Located atop an isolated plateau in the Judean Desert, surrounded by nothing but desert and the Dead Sea, Masada is one of the most widely visited sites within the Holy Land, and for good reason. Translated from the Hebrew for “fortress,” Masada’s storied past can be recited by rote by nearly every schoolchild in Israel....Read More

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. Always observed on the ninth day of the month of Av, hence Tisha (ninth) b’Av (in the month of Av) on the Jewish calendar, Tisha b’Av is a...Read More

Travel just 15 minutes southwest from the center of Jerusalem, and you will find the postcard-perfect village of Ein Karem nestled in the foothills. Often a stopping-off place for visitors exploring beyond the bounds of the city, Ein Karem offers European-style hospitality with quiet cobblestone alleyways and charming homes surrounded by lush green hills and...Read More

An unprecedentedly vast Neolithic settlement — the largest ever discovered in Israel and the Levant, say archaeologists — is currently being excavated ahead of highway construction five kilometers from Jerusalem, it was announced on Tuesday. The 9,000-year-old site, located near the town of Motza, is the “Big Bang” for prehistory settlement research due to its...Read More

Named for the abundance of olive groves that once flourished on its slopes, the Mount of Olives has a long and storied past. Also known as Mount Olivet, this mountain ridge to the east of Jerusalem’s Old City is one of the most widely recognized sites of significance within the Holy Land. From the time...Read More

This hidden gem of a national park is arguably one of the most important biblical sites in the history of Israel. Known in the time of Joshua as “the head of all those kingdoms” (Joshua 11:10), Tel Hazor is located in the eastern part of the Upper Galilee region. The 200-acre tel (archaeological mound made...Read More

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, according to Marilyn Monroe, but precious and semi-precious stones were used thousands of years before to make amulets, impression seals and objects in the Temple and to beautify the robes of the High Priest. A selection of stones of various types, including talc, amethyst, serpentine, chalcedony, lapis lazuli,...Read More

Shavu’ot is one of the most significant holidays on the Jewish calendar. The word shavu’ot translates in Hebrew to “weeks,” lending credence to one of its more recognizable names, the “Festival of Weeks.” In the Greek, the word translates to Pentecost, which is the name familiar to most Christians. Shavu’ot is celebrated 50 days—or seven...Read More

Known in Scripture only as “the brook Kidron,” the Kidron Valley runs north to south between the Mount of Olives and the eastern wall of the Temple Mount. The 20-mile long stretch naturally descends 4,000 feet and tapers off into the Dead Sea. Originally filled by the Gihon Spring, the flow of water in the...Read More

Each country observing memorial ceremonies for their fallen soldiers does so in a unique way, incorporating protocol imbedded in their cultural traditions. The same is true for countries celebrating their national independence. In Israel, the two days, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut, when Israelis observe their fallen soldiers and immediately afterwards celebrate their national independence,...Read More