betevet the mountain and the valley - the lookstein center · shomron) shalom. let me introduce ......

The Mountain and the ValleyTali Tarlow

Eretz Yisrael Throughout the Year85Grade Asara

BeTevet

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Eretz Yisrael Throughout the Year

Asara BeTevet

The Mountain and the Valley

Grade 5

Tali TarlowLOOKSTEIN

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Lookstein Center Director and Educational Consultant: Stuart ZweiterAcademic Consultant and Curriculum Developer: Michael GrunzweigEducational Supervisor: Moshe Abelesz Graphics Coordinator: Michal FinkelbergEditorial Advisor: Alissa BursteinTechnical Support: Chana GermanGraphic Design: Dov Abramson ::: Avia Fridmann Front Cover Concept: Ori RozevichProject Director: Yonah Fuld

© Copyright 2012Developed by The Lookstein Center, Bar Ilan University. The syllabus outline for this series was initially based on a curriculum development project which The Lookstein Center was commissioned to develop and implement by AMODS, Yeshiva University.

We acknowledge with gratitude the following sources of photographs and maps listed below: Agrisupportonline.com (page 37)Ahuva Klein (page 10 [middle])David Rubin (page 13 [bottom])Dead Sea Works (pages 33 [top], 34 [top])Ein Gedi Hotel (page 34 [bottom])Isaac Shweky (10 [bottom])Ministry of Tourism website (page 31 [middle])Shechem.org (page 15)Wikipedia (pages 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 [top], 14, 18-30, 31 [top], 32, 33 [bottom], 35, 36, 38-44, 46)

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Table of Contents

Page

Introduction 7

Lesson 1

Judea and Samaria 8

Lesson 2

Judea and Samaria: Ancient Land, Ancient People 18

Lesson 3

The Dead Sea and the Judean Desert 27

Lesson 4

Great Battles in Ancient Judea: Rome vs. Jerusalem 38

This booklet is filled with lots of interesting information. If you only have time to study certain sections in class, we invite you to look at the others in your free time.

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This project was made possible

through the vision and generosity of

Evelyn and Dr. Shmuel Katz of Bal Harbour, Florida

and reflects their great love and commitment

to Jewish education and the State of Israel

and was lovingly dedicated to the memory of

Jacob Dov Katz Z”L

and Sarah Rohr A”H

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Jord

an R

iver


Introduction

Dear Student,

What is your favorite place in Israel? Is it Tel Aviv (“the city that never sleeps”), Eilat (exciting water sports and attractions) or Netanya (golden beaches and shopping)? These cities have large Jewish populations today.

But did you know that in ancient Israel, most Jews did not live in these areas?

In ancient times the Jewish people lived in two areas of land that are called Judea and Samaria (Yehuda and Shomron). These areas include:

• Two mountain ranges – The Judean and Samarian Mountains

• A dry desert – The Judean Desert

• A lush valley with a river running through it – The Jordan Valley

• A sea that is devoid of life – The Dead Sea

DeadSea

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Judea

Samaria

The Jordan Valley

Judean Desert

Mountains

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Lesson 1

Judea and Samaria (Yehuda and Shomron)

Shalom. Let me introduce myself. My name is Eitan and my dad is a tour guide. That’s how I get to learn all about Israel, and today I want to talk to you about Judea and Samaria – because there is so much to tell.

Judea and Samaria are where the fathers and mothers of the Jewish people lived, where the Jewish kings ruled, where the first Jewish army fought and where the Jewish people worked their land.

In this lesson we will:

• Explore the geography of Judea and Samaria

• Examine the connection between Judea, Samaria and every Jew today

• Find out about four ancient towns in Judea and Samaria

• Discover who lives in those towns today

• Survey the current political situation of Judea and Samaria

It’s amazing how a tiny country such as Israel has so many different topographical, geographical and climactic features. I mean – it has the lowest place on earth and high snowy mountains! It has dry deserts and lush forests! It has volcanic mountains and chalky sand! It has cold dark caves and hot natural springs! Few countries have such contrasts, and you would have to travel many hours and even days to see them. But in Israel, these contrasts are

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Snowy mountains

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only a short distance from each other. In fact, the whole of Israel is smaller than Lake Michigan!

