n A . D . 69 1 over t h e rock o n w h i c h
Abra h a m i s s a i d to h ave r e a d i e d h i s s o n f o r s a c rifice,
and from which Mosl e m s believe Moh a m m e d to h ave
been tra n s p o rted to heaven o n his b l a c k stee d . To the
east of t h i s s ite, S o l o m o n h a d b u i l t h i s Tem p l e . P a rt of
the Wester n w a l l of the courtya rd sti l l sta n d s-th e
Wa i l i n g Wa l l where Jews traditi o n a l ly asse m b l e to
m o u r n t h e Te m pl e ' s d estruction . Nearby was P i l at e ' s
p a lace a n d t h e J u d g m e n t H a l l f r o m w h i c h Jesus wa l ked
a l o n g the Fourteen Statio n s of the C ross.
THE DOME OF THE ROC K

1 07

H E BRON, s o m e 30 m i les south of Jerus a l e m , is be­

l i eved to be o n e of the o l d est town s in t h e worl d .
A bra h a m purchased t h e C ave o f Mac h pe l a h i n H e b ro n
to serve a s a b u r i a l p l a c e for h i s wife, S a ra h . Abrah a m ,
Isaac, Rebecca, a n d J a c o b were later buried i n t h e
C ave, n o w k n own as t h e Tom b o f t h e Patri a r c h s , a b ove
w h i c h a m o s q ue, H a r a m el K h a l i l, h a s been e recte d .
J o s h u a sacked t h e town a n d s l a u g htered i t s i n h a b ita nts .
David was c rowned K i n g in Hebron after the death of
S a u l a n d ruled from it fo r seven ye a rs, u n t i l the c o n q uest
of Jerusa l e m .
T h e town was sacked again b y J u d a s Maccabee, a n d
by Titus' soldiers. A bishopric i n 1 1 68, it beca m e Mos­
lem in 1 1 87. Hebron ites revo lted in 1 834, but were
d efeated by I b r a h i m Pasha, who d estroyed pa rt of the
town. It was occu pied by A l l en by in 1 9 1 7, a n d by the
Israel Defence . Forces fifty years later. The m odern
town, E l K h a l i l i n Arabic, has some 35,000 i n habitants .
JACOB'S WELL S o m e 40 m i les
north o f Jerusa l e m o n t h e road
to N a b l u s i s Jacob's Wel l , sa i d
t o h a v e b e e n d u g by t h e Pa­
triarc h s . H ere Jesus m ay have
stopped to talk to the Samaritan
wo m a n a bout t h e Water of Life.

BAPTISMAL CHAPEL i s by t h e
Jord a n a s it nears t h e D e a d Sea,
where J o h n the Baptist per­
formed bapti s m a l rites. A c h a p e l
has b e e n erected near t h e p l a c e
w h e r e , tra d i t i ona l ly, Jesus H i m ­
self received t h e bapt i s m .

BETHANY, a bove, is a s m a l l
A r a b v i l l ag e n e a r t h e Mou n t of
O l ives. J e s u s allen stayed here in
t h e house of Ma rth a a n d Mary,
and s u p ped in the h o m e of
S i man the leper. Bethan y is a
contraction of Beth A n a n i a , t h e
n a m e of the v i l la g e when i t b e ­
l o n g e d to the tribe of Ben j a m i n .

BETHLEHEM is l e s s t h a n 1 0 m i les s o u t h o f Jerusa le m .
I t i s a town of some 2 0,000, m ostly C h ristia n s . T h e
b i rth p l ace of Jesus a n d o f K i n g David is c a l l e d B e i t
La h m ( h ouse of meat) i n Arabic, a n d Beit Leh e m
( h ouse of b re a d ) i n He brew. T h e site o f t h e i d y l o f Ruth
a n d Boaz, it is o n e of the hol iest C h risti a n s ites . A
B a s i l i c a of th e Nativity ( a bove r i g h t) was e rected by
Consta n t i n e i n t h e 4th century. It was tra n sfor m e d by
J usti n i a n in the 6th century, a n d escaped Pe rs i a n d e ­
struction i n 6 1 4 b e c a u s e the i nvaders recog n ized t h e i r
n ation a l costu me, w o r n b y a M a g i , re p resented o n a
mosaic. Restored m a n y t i m es, the B a s i l i c a is centered
o n the Grotto of the N ativity (rig ht), a c rypt with a
star cove r i n g the traditi o n a l site of the b i rt h of Jesus .
(Because of errors i n the Ch risti a n c a le n d a r, it is now
bel ieved t h a t t h e d a te of the b i rth of Jesus is 6 B . C . )

1 09

N O R T H E RN

I S RA E L

(See pages 1 43- 1 46 for Samaria .)
In the h e a rt of the C a l i l e a n m ou n t a i n s,
Naza reth ( p o p u l ation 3 0,000), the c h i l d hood h o m e of
Jesus, is o n e of t h e fai rest towns i n G a l i lee. From 1 0 9 9
o n it w a s the C r u s a d e r ca pita l o f G a l i l e e fo r m a ny
years. I n 1 2 6 3 N a z a reth was c a pt u red, l a r g e ly de­
stroyed by t h e Moslems, a n d s l ept away t h e centu ries
until i t beca m e t h e a d m i n istrative center of Ga l i lee
d u r i n g the British Ma n d ate .
Today it is I s ra e l ' s l a rg est Ara b city a n d t h e h e a rt
of I s ra e l ' s C h risti a n c o m m u n ity. N a z a reth h a s ove r
t h i rty c h u rches a n d m o n asteries, of w h i c h t h e n ewest is
the basilica b e i n g b u i l t on the 1 3th century site of the
C r us ad e r C h u rc h of t h e A n n u n ciatio n . Steps l e a d down
to its g rotto w h e re, accord i n g to C h risti a n tra d it i o n , the
Angel G a b r i e l a p p e a red to Mary a n d a n n o u n ced the
b i rth of Jesus . Nea rby is the C h u rch of Joseph b u i lt
over t h e cave where Mary a n d Joseph are b e l i eved to
h ave live d .
NAZARETH

Ba s i l i ca a f t h e A n n u n ciation

Mary's Well

NAZARETH A panora m i c v i ew
s h owi n g t h e g rowi ng new c ity

of Kiryat Natzrat in t h e background.

The " Sy n a g o g u e C h urch " is a Greek C a t h o l i c parish
c h u rc h w h i c h sta n d s , accord i n g to tradition, o n the site
of the syn a g o g u e which Jesus atte n d e d and wh ere H e
b e g a n t o teac h . N o t f a r away is Mensa C h risti, t h e s m a l l
Franciscan C h u rc h w h i c h contains t h e rock c a l led "Th e
Ta b l e of C h rist" wh e re Jesus is believed to h ave supped
with H i s D i s c i p les after the Resu rrecti o n .
B y t h e s i d e o f the r o a d to Tiberias i s Mary' s Well,
k n own a l so a s the V i rg i n ' s Fountain, where Ara b w o m e n
ca rrying earthen jars sti l l gather at d u s k a s t h ey d i d
2 , 000 y e a r s ago, w h e n J esus a n d M a ry d rew water
from it. O n t h e m o u n t a i n overl o o k i n g N a z a reth is o n e
of Israel ' s m ost beautifu l c h u rc h es, t h e C h u rc h o f t h e
I nfa nt J e s u s . T h e C onvent of Mary's Fear, w h e re Mary
watc hed a n a n g ry Nazarene c rowd d rive Jesus to the
precipice after He h a d preached i n a local syn a g o g u e,
is i n the southern section of the c ity, n e a r a roc ky slope
with a projecting r i d g e fro m w h i c h Jesus was to be
cast. A Maron ite c h u rc h sta n d s at t h e foot of t h e r i d g e .
111

KFAR KANA, four m i les nort h­
east of Nazareth, i s a pictur­
esque Arab v i l lage. It is the
trad itional s ite of Jesus' first
m i racle, t h e transformation of
w a t e r i n t o w i n e . T o d a y , two
ch urches (one Greek Orthodox,
the other Fra n ciscan) com m e m ­
orate the Mira c l e of t h e Wed-

ding of Cana. At the edge of t h e
l ittle v i l lage, t h e s p r i n g sti l l
b u b b l e s from w h i c h that water
came. Above left, t h e Fra n ciscan
church, with t h e C h a p e l of St.
Nat h a nael i n t h e foreg ro u n d .
At r i g h t i s a m o n u m e n t erected
on t h e site b e l i eved to be Mary
Mag d a l e n e 's b i rth p l ace.

THE SEA OF GALILEE, or lake Tiberias, is c a l l e d K i n ­

n eret i n He b rew, f r o m the word Kinor, o r h a rp, which the
a n cient J ews thought it rese m bl e d . I n the N ew Testa­
ment, it is m e ntioned as the Sea of Ge n n e s a ret. T h i rteen
m i les long and flve m i les wide n e a r Tiberias, i t lies 6 8 0
feet be l ow s e a level a n d is f e d p a rtly b y n atural s p r i n g s,
m o s t of i t s w a t e r c o m i n g f r o m the Jord a n R i v e r wh ich
enters the sea n e a r C h o r a z i n , where Jesus once
prea c h e d . A few m i l es n orth of Tiberias a re t h e r u i n s of
Mag d a l a ( now Migdal) where Mary M a g d a lene was
born, a n d b eyo n d it a re the euca lyptus g roves of Ta b ­
g h a , where tradition h a s it that J e s u s m i ra c u lously fed
the m u ltitu d e s . N e a rby a re the g ia n t p i pes a n d p u m ps
of Israe l ' s N a t i o n a l Water Carrier.
Jesus b e g a n H i s p u b l ic l ife o n the s h o res of G a l i l ee,
and accord i n g to the Gospel of St. J o h n , reveal ed H i m ­
self there t o s o m e o f t h e Disc i p les after t h e Resu rrectio n .

1 12

AT TABGHA is th e 4th century C h u rch of t h e M u l t i p l i c a ­
tion o f t h e loaves a n d F i s h es, w i t h a m a g n ifi c e n t Byz a n ­
t i n e mosaic floor d e picti n g birds a n d p l a nts t h a t o n c e
existed i n t h e H u l e h V a l l ey. Above Tab g h a is t h e Mou n t
o f t h e Beatitudes wh e re J e s u s preac h e d the S e r m o n o n
t h e Mou nt, a n d chose H i s Apostl es. T h e b l a c k b a s a l t
C h u rc h of t he Beatitudes w a s b u i l t by t h e Fra n c i s c a n s i n
1 937. F a rt h e r a l o n g the n o r t h e r n s h ore is C a pern a u m
(Kfar N a h u m i n H e b rew) where Jesus l ived w h e n He left
N a z a reth, a n d where He m et S i m o n a n d A n d rew.
Ein Gev, near t h e Syr i a n border, w h i c h can o n l y b e
rea c h e d by r oa d f r om the s o u t h , o r by ferry boat f r o m
Tib e r i a s , i s a fi s h i n g v i l l age where a n i nternati o n a l
m u sic festival is h e l d e a c h spri n g . R i s i n g a b ove it i s a
600-foot h i l l , Susita, w h e re re m a i n s h ave been fou n d
o f 5 t h a n d 6 t h century streets a n d c h u rc h e s .

CAPERNAUM is a l o n g the shore
of t h e Sea of G a l i l ee neor Ti­
berias. T h e synagogue, partly
restored i n t h e 1 st o r 2nd cen­
t u ry A.D., i s said to be o n the
site w h ere Jesus often taught.

MOUNT OF BEATITUDES a bove
Tabg h a , i s also site of Christ's
prea c h i n g . Shown h ere i s Pope
Paul V I d u r i n g his v i s i t to the
Holy la n d , i n the I t a l i a n-style
C h u rc h of t h e Beatitudes.

TIBERIAS lies h a lfway a l o n g the western s h o re of the

Sea of G a l i lee, 682 feet below sea level , a w i n te r resort
s i n c e t h e d ays wh e n rich R o m a n s s u n n e d t h e m s e lves
there . I t was b u i lt in A . D . 20 by one of the sons of
Herod the Great a n d n a m ed after the Ro m a n Em peror
Tibe r i u s . J ust south of Tiberias, t h e fa m o u s hot springs,
n ow known to be ra d ioactive, h ave been used for medi­
c a l p u rposes for over 2,000 years.
After t h e fa l l of Jerusalem a n d the repression of the
Jewish u p r i s i n g led by B a r Koch bt� i n A.D. 1 3 5 , most of
the J ews re m a i n i n g in Palest i n e l ived in the G a l i lee.
Great rabbinical schools g rew u p throug hout t h e a rea
and much of t h e Ta l m u d was completed i n Tiberias.
Between the 2 n d and 5th centuries the city served as the
a d m i n istrative a n d relig ious center of the J ews i n Gali­
lee. Under ea rly Moslem rule Tiberias flourished but the
Crusader wars d rove away many Jewish i n h a bitants.
1 14

SEA C:F GALILEE is entirely i n
I srael . I t i s a peacefu l , bea u t i f u l
l a k e , seen h ere as i t may h o v e
a p peared a f t e r Jesus ca l m ed its
waters during a storm or after
t h e m i ra c u l o u s h a u l i n g of fi s h .

