By: Rebecca and Jason

Last weekend we took a much anticipated trip to Jordan to visit Petra. Our friend (and fellow Fulbrighter) Alex came with us. We got so much more out of the trip having an archaeologist along for the ride!

A UNESCO world heritage site and one of the new seven wonders of the world, Petra has to be seen to be believed. Originally established by the Nabataeans as a necropolis (city of the dead), Petra eventually became a capital city for the living. The Nabataeans were eventually absorbed into the Roman Empire, but the city of Petra continued to play an important role in military and trade routes for centuries. Though there are ruins from nearly every era to see at Petra, by far the most impressive are the elaborate tombs carved into the pink sandstone. 

The Royal tomb

Our plan was to visit Petra on Friday and start back to Israel Saturday morning. The weather had other plans. We woke up to clouds and as we stood in line for tickets, it began to rain. We decided to buy 2-day tickets for a few extra dinar and cross our fingers that the rain would let up. As we walked down the road toward the Siq (canyon), it was windy, cloudy, and misty, but nothing we couldn't handle. 

About halfway down the Siq, the weather took a turn for the worse. It started snowing/hailing/freezing rain all at once accompanied by loud rumbles of thunder. I wondered out loud if we might become trapped in the canyon. We made it as far as the Treasury (impressive even in the rain!), but took one look at the sudden appearance of waterfalls from the canyon rim and a river running through the Siq and decided not to continue. We were holed up in a souvenir and tea stall with tourists from all over the world and a bunch of Bedouins. Jason had a deep discussion with one of the Bedouin men about religion and politics. We were eventually rescued by pickup trucks where we piled in like cord wood and held on tight for a bumpy ride back up through the canyon.

Cloudy, rainy walk into the Siq

Snow accumulated along the Roman road

Tourists being rescued

The next day, we started out at sunrise for Petra, take 2. As the sun rose, the sandstone came alive with rose and orange - stunning against the blue sky. The Siq alone is worth seeing. At every turn along the road there is another gorgeous view. Pictures do not do any justice to the colors of the sandstone. 

The Siq in the sunlight

You have to appreciate the magnitude and breadth of Petra. You feel like you are really entering another world. You don't just park your car and walk in. Once you have your ticket, you walk down a long road just to get to the entrance to the canyon. A horse ride down this road is included in your ticket, but we elected to walk so we could see the sights along the way. When you get to the canyon, it is almost another mile to get into the park proper! You can take a "desert taxi" - camels or donkeys - if you want to save your energy for later. 

Simple tombs carved into the sandstone cliff

Perhaps the most famous view in Petra is the Treasury. You may recognize the site from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The Treasury is actually a tomb from the later part of the Nabataean period. Much to Jason's dismay, it does not house the Holy Grail, gold, or any other exciting things. Although the Treasury may be the most famous site in Petra, there are hundreds of other tombs, some of them opulent and others just basic holes carved into the rock. There is also an amphitheater, a large temple complex, a Roman colonnaded street, and two Byzantine churches.

The Treasury

View from the Royal Tomb

Guard at the Royal tomb

With all the walking and exploring, we were grateful to be invited by a Bedouin woman to sit down for some tea. We started chatting with her and she was delighted to discover that Alex knew the archaeologists who had been working at Petra for years. "Martha is your friend, Martha is my friend, so you are my friend," she told Alex. 

Jason, Alex, a friendly Bedouin girl, and an
especially friendly donkey

The final highlight of the trip was the taxi ride back from Petra to the border crossing in Aqaba. We were prepared to bargain, but the first driver we came upon offered us an excellent deal so after a quick inspection of his car (we had a less than stellar vehicle for the ride there), we hopped in. Jason sat in front and chatted with our driver who spoke excellent English. An exceptional driver, he appeared to be a regular cabbie until, upon further prying, we found out that he used to be an official chauffeur for the Jordanian royal family. You may not believe him, but he made that Toyota Corolla feel like a Rolls-Royce (just one of the many cars he drove for the former King). 

More photos (and a video of the snow) from Petra:

Petra Trip March 2014

By: Rebecca and Jason

Last year, we were pleasantly surprised at how green the northern part of Israel is in the spring. We were fortunate to go on several trips to the Galilee and the Golan to see some of Israel's loveliest natural areas. It was something we wanted to do again this year.