Around 3,000 years ago, our ancestors lived in Judea and Samaria in places such as Jerusalem, Hevron, Beit Lechem, Shilo, Shechem and Beit El.

Descending eastward from the Samarian mountain range is the Jordan Valley. This area is lush and fertile, due to the Jordan River which flows alongside it.

Descending eastwards down the Judean Mountains is the dry Judean Desert, and even further east lies the Dead Sea.

We are now going to look at four cities in Judea and Samaria where the ancestors of the Jewish people once lived: Beit Lechem, Beit El, Shilo and Shechem. (We learn about Jerusalem and Hevron in other units so they will not be discussed here.)

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Israel and Michigan State

Israel and Lake MichiganThe lowest point on Earth

Dry desertLush forests

HevronBeit Lechem

Jerusalem

Beit El

Shechem

Shilo

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Beit Lechem (Bethlehem)Beit Lechem lies on the road between Hevron and Jerusalem, on the north of the Judean mountain range. The beautiful mountains, meadows and valleys in the Beit Lechem area probably look much the same now as they did in biblical times. Here you can find vineyards, olive groves and even shepherds with their flocks of goats and sheep wandering about.

What Happened in Beit Lechem

• Yaakov and his family were returning to Eretz Yisrael from Lavan's house. On the way to Beit Lechem, Rachel gave birth to Binyamin and died during childbirth. She was buried there.

• The book of Ruth takes place primarily in Beit Lechem.

• Ruth’s great-great grandson, David, who later became King of Israel, was born and grew up in Beit Lechem.

• During the time of the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, the Jewish people were exiled to Babylon. The Midrash relates that on their way out of Eretz Yisrael, they passed Kever Rachel (Rachel’s Tomb). She cried and begged God to save them. God promised her that the Jewish people would one day return to their land.

Rachel represents the mother who listens to her children’s sorrows, and speaks to God on their behalf. For this reason, at the darkest moments in Jewish History - during war, pogroms and exiles - Jews remembered that Rachel Imeinu symbolizes

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the hope and longing for their return to the Land of Israel. Today, tens of thousands of Jews go to Kever Rachel to pray every year. Since Rachel was childless for many years, a lot of people go to her tomb to pray for a child. Furthermore, because motherhood was so important to her, many women go there to pray for the welfare of their children.

Beit Lechem Today

Beit Lechem is an important city in Christian tradition. It is entirely populated by Muslim and Christian Arabs. Even so, there remains a constant Jewish presence at Kever Rachel.

Activity 1

Before the establishment of the State of Israel, visitors to Kever Rachel wrote messages in diaries that were kept there. By 1947, over 24 full diaries lined the shelves of the tomb. During the War of Independence, the Jordanians conquered the tomb and it was under their control until the Six-Day War (1967). Only two of the diaries survived the Jordanian occupation.

Choose a character and write a short entry that might be found in one of the diaries: a childless woman, a Holocaust survivor, a Jewish tourist, a grandmother, a non-Jewish visitor.

Beit El

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Kever Rachel

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Beit El lies on the hills of the Judean mountain range. It is one of the oldest Jewish cities in the Land of Israel.

What Happened in Beit El

• When Avraham first arrived in the Land of Israel, he came towards Beit El. He was so moved and grateful to God for this remarkable land, that he built an altar there.

• When his grandson, Yaakov, left Eretz Israel he had a dream in which God promised to protect him on his journey and return him to this land. Consequently, Yaakov named the place Beit El.

• Beit El was one of the first cities that Yehoshua captured when he conquered the land.

Beit El Today

During the War of Independence, most of Judea and Samaria was captured by the Jordanian army. Nineteen years later, during the Six-Day War, the Israeli army recaptured the area. Since then, Jews have returned to Beit El and have built it into a thriving community with approximately 1000 families. The rocky landscape, upon which Avraham and Yaakov once traveled and rested, now has thousands of children in kindergartens, schools and yeshivot. There are thriving businesses, health services and a library. And there are Jews who continue the ancient tradition of growing wheat, grapes and olives on the slopes of Beit El.

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HevronBeit Lechem

Jerusalem

Beit El

Shechem

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ShiloNestled in the Samarian Mountains, Shilo was an important city in biblical times.