TIBERIA$ today i s a fl o u r is h i n g
modern city a n d a favorite year­
round vocat i o n resort for I s r a e l i
a n d fore i g n t o u r i s t s . I t f a c e s E i n
Gev a n d t h e h i l l s o f Syria
across the Sea of G a l i lee.

Tiberias d rifted i nto torpor a g a i n , but in the Mid d l e
Ages, h u n d reds o f J ews expe lled from S p a i n i n 1 4 9 2
m a d e it t h e i r h o m e . I n 1 560, S u l e i m a n t h e Mag n ificent,
S u lt a n of t he Turkish E m p i re, g ave Tiberias a J ewish
a dvisor, D o n Joseph Nassi, the D u ke of N a xos, wh o
tried u n s uccessfu lly to t u r n it i nto a Jewish c ity-state .
The great Jewish m e d ieval s c h o l a r a n d physic i a n ,
Ma i m o n ides, ( k n own a lso, fro m h i s H e b rew i n itia ls, a s
the R a m b a m ) who d ied i n Egypt, i s b u r i e d i n Tiberias,
a s a re m a ny other fa mous sages. The lower city, w h i c h
faces the s e a , i s b u i l t l a rg e ly o f the b l a c k b a s a l t c h a r­
acteristic of G a l i l ee, a n d r u i n s of C r u s a d e r a n d T u r k i s h
fortificati o n s sti l l $ta n d i n the streets . W i t h i t s new u r b a n
h o u s i n g projects on the slope a bove the o l d city, T i b e r i a s
h a s a p o p u l a t i o n o f over 2 0, 0 0 0 . Seve r a l C h risti a n h o s ­
p i c e s a re l ocated i n T i b e r i a s ; modern h otels h ave been
b u i lt i n a n d n e a r the town .
1 15

SAFAD T h e i n terior of t h i s o n ­
d e n t synagogue w o s bro u g h t
fro m l toly.
H U LEH NATURE RESEI:.VE, with
pelicans of lower left.

THE H U LE H VALLEY
Before the State of Israel was
esta b l is h e d , m uch of the tri a n g u l a r, 1 5 - m i l e l o n g v a l l ey
i n the northeastern corner of the country w a s cove red
by a m a la r i a l swa m p a n d a m ud d y l a k e . In this v a l l ey
th ree stre a m s merge to for m the J o r d a n R iver, a n d the
1 5 , 0 0 0 water-logged acres were create:d w h e n p re­
h i storic volca n ic eruptions poured lava i nto t h e va l l ey,
d a m m i n g the J o rd a n in its descent to the Sea of G a l i lee.
S i nce t h e p roc l a m ation of the State, more than 4
m i l l io n c u b i c yards of earth h ave been d u g out, d e n s e
m asses o f p a pyrus a n d lotus h ave b e e n u p rooted, a n d
c a n a l s h ave been d u g , criss-cros s i n g the a rea . D a m s
a n d s l u ices h ave b e e n i n sta lled t o k e e p t h e w a t e r m ovi n g
a n d p reve n t t h e bree d i n g o f m a la r i a l m o s q u itoe s . O n
t h e l a n d w h i c h w a s redee med, the H u l e h V a l l ey Author­
ity n ow d i rects the fa r m i n g of m a ize, w h eat, cotton ,
rice, s u g a r c a n e , a n d fl ower b u l b s . E i g h t thousa n d acres
h av<! been set aside a s a n ature reserve and s a n ct u a ry .

1 16

SAFAD, 2 , 8 0 0 feet a b ove sea level, is t h e n orth ern­

most and h i g h est city i n Israel . Above it rises Mount
Canaan ( 3 , 1 4 9 feet), a n d beyo n d it sta n d t h e twi n
peaks of Mount Meron ( o r Atz m o n ) at 3 , 6 9 2 feet.
O n the h e i g hts of Safad was a beacon, p a rt of a
c h a i n of l i g h ts sta rti n g in Jerusalem a n d used by 2 n d
a n d 3 r d century J ews t o sig n a l t h e beg i n n i n g o f each
new month and h o l i d ays. I n the 1 6th century, Safad was
the center of C a b a l is m , the mystica l i nterpretation of
the Scriptures, a n d a foc a l point of Jewish l e a rn i n g .
·Th e fi rst p r i n t i n g p ress i n A s i a w a s set u p there i n 1 577,
a n d the fi rst H e b rew boo k pri nted in 1 57 8 . In the course
of centu ries, Safad sufferf!d fro m locusts, p l a g ues, a n d
ea rth q u a kes that d e c i m ated its population ti m e a n d
a g a i n . R o m a ns, Crusad ers, Ma m e l u kes, Arabs, a n d
t h e Druse a l l fou g h t for its possession .
Safa d ' s c l i m ate m a kes it a popu l a r s u m m e r resort.
Safa d ' s m a g i c is sti l l i n its twisted a l l eys and t h e d i m
g raveya rds o f t h e med ieva l mystics b u ried there. Scores
of ruined syn a g ogues o n the h i l l s a ro u n d the town attest
to its fo r m e r g lory. Each s p r i n g , pious J ews come to the
g rave of R a b b i Bar Yoh ai, who taught in the 2 n d c e n ­
tury, to c e l e b rate h i s ascent to parad ise, a n d at s u n ­
down the h e i g hts a re l it a g a i n by the b e a c o n s .
Artists' q uarter i n Safad overlooks t h e tow n .

MOUNT ':'ABOR ( 1 929 ft.) is a n
i m p.orta nt O l d Testa m e n t site,
where northern tribes of I srael
ra l l ied a g a i n s t the Canaan ites.
I t is t h e tra d i t i o n a l site of the

tra n s fi g u ration of Jesus. The
Fra n c i scan Mona-s tery serves a s
a hospice for p i l g r i m s. I n b a c k ·
grou nd a t l e f t , t h e Bas i l ica of
the Tra ns fi gu ration.

ARAB V I LLAGE of Daburiya o n t h e road to MI. Tabar

THE JORDAN RIVER is seen
h ere i n U p per Galilee. A s m a l l
strea m with a lang h i story, i t
starts with t h r e e tributaries at

the fact af MI. Herman in Leba·
nan, a n d ends at the northern
share af t h e Dead Sea. I t i s new
used far irrigation.

WESTERN GALILEE A n Arab
s h e p h erd and his flock, a scene

that has not c h a n g ed s i n c e the
t i m e of Dav i d

St. JOHN'S C RYPT in Acre,
rece ntly excavated u 11 d e r t h e
T u r k i s h citadel , w a s probably
refectory of Hospitaler k n i g h t s .
An u n dergrou n d p a s s a g e t o the
sea p e r m itted the k n ig hts to
reac h the harbor c i rectly, even
d u r i n g a siege.

ACRE
Acre ' s h istory goes b a c k to the Midd le B ronze
Ag e . It is c a l led A k ko i n the O l d Test a m e n t . The Gree ks
knew it a s Pto l e m a is, and as such it is mentioned in the
New Testa m e nt. The Crusaders fortified it and turned
it i nto a seaport for the C h risti a n k i n g d o m . As t h e h e a d ­
qua rters of the Order o f the K n i g hts of St. J e a n d ' Acre,
d u r i n g the Crusades, it was renamed for their patron
saint.
It re m a i n ed the Crusader ca pita l from 1 1 9 2 until
1 291 w h e n the fortress was recaptured by t h e Mos l e m s ,
e n d i n g Crusader rule i n Pa lesti n e . A c r e d e c l i n e d
g ra d u a l ly u n t i l 1 775, when it beca m e t h e s e a t of t h e
Tu r k i s h g ove rnors, n ota b ly A h m e d e l J a z z a r, w h o b uil t
Acre's Turkish wal ls, the bath house a n d mosque, a l l of
w h i c h , to t h i s d ay, g ive the c i ty i t s specia l a n d exotic
cha racter.
Today it i s on e of the l a rgest cities i n I s ra e l with a
m ixed A ra b-Jewish population .

1 20

HAIFA is Israe l ' s second l a rgest city a n d m a i n port, a n c!
the center o f the country ' s heavy i n d ustry. Located a t
the m eeti n g p l a c e o f m o u nt a i n , va l l ey, a n d s e � , i t
c l i m bs t h e s l o pes o f l ove ly Mou nt C a r m e l . H a ifa i s not
m e ntioned a t all i n t he B i b le, but its n a m e a p pe a rs in
J ewish Ta l m ud i c l iterature of the 3rd century A.D. The
Crusaders w h o c aptured it c a l l e d it C a i p h a s .
U n d e r Mos l e m r u l e , H a ifa prospered b ut by t h e t i m e
o f the T u r k s it h a d becom e a n u n i m port a n t v i l l a g e . I t
beg a n to d evelop a t the begi n n i n g o f the 2 0th century.
The harbor i s e q u i pped to h a n d le 2 , 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 tons of
cargo a ye a r and is t he home base of I s r a e l ' s n avy a n d
merch a n t fleet. Bea utifu l H a ifa B a y is t h e s i t e o f o i l re­
fi n e ries, a fo u n d ry, g lass a n d texti l e works, a n d various
c h e m ica l i n d ustri e s .
To the e a s t , a re sever a l D r u s e v i l l ages, a n d o n e vil­
lage, K a b a b i r, sti l l with i n the bou n d a ries of H a ifa, i s
popul ated by m e m bers of the A h m a d i a sect, fou n d e d
in India.
Ei n H o d , s o m e m i les south o f H aifa, i s a n a rtist's
colony and t h e h o m e of m a ny of Israe l ' s pai nters a n d
scul ptors .
Panora m a of Haifa a n d its b u sy port

TECHNION CITY, the 300-acre ca m pus on Mou n t Carmel of t h e I srael
I n stitute of Technology

The city itself is b u i l t on t h ree level s . The old lower
Town a r o u n d the h a rbor is known a s H a d a r H a c a r m e l
( " T h e Glory o f C a r m e l " ) . Above it is H a i fa ' s co m m ercial
center, w h i c h contai n s museums of a n t i q u i ties, eth nol ­
ogy, J a p a n ese a rt, a n d a M a r i t i m e Museum k n ow n for
its co l l ection of a n c i e n t m aps and s h i p m o d e l s . The
h i g hest level is Mou n t C a r m e l . The s l opes of the m o u n ­
ta i n are d o m i n ated b y the B a h a i Te m p l e s urrou n d ed by
a Pers i a n Garden, a n d residential suburbs a l o n g the
mounta i n top. A su bway sta rts n e a r the port a n d travels
up Mount C a r m e l i n a tu n ne l bored t h r o u g h the roc k.
The French C a r m e l on t h e western promontory is,
accord i n g to tradition, where the Pro p h et Elijah ta u g h t
h i s disciples. Above E l i j a h ' s c ave sta n d s a C a r m e l ite
Mon astery which was used a s a hospita l by B o n a p a rte
in 1 79 9 ; the sold iers who d ied there are b u ried at t he
entrance. Next to it is the Ste l l a Maris l i g hthouse from
which one can see to the n o rth, beyo n d the leb a n ese
border, the cl iffs of the la d d e r of Tyre, an a s s a u lt e m ­
b a n k m e n t con structed by Alexa nder t h e Great i n 3 3 2
B . C . I n l a n d f r o m Ath l it, i n t h e foo h i l l s o f the C a r m e l , a re
t h e caves where several c o m p l ete preh istoric s k e l etons
and Stone Age i m p l e m ents h ave been excavated.
1 22

U n l i ke most of
the g reat C rusader castles
i n the Holy La n d , the Tem ­
p l e r Castle o f t h e P i l g r i m s ,
or C h ateau Peleri n , a t Ath ­
l i t , e i g h t m i les south of
H a ifa, was n ever taken by
siege. The last C h ristian
stro n g h o l d i n the Holy
Crusader wa l l s of Ath l i t
Land, and a c h ief port of
entry fo r C h ri stia n pilgrims i n t h e Mi d d l e Ag es, the
Castle was i ntact when it was a b a n d o n e d without a
battle i n 1 2 9 1 , s hortly after the fa l l of Acre . But t h e
Mos lems, p r o b a b l y fea r i n g new i nvasio n s f r o m Europe,
l a rgely destroyed it. A n ea rthq u a ke i n 1 8 3 7 added to
the d estruction, but even today, t h e ru i n s of the wal l s
o f Ath lit a re a n i m pressive re m i n d e r of Crusader m i g ht.
ATH LIT

K n i g h ts ' H a l l i n T e m p l a r Castle

C A E S A R E A A Ro m a n a q u e ­
d u ct, rece ntly d u g out f r o m the
sand, was used to s u p p l y water

from the north. AI r i g h t are r u i n s
o f Crusader fortifications, b u i l t
with Roman col u m n s.