Jason's aunt and uncle stayed with us for a few days this week and we decided another trip up north was in order. On the recommendations of friends and our trusty Lonely Planet guidebook, we set out for Gamla. A nature reserve in the Golan, Gamla is home to Israel's highest waterfall, rare Griffon vultures, and the remains of a fortified Jewish settlement. Led by Josephus Flavius, ancient Gamla joined the Jewish revolt against the Romans in 66 CE, but after a siege and subsequent attack, was defeated and it's inhabitants killed. Josephus escaped by agreeing to join the Romans and it is his writings that tell us the story of Gamla. The city was never rebuilt by the Romans and was forgotten about for 1,900 years until its rediscovery during a survey of the Golan Heights in 1968 after the Six-Day War.

Ancient Gamla on the side of the mountain

The scenery at Gamla is stunning. In the green of spring, the fields are awash with wildflowers and the waterfall flows dramatically down the face of the cliff. The cliffs are home to the nests of several different species of raptors; among them, the endangered Griffon vulture. Not beautiful, but certainly impressive, Griffon vultures grow to over 3 ft tall with a wingspan of almost 6 feet! We were lucky enough to see a pair guarding their nest. It was a beautiful day and the scenery is gorgeous, but the machine gun fire from the nearby army practice range is a little disconcerting. The signs tell you to please not shout in case you should disturb the birds, but I have to wonder if the machine gun fire isn't worse. 

Gamla cliffs

Gamla falls

One of the other surprising and impressive sites at Gamla are the stone formations clustered together in the fields. Known as dolmens, these 4,000 year-old stone tables are thought to have been ancient burial tombs used by nomadic tribes during the Bronze Age. This park, as many do in Israel, characterizes the presence of different peoples over thousands of years of history.

Ancient dolmen and giant fennel

Along with the lovely spring wildflowers, there are a variety of trees and shrubs including oak, pistachio, Judas tree, and willow. The vegetation is especially lush near the Gamla stream and serves as a home to all kinds of birds and frogs, which we were so surprised to hear. There aren't a lot of amphibians in such a dry country!

Spring wildflowers

Gamla is definitely one of our favorite national parks. We are glad we visited in the spring when the flowers were in full bloom and it wasn't oppressively hot. The surrounding area is home to several other parks and some great wineries. On a future visit to Israel, we'd love to explore it some more. 

See more photos from our adventure in the album below:

Gamla Nature Reserve

Jason's sister Beth, her husband Dick, and their two boys, Berni and Jesse took a family trip to Israel. Though they wanted to visit with us, they also spent a portion of their trip volunteering. We had a great time with them, but their trip was about much more than just visiting family and being tourists. Here's what they had to say:

Our trip to Israel far exceeded our expectations. By coordinating with the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Jewish Federation of W. Mass. we were able to plan a trip that gave our family an Israel experience far beyond a tour of the country.

When we first arrived in Israel we stayed with family in Haifa. During the several days we spent in that port city we shopped at an outdoor market in an Arab neighborhood, strolled around the Old City of Akko, swam in the Mediterranean Sea, and toured the subterranean caves of Rosh Hanikrah.

From Haifa we drove southeast to Afula for our volunteer work. In between our volunteer activities we toured the remains of a Crusader-era castle at Belvoir National Park, swam in spring-fed waters at Gan Hashlosha, visited tombs in burial caves at Bet She'arim, and returned to Haifa for a tour of the Marine Biology Department at Haifa University.

Exploring Belvoir Castle

Our first volunteer experience was with Project Leket at Moshav Nahalal, where we picked beets for underprivileged families. After two hours of gleaning, the volunteer coordinator showed us the huge plastic crate we had filled and told us it would feed 133 families in need! This experience taught our children the true meaning of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world.

Picking beets at Moshav Nahalal

On the same day we picked beets, we also volunteered at a community public library located in Afula and operated by The Tarbut (Cultural) Movement. Here we helped sort games and puzzles that had been donated for underprivileged children from one of Afula's rougher neighborhoods. A group of young adults told the story of The Tarbut Movement, a non-profit national movement of pioneering young artists who reside and work as Tarbut Communities ('urban kibbutzim') in weakened towns and cities throughout Israel. The group uses art and culture as a vehicle for self-empowerment and social change to reshape the future of Israel, promoting values of social solidarity, equality, democracy and tolerance. The young adults we met were inspirational and served as wonderful role models for our children.

