Following the conclusion of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, Jewish communities throughout the world begin a joyous and colorful celebration called Simchat Torah, meaning the “rejoicing of the Torah,” or the “rejoicing of the Jewish law.” A spectacular holiday focusing on the gift and significance of the Torah, Simchat Torah is a compilation of ancient...Read More

Regarded as the holiest and most solemn holiday on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur is also known as the Day of Atonement in the Bible. Commencing on the tenth day in the Hebrew month of Tishrei, as commanded in the Bible, Leviticus 16:29–34, Yom Kippur signifies the final opportunity for Jewish people to seek atonement,...Read More

Considered by the Jewish community to be one of the holiest and most special times of the year, Rosh HaShanah marks the beginning of the new year on the Jewish calendar. Also called the Feast of Trumpets, Rosh HaShanah commemorates God’s creation and acceptance of His power and sovereignty over the world. It is also...Read More

Half hidden in the windblown landscape of southern Jordan, the ancient sandstone city of Petra has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, as well as being a UNESCO World Heritage site. Petra was built in the third century BC by the Nabataeans, a community of master builders who, besides being...Read More

The ancient Mediterranean seaport of Caesarea Maritima is perhaps one of Israel’s most famous attractions. Located about halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa on the Mediterranean Coast in the lower Galilee, the city was first built in the third century BC, but its popularity and importance grew when Herod the Great established it as an...Read More

Gilgal, a name that is mentioned 39 times in the Old Testament, is an important biblical destination, yet does not have an exact location. It was once an actual site, and still is—if anyone could pinpoint exactly where the original spot is located—which only deepens the mystery. To make things even more confusing, scholars believe there...Read More

Tisha B’Av is regarded by many as one of the most solemn days on the Jewish calendar and is a day of worldwide communal mourning for the Jewish community.  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...Read More

Long considered the oldest seaport in the world, the city of Jaffa is often overlooked as simply the older sister of its larger neighbor Tel Aviv, but it’s much more than that. Perched atop a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Jaffa was a strategic prize. With a natural harbor and fertile soil, it was conquered...Read More

Nestled on Israel’s northern coast, just above Tel Aviv, the ancient port city of Acre (or as the locals call it, Akko) is one of the world’s oldest cities and certainly one of the most heavily fortified. Fast becoming a popular travel destination—and one of many historic rest stops along Israel’s azure Mediterranean coast, Akko...Read More

No one likes pyramid schemes—except for the ruling class in ancient Egypt who some 4,000 years ago constructed colossal pyramids to house their mummified pharaohs in preparation for their journey to the next world. The Egyptian priests were serious about their funeral arrangements—eschewing the “you can’t take it with you” minimalist philosophy by packing a...Read More