Contrasts a bo u n d a t Caesarea . A m a ny­
a rched Rom a n a q ued uct, a fl rst century h i ppodrome, a
Crusader m oat, a 1 9th century m os q u P., a n d a 2 0th
century kibb utz jostle each oth e r o n t h i s s m a l l stretch
of coast h a lfway between Tel Aviv and H a i fa . C a es a re a
w a s b u r i e d u n d e r the d rift i n g s a n d s h u n d reds o f years
a g o, but recent a rcheological excavations h ave u ncov­
e red fa bulous l a n d m a rks, i n c l u d i n g an H e rod i a n n a r­
bor, the o n ly k n own eng raved sto ne b e a r i n g t h e n a m e
o f Pontius P i l ate, Rom a n statues, re m n a n ts o f a Cru­
s a d e r citadel, a Byz a ntine c h u rch with mosaics of birds
and a n i m a ls, a n d a 4th century syn a g o g u e .
F o u n d ed as a port in 2 2 B . C . by K i n g Herod t h e
Great, Caesa rea was n a med f o r the R o m a n Em peror
Aug ustus Caesar. For 300 years it was th e m a g n ific e n t
c a p i t a l o f t h e R o m a n procu rators i n P a l esti n e . Caesare a
was a c e n t e r o f Jewish revolt, l a t e r beca m e a n i m ­
porta nt center of r i s i n g C h ristian ity, a n d i s mentioned
seve ra l times i n t he Acts of the Apostles . I t was fo r a
l o n g ti m e o n e of the m a i n po rts of t h e Mediterra n ea n .
CAESAREA

1 24

St. Pa u l was i m prisoned in Caesarea, b efore b e i n g
sent to R o m e . I t was a n i m portant Byz a n t i n e stro n g ­
hold, a n d t he last to be t a k e n by the Mos l e m invaders
i n 640, afte r a siege of seve r a l years . M a r b l e a n d
mosaic rem ai n s o f 4 t h t o 6th century syn a g o g ues h a ve
recently been u n ea rthed . W h e n Ba ldwin I c a ptured t h e
city d u r i n g t h e F i rst C r u s a d e, h e fou n d a g re e n c rysta l
bowl w h i c h h e believed to be t h e H o ly G ra i l .
D u r i n g t h e C rusades, t h e city c h a n g e d h a n d s five
times. In 1 2 5 1 , St. Louis of France fortified Caesarea,
but w h e n t h e Mos l e m s recaptured i t i n 1 2 6 5 , it was
tota lly d estroyed , and l a y d esolate for g e n e ration s .
I n 1 93 7 S d ot Ya m , a cooperative fi s h i n g v i l l a g e , was
esta b l i s h e d n e a rby, and after t h e b i rth of the State
of Israel i n 1 94 8 , l a rge-sca l e restoration retu rned to
Caesare a s o m e of its lost s p l e n d o r .
Today, it i s a l so a v a c a t i o n resort, a n d a center for
sports . I t has Israe l ' s only 1 8 - h o l e g o lf co u rse, h orse
and c a m e l races a re held o n t h e beach, a n d there is a
s k i n - d iv in g a n d u n d e rwate r exp loration center.
ROMAN THEATRE in Caesarea is freq uently used for concerts.

CENTRAL

ISRAEL

TEL AVIV (the H i l l of Spri n g ) i s t h e worl d ' s fi rst a l l ­

J ewish city since B i b lical ti m e s . It was fou n d e d i n 1 909
by a h a n dful of Jewish fa m i l ies w h o l ived i n J a ff a , t h e n
a n Ara b seaport. Tel Aviv i s n ow t h e c e n t e r o f Israel ' s
cultura l l ife, the h e a d q u a rters o f t h e cou ntry ' s b a n k i n g ,
trade, a n d l i g h t i n d u stry; w i t h i t s s u b u r b s it is Israe l ' s
l a rgest city, h o u s i n g o n e-sixth (over 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 ) o f t h e
country ' s populatio n .
Tel Aviv is t he h o m e o f nea rly a dozen repertory
th eatres, of the National Opera C o m p a ny, of a l m ost a
thousa n d outdoor cafes, a n d scores of c i n e m a s .
Twe nty-five d a i ly newspapers a n d period icals i n t e n
1 26

Tel Aviv seashore hotel s

C a f e on lash i o n a b l e D i z engoff St.

l a n g u ag e s a re p u b l i s h e d a n d a new u n iversity is risi n g .
I s ra e l ' s m a i n s h o p p i n g a n d tourist center i s a l so t h e
s i t e o f m a ny g over n m e n t offices, o f I s ra e l ' s G e n e r a l
Federation o f Labor, a n d of the fi rs t a l l - H e brew h i g h
school ( o n whose site now sta n d s a 3 0 -story s ky­
scraper) . Its m a i n streets are Dizengoff ( n a m e d for Tel
Aviv' s fi rst m ayor), and A l l e n by (for the Britis h g e neral
who too k Palestine from the Turks i n 1 9 1 8 ) . I s ra e l ' s
Declaration o f I n d e p e n d e n ce w a s first read o u t i n t h e
s m a l l m u n ic i p a l a rt m u se u m o n M a y 1 4 , 1 94 8 .
Accad i a hotel near Tel Aviv

Even p a r k i n g t i c k ets exist i n T.A.

JAFFA
Now part of Tel Aviv, J affa is o n e of t h e
o l d est a n d most r o m a ntic seaports i n t h e worl d . Its re­
corded h i story g oes back 3 , 5 0 0 years. The Book of
C h ro n icles m e ntions it as Solom o n ' s m a i n outlet to t h e
sea; t h e C e d a rs of Leb a n o n w e r e flo a t e d there by raft,
fro m Tyre, a n d h a u led to the Te m pl e in J e r us a l e m . It is
from here that J o n a h set s a i l o n h is i l l -fated voyag e to
Tars h i s h , and i n Gre e k myth ology it is p ro b a b ly t h e
scene o f Perse u s ' rescue o f A n d ro m e d a f r o m the s ea
monster f r o m roc ks stil l vis i b l e outs i d e t h e h a rbor.
I n t h e eighth century B . C . the Assyrians, sweepi n g
down o n t h e coast o f Pa lest i n e fro m t h e north, con­
q uered P h i l i st i n e Jaffa.

1 28

I n 3 3 2 B . C . it was taken by Alexa n d e r t h e Great,
and i n t h e 2 n d century B . C . Judas Maccabee and his
brothers fou g h t for it and won it fro m t h e Seleucid
K i n g do m . U n d er Roman rule, J affa was a free city, a n d
M a r k Antony o n c e g ave i t t o C leopatra a s a presen t .
Some of the earl iest C h risti a n s m a d e t h e i r h o m es i n
Jaffa. The N ew Testa m e n t descri bes St. Pete r ' s stay
th ere, in t h e house of Simon t h e Ta n n e r . T h ro u g hout t h e
C rusades, J affa freque ntly c h a n g e d h a n d s, fi n a l ly to b e
lost to t h e conquering Ma m e l u ke S u lt a n o f Egypt,
B a i b a rs, who razed it to the ground a n d d rove t h e
C h ristia n s o u t . F o r a w h i l e , J a ffa prospered w h e n B o n a ­
p a rte c a pt u re d !t i n 1 799 on h is w a y to A c r e , but after
a few m o n t h s h e a b a n d o n ed it a n d i t d e c l i n e d .
T h e fi rst Zion ist pioneers entered " t h e Pro m ised
la n d " t h r o u g h J affa around 1 8 4 0 but it re m a i n e d a n
Ara b town u ntil t he War of 1 94 8 . After t h e creation of
the State, Tel Aviv a n d J affa offici a l l y beca m e o n e, b u t
J a ffa h a s kept i t s perso n a l ity. I t s popu lation i n c l u d e s
6 0 , 0 0 0 J ews, a n d 6,500 Ch ristia n a n d M o s l e m Ara b s .
OLD C ITY OF JAFFA i s a m aze
of a rchways, steps, terraces. The
house of Simon t h e Ta n ner i s
s a i d sti l l to stand.

BRI DGE OF J I N DAS built in
1 273 by Baibars on foundation
of older Ro m a n bridge, n e a r
Led,. I srael 's m a i n a i rport.

Weiz m a n n

I n stitute of Science

W i n e c e l l a r i n Rishon -le-Zion

R I S H O N - L E - Z I O N A N D R E HOVOTH
R i s h o n - l e­
Zion (Th e F i rst i n Zion) is typi c a l of the s m a l l town s
esta b l is h e d throug hout I s ra e l ' s coasta l p l a i n by East
Europea n Zion ists at the turn of the century. I t was
fou n d e d i n 1 8 8 2 by Russ i a n J ews and was l ater sub­
s i d iz e d l a rg e ly by B a ron Rothsch i l d . Its w i n e ry, b u i l t
i n 1 8 8 7, is the l a rg est i n Israel . Between t h e town a n d
the c o a s t are the s a n d d u n es o f N a h a l Sore k where
Israe l ' s fi rst ato m i c reactor was com p leted i n 1 960,
for tra i n i n g and researc h .
Rehovoth , nearby, is t h e seat o f t h e j o i n t H e b rew
U n iversity' s a g ri c u ltural facu lty a n d Nation a l Ag ricul­
tura l Research I n stitute, a n d of the Weiz m a n n I n stitute
of Science, i n a u g urated i n 1 949 by Israe l ' s fi rst Presi­
d e nt, Dr. C h a i m Weiz m a n n , a noted c h e m ist. The
I n stitute, wh i c h i s the m ost advanced center i n t h e
M i d d l e East f o r research i n m at h e m atics, p hysics, c h e m ­
istry, a n d biology, is located wit h i n a p a r k w h i c h is t he
n ation ' s m e m o r i a l to Dr. Weiz m a n n . D r . Weiz m a n n i s
b u r i e d i n t he g a rd e n of h i s house o n t h e I n stitute ' s
g ro u n d s .

1 30

Israel 's
south e r n m ost Mediterra­
n e a n town, w a s one o f t h e
m o s t i m p o rt a n t h a r b o r
cities i n t h e M i d d l e East.
C a ptured by t he Egypt i a n
P h a r a o h R a m eses I I i n
1 2 8 0 B . C . , As h ke l o n later
beca m e o n e of a confed­
eration of five P h i l istine
C r u s a d e r r u i n s a t ·Ash kelon
towns (with Goth, Gaza,
Ash dod, and Ekro n ) . I n
73 2 B . C . , i t was captured
by Tig lath P i leser Ill, and l ater came u n d e r S e n n acherib,
K i n g of Assyr i a .
After i t s c o n q uest b y Alexa n d e r the G r e a t i n t h e 4th
century B.C., As h kelon became a Greek city. H e ro d t h e
Great, who was b o r n t h e re, e n l a rged a n d beautified
it. It was fortified i n 1 1 9 2 by R i c h a rd t h e lion-Hearte d ' s
troops. T h e city fe l l t o t h e Mos l e m s i n 1 270, a n d was
d e m o l ished .
As h kelon left its m a r k i n two E n g l i s h words-" s h a l ­
l o t " a n d " sc a l l io n , " after the o n i o n s g rown there i n
a ntiquity. Recurrent l e g e n d s o f b u ried trea s u re led a n
Eng l is h wo m a n , L a d y Hester Sta n hope, i n 1 8 1 5, to exca­
vate t h e site of a n cient Ash kelon, i n t h e vain h o pe of
fi n d i n g g o l d . O rg a n ized a rcheolog i c a l excavations were
started i n 1 9 2 0 and a l most seven centu ries after its
destructi o n, Ash kelon was resettl e d .
T h e a n c i e n t wa l l s a n d the r u i n s o f i t s g ates a n d
towers a r e p a rt o f a l a rge n ew p a r k a n d c a m p i n g
g ro u n d n e a r a collection o f H e l len istic a n d R o m a n
statues, co l u m ns, a n d decorated m a r b l e s l a b s .
ASHKELON,