What Happened in Shilo

• Shilo was the place where the Mishkan was housed, when Yehoshua conquered the Land of Israel. Three times a year, on Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot, Jews throughout Israel would come to worship in Shilo.

• Chana came to Shilo to pray that God would grant her a son. When her prayers were answered she named him Shmuel, and returned him to Shilo where he became a prophet and a leader of the Jewish people.

Shilo Today

During the War of Independence, Shilo was also conquered by the Jordanians, and was recaptured by the Israeli army in the Six-Day War. In 1978, a group

of Jews returned to Shilo to reclaim their connection to the biblical city. In the center of their thriving community, they built a synagogue that is modeled after the Mishkan. Today, approximately 230 families live in Shilo. The ruins of the ancient city have been uncovered by archeologists and attract thousands of visitors every year.

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Chana bringing Shmuel to Shilo

The Shilo Synagogue

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ShechemShechem is located in the Samarian Mountains. In biblical times, Shechem was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. However, much of its biblical history is negative; in fact, the Rabbis tell us that Shechem is a city that is destined for trouble. Perhaps you’ll be the judge of that…

What Happened in Shechem

• Shechem was the first place that Avraham visited when he entered the Land of Israel. From the mountains of Shechem he could have easily seen much of the Promised Land.

• When Yaakov returned to Israel he settled in Shechem. His daughter Dina was attacked there, and in response, his sons killed all the men of the city.

• Joseph came to look for his brothers in Shechem just before they sold him.

• When Yehoshua brought the Jewish people into the Land of Israel, they stood on the mountains of Shechem and renewed their covenant with God.

• Joseph, who died in Egypt, was brought back to Israel and buried in Shechem.

• The ten tribes in the north of Israel met in Shechem. There they decided that they did not want to be ruled by the tribe of Judah anymore. The Jewish Kingdom split into two and Shechem became the capital of the Northern Kingdom.

Joseph’s Tomb

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HevronBeit Lechem

Jerusalem

Beit El

Shechem

Shilo

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Shechem Today

Today, Shechem is an Arab city and no Jews live there. Jews still go to pray at Joseph’s Tomb, but only once a month and under heavy army and police protection as it is a very dangerous place to visit. In recent years Palestinians have attacked and ransacked the tomb a number of times, and Israeli soldiers have been killed defending it.

Activity 2

This bumper sticker says “Judea and Samaria, The Story of Every Jew.” It is part of a campaign to show that Judea and Samaria are really important to our Jewish identity.

In groups:

• choose one of the places mentioned above (Beit Lechem, Beit El, Shilo, Shechem)

• design a poster

• prepare a presentation

Explain why the place you have chosen is part of the Jewish story and why it is such an important part of our Jewish heritage.

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Politics in Judea and Samaria

• Even in times when there were hardly any Jews in the Land of Israel, there were always Jews in some of the cities of Judea and Samaria.

• When Jews started returning to Eretz Yisrael in the early part of the twentieth century, they established a number of settlements in this area.

• During the War of Independence, most of this area was conquered by Jordan, Israel’s neighbor on the eastern border. The Jordanians destroyed the Jewish communities there.

• In the Six-Day War, Israel captured Judea and Samaria. Much of biblical Israel was back in the hands of the Jewish people, and many more towns and communities were established there.

• In 1967, the United Nations declared that Israel should withdraw from territories captured in the war, once it had made a just and lasting peace with the Arabs.

• Peace has not been achieved and so Israel continues to control the area. In 1994, Israel gave the Palestinians authority over many of the cities.

• Some people call the area the West Bank, as it is on the west bank of the Jordan River.

• Some refer to it as the Occupied Territories, as it is occupied by Israel's army.

• Some call it the Disputed Territories, because of the disputes over the area.

• The Palestinians claim that it is their land. Israel claims a strong historical connection to the land and that strategically, it is very important to its security.

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Area captured by Jordan

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• This is a point of conflict both between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as within Israeli society. Many potential solutions suggest that eventually some of the land will be annexed to the State of Israel, and some of the land will become part of a Palestinian State.

