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Saturday, May 18, 2013
Sivan 9, 5773
3:46 pm IDT
Site updated 14 minutes ago

The Times of Israel

The one-stop news site
covering Israel, the region and
the Jewish people worldwide

Founding editor:
David Horovitz

Fair, fresh and fast

The Jewish world's
fastest-growing
news site

Writer: Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

May 18, 2013
3:31 pm

A view of Gush Halav (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

Gush Halav: Home to the Maronites

Despite 14 centuries of persecution, these Galilee-based Christian followers of a hermit named Mar Maroun have refused to abandon their faith. Sound familiar?

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

May 8, 2013
6:35 am

Notre Dame and Jerusalem's Light Train (photo by Shmuel Bar-Am)

Between east and west: Jerusalem’s No-Man’s Land

In November of ’48, Moshe Dayan and his Jordanian counterpart Abdullah a-Tal marked up a map. They didn’t intend to divide the city in two

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

May 4, 2013
1:23 pm

Kfir-7, Israeli Aircraft Industries (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

High and mighty: a trip to the Israel Air Force Museum

From Avengers and Mirages and Spitfires to blind spots and crash landings, the aircraft on display tell the incredible tale of a young nation’s survival

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

April 16, 2013
10:35 am

The reconstructed Room 34 at the Underground Prisoners' Museum in Jerusalem (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

The pre-state struggle remembered at the Underground Prisoners’ Museum

Prison garb was brown for regular prisoners, black if you’d tried to escape, and red for those condemned to hang… This Jerusalem museum makes for a particularly appropriate visit around Independence Day

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

April 13, 2013
1:43 pm

An aerial view of Masada (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

Masada, tragic fortress in the sky

For three brave years, the freedom fighters on this rocky plateau — known as the Zealots — managed to hold back 10,000 Roman troops armed with every contemporary siege weapon. Finally, a battering ram breached the wall.

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

April 6, 2013
11:12 am

Sandel House (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

A German colony in Jerusalem

Persecuted and excommunicated, the Templers believed the Day of Judgment was near. Naturally, they headed for the Holy Land

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

March 27, 2013
2:11 am

Mount Arbel fort (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

Caves of Arbela: The ultimate hiding place

Even Herod could not vanquish the guerrilla cave dwellers who lodged in these extremely steep cliffs atop a very deep valley

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

March 16, 2013
12:42 pm

Coypus babies (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

Take a walk on the wild side at Huleh Agamon

Stroll this former swampland and spot the glossy ibis, the spur-winged plover, the curlew sandpiper, and the furry little coypus basking in the sun

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

March 2, 2013
3:51 pm

Cedars at Biriya (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

Biriya, forest everlasting

In 1945, the British tried to destroy this Galilee outpost — their first and only attempt to wipe a Jewish settlement off the map. They failed, and Biriya grows on

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

February 23, 2013
2:13 pm

Jerusalem pine tree, Masrek (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

Israeli history: it’s all about roots

The oldest of our ancient trees have lived through wars, religious upheavals, conquests and defeats; the youngest have seen the return of the Jews to their ancient homeland

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

February 16, 2013
3:30 pm

Gamla's unmistakable hump (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

Gamla, the camel-backed mountain

Founded by King Janneus around 80 B.C.E., Gamla was a Jewish town of 5,000 farmers. Excavations have revealed fascinating finds, including one of the world’s oldest synagogues

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

February 9, 2013
5:09 am

On the east-west shadowline: Jerusalem’s municipal complex

From Safra Square to Paratroopers Road, the area is an open book whose pages reveal fascinating phases in the city’s modern history

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

February 2, 2013
10:46 am

Kfar Szold (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

The unforgotten

In the north, these seven unique sites preserve the memory of fallen soldiers, loved ones

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

January 26, 2013
1:55 pm

Naharayim after a strong rain -- "the Israeli Niagara Falls" (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

Isle of Peace: Where the Jordan meets the Yarmouk

The churning rapids at Naharayim, or ‘two rivers,’ helped birth the first hydroelectric power station in the land of Israel

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

January 20, 2013
11:21 am

Ceiling at Abuhov Synagogue (photo credit: Shmuel Bar-Am)

In Safed’s fabled synagogues, myth and reality intertwine

Beautiful houses of worship star in tales, centuries old, of wondrous miracles befalling devout rabbis and faithful congregations

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

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The Times of Israel

The one-stop news site
covering Israel, the region and
the Jewish people worldwide

Founding editor:
David Horovitz

Fair, fresh and fast

The Jewish world's
fastest-growing
news site

Writer: Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

Gush Halav: Home to the Maronites

Despite 14 centuries of persecution, these Galilee-based Christian followers of a hermit named Mar Maroun have refused to abandon their faith. Sound familiar?

Between east and west: Jerusalem’s No-Man’s Land

In November of ’48, Moshe Dayan and his Jordanian counterpart Abdullah a-Tal marked up a map. They didn’t intend to divide the city in two

High and mighty: a trip to the Israel Air Force Museum

From Avengers and Mirages and Spitfires to blind spots and crash landings, the aircraft on display tell the incredible tale of a young nation’s survival

The pre-state struggle remembered at the Underground Prisoners’ Museum

Prison garb was brown for regular prisoners, black if you’d tried to escape, and red for those condemned to hang… This Jerusalem museum makes for a particularly appropriate visit around Independence Day

Masada, tragic fortress in the sky

For three brave years, the freedom fighters on this rocky plateau — known as the Zealots — managed to hold back 10,000 Roman troops armed with every contemporary siege weapon. Finally, a battering ram breached the wall.

A German colony in Jerusalem

Persecuted and excommunicated, the Templers believed the Day of Judgment was near. Naturally, they headed for the Holy Land

Caves of Arbela: The ultimate hiding place

Even Herod could not vanquish the guerrilla cave dwellers who lodged in these extremely steep cliffs atop a very deep valley

Take a walk on the wild side at Huleh Agamon

Stroll this former swampland and spot the glossy ibis, the spur-winged plover, the curlew sandpiper, and the furry little coypus basking in the sun

Biriya, forest everlasting

In 1945, the British tried to destroy this Galilee outpost — their first and only attempt to wipe a Jewish settlement off the map. They failed, and Biriya grows on

Israeli history: it’s all about roots

The oldest of our ancient trees have lived through wars, religious upheavals, conquests and defeats; the youngest have seen the return of the Jews to their ancient homeland

Gamla, the camel-backed mountain

Founded by King Janneus around 80 B.C.E., Gamla was a Jewish town of 5,000 farmers. Excavations have revealed fascinating finds, including one of the world’s oldest synagogues

On the east-west shadowline: Jerusalem’s municipal complex

From Safra Square to Paratroopers Road, the area is an open book whose pages reveal fascinating phases in the city’s modern history

The unforgotten

In the north, these seven unique sites preserve the memory of fallen soldiers, loved ones

Isle of Peace: Where the Jordan meets the Yarmouk

The churning rapids at Naharayim, or ‘two rivers,’ helped birth the first hydroelectric power station in the land of Israel

In Safed’s fabled synagogues, myth and reality intertwine

Beautiful houses of worship star in tales, centuries old, of wondrous miracles befalling devout rabbis and faithful congregations

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