1 31

Road from Beersheba Ia Eilat

S O U T H E RN

Red Canyon i n t h e Negev

I S RA E L

Much of the 5 , 000-odd s q u a re m i les of
south e rn Israel is s a n d , d ust, eroded soil, a n d roc k .
T h i s a re a i s c a l l e d the Negev, a n d it repres e nts m ore
t h a n h a lf of Isra e l ' s territory. The State reaches its
widest poi nt, 70 m i les, j ust south of Beers h e b a , a n d at
Eilat it n arrows to six. Not so long ago, o n l y the coasta l
strip a n d the p l ateau of t h e Negev were c o n s i dered
fit for c ultivation, and even these were reg a r d e d as
u n l i kely prospects. The soil was s a l i n e . There wa s no
ra i n . The heat was extre m e .
B u t schol a rs k new d i fferently. T h e y knew t h e N egev
had once susta i n ed agricu lture a n d i n d u stry, a n d t h a t
p o p u l a t i o n s o f u p t o a h u n d red t h o u s a n d h a d l ived
and flou rished there. King David had i n c l uded the popu­
l ation of t h e N eg ev i n a n ation a l census. Solomon
m i ned copper there and merc h a n t fleets h a d s a i led
f o r Africa a n d t h e O r i e n t f r o m the Red Sea p o r t o f
Etz i o n G e b e r . N a b ateans, Ara b i a n trades m e n , ruled
THE N EGEV

1 32

D a m b e l i eved to have been b u i l t by t h e Na batea n s

t h e Negev u nt i l t he Rom a n s a n n exed i t i n A . D . 1 06 .
Th e fi rst modern assault o n t h e Negev w a s m a d e
i n 1 943 w i t h t h e esta b l i s h m ent o f th ree Jewish settle­
m ents, two of them kibbutzim, the t h i rd a s m a l l - h o l d e r s '
cooperative v i l l a g e . E a c h of t h e m d u g wel l s a n d fou n d
water. I t was too sa lty t o d r i n k b u t the parched ea rth
received it g l a d ly, a n d the experi m e nta l crops ( g ra i ns,
fruit trees, forest trees, and veg etab les) flouris h e d .
R a i nwater was d a m m e d a n d h u n d reds of soil s a m p l e s
ta ke n . Life was rig orous, but c l e a r ly it could be s u s ­
t a i n e d . I n 1 946, " Operati o n N e g e v " est a b l i s h e d eleven
n ew settle m e n ts : fou r more fo llowed a year later. By
1 94 8 , there were 2 7 v i l l a g es i n the N e g ev.
N ow, there are some 200, with a tota l p o p u lation
of over 2 00,000. I n 1 955, a pipe l i n e b r i n g i ng water
d own from the spri ngs of the Ya rkon River to the N eg ev
suppl ied some 45 m i l lion cubic meters a day. Within a
decade, the g iant pipes of Israel's Nati o n a l Water C a r­
rier were sending over a h u n d red m i l l ion cubic m eters
to the Negev from the Sea of Ga li lee. (See page 1 5 1 for
Gaza and S i n a i . )
1 33

Ro m a n bridge, sti l l in use

Camel m art i n Beers heba

I n 1 94 8 , Beersheba, Israel ' s southern
capital, looked a l most as it h a d looked i n O l d Testa­
m e n t d ays when Abra h a m h a d " b u i l d ed a tent" there
a n d Jacob h a d d re a m ed of the ladder that rea c h e d to
Heave n .
I t w a s a d usty, battered desert town, a picturesque
sett i n g for the Bedou i n who wand ered th roug h i t with
their flocks of s h eep and c a m e l s . Reduced to a h e a p
o f r u b b l e when it w a s c a ptu red by d esert tri bes m en
f r o m t he Crusaders, Beers h e b a b a rely s u rvived f o r c e n­
turies u nt i l t he Turks began to use it as a center f o r
d esert trade i n 1 8 8 0 . I n Wor l d War I , Tur key l o s t Beer­
sheba to the British i n a c l i m a ctic batt l e .
Tod ay, t h e city is the b usy h u b o f the N e g ev ' s
econ o m i c a n d i n d ustr i a l life . It is t h e center o f scores
of i n d u stries, m a ny based o n the Negev's n ewly ex­
ploited raw materials; the m a i n stop-ove r point to a n d
from E i l at; a n d a tou rist attraction i n i t s own r i g h t . It
h a s a typ i c a l Arab m a rket and camel m a rt and a m ixed
Jewish -Ara b popu lation of a bout 60,000.
BEERSHEBA

1 34

D i mona, new town in the Negev

Tourists i n t h e desert

N EW TOWNS I N THE N EGEV
A c h a i n of new town s
exte n d i n g throughout t h e Negev h i n t a t t h e scope of
the a ttack o n the seared l a n d . The fi rst city o n the way
to t h e Dead Sea is D i m o n a , which was n a m e d for a city
in a n c ient J u d a h , a n d settled by t h e Dead Sea workers
of S do m . T h e d esert is n ow rapidly retreating b efo re
the be lts of ol ive trees, ta m a ris ks, acacias, and euca­
lyptus w h i c h r i n g it. Most Dimonans wo r k i n t h e text i l e
a n d c h e m i c a l i n d ustries which h ave s p r u n g u p a r o u n d
the town .
E i g h t m i les to the west is Kfar Yeru ch a m n e a r t h e
p h os p h a te d e posits o f Oron . I t s fou n d e rs w e r e i m m i­
g ra nts fro m R u m a n i a , joined by others from Morocco,
Iran, and Pola n d . Kfa r Yeruc h a m has Israel ' s o n ly c rysta l
g l ass wor k s .
Mitspe- R a m o n , p e r c h e d ove r the c r a t e r w h ich g ives
it its n a me, is at the center of the q u a rryi n g reg ion for
most of I s r a e l ' s cera m i c m ateri a l s a n d gypsu m . A road
w i n d s d ow n to the crater some 4 0 0 feet b e l ow the
tow n .

1 35

Bedou i n i n Beers heba

Exper i m e ntal desert farm

An exte n s ive resea rc h prog r a m
i s u n d e rway a t Beersh e b a ' s Arid Zone Research Station
where a H u m a n Enviro n m ental Physiology Group seeks
ways to help t h e Negev's settlers ove rcome t h e stresses
of the d es e rt c l i m ate. Another g ro u p stu d i e s t h e effect
of a r i d ity a n d the s u n ' s scorc h i n g rays o n a n i m a l s .
Experi m e n ts h ave a l s o sta rted at t h e D e a d S e a Works
at S d o m , and at t he Timna M i n es, to study t h e effect of
heat o n t he working perfo r m a n c e of a c c l i m atized
peop l e . These experi m e nts are conti n u e d e a c h s u m m e r,
w h e n tem peratures are extre m e, reac h i n g 1 00 ° F. i n
t h e s h a d e, a n d sometimes 1 60 o F . i n t h e s u n .
An oth e r expe r i m e n t near t h e Dead S e a c o n sists of
u s i n g s o l a r e n ergy for e l ectricity . Resu lts h ave b e e n
obta i n e d , but t h e m e t h o d h a s n ot y e t been f o u n d
a p p l i c ab l e o n a l a rg e s c a l e . S o l a r heat i s w i d e l y u s ed
i n I s r a e l for p rovi d i n g a p a rtment houses with h ot wate r .
T h e c l i m ate is s u n n y e n o u g h t h e year rou n d f o r water
ta n ks o n rooftop s to be h eated with t h e h e l p of
reflectors .
MAN I N THE DESERT

1 36

Arab v i l l a g e af Wad i Arc in t h e Ga l i l e e

IN I S R A E L
Of I s r a e l ' s 2 2 , 0 0 0
Bedo u i n , s o m e 2 0,600 belong t o 1 9 tribes i n t h e N e g ev.
Their low black tents a n d tethered c a m e l s a re a fa m i l i a r
s i g h t throughout the South. Though s o m e o f t h e
wea lthier S h e i ks h ave started t o b u i l d ston e houses, t h e
Bedouin a re sti l l n o m a d s . T h e i r goath a i r tents, s p u n
from s h e a r i n g s a n d woven b y the wom en, p rovi d e pro­
tection a g a i nst wind and sun, as d oes th e b l a c k
bordered h e a d s c a rf or " keffiye h , " kept i n p l a c e by a
d o u b l e r i n g of b l a c k sheep wool k n own as a n " a g a l . "
The m a i n stay o f t h e Bedouin d iet i s p itta h-t h e tra­
d ition a l flat d ry c i rc u l a r bread-sheep, goat o r c a m e l
m i l k a n d c h eese, d ates, h o n ey, a n d r i c e . T h e i r sta p l e
beverage i s bitter, spiced b l a c k coffee, d r u n k a
th i m b leful at a t i m e .
O f a l l the p rog ress m a d e i n I s r a e l a m o n g t h e Negev
Bedo u i n , the most stri k i n g h a s been i n m e d i c a l s e rvices
and h ealth . Thous a n d s of tri besmen, t h e i r reticent
wives, a n d their c h i l d ren h ave been i n o c u l ated a g a i n st
tu bercu losis a n d i n fa nt i l e para lysis.
THE B E D O U I N

1 37

AVDAT A m odern do nee group
i n t h e restored ruins of the
No boteo n c i t y of Avdat

NABATEAN C ITY seen from the
a i r : Acro p o l i s i s i n fore g ro u n d .
Ara bic nome for it was Abde.

Avd at, 40 m i les south of Beers h e b a , was a
N a b atea n g a r d e n city on o n e of t h e m ajor c a rava n
routes t h ro u g h the W i l d e r n ess of Z i n , across w h i c h the
tribes of I s rael h a d once wa n d ered o n t h e i r way to
C a n a a n . Th � N a batea n s ( p . 1 3 2 ) esta b l ished the city
in the 3 rd century B .C. Their K i n g d o m c a m e to a n end
i n A.D. 1 06, but Avd a t lasted a thousa n d years .
I n the m i d d l e of t h e 3 rd century t h e R o m a n E m peror
Dioclet i a n , renewing the defe nses of t h e R o m a n bord e r,
m a d e Avd a t part of a string of forts l i n ki n g the Arava
with the Northern N eg ev. The c ity flourished u n t i l th e
6th century u n d e r Byza ntine r u l e , but with the Mos lem
con q u est it declined, fi n a l ly to be a b a n doned i n the
1 Oth century.
N e a rly a thousa n d years l ate r, in 1 949, the pioneer
sett l e m e n t of S d e Boker was esta b l i s h e d i n the N egev
and interest i n t h e a n c ient and derelict city of Avda t
revived . Restoratio n o f the city was u n d e rt a k e n , a nd
the a n c i e n t N a bate a n c h a n n e l s to collect r u n -off water
a re i n use once more for the g rowi n g of crops. There
is a s m a l l m u s e u m with relics of the N a batean city.

AVDAT

1 38

East of Beers h e b a , t h e J u d e a n w i l ­
d e r n e s s stretches as a p l atea u . S u d d e n ly, t h e l a n d
d rops-fro m 1 , 200 feet a bove sea l evel to 1 , 2 8 6 feet
below sea level, to the Dead Sea, the l owest s pot on
the s u rface of the e a rth . F ifty m i les long and n i n e m i l es
wide, t h e D e a d Sea, is p a rt of t h e rift w h i c h rea c h e s
fro m Tu rkey a l o n g t h e J o r d a n R i v e r V a l l ey to t h e R e d
Sea a n d i nto t he l a kes of E a s t Africa. Sti l l k nown i n
H e b rew b y its ori g i n a l n a m e, " Th e S e a of S a l t, " it is fed
c h i efly by the Jordan R iver. Because it has n o outlet,
its waters h ave evaporated for m i l l i o n s of yea rs in the
fi e ry h eat, leaving b e h i n d a n ever-g row i n g resi d u e of
salt. N oth i n g can l ive in the Dead Sea except a few
s i n g le-ce l l e d org a n i s m s which h ave a d a pted t h e m s e lves
to this u n u s u a l environ m e nt . T h e water conta i n s 2 5 %
d i ssolved s a l t a n d oth e r m i n erals, five t i m e s more t h a n
any other s e a , a n d is so d e n s e t h a t n o swi m m e r c a n
s i n k . Parts o f t h e D e a d Sea a re i n Jord a n .
THE DEAD SEA