Summary

So friends, today we found out where Judea and Samaria are, and learned about four towns there that are over 3,000 years old. This is where the Jewish people was born.

It’s very sad that in our day, this land is disputed territory. Maybe one day Jews and Arabs will coexist and live in peace there.

The next time we meet we will talk about the different peoples that live in Judea and Samaria. Please bring something from your home that tells a story about where your family comes from: it can be a book, an artifact, a picture, a utensil…anything. If it is too valuable then bring a picture of it instead. Looking forward to showing you what I brought.

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Lesson 2

Judea and Samaria: Ancient land, Ancient people

Hi again! It’s me, Eitan, and I’m so glad to be back with you. We said that we would bring something along that tells a story of our Jewish family. Well, I brought mine, but we’ll talk about that later.

Theodore Herzl wrote the book Altneuland, which in English means the Old/New Land. It is his vision of a Jewish State. This is a very appropriate title for a book about Israel. Although he was calling on the Jews to come and settle the land and build a new country, the connection between the Jewish people and Israel was not a new connection, but a very, very old one. In the previous lesson we learned that the connection of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel is over 3,000 years old.

In this lesson we will learn about the Samaritans who have ancient roots in Samaria and the Maccabees who lived in Judea.

Your aims for this lesson are to:

• Discover the Samaritans

• Find out about President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi

• Learn about the Maccabees and the city of Modi’in

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The Samaritans

The man in this picture is Elazar ben Tsedaka ben Yitzhak.

Until a few years ago, he was the High Priest of the Samaritan people. According to Samaritan tradition, he was their 131st High Priest. The Samaritans live on one of the high mountains of Samaria. They claim that they are the descendants of the original Israelites and that their high priests are all descendants of Aaron, the Kohen Gadol. Many historians disagree, and so does traditional Judaism. But even if their

high priesthood dates back only to the ancient Greeks (much more likely), this is the oldest known continuous office in the history of the world.

So who are the Samaritans? Are they really the “Children of Israel”?

According to Jewish tradition, when the Assyrians conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, they exiled the Israelites and replaced them with other peoples. These new inhabitants wanted to worship the religion of the land, and so the Assyrians brought an Israelite kohen to teach them. They studied the Torah and began to worship God. Their descendants today are the Samaritans. They never accepted the Oral Law (the Talmud), and Jews do not consider them to be Jewish.

The Samaritans however, claim to be the actual descendants of the northern Kingdom and the authentic religion of Israel. The Hebrew word for Samaritans is Shomronim, and it comes from the word לשמור – to keep or maintain. They claim to be the ones who keep and maintain the original and authentic religion of Israel. They claim that the Jews who returned from the exile in Babylon distorted the religion, bringing back with them unauthentic traditions.

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A Samaritan Torah Scroll

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Another Disagreement with Judaism

What Did God Choose: Jerusalem or Mount Gerizim?

The Samaritans claim that Mount Gerizim, near Shechem in Samaria, is the mountain that God chose to be the center of Jewish life - not Jerusalem. They, therefore, built their own temple on this mountain, to rival the one in Jerusalem. They also pray facing Mt. Gerizim.

Pesach with the Samaritans

Pesach is an extremely holy time for the Samaritans. During this festival, they ascend Mount Gerizim wearing their traditional white gowns and turbans and carrying staffs. They pitch tents there, and just like the night when the Israelites left Egypt, they eat their matza (which is soft and round like pita), and slaughter and sacrifice sheep. They grill the meat on spits and then feast hurriedly, reenacting the haste in which the Israelites ate when they left Egypt.

The Samaritans Today

At its peak, the Samaritan community numbered more than a million people. However, over the centuries they were persecuted by invading armies, and their numbers decreased drastically. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, their numbers have been growing again, but there are still only approximately 700 Samaritans left in Israel.

The Samaritans and the State of Israel

The Samaritans were on the verge of extinction before the State of Israel was

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The Samaritans worshiping on Mt. Gerizim

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established. Today, they mainly live on Mount Gerizim near Shechem, and in the city of Holon, where former Israeli President, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, set aside a neighborhood for them. They have a positive relationship with the State of Israel and many of their men serve in the Israeli army. This is partially because of the work of Yitzhak Ben-Zvi.