Sorting puzzles

The next day we volunteered at the Bet Alfa Absorption Center, a Jewish Agency facility for new immigrants from Ethiopia. While our children played games with the Ethiopian children, a middle-aged Ethiopian woman told us her story of how she came to Israel from her native country 30 years ago. It was an emotional first-hand account of a long journey filled with hopes and fears and it is a story we will never forget. Afterwards, our whole family helped the children plant flower boxes of herbs. When it was finally time to say goodbye, nobody wanted us to leave! We all wish we could have spent more time there.

Children at the Bet Alfa Absorption Center

Later that evening the Gilboa family hosted us for dinner on a moshav near the Bet Alpha Absorption Center. The family has four daughters, all of whom got along wonderfully with our two boys. The food was amazing and there was so much of it we couldn't possibly try it all. We talked to the Gilboas about family life in Israel and, more specifically, living on a moshav. It was a wonderful evening and we were so grateful for the opportunity to eat and socialize with the Gilboas.

While engaging in volunteer work in the Afula region we stayed at Kibbutz Yizreel, where we experienced life on a kibbutz. Every morning we ate breakfast at the dining hall and talked to several residents to learn what it is like to live on the kibbutz. Our host's husband gave us a tour of the kibbutz's factory, which manufactures automated pool cleaners. The whole experience was fascinating and led to many family conversations about communal living.

The scenic Gilboa Heights

From Afula we drove southeast again to view the Dead Sea. Then we drove west to Jerusalem, where we stayed in a hotel for two nights. During our trip to Jerusalem we walked on the ramparts of the Old City, prayed at the Kotel, and toured the tunnels underneath the Kotel. On our last day in Jerusalem we visited Mahane Yehuda Market, a large indoor/outdoor market with fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses and much more. We shopped at the market on a Friday morning and it was packed with people buying food in preparation for Shabbat.

Berni, Jesse, and Jason at Mahane Yehuda Market

Buying cheese at Mahane Yehuda

From Jerusalem we drove northwest to Hashmonaim, a yishuv located about 15 minutes southeast of Tel Aviv. Here we spent Shabbat in an observant community. After Shabbat we visited Yad Lashiryon in Latrun, which houses over 200 armored tanks, many of which were used in the Six-Day and the Yom Kippur wars. We also toured the Bell Caves at Bet Guvrin. Later that night we had dinner with family and traveled to Tel Aviv for our flight home. 

Getting to know our cousins

Yad Lashiryon

By: Rebecca

We woke up yesterday morning to partly sunny skies and what we thought were rain clouds to the southwest, but when we stepped outside, hot air hit us in the face. Those weren't rain clouds, it was dust. By 11:00 am, the wind picked up, visibility dropped to less than a mile, the air smelled like dirt, and the sky was an eerie shade of pink. The first dust storm of the year had arrived.

In Hebrew (and Arabic, too) "khamsin" is the word for the hot winds that carry dust from Africa and the Arabian peninsula. You can usually smell them before they arrive, the air smells like dirt long before you can no longer see the sun or the sea. Ordinarily, the storms arrive overnight and begin to abate by evening. Yesterday the storm arrived late and at 11:00 pm, I still couldn't see Haifa port through the haze. This morning, the sun is shining a bit stronger, but the dust is still hanging in the air. 

The two pictures below were taken from our balcony. They show pretty much the same view so you can see the difference between a clear day and a khamsin day. 

Haifa on a clear day

Haifa during a dust storm

According to many of our friends, last year's three severe dust storms were the worst they could remember. This winter was also one of the driest so I'm really hoping that the storms aren't even worse this spring. They are certainly starting early - not a good sign...

By: Rebecca

Although we've been in Israel for over a year now (!), there are still many places on our "must see" list. Last week we finally checked another one off. The Israel Museum in Jerusalem is the largest museum in the country and houses some 500,000 objects from contemporary art and sculpture to ancient artifacts and everything in between. 