T h e s p r i n g at E i n Gedi

Evaporat i n g p o n s i n Dead Sea

The wicked c ities of t h e B i b le,
Sodom a n d Go m o r r a h , once stood near Sdom, a t the
south e r n t i p of the D e a d S e a . S d o m is t h e site of t he
wo rl d ' s l a rg est d e posit o f crysta l l i n e roc k sa lt. O n a
h i l l of s a lt nea rby sta n d s a p i l l a r-tra d i t io n a l ly Lot ' s
wife, p u n i s h e d f o r h e r cu riosity, forever loo k i n g b a c k .
Mod e r n S d o m i s t he location o f o n e o f I s ra e l ' s m ost
i m po rta n t c h e m i c a l wo r ks . Pota sh is extracted from the
Dead S e a brine, and bro m i n e m a n ufactured for export .
From S d o m , a tra c k r u n s n o rthward a l o n g t h e s h ore
to Ein Gedi, a l us h g reen sett l e m e n t in the d esert,
fou n d ed in 1 94 9 . Once Ein Gedi was the site of a h a m ­
l et i n J u d a h w h e re David t h e s h e p h e r d h i d from S a u l
t h e K i n g . J ust beyo n d the settle m ent flows t h e s p r i n g
k n own as t h e " Founta i n o f Davi d . " E i n G e d i was t he
o n ly p l a c e i n a n c i e n t Israel where the b a l s a m tree
flourished and it beca m e the center of a perfu m e i n d us­
try. Recent excavations have exposed the vesse ls, tools
and w e i g h ts used by the perfu m e rs, and i n the m o u n ­
t a i n s a b ove E i n Gedi a fortress, d ated to th e t i m e o f
t h e Seco n d Tem p l e , h a s b e e n fou n d .
SDOM A N D E I N GEDI

1 40

Israel a n d Jordan each own a few
m i les of t h e Red Sea shorefront, Israel around E i l at,
and J o r d a n a ro u n d Aqa b a . The g u lf is the m eeti n g
p l a c e of fou r countrie s : Egypt, S a u d i A r a b i a , I s r a e l ,
a n d Jord a n . But the frontiers between Israel a n d i t s
n e i g h bors are close d .
F o r I s ra e l , t h e g u lf is t h e outlet t o t h e Far East a n d
t o Africa; for J o r d a n , wh i c h h a s no o p e n i n g t o t h e
Mediterra n e a n , t h e g u lf is its o n l y access t o a sea .
The g u lf was one of t h e stations of the tribes of
Israel on their way to C a n a a n , a n d an i m porta nt h a r­
bor i n the t i m e of t he K i n g d o m of J u d a h . Before, it was
p a rt of t h e B i b l i c a l Kingdom of Edom . Solomon ' s cop­
pe r m i nes, o n I s r a e l i territory n e a r E i l at, actu a l l y m ay
h ave been ope rated before Solo mon 's t i m e by E d o m ­
ites. H e a p s o f s l a g testify to the activity o f the m i n es i n
a n c i e n t t i m e s . T h e Jord a n i a n city o f A q a b a is n e a r
t h e a n c i e n t site o f Etz ion Geber, from w h i c h Sol o m o n ' s
fl e e t s e t s a i l , l a d e n with g o l d for O p h i r , a n d w h e re
the Queen of S h e b a p ro b a b ly l a n ded on h e r roya l visit.
THE RED SEA

T I M N A A modern I s rael i cop·
per p roces s i n g p l a n t near the
ancient " S o l o m o n ' s m i n e s "

ANCI ENT copper s m e l t i n g fur­
nace m ay hove been Edom ite,
prece d i n g Solom o n 's t i m e .

AQABA, Jord a n 's o n l y
the s e a , i s a l s o being developed
as a resort.

SKIN DIVING in clear waters
of Red Sea m ay soon be spoiled
by i n d u strial developm ents.

E I LAT AND AQABA Althoug h E i l a t and Aq a b a
s h a re t h e s h ores o f the R e d S e a , it is i m poss i b l e to g o
from o n e town to the other. They a re sepa rated by
barbed wire.
The modern Israeli town of E i l a t was fou n d ed in
1 9 50. It lies 1 5 5 m i les south of Beers h e b a , 356 m i l es
south of Jerusa l e m . I t has a population of severa l thou­
s a n d , and copper is, once m o re, m i n ed n e a rby. A few
hotels h ave been b u i l t on the s h o re, a n d it is a favorite
resort of I s r a e l i a n d foreig n tou rists.
Aq a ba, i n Jorda n , is the a n ci e n t c i ty of Etzi o n Geber.
It was k n own as A i l a d ur i n g the Crusades, w h e n
R e na u l d d e C h a t i l l o n m a d e i t a base for loot i n g expedi­
tions a g a i nst the Mos lems, a n d th reate ned Mecc a . It
is a l so the site of one of the best known expl oits of
Lawren c e of Ara b i a and his Bed o u i n raid ers, who
c rossed the d esert a n d the Edom m o u n t a i n s c o m i n g
from t h e e a s t a n d struck A q a b a f r o m the rea r. T h e
Turks, t a k e n b y s u r p rise, suffered a severe d efeat.
Tod ay, both Eilat and Aq aba a re boo m i n g h a rbor
towns, each with severa l tourist hote l s .

1 42

THE
NEIGHBORS
THE SIX DAY WAR of
J u n e, 1 967 between the
State of Israel a n d the Arab
States, which are her nei g h ­
bors, h a s resu lted i n severa l
Arab l e g i o n n a i res i n Jordan
far-rea c h i n g , thoug h not
necessa rily perma nent, c h a ng es i n the m a p of the a rea .
Egypt, Jordan, Syria a n d leba non a l l share com m on
borders with Israel, and throug hout h istory, have sha red
a com m o n past with her. Ever since the esta b l ishment of
the State of Israel i n 1 948, however, these cou ntries have
vi rtua l ly sea led their fronti ers to a l l travelers from Israel,
with few exceptions. Today, m uc h of what is thoug ht of as
the Holy Land, or the land of the Bib le, is u n der Isra e l i
a d m i n istration, pending a final peace settlement i n t h e
Midd le East, a n d can b e free ly visited a g a i n . Despite occa­
sion a l tension, tou rists are m ade m ost welcome every­
w h ere, and can tour, or even h itch - h i ke, w herever they
want. Althoug h loca l laws sti l l obta i n i n a l l the a d m i n i stered
territories, Israel currency is official tender everywhere.
The A d m i n istered Territories consist of the West Ba n k of
the Jordan-the southern section of w h i c h (J udea) i ncludes
Bet h lehem a n d Hebron (see pages 1 08- 1 09), a n d th e
northern section o f w h i c h (Sa m a ria) is d escribed on pag es
1 44- 1 46-the Sinai Pen insula, the Gaza Stri p (see page
1 5 1 ), a n d the Golan Heig hts, formerly part of Syria (see
page 1 54) . Th is area com prises som e 27,000 sq u a re m i les,
of w h i c h two-thirds is the S i n a i Peninsu la, and i nc l udes a n
Arab popu lation o f close t o one m i l l i o n .

1 43

Amman (see page

1 47),

Jordanian ca p i tal, ond its Roman amphi theatre.

NABLUS, known in B i b l ical times, a n d sti l l tod a y i n
Hebrew, a s Shechem, w here Jesus ta l ked with t h e woman
of Sam a ria, is m ost c l osely associated with the a n cient
Patriarchs. J a cob cam ped either i n or near S h ec h e m .
J acob's We l l a n d J oseph's T o m b a re both i n the vicinity.
Near N a b i <J s i s Mount Gerizim where the Sa m a rita n s sti l l
celebra te Passover with sacrificia l rites.
SEBASTIA, a few m i les north of N a b l us, has been i n h a b ­
i t e d s i nce the Bronze Age. The present-day Arab vi l lage
is on the site of Biblica l Shomron or Sam a ria, the capita l
of Israel which was bui l t in 887 B.C.; it was destroyed b y
the Assyria n s i n 7 2 2 B.C. Seba stia was b u i l t on the ruins
of the older city by King Herod, in about 35 B.C. H erod
g ave it the Greek name, Sebastos, for the Em peror Aug us­
tus who then ru led Rome. Accord i ng to C h ristia n tradition,
John the Ba ptist was b u ried here.
RAMALLAH, (the "Height of God" in Ara bic) i s some

nine m i les north of Jerusa lem, and nearly 3,000 feet a bove
sea l evel . It is one of the m ost prosperous a n d attractive
1 44

towns of the West Ba n k ; from it a l m ost the entire region
can be seen. This may be w h ere K i ng Sau l was a nointed
by the Prophet S a m u e l .
J E R I C H O One o f t h e m ost i m porta nt archeological sites
in the wor ld, J ericho is the ol dest known city to have been
i n h a b ited, perha ps without interruption, for some 1 0,000
yea rs. It is near the n orth shore of the Dead Sea, a n d
8 2 5 feet below sea level .
T h e wa l ls o f ancient Jericho were surrounded by a
27-foot-wide, 7-foot-deep, protective ditch. A stone tower,
27 feet ta l l , with a stone stai rway i n its center, was erected
proba b l y between 7,000 a n d 6,500 B.C. The population
of Jericho m a y then have n u m bered some 3,000. Today,
it n u m bers a b o u t 1 0,000.
Jericho was the fi rst town i n Canaan to be taken by the
Israel ites i n the 1 3th centu ry B.C. It was sacked by J oshu a ,
l a te r rebu i l t a s p a r t o f the in heritance o f Ben j a m i n . Its
popu lation was deported to Babylon after the i nvasion of
Nebuchad nezzar I I , and then resettled by the J ews return­
i n g from exi le. later it fel l to the Syrians, then to the
Rom a ns. Mark Antony gave it to C l eopatra, who sold it to
Herod the Great. It is said that on its streets, Jesus hea led
the b l i n d beg g a r, a n d was enterta i ned in the house of
Zaccheus, the tax col lector. Even in a n cient t i m es, Jericho
was a l uxurious wi nter resort and one can sti l l see the
ornaments and m osaics of the lavish Arab pa l ace of C a l i p h
Hisham I b n Abd u l Ma l ik, who ruled the A r a b em pi re from
A.D. 724-743.
Some two m i les west of Jeric ho, on a steep rock k n own
as the Sandarion, there is a Greek monastery. I t was b u i l t
i n t h e last century over g rottos, o n e o f w h i c h i s venerated
as the site w here J esus fasted for 40 days. Atop the m o u n ­
ta i n sta nds a n a ncient church, recently restored, the tradi­
tion a l site of "The Tem ptation of C h rist."
1 45

-"""" · ·

.- ' . .. .....··· �·

Q u mran Caves i n which Dead Sea Scro l l s were fou n d

KHIRBET QUMRAN, n e a r the Dead Sea a f e w m i les
west of rhe Jord a n R iver, i s fa mous a s the s ite wh ere
m ost of the Dead Sea Scro l l s were d iscovered ( see
page 5 0 ) . Sti l l visible are r u i n s of a l a rge b u i l d i n g
believed t o h ave been a com m u n ity h o use o f the
Esse n es, and g rottos where some of the secta ria n s prob­
a b ly l ived . Q u m r a n is bel ieved to h ave been i n h a bited
d u r i n g t h e fi rst century B . C . , and d estroyed d u r i n g an
earth q u a ke which, accord i n g to Jose p h u s F l avius, d evas­
tated J udea d u r i n g the seventh yea r ( 3 2 - 3 1 B . C . ) of
the re i g n of He rod the Great. Q u m r a n was a p p a rently
resettled by the Essenes, and d estroyed o n c e m ore by
Romans during the second Jewish u p ris i n g in A.D. 1 3 21 3 5 . There a re re m n a nts of wells, and a n Essene
cem etery with m o re t h a n 1 000 to m b s .

1 46

JOR DAN Today, the bridges across the Jordan River,
which con n ect Israel with t h e K i n gdom of Jordan, are open
to traffic ag a i n . Arab m ercha nts, farmers and students
who l ive and work on the West Bank of the Jordan, in
territory c u rrently a d m i n istered by I sra el, are free to come
and g o at wi l l .
Before t h e Six Day War, t h e Hashem ite K i ngdom of
Jordan occupied an area of some 37,500 sq uare m i l es,
a n d had a popu lation of over 1 ,850,000. I t is ruled by
the descendants of Hashim, bel ieved to be Moham m ed's
a ncestor.
Jordan's economy i s less "western ized " t h a n that of
I s ra e l , a n d ma n y of the Bed o u i n nomads who i n habit it
are l a rgely u n p roductive, thoug h m ost tribes now culti­
vate some l a n d . Jordan has only a sma l l outlet to the Red
Sea, a t A q a b a . I n the l ast few years, since the ope n i ng of
a road from A m m a n to Aqaba, merc h a n t traffic has in­
creased, and J ordan exports phosphates, potash, w h eat,
d ried fruit, a n d woo l . Tourism is a n increasing ly im portant
source of reve n u e.
J ordan's capital is A m m a n , once the city of the A m m o n ­
ites. Rabbath-A m m on , as it w a s then ca l l ed, w a s captured
by David, and beca m e subservi ent to the Kings of Sama ria
and of J u dea. later i t fe l l to the Assyrians, a n d was H e l l e n ­
i zed by Pto l e m y I I , P h i la d e l phus (285-247 B . C . ) , who ca l le d
it P h i l a d e l p h i a .
One o f the cities o f the Greek Deca pol is, A m m a n w a s
p a r t of t h e N abatean K i n g d o m u nti l i t s conq uest by Herod
the Great i n 31 B.C., when it beca m e an outpost of the
Roman E m pire. I t was conq u e red by the Moslems i n 635.
Today A m m a n has a we l l -preserved and restored Rom a n
theatre, a citadel with ruins of a tem p l e t o Hercu l es, a n d
a n Am ayyad b u i l d i ng . Its Archeologica l Museum h ouses
m a n y of the discoveries made in J o rda n .

