Regarded by many as one of the most solemn days on the Jewish calendar, Tisha B’Av is a day of worldwide communal mourning for the Jewish community. Tisha B’Av is an observed fast day in Israel, and throughout the worldwide Jewish community, much like Yom Kippur (the most solemn day, the Day of Atonement). It...Read More

It has been said that good food is very often the simplest food. And if your culinary adventures happen to take you to a city in a far-flung corner of the world, consider making Jerusalem your starting point. Renowned for its rich history, Jerusalem is acclaimed equally for its food. A perfect mélange of Eastern...Read More

In the Judean Lowlands, not far from Jerusalem, stands a low hill—or a tel, in Hebrew—which overlooks the fertile Sorek Valley. The hill was once home to Beit Shemesh, a small city with an extensive history in the biblical record. The name Beit Shemesh—meaning “House of the Sun”—lends some clues as to its beginnings as...Read More

Located less than 10 miles south of Jerusalem, and a stone’s throw from Bethlehem, the ancient city of Herodium stands in stark contrast to its surrounding area. One of the most immediately notable features is the nearly 2,500-foot volcano-like hill which seems to rise majestically out of the desert. It is on this hilltop where...Read More

During the time of Joshua, the Israelites, after the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River, made their first encampment “on the eastern edge of Jericho” in a place that would later be called “Gilgal”. The name “Gilgal” (likely meaning “circle of stones” in Hebrew) was given based on God’s pronouncement in Joshua 5:9: Then the...Read More

At the heart of the Shavu’ot celebration is God’s provision for His people, both practically and spiritually. Shavu’ot ultimately invites Jews to remember where they came from, where they are now, and their covenant with God, who brought them there. It is a celebration of one people and one nation who serve one God. One...Read More

Jerusalem is home to many sacred sites and churches, and a visitor to Israel will discover that many of these churches are built on or near a significant event in the life of Jesus Christ. The Church of Mary Magdalene, one of the most iconic of all the churches in Jerusalem, is seated on the...Read More

Located on the western edge of the Judean foothills lies a triangular area of land known as the Valley of Elah. The Hebrew name Elah comes from the terebinth tree, related to the pistachio tree, and is quite populous in the region. An easy drive from both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, the Elah Valley and...Read More

After the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the rebirth of the State of Israel in 1948, several holidays were added to the Jewish calendar, each commemorating an important aspect of Israel’s history and existence. In particular, two days, forever connected, back-to-back on both the Jewish and Gregorian calendars, from sunset to sunset—Yom Ha’Zikaron,...Read More

Yom HaShoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, is a national memorial day in Israel. The full name of the holiday is Yom HaShoah Ve-Hagevurah, translated as the “Day of (remembrance of) the Holocaust and the Heroism.” The day was selected in a resolution passed by the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, on April 12, 1951. Yom...Read More