We spent six hours at the museum and saw perhaps half of the exhibits. There is no way you can see the whole thing in one day unless you just walk through without stopping to read anything at all. We focused our visit on the Shrine of the Book, the Jewish life exhibit, the archaeology wing, and the scale model of Jerusalem. 

Originally constructed in 1962 at a hotel in Jerusalem in memory of the owner's son (who died during the War of Independence), the 50:1 scale model was transferred to the museum in 2006. It is impressive to look at, but also very helpful. After seeing it, we have a much better understanding of the geography of the Old City and how it was built up in layers over the years. 

Scale model of Jerusalem during the 2nd Temple Period

Jason conquering Jerusalem

One of the most impressive exhibits is the Shrine of the Book - a separate wing of the museum that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient manuscripts such as the Aleppo Codex. Considering the scrolls are ~2000 years old, it is impressive that the parchment is as well-preserved, and the writing as legible, as it is. 

The Shrine of the Book

Inside the museum is just as impressive. The exhibits are well laid out and informative. We took a free tour of some of the Jewish life wing and although we doubled-back to see things that were skipped over, the tour covered most of the highlights of the collection and our guide gave excellent background on the stories behind some of the objects. Among the more impressive pieces are four synagogues that were dismantled, brought to Israel, and reconstructed in the museum. From Suriname (South America), India, Italy, and Germany, the synagogues represent a wide range of architecture and traditions from around the world. 

Chanukiot from around the world

One of my other favorite exhibits was the ancient manuscripts. There were all kinds of books, from an enormous mahzor (prayer book) to several Passover haggadot all decorated with beautiful illuminations. There was also a video detailing the processes to produce the stunning colors and gold embossing. Having read The People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks, seeing how these manuscripts were decorated was all the more interesting. 

An illuminated manuscript

Our last stop was the archaeology wing.  Vast and covering pretty much everything there is to cover, the exhibit starts with the dawn of civilization and ends with fairly modern history. It was a lot to take in, and we skipped around a bit since we'd just been to several other museums that covered history from the Romans-present day. We did spend quite a bit of time in the glass exhibit, which I loved. We probably could have spent another hour or two in that wing alone, but there is only so much you can take it at once.

Glass in all colors

If you are in Israel, we highly recommend a trip to the Israel museum. Get the map, the free audio guide and spend a few minutes planning your visit over coffee at a museum cafe. There's a lot to see and you probably won't get through everything. We did learn that you can save your ticket and use it to get 50% off your next visit (within 3 months) so you can go back and see what you missed. There are free tours of different exhibits during the day if you want a more in depth look at anything in particular. 

For the second time in a month, we had guests visiting us in Haifa. This time, Jason's sister Sara and her boyfriend Eric were here for a week. Here's what they had to say about their week in Israel...

We just returned from our trip to Israel to visit Jason and Rebecca, and all we can say is “waaaaaahhhhhhh”.  We did not want to leave!! Our trip was full of beautiful sites, amazing stories and delicious treats.  Not only that, but we got to spend some quality time with my brother and his girlfriend, which is worth way more than a pile of baklava any day. 

The first night we were in Israel was spent with my cousin, Sharon, and her family.  It’s been 3 years since I’ve seen them all and it was a perfect start to our trip.  We played cribbage with their son Ezra, joked around with Avidan (another son) and had breakfast with the whole family the next morning.  Next time we come to Israel we are absolutely staying with them for more than one night!

We made it to Haifa in one piece the next morning, only slightly jet-lagged and ready for some adventures! Our journey started with a visit to the most incredible mosaic-tiled Tunisian synagogue we’ve ever seen (see Jason and Rebecca’s post for pics), and then a trip to Akko, a fortress city with some bangin’ hummous and a relaxed atmosphere.  Then we went to the most northern point of Israel to visit the caves of Rosh Hanikra.  Jay and Rebecca (who will be referred to as J&R from now on for simplicity sake) had already been to this site, so we explored this on our own and were AMAZED to view the caverns filled with turquoise water.  Such beautiful views all around!