1 47

J E RICHO'S stone towe r, b u i l t by
the Natufia ns, was p robably t h e
m a i n lookout of t h e a ncient
citadel.

W A L L S OF J E R I C H O s u r ­
rou nded t h e city lang before
Joshua blew his t r u m pet. In back­
ground is Mou n t of Tem ptatio n .

Some 20 m i l es south of Am m a n , Madaba i s
celebrated for its Byza nti n e m osa ics, a m on g w h i c h i s t h e
o l d est exta nt m a p o f Pa lestine a n d Jerusa l e m . The m a p,
a n d other m osa ics, dating back to the ti m e of J usti n i an
(sixth century), were d i scovered i n 1 896, i n a G r e e k Ortho­
dox C h u rch, b u i l t on the site of an even m ore a ncient
ch urch. Near Madaba is Mount Nebo, tra ditiona l l y t h e
s u m m it f r o m w h i c h Moses saw t h e Prom ised L a n d . From
Mou n t Nebo there is a sweeping view of the Jordan Va l ley,
the Dead Sea, and Je rusa lem to the west. South t h r o u g h
the canyon, which once served as a b o r d e r between the
A m m onite a n d Moabite tribes, sti l l sta n d the rema i n s of
a m a jor Crusader fortification, Karak a n d its citad e l , with
m a ny va u lted room s, c h a m bers and a dungeon. Recently
excavated and restored, the castle i s open to visitors, a n d
a resthouse in t h e Crusader sty l e h a s b e e n opened i n t h e
v a u l t which once served as a d i n i ng room f o r the C h ristian
soldiers. At the sum m it of Mount Nebo a re the rem a i n s of
severa l ea rly Christia n churches.

MADABA

1 48

TEMPLES, f u n erary chapels, a n d
h o m e s carved i n H e l l e n istic style
from vari-colored roc k ore con­
trasted a g a i n st ragged profi l e
of p i n k s a n d stone c l i ffs.

PETRA beca m e the center
of the N a b atea n civi l i z a ­
tion i n t he 4th century
B . C . The N a bateans, He l ­
lenized Arabs, spread
t h e ir com m ercia l e m pi re
from the E u p h rates to D a ­
m ascus a n d t h e Red Sea .
They deve loped a new
form of t h e Ara m a ic script,
precu rsor of written Ara bic .
Most of Petra ' s H e l l e n ­
i s t i c m o n u m ents, a m o n g
the best preserved i n t h e
world, w e r e b u i l t i n t h e
3 r d and 2 n d centuries
B.C.

ES SIQ, a n arrow, m eanderi n g
gorge, no w i d e r t h a n 6 t o 7 feet
between cliffs up to 300 feet
to l l , leads to the ru i n s of Petro,
w h i c h date from the 3rd a n d
2 n d centuries B . C . T h e passa g e
w a s o n ce fl oored with ston e
pave m e n t .

1 49

J ERASH (the Roman Gerasa ) l ies som e 40 m i les north

of A m m a n i n Jord a n . It was fou nded as a H e l l e n isti c town
u n der A l exa nder the Great, perha ps by one of his gen­
era ls, Perdiccas, a n d became p a rt of the Deca polis. I t
fel l u n d e r t h e influence o f th Nabatea n kingdom, a n d i n
the fi rst century A.D. had a l l the attrib utes o f a g reat
Greco- Roman city: tem p l es, theatres, sta d i u m , forum,
baths, etc. Hadrian visited the city i n A . D . 1 29- 1 30, and
added to its splendor. From the 4th century to the 6th ,
C h risti a n Gerasa was en dowed with a cathedra l a n d a
bishop, a n d in the 7th century, it was looted by Persia ns
a n d Arabs and d evastated by a n earth q u a ke.
Deserted for centuries, it was reocc u pied in 1 878 by
Circassians who u sed ancient stones to b u i l d their v i l lage.
Severa l Greco-Rom a n ruins have nevertheless remained
in excellent conditi o n : a trium p h a l arch, a sta d iu m (with
Persi a n polo g oa l posts Jating to the 7th century), a forum
with 56 c o l u m n s sti l l sta n d i ng, a Tem p l e of Zeus dati ng to
the 2nd centu ry, and a theatre for 5,000 spectators.
Deep i nto the d esert west of A m m a n , the "desert castles"
of Jordan serve as spectac u lar exa mples of Ara b arch itec­
ture. Bui l t in the 8th century to serve as h u nting lodg es for
the O m m iad Ca l iphs, they can be reached by car or jeep.
T h e cast l e of Qasr Mushatta is k n own for its stucco orna­
mentation, a nd that of Qasr a l Smra for its frescoes. In
the oasis of Azraq sta nds a castle which served a s hea d ­
qua rters f o r lawrence o f A r a b i a d u ring W o r l d War I .
On t h e h e ig hts o f A j l u n , which rises over 4,000 ft.,
sta nds one of the few Arab castles rem a i n i n g from the
Crusader wars: Q a l 'et er-Rabad, built i n 1 1 84 by one of
Sa l a d i n 's e m i rs. Destroyed by the Mon gols, it was reb u i l t
b y S u lta n Baiba rs, a n d w a s occup ied by a Turkish Pasha
unti l the 20th century.
1 50

J er a s h - F o r u m , s een from t h e T e m p l e of Z e u s

THE GAZA ST R I P (pop u l ation: 365,000) on the Medi­

terra nean coast, u n der Egypti a n occu pation since 1 948,
is n ow a d m i nistered by Isra e l . The l a rgest city of the
Stri p, Gaza, i s famous from B i b l ica l times a s the town in
which t h e P h i l istines bound the b l inded Sa mson. Gaze's
p resent popu lation i n c l udes some 1 75,000 Arab refugees
who fled from Pa l esti ne i n 1 948, and w h o sti l l l ive in
ca m ps orig ina l ly b u i l t by t h e British Army i n World War I I .
THE S I NAl P E N I NSULA i s t h e vast tria n g u l a r expa nse
of d esert which b e g i n s south of the date-growi ng coast a l
town o f E l Arish a n d e n d s at S h a r m e i-Sheikh on t h e
Stra its o f Tira n-whose c l osure precipitated the outbrea k
of the Six Day War i n 1 967. Today, the entire Pen i n s u l a ,
including t h e eastern b a n k o f the S u e z C a n a l , is u n d e r
Isra e l i j u risdicti o n . According t o the Bib le, it was on t h e
s u m m i t of M o u n t S i n ai, w h i c h may be J e b e l Musa ( 6 , 1 47
feet a bove sea leve l ) , that God revea led h i m self to Moses.
Near Jebel Musa is the Greek Ort h od ox Monastery of
Saint Catherine which dates from the reign of the Byza n ­
tine Em peror J usti n ia n (A. D . 525-565). Th ree, f o u r , o r
five-day tours o f Sinai a r e avai lable.
151

The N i l e , with the great pyra m ids in t h e bac k g ro u n d

The exod us of the Hebrews sta rted from
Egypt, fi rst reach i n g the Sea of Reeds, at the n o rthern
e n d of t h e Red Sea, where "The lord caused t h e sea
to g o back by a stro n g wind all the n i g ht, and m a d e
the s e a d ry l a n d a n d the waters were d ivided . " T h e
Heb rews reached the eastern shore j ust i n ti m e : w h e n
the p u rs u i n g Egypti a n s appeared, the waters retu rned .
Moses then led the Hebrews t h rou g h the wil derness
across the S i n a i Peninsula, to Mount Sinai. There he re­
ceived t h e Ten Commandments. Moses a n d the chi l d ren
of Israel then m oved northwa rd, carrying the Ark of the
Covena nt, to the Prom ised Land.
They then reached the Gulf of Aqaba, a n d conti n ued
north to the oasis of Kadesh-Barnea, on the very threshold
of the Prom ised Land. They remained i n the d esert for
EGYPT

1 52

some 40 years, until Josh ua, Moses' l i eutena nt, decided
to sta rt the conq uest (see page 56).
Egypt, from which ca m e one of the m ig hti est e m pires
of the past and one of the a ncient world's g reatest civ­
i l izations, today covers a n area of 386,000 sq u a re m i les,
of which 95 per cent is desert. The country is split by the
N i le River, on which its economy is ch ief l y based. Egypt's
m odern h istory began with its occu pation by Bona pa rte
in 1 799 a n d its subseq uent domi nation by the Turks. I n
1 9 1 8, t h e K i ngdom o f Egypt passed i n to British hands,
a n d in 1 945 Egypt beca m e i n dependent. Followi n g the
overth row of King Farouk i n 1 952, Egypt was dec l a red
a rep ub l i c i n 1 953. I n 1 958, there was a u n ion with Syria,
and the two beca m e the U n ited Ara b Repu b l ic. I n 1 96 1 ,
Syria broke away from the u n i on, but Egypt is sti l l k n own
a s the U.A.R.
The state re l ig i o n is Islam a n d Arabic is the offi c i a l
l a n g uage o f t h e 29 m i l lion peop le w h o l ive there. E n g ­
lish, h owever, is widely spoken i n m ost o f the cities.
Basica l ly a fa r m i n g cou ntry, Egypt's m a i n crop is cot­
ton . The l a rg est cities a re Cairo, the capita l , a n d Alex­
a ndria, the princi pal port. Egypt's specta c u l a r and wel l ­
p reserved a ntiq u ities, i n c l u d i n g t h e S p h i nxes and t h e pyra­
m ids, have made i t one of the world's m ost fascinati n g
cou ntries. Vast projects have been u n derta ken t o p reserve
m o n u ments th reatened by the Aswa n D a m p roject, which
is desig ned to bring ferti l ity to thousa nds of a ri d acres.
One of the colossa l tem ples, Abu Sim bel, has been ra ised,
piece by piece, a n d asse m b led above the d a m 's water
leve l . A boat tri p u p the N i l e, Egypt's life-giving a rtery,
is an u nforg etta b l e ex perience. The Cairo Museum has a
l a rge a n d excel lent col lection of antiq uities, i nclud i n g the
famous g o l d treasu res taken from the Pha raoh Tuta n k h ­
a m e n 's tomb.
1 53

THE GOLAN HEI GHTS (or the Syri a n p l a teau) were

atta ched to Syria after World War I as part of the French
Mandate. F ol low i ng esta b l is h m en t of the State of I srae l ,
t h e Syria ns set u p m a ssive fortifications there, which were
a b a ndoned in 1 967. Now l a rgely occupied by Druse
farm ers, and contro l l ed by Israel, the Heig hts a re a fore­
m ost tou rist attraction . Vi sitors strea m to Ba nias, a his­
torica l site named for the Greek god Pan, above which
sta n d the rem a i n s of a 1 2th-century C rusader castle. The
l a rgest town on the Heig hts is Ku neitra, from which the
Hot Springs of H a m m at-Gader can be reached.
SYRIA has been c lose ly conn ected with P a l esti n e throug h­
out the a ges. The cou ntry is bordered on the northwest
a n d north by Turkey, on the east a n d southeast by I raq,
on the south by Jordan a n d Israel, a n d on the west by
Lebanon a n d the Mediterra nean .
Do m i n ated in turn by the a n cient Hittites, Egyptia ns,
Assyria n s, Babylonians, Persia ns, a n d Greeks, it beca m e
a R o m a n province i n t h e 1 st centu ry B.C. I n va ded by the
Persians and then by the Arabs, it was successivel y Tu rkish,
Mongol, and Ma m e l u ke from the 1 1 th to the 1 6th cen ­
tu ries. U n t i l Worl d W a r I , i t was part o f t h e Otto m a n
E m p i re; afterwa rds it c a m e u n d e r French rule.
I ndependent since 1 946, Syria covers a n a rea of some
72,250 sq u a re m i les. Most of its 5,500,000 popu lation are
Arabs, of whom a bout 1 5 % are C h risti a n, the rest Moslem.
The l argest m i n orities are Kurds, Armenia n s, a n d D ruse.
The main towns are Damascus, the ca pita l , Aleppo, Horns,
H a m a, a n d Lata kia. Though a l l a re a n cient, Damascus
has been popu l a r since the dawn of history, and is men­
tioned in ear l y Egyptia n monuments a n d in the Old Testa­
ment. I t was from there that P a u l, trave l i ng from Ta rsus
to J erusa lem on the "roa d to Dam ascus," becam e con­
verted to Christi a n ity.
1 54

CEDARS OF LEBANON were
u s e d by S a l o m o n to b u i l d h i s

Te m p le . At rig ht, the vast Te m p l e
of J u piter a t Baalbek, i n Syria.

