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Category: Old & Ancient
The Temple Menora and the Last Coins of the Macabees
If you look closely at the modern Israeli 10 Agorot coin, you’ll notice something strange. It has an engraving of an irregular-shaped ancient coin on it. That ancient coin was minted by Mattathias Antigonus (Matityahu), the last King of the Hasmonean Dynasty. As you may know, the Maccabees who defeated the Syrian/Greeks in the Chanukah…
Which Gate to Jerusalem is this? Shechem? Nablus? Damascus?
This is a vintage photo of one of the most popular gates entering the Old City of Jerusalem. Which is it? When pilgrims came to Jerusalem for the festivals (or any other reason) and they were ready to return home, they would ask the local people, “Which gate do I exit if I’m going to Jaffa?”…
Breichat HaKatzinim – Syrian Officers’ Pool
This natural spring-fed pool near the Banias Springs on the Golan Heights provided shady relief for Syrian Military Officers from the blazing hot summer sun… thanks to Israel’s greatest spy! Eli Cohen was recruited by the Israeli Mossad in the late 1950s to infiltrate the Syrian government. He posed as a wealthy businessman and entertained…
Rare 1913 Video of Trumpledor at Migdal
Here’s a rare film from 1913 showing a one-armed Joseph Trumpeldor plowing a field in Migdal (at the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee) shortly after he arrived in Israel from Russia. You can see the Arbel mountain and the Kinneret in the background. Trumpeldor was the most highly decorated Jewish soldier in the…
The Land Lay Barren for 2000 Years
We live in the tribal lands of Naphtali, which according to Yaakov’s blessing the most fertile land of Israel. Yet from the time of the Roman exile of the Jews almost 2000 years ago, the land lay barren. This is what the land looked like here in Yavne’el in 1911 when the Jews returned and…
Mysterious Dove in the Doorway
Almost everyone who visits Jerusalem, spends some time exploring the Old City as part of their visit to the Kotel (Western Wall). Many people don’t realize that it was actually the “Southern Wall” that was the main entryway to the Temple Mount for Jewish pilgrims who came to bring their offerings to the Temple. Today…
Empty Chairs for Yom HaAtzmaut
In Israel it’s late afternoon, and Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers is winding down. It’s a very sad day in this country as virtually everyone either has their own friend or relative who died fighting for our country, or knows someone who lost a loved one. Israel is a very small place with a…
Jewish soldiers in Jerusalem in 1919?!
During WWI the British captured Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks on December 9 of 1917. This began a year-long campaign by the British to liberate all of “Palestine” from the enemy. And did you know, that on that same night, the Jewish people celebrated the first night of Chanukah! The anniversary of the rededication of…
Sabra Sportscar – Made in Israel
Did you know Israel actually made cars in the 1960’s?! In 1960, Yitzhak Shubinsky contracted with Reliant, who were already making cars in Israel, to combine an Ashley body, Leslie Ballamy chassis and a 1700 cc Ford engine into a convertible sports-car. The name “Sabra” was chosen because it means both “born in Israel” and…
According to the Effort is the Reward
We are not in control of results in this world. Only God is. We can only control how much effort we choose to put into a task to help achieve our goals. In the Mishna, Ben Heh Heh teaches us, “According to the Effort is the Reward.” That means, when we undertake a job consistent…