View outside the caves of Rosh Hanikra

The next stop was quite unexpected, to say the least!  Achzivland is a micronation of Israel, founded in 1970 and inhabited by only two people (and several dogs and cats).  The couple literally founded their own nation, for reasons unknown, which is nestled in the northern part of Israel on the shores of the Mediterranean.  They even have their own passport stamps!!  On their land is a museum of sorts with a random assortment of pottery, statues, dolls and coins.  Their land also allowed access to the beach, where we combed the sands for sea glass and artifacts while the sun set across the Mediterranean.

Eric tries to conquer Achzivland

All four of us in Achzivland

Our next day was filled again with a visit to Capernaum, which is located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and is home to two ancient synagogues built one over the other (circa late 4^th century CE).  Today, there is a “floating” octagonal church built over the 5^th century CE church on this site, which was quite the impressive engineering feat.

Impressive architectural church built over the ruins of
a 5^th century CE church

Next up, we hiked the cliffs of Arbel, overlooking the Sea of Galilee.  This was particularly exciting because J&R had never been before and the views were absolutely breathtaking!  Jay, Rebecca and Eric also got to try their hand at scaling the cliffs.

View of the Galilee from the Arbel Cliff

Eric and I took the next day and hiked Masada and Ein Gedi and then took a dip in the Dead Sea, which was Eric’s first time.  J&R had been to those spots multiple times, so they met up with us in Jerusalem that night, where we had a delicious dinner of flatbreads, stuffed mushrooms, tapenade and homemade pasta.  Eric and Jay went to a local bar afterward, and on the way home Eric performed his first mitzvah when he helped 5 Hasidic men change a tire! 

The following day we all spent exploring Jerusalem.  Eric and I did the underground tunnel tour of the Western Wall and then went shopping in the markets.  Eric was VERY impressed by my haggling skills as I negotiated prices with all of the vendors in the markets.  It is basically expected that you do not pay the price initially given to you and instead, cut it down by half. 

We ended our trip with a walking food tour of Haifa, complete with THE BEST falafel and literally piles and piles of baklava.  It is impossible to really describe the amount of baklava
that was in this shop, but it was jaw-dropping!! 

Hands down the best falafel in the world

Mountain of baklava

Israel is one of the most unique places that either Eric or I have traveled to, and we are so grateful that Jason and Rebecca hosted us and toured us around the country.

By: Rebecca 

As we have talked about several times, Israel's synagogues range from tiny, one-room affairs to large buildings that cover two city blocks. Some are plain and some are ornate, but none of the decorations can compare to the Tunisian synagogue (also known as Or Torah or Djerba) in Akko. 

What makes it so special? The whole building, inside and out is covered in mosaics. Walls, ceilings, floors, even the entire stairwell and the walls inside the arks are mosaics. There are panoramas of Jerusalem and Akko, maps of Israel and the Jewish diaspora, depictions of stories from the Torah, Judaic symbols, and hundreds of animals and plants. The mosaics glow in the light from the hundreds of stained glass windows. The doors to the seven arks (yes seven!) are covered inside and out with silver hammered into beautifully intricate designs. Some of the Torah scrolls themselves are also covered in mantles of inscribed silver. 

You might think that all this decoration would feel like too much, too ornate and overwhelming, but it has quite the opposite effect. Instead, it is like being inside a storybook. We had such fun trying to identify the stories and places - even reading some of the Hebrew! 

Detail of floor mosaic

The mosaic map in the stairwell

Hammered silver doors and mosaics
inside the ark

According to Zion Badasche (a Tunisian-Israeli and founder/caretaker of the synagogue), the mosaics are a work in progress. It has taken 60 years thus far. I can't imagine it will take another 60 years since there are few surfaces left unadorned. The tiles are manufactured in a nearby Kibbutz and include a variety of local stones. Zion was happy to explain things to us (in French or Hebrew) so we had to rely on Eric's French since our Hebrew and Zion's English were not so good. 

Unlike other synagogues, this one is open Sunday-Friday from 9:00 - 1:00 for tourists and photographs are encouraged! It's hard to capture the scope of the mosaics in photos, but we gave it our best shot. 

It's worth a trip to Akko just for the synagogue alone. It is outside the Old City, which makes it even easier to find!  If you can't get to Akko, you can take a look at more of our photos here. Thanks to Sara for bringing her camera!