LEBANON, with 4,000 s q u a re m i les, is th e s m a l lest
country i n t h e M i d d l e East, and is n a m e d for t h e s n ow­
cove red M o un ta i n s of Le b a n o n (whose p e a k s rise to
1 0, 0 0 0 feet) o n which the fa mous c e d a rs g rew. The
m o d e r n repu b l i c was formed u n d e r a F r e n c h m a n d ate
i n 1 9 2 0 and beca m e i n depe n d e n t i n 1 94 6 . Of Le b a ­
n o n ' s p o p u l a t i o n of 2 , 200,000 more t h a n h a l f a re
C h risti a n s . Le b a n o n h a s an a b u n d a n t water s u p p ly a n d
a fert i l e coastal p l a i n . Three thousa n d years before t h e
C h risti a n era, t h i s p l a i n was occ u p i e d b y t h e Phoe n i­
c i a ns, t h e c h ief m a ri n ers a n d m e rc h a nts of a ntiqu i ty,
whose m a i n ports were Tyre a n d S i d o n . Le b a n o n ' s
l a rgest city i s Bei rut, the capita l , t h e h o m e o f a fa m o u s
law school i n t he 3 rd century A . D . , a n d n ow the l o c a ­
t i o n o f a g reat America n U n iversity w h i c h h a s stro n g ly
i n fl u e n c e d Ara b ed ucation t h roug hout th e M i d d l e East.
Tripo l i , the seco n d l a rgest city, i s a n o i l p i p e l i n e term i n u s .
Both Arabic a n d French a re spoken i n Leb a n o n . T h e
r u i n s o f a h ug e R o m a n te m p l e at B a a l bek, fi rst n a m ed
for t h e a n ci e n t god B a a l a n d once known as H e liopolis,
a re fa m o u s . The Phoe n i c i a n h a rbor of Byblos, once a
m a rket fo r p a pyrus, is t h e root of the word " Bi b l e . "

1 55

B I B LIOGRA PHY
GENERAL
Ara b s in I s ra e l . Jerusalem, Ministry lor Foreign Affairs, 1 96 1 .
Ben-Gurian, D., Rebirth a n d Destiny of I s rae l . New York, Philosophical Library, 1 954.

Israe l : Years of C h a l lenge. New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston,
1 963.

Bentwich, N., I srael Resurgent. London, Benn, 1 960.
The New Old Land of Israel. London, Allen, 1 960.
El ston, D . R., I srael , The M a k i n g of a Nation. London, Oxford Unl·
versify Press, I 963.

Hausner, G., Justice in Jerusa l e m . New York, Harper, 1 966.
Israel Today Pa m p h lets. A series published by The Jewish Agency
lor Israel. Jerusalem.

Morris, Y., Masters of the Desert: 6,000 Years in the Negev. New
York, Putnam, 1 96 1 .

Pearl m a n , M., The Capture a n d Trial o f Adolf Eic h m a n n . New York,
Simon and Schuster, 1 963.

Steve nson, W., Str i k e Zion. New York, Bantam Books; 1 967.
Weiner, H., The W i l d Goats of Ein Ged i (religious and philosophical
trends). New York, Doubleday, 1 96 1 .

B I OGRAPHY
Bei n, A., Th eodore Herzl. Philadelphia, Jewish Publications Society,
1 94 1 .

Litvinoff,

8.,

Story of David Be n-Gurion. Dobbs Ferry, N. Y., Oceana

Publications, I 960.

Syr k i n , M., The Way of Valor: A Biography of Golda Myerson IMeirl.
New York, Sharon, 1 955.

Wei z m a n n , C h . , Trial and Error (autobiography). London, Hamilton,
1 940.

C ULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Al bright, W. J . , T h e Archaeology of Palest i n e . Harmondsworth, Pen·
guin Books, 1 960.

H a l k i n , S., Modern Hebrew Literature. New York, Schocken, 1 950.
Pea r l m a n , M., H i storical Sites i n I srae l .
Yad i n , Y . , T h e Message o f t h e Scro l ls. New York, Simon and Schuster,
1 957.

Yad i n , Y., Masada. New York, Random House, 1 966.

1 56

ECONOMIC A N D SOCIAL
Baratz, J . , V i l l a g e by t h e Jord a n . Landen, The Harvill Press, 1 954.
Bei n, A., Return Ia the Sa i l . Jerusalem, Zion ist Organization, 1 952.
Coh e n , S. B., Arab V i l lages in I srael.
Darin-Drab k i n , H . , Patterns of Cooperative A g r i c u l t u re i n I srael. Tel
Aviv, Israel I n stitute for Books, 1 962.

Guide to t h e K i bbutz. Tel Aviv, lchud Habonim, 1 963.
Malkosh, N., Co-operation i n Israel. Tel Aviv, Histadrut, 1 96 1 .
Orni, E., Form s o f Sett l e m ent. Jerusalem, Zion ist Organization, 1 960.
S p i ro, M. E., K i b b u tz-Venture in Utopia. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard
University Press, 1 956.

C h i l d ren of t h e Kibbutz. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard Un iversity
Press, I 958.

HISTOR ICAL
Cohen,

1.,

A S hort H istory of Zio n i s m . Lond9 n, Muller, 1 95 1 .

Epste i n , I . , J u d a i s m , A H i stori cal Presentat i o n . Harmondsworth, Pen­
guin, 1 959.

Eytan, W., The Fi rst Ten Years. A Diplomatic History of Israel. New
York, S imon and Schuster, I 958.

Gra nados, G. J., The B i rth of I s ra e l . New York, Knopf, 1 948.
Henriq ues, R., One H u n d red Hours to Suez. New York, Viking Press.
1 957.

levi n , H., Jerusa l e m E m battled. London, Gollancz, 1 950.
Lorch , N., The Edge of the Sword : Israel's War of Independe n ce
1 947- 1 949. London, Putnam, 1 96 1 .

MacD o n a l d , J . , M y Mission i n Israel. New York, Simon and Schuster,
1 95 1 .

Parkes, J . , A H istory o f the Jewi s h People. London, Weidenfeld and
Nicolson, 1 962.

A H i story of Palest i n e From 1 35 A.D. to Modern Ti m es. London,
Gollancz, 1 949.

Share!, Zeev, Th ree Days (birth of Israeli. London, Allen, 1 962.
Sykes, C., Crossroads to I srae l .
Terrien, S., T h e G o l d e n B i b l e A t l a s . N e w York, Golden Press,

I 957.

LAW AND GOVERNMENT
Baker, H . E., T h e Lega l System of I srael. London, Sweet and Maxwell,
1 96 1 .

Rosen ne, S., t h e Constitutional a n d Legal System of I srae l , New
York, Israel Office of I n formation, 1 957.

1 57

I NDEX
Asterisks ( * ) d e note p o g e s o n w h i c h t h e s u b j e ct s a r e i l l ustrated o r di s­

c u ssed i n c a p t io ns .

A b r a h am, 9, 55-56, 101 ,
107 - 108, 134, 143
Abu Simbel, 153
Abys s i n i a , 83
Acre, 67-68, 80* -84,
120, 1 23 , 129
A j l u n, 150
Akko, 120
A l eppo, 19, 154
A l e x a n d e r t h e G reat,
59, 101 ' 122 , 129,
1 3 1 , 150
Amma n, 1 44 * , 147
Anti och, 64, 82 -83
Anto n i a Fortre s s, 103104*

Aqa ba, 1 4 1 - 142* , 147
Arava, 17, 37*, 138
Ark of t h e Covenant,
56, 152
Armageddon, 5 8 *
Arme n i a n s, 80, 83, 154
A s h d a d, 5 6 , 13 1
Ashkelon, 56, 1 3 1 *
Assyrin, 58, 96 * , 101 ,
128, 1 3 1 , 147, 154
Ath l i t, 9 1 * , 122 - 12 3 *
Avdat, 1 3 8 *
Azrop, 150
Baa l bek, 155*
B a bylon, 58-59 , 10 1,
106, 145, 154
Ba g hdad, 63
Sa hai, 80-8 1 * , 122
S a i b a rs, 6 7 , 129 * , 1 SO
B a p tismal C h a p e l, 108 *
S a r Koch ba, 5 1 , 60, 1 1 4
B a s i l ica o f t h e Agony,
103 *
B a s i l ica of t h e A n n u n d a tion, 1 10*
B a s i l ica o f the N a t i v ity,
109
Basi l ica of the T r a n s figuration, 1 1 8 *
S e e r s h e b a , 1 1 , 4 9 , 132 * ,
134 * , 1 3 6 * , 142
Sei rut, 155

1 58

B e i t -Guvr i n , 6 6 *
B e i t-Yerach, 53*
Belvoir, 66*
Ben-Gu rion, 71
Betha ny, 102, 109*

Dama scus, 5 1 , 5 7 , 6 3 ,
82 , 149, 154
Dead Sea, 17, 31, 135136, 139- 140, 145147

B e t h l e h em, 60, 67, 97,
106 , 109
B r i d g e of J i nd a s, 129 *
Byblos, 155
Byza nt i um, 62 -63, 113,
124 - 125, 138

Dead Sea Scro l l s, 505 1 * , 146*
D i mona, 135*
Dome of the Rock, 63 64, 9 1 * , 101 * , 107*
Druses, 72 * , 80- 8 1 *,
1 17, 12 1, 154

Caesa reo, 60-61, 63,
67, 124 * - 12 5
C a i ro, 51, 63, 82 , 153
C a l v a ry, 101 * , 104 * ,
105
Cane, 1 12 *
C ap er no um, 76 * ,
1 13 - 1 14 *
C a rmel, 2 8 - 2 9 * , 3 8 * ,
45* , 52
C a v e of Mach p e l a h,
108
C e d a r s of Lebanon, 128
C haga l l w i n dows, 77*
C horo z i n, 1 12
Church of J o s e p h , 1 10
C h u rch of St. John, 96*
C h u rch of the Hol y
Sepu lchre, 62 -64, 9 1 * ,
101 * , 103 - 105
C h u rch of the I n fant
J e s u s, 1 1 1
C i rca s s i a n s, 66, 8 1 ,
145, 150
Consta n t i n e, 62, 104,
109
Convent of Mary's Fear,
111
Copts, 74*, 80, 83 *
C ruci fi x ion, 103
C rusades, 64-67, 82,
104 * , 1 10, 1 1 4 - 1 15,
120, 123 * - 125, 13 1 * ,
142 , 148, 154
C u rrency, 70
Dabu riya, 1 1 8 *

E d e s s a , 64-67
Edom, 1 4 1 * - 142
E g ypt, 54-59, 6 3 , 66-68,
7 1 , 1 4 1 , 152 * - 4
E i l a t, 15, 3 1 , 8 4 * -85,
132 * , 1 4 1 - 142
E i n Gedi, 4 6 * , 75 * ,
140*
E i n Gev, 1 13 , 1 1 5 *
E i n Hod, 12 1
E i n Ka rem, 96 *
E k ron, 56, 13 1
E I - J a z z a ,. Mosq ue, 80*
El K h a b i l , 108
E ssenes, 5 1 , 146
E s S i q , 149*
Ethiopia, 2 1, 8 3
E t z i o n Geber, 132, 1 4 1 142
E u p h rates, 53, 55, 57,
149
Fou rteen Stations of t h e
C ross, 104* , 107
Franci sca n s, 82 , 1 1 1 1 13 , 1 1 8 *
Ga l i l ee, 1 1 - 12 , 35, 80,
86, 102, 1 10- 1 19 * ,
137*
Goth, 56, 13 1
Gaze, 1 1 , 5 6 , 6 6 , 1 3 1 ,
143, 1 5 1
G e h e n n a , 106
G e t h semene, 10 1 * - 103 * ,
105 * - 106

G o l g o t h a , 62 , 103 , 105
Gomorrah, 140
G r e g o r i a n s , 80
Grotto of the N a t i v i t y ,
109
G u l f of E i lat, 1 1 , 17,
153
H a b b a k u k , 50
H a d a s s a h H o s p i t a l , 77* ,
98*
H a ifa, 8, 1 2 , 49, 66 * 67, 8 1 * , 85-86 * ,
12 1 * - 124
Hall of Last Supper,
82 * , 95*
H a m a , 154
Hamei Zohar, 17
H a re m e l K h a l i l , 108
H a s m o n e a n s , 59, 6 1
H a z e r, 48, 54*
Hebrew U n i ve r s i t y, 49,
98 * , 10 1 * , 130
H eb r o n, 1 1, 55, 108
H e l e n a , 62 * , 104
H e l etz, 16
H e l i o p o l i s , 155
H e rod A nti p a s, 102
H e rod the Great, 606 1 * , 1 14, 124, 13 1,
145, 147
H i ttites, 154
H o l idays, 9
H o rn s, 154
H e r z l , D r . Theodor, 69
H u l e h V a l l e y , 17, 3 6 * ,
4 1 * , 8 6 , 1 13 , 1 1 6 *

Je s u s , 2 1 * , 3 1 * , 51, 60,
80, 8 3 , 95*, 10 1 - 1 15,
118*, 145
John t h e Baptist, 51,
96, l OB * , 144
J o r d a n , 6-8, 64 * , 71 ,
8 1 - 8 2 , 1 4 1 - 1 50 *
J o rdan R i ver, 6 * , 1 1 * �
12 , 17, 108* , 1 12,
1 16, 1 19 * , 139
J o rd o n V a l l e y , 39*,
42* -43, 46, 52,
147, 148
Jose p h ' • tomb, 144
J u d a i s m , 76-79
J u dea, 52, 59-60, 143,
146, 147
J udea n d e sert, 52-53 * ,
139
J u dean h i l l s, 1 1 , 22 * 2 3 * , 52 , 8 6 , 9 1
K a b a b i r , 12 1
Kadesh-Ba rnea, 153
Karai tes, 8 1
Karak, 148
Kfar K a n a , 1 12 *
Kfar Yer ucham, 135
K h i rbet Q u m r a n , 8,
50-51, 146 *
K i b butz i m , 7, 69, 75 * ,
8 8* -89, 124, 133
King S o l o mon ' s P i l l a r s ,
15, 1 6 *
K i ryal N a tzrat, 1 1 1 *
K i sh o n River, 12
K n e sset, 70* -72 , 77
K u rd s , 154

I ra q , 7 2 , 74 * , 83, 154
I s l a m , 63-68, 80- 8 1 ,
1 5 3 . S e e a l so Moslems
I s rael I n st i tute of
Tech n o l o g y, 122 *
J a cobites, 83
J a c o b ' s w e l l , 108 *
J affa, 49, 65, 67, 70,
126, 128- 129 *
Jerash, 150- 151 *
J e r ic ho , 5, 54, 56, 101 * ,
145, 148 *
J e r u s a l e m , 5 * , 12 , 2 8 * ,
48-49, 5 1 ' 5 7-70 * '
82-8 3 * , 9 1 * - 109, 148

Lach i s h , 72
L a k e T i b e r i a s , 53 * , 1 12
(see a l so Sea o f
Gali lee)
Lata k i a , 1 5 4
L a t i n K i ngdom, 64, 6 7
Leba n o n , 8 1-82 , 1 19 * ,
122, 1 4 3 , 154- 155*
L i sa n Lake, 17
Mach p e l a h , 108
Mad a b a , 148
Mag d a l a r u i n s , 1 12
Ma k h t e s h i m , 16*
Manda te, 70, 1 10

M a n d e l b a u m Gate, 6 ,
91*
Mari, 55
M a r o n i tes, 80, 82 , 1 1 1
M a r y ' s We l l , 1 10* , 1 1 1
M a s a d a , 60-6 1 *
M e a S h e a r i m , 99*
Mecca , 80, 142
Megiddo, 58 *
M e n sa C h r i st i , 1 1 1
Mesopota m i a , 54-55,
62
M i n o r i t ies, 80-83
M i tspe-Ramon, 135
Mohammed, 9, 63, 80,
101 , 107, 147
Mona stery of t h e C ross ,
96 *
Mona stery of t h e
D o r m i t i o n , 94* -95*
Mono p h y s i tes , 80, 82-83
M o s h a v i m , 88-89
Moslems, 7, 107-108,
1 10, 114, 120- 12 1 ,
12 3, 12 5, 13 1 , 1 3 8 ,
1 4 2 , 1 5 4 . See a l so
I slam
M o s q u e of A k s a , 106
Mosque of Omar, 107
M I . Atzmon, 1 1 , 1 17
MI. C a n a a n , 1 17
Mt. C a rm e l , 22, 30, 8 1 ,
12 1 - 122
Mt. G e r i z i m , 144
Mt. H e rmon, 1 19 *
Mt . Meron, 1 1 , 1 17
M I . Moriah , 101
M I . Nebo, 148
Mt . of O l i v e s , 9 1 * ,
101 * - 103 * , 105 * - 106,
109
MI. of Tempta t i o n , 145
M t . of the Beatitudes,
1 13 - 1 14 *
M t . Scopus, 98 * , 10 1 *
Mt. S i n a i , 152
M t . Tabor, 8 6 * , 1 18 *
Mi. Z i on , 82 * , 95*
Museums, 49, 5 1 * , 147,
153
N a b a teans, 132 -133 * ,
1 3 8 * , 147, 149, 150
N a b l u s , 108 * , 144

1 59

N a h a l , 53 , 89 * , 1 3 0
N a h a r i a , 66*
N o p h to l i , 7 7 *
Nothonyo, 1 2 *
N a t i o n a l Water C a rrier,
85*, 1 1 2 , 1 3 3
N o tufi a ns, 52
N a zareth, 8, 64, 67,
1 1 0*- 1 1 3
N eg ev , 1 I * - 1 2 * , 1 6 * ,
1 8 , 2 7 * , 3 4 * -35, 3 9 * ,
57, 72, 8 5 * - 87,
1 32 * - 1 3 8
N i l e R i ver, 53, 1 52 * - 1 53
Oron , 1 3 5
Ottoman E m p i re , 1 54
Ou tremer, 6 4
Pater No ste r C h u rc h ,
101*
Peter t h e H e r m i t , 6 4
Petra, 1 49 *
Petrie, Sir F l i nders, 48
P h i l i st i n e s, 56-57, 63 ,
1 0 1 , 1 05 * , 1 28 , 1 3 1
Phoenicians, 1 9* , 57,
73, 1 55
P o n t i u s Pi late , 6 0 - 6 1 * ,
1 03 , 1 07, 1 2 4
Pope Pa u l V I , 8 2 * ,
1 02 * , 1 1 4 *
Q o l 'et e r - Ro b o d , 1 50
Qosr a l Smra, 1 50
Qosr Musho tto , 1 50
R a b b i n a te, C h i ef, 77*
Romo l l o h , 1 44
R o m l o , 63 * , 8 1 , 8 5 , 9 1 *
Red C a n y o n , I 3 2 *
Red Sea, 3 1 -3 3 * , 1 32 ,
1 4 1 - 1 42 * , 1 47, 1 52

Rehovoth, 1 30
Rift V o l ley, 1 1 , 1 7
R i s ho n - l e - Z i on, 1 30 *
R u s s i a n C a t hedra l , 96*
Sabra, 4 *
Sofo d , 66, 1 1 6 * - 1 1 7 *
St. A n ne' s C h urch, 6 6 * ,
1 04 *
S t . J o h n ' s C rypt, 1 20 *
S o m a ria , 1 1 , I 0 8 * , 1 44 ,
1 47
S a n h e d r i a , 97*
Sa u d i Ara b i a , 1 4 1
Shechem, I 44
Sde Boker, 1 38
Sdom, 1 35 - 1 36, 1 40
S d o t Yom, 1 25
S e a o f Ga l i lee, 1 1 , 1 7,
3 1 , 3 9 * , 53* , 8 5 * ,
1 1 2 - 1 1 6, 1 33
Sebostio , 1 44
S h r i n e of The Book,
49 , 5 1 *
S i d o n , 57, I 55
S i n a i , 56, 1 52
S o d o m , 1 40
Solomon, I 5, 53, 57-58,
1 07, 1 2 8, 1 32, 1 41 *
Suez , 32, 7 1
Susito, 1 1 3
Synagogues, 76-77,
1 1 1 , 1 1 6*
"Synagogue C h u rc h , "
111
S y ri a , 58-60, 8 1 -83,
1 1 5 * , 1 43 , 1 54- 1 55*

T e l l , 48 * - 49
Tel Q u o s i l e , 54*
Temp l o r C a s t l e, 1 23 *
T i berios, 1 7, 53, 64, 69,
1 1 1 - 1 1 5*
T i m no , 1 5 - 1 6 * , 26, 1 3 6,
141 *
T o m b of t h e P a t r i a r c h s ,
1 08
T r i b e s of I s r a e l , 5 5 , 7 7 *
T r i p o l i , 64, 1 55
lyre, 57, 65, 1 28 , 1 55
U l p o n i m , 72
V o l l e y of H i n n o m, 1 06
V o l l e y of K i d ro n , 1 06
V i a D o l oroso, 1 03 - 1 04 *
V i r g i n ' s Fou n t a i n , 1 1 1
Wadi Ar o , 1 37 *
W ad i M u ro bo o t, 5 1
Wad i Notufo, 52
Wa i l i n g Wal l , 60,
1 06 * - 1 07
War of I nd ep end ence,
71 *
W e i z m a n n I n stitute of
Science, 1 30 *
W i lderness o f Z i n , 1 3 8
Yod V o s h e m , 99*
Y a r k o n Ri ver , 1 2 , 1 33
Yarmuk River, 52
Yehud o , E l i e z e r B e n , 73
Y e m e n i tes, 5*, 72 , 74* 75*

Tobgho, 62 * , 1 1 3 - 1 1 4 *
Ta rs u s , 1 54
Tech n i o n C i ty, 1 22 *
Tel Aviv, 1 1 - 1 2, 49, 70,
8 1 , 1 24, 1 26 - 1 29

Z i o n i st Movement, 6 8 * 69, 1 29- 1 30
Z c h o r, 1 6

All photogra p h s a r e by Werner Braun, w i t h t h e exception of t hose o n the
fol l o w i n g p a g e s : 48 : H e b rew U n i versity , N . Y. , 50, 54 top l eft, 59, 6 1 bot.
r i g h t , 69: I s rael To u r i st Office, Tel Aviv 54 top r i g h t : I s rael M u s e u m , Jeru­
s a l e m , 64 left, 1 03 , 1 04, 1 07, 1 42 r ight , 1 43, 1 44, 1 46, 1 48 l eft, 1 49 l eft,
1 5 1 : Jorda n i a n Tou rist Office, N . Y. , 90 : B i b l i ot h e q u e N o t i o n o l e , Paris, 82
left, 1 02 , 1 05, 1 08 , 1 09, 1 1 4 r i g h t, 1 48 right, 1 49 r i g h t, 1 52, 1 55 : Epoco, 1 06 :
W i d e World.
'C h a rts a nd m a p s : p p . 1 0, 5 5 , 5 6 , 5 7 : Golden P r e s s , 1 4 - 1 5 : S o c i e t e fra n s a i s e
d 'etudes et d e rea l i sa t i o n s cortog ro p h i q u e s ( S . F . E . R .C . ) , 1 3 , 92-93 : Societe
g r o p h i q u e et ca rtog r o p h i q u e .

1 60

8

c

D

E

G

A GOLDEN REGI ONAL G U I D E

R I N NA SAM U E L, a well-known freelance journalist
and editor of Rehovoth, published by the Welzmann
I nstitute of Science, came to Israel as a child In 1 934.
Born In London, she Is a g raduate of New York U n i­
versity's School of J ournalism and has been a staff
member of Time and the New York Times. In Israel,
she has edited various magazines and books, Includ­
Ing two sociological studies, and wriHen g u ides to the
Galilee and to the N egev. Her articles appear I n U . S.
and E u ropean periodicals. M rs. Samuel l ives In Reho­
voth , Israel. She Is ma rried to a research scie ntist and
has three children.

W E R N E R BRAUN Is one of Israel's leading photog­
raphers, whose pictures regularly appear in major
publications throughout the world, and have been
used to I l lustrate many books. He Is particularly In­
terested In landscape and underwater p hotography.
Mr. Braun was born In Germany, educated I n Sweden
and has l ived In Jerusalem for the past twenty years.

WALTER F E R G U S O N Is a well-known naturalist-Illus­
trator who now l ives I n Israel.

I SRAEL AND THE HOLY LAND is an
up-to-date g u i d e to the h i story-laden
lands of the B i b l e . Concise, readab l e
a n d a u t h o r i ta t i v e , i t p r e s e n ts a
wealth of i nformation to a i d the tour­
ist and d e l ight the a rmc h a i r trave ler.
I l l u strated with h u n d reds of f u l l-col­
or photographs, pai nti ngs, maps.
TIPS FOR TOU R I STS
Geography • Geol ogy
Natura l h i story • Archaeol ogy
H i story • Customs and t rad itions
Modern Israel
C i ti e s and sites
N e i ghboring countries

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