Yitzhak Ben-Zvi

Who was Yitzhak Ben-Zvi? Ben-Zvi was the second president of the State of Israel and he was also an historian.

His Early Life

Yitzhak Ben-Zvi was born in the Ukraine. He founded a Jewish defense organization in order to protect the Jews from the constant anti-Semitic attacks. He felt that the only solution for the Jewish people was in Eretz Yisrael, so he immigrated to Palestine in 1907. He became one of the founders of the famous Hashomer, the Watchman, which

was formed to protect isolated Jewish settlements throughout Eretz Yisrael from Arab attacks.

The Ottoman (Turkish) rulers of Palestine objected to his work on behalf of the Zionist cause, so they expelled both him and David Ben-Gurion, who later became the first Prime Minister of Israel. They both moved temporarily to the USA. There, they wrote a book about the history of the Land of Israel and the Jewish people, and promoted Zionism to the American community. During the First World War, Ben-Zvi returned to Palestine as a volunteer in the British army. In the 1920s when Arab rioters went on a rampage and attacked, looted and murdered Jews, Ben-Zvi helped to establish the Haganah, the underground defense organization.

Ben-Zvi as President

After spending much of his life fighting for Jewish causes, Ben-Zvi was elected

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President of the State of Israel in 1952. He served faithfully until his death in 1963. He insisted on living in a modest wooden hut in Jerusalem, and not a fancy presidential villa. He is warmly remembered as the president who served as an example for his people.

Ben-Zvi was particularly fascinated by the fact that the Jewish people are so multi-cultured and diverse. Within one nation

there are Jews from all over the world, with so many different languages, customs and traditions. That is because when the Jews were exiled from Israel, they spread out all over the world. Therefore, today there are Sephardi Jews, Ashkenzai Jews, African Jews, American Jews, Jews from European countries and Jews from Arab countries. There are Jews with light skin and dark skin. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, we are all Jews, from the family of Abraham and Sarah.

Ben-Zvi would regularly invite representatives from the different Jewish ethnic communities and other minority communities to his residence. Each group would tell the history of its community, its customs, rituals and traditions. They would often present Ben-Zvi with a gift that was unique to their culture. He would proudly display them in his residence.

His interest in various cultures explains his fascination with the history of the Samaritans.

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Activity 1

Where does your family come from? Share the object you brought and explain how it tells the story of your Jewish heritage.

Activity 2

Some people see diversity as a source of conflict. What benefits do you think diversity can bring to a society?

We learned about the Samaritans and their life in Samaria. Now we will learn about an ancient site in Judea. We will find out who lived there long ago and who lives there now.

Modi’in: Old and NewThere is a bustling city close to Jerusalem near the Judean Mountains called Modi’in. It is new and modern. It has many young families and boasts one of the biggest malls in Israel. It has recently become an important station on the Israel express train line. As new as Modi’in is, it bears the name of the ancient town where the story of Chanukah began.

Ancient Modi’in

At that time, the Greeks ruled Eretz Yisrael and forced the Jews to worship their gods. The Jews of Modi’in began a rebellion. They refused to bow to idols, they fought to live according to their own values, and they sacrificed everything so that they and their children could hold their heads up high as proud Jews. They were called the Maccabees.

Consequently, Israelis have used the word Maccabee to name many different

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institutions and places that they are proud of. For example:

• The Maccabiah - Jewish “Olympic” Games

• Maccabi - one of Israel’s leading health insurance companies

• Maccabi Haifa - One of Israel’s soccer teams

• Maccabi Tel Aviv - Israel's top basketball team

• Maccabim - A suburb of Modi'in

Jews outside of Israel have also used the name Maccabi, such as Maccabi Academy: A Jewish day school in North Carolina.

Activity 3

Do you know any other institutions that are named after the Maccabees? Why do you think that this name is so popular? What does the name symbolize?

Do you think there are modern-day Maccabees? Who do you consider them to be, and why?

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The City of Modi’in Today

If you are looking for the city of Modi’in on a map, don’t use one that is much more than fifteen years old, because you won’t find it. The modern city of Modi’in was only established in 1996, but remarkably, it is now home to over 80,000 residents and is still expanding.

If you were to look for Modi’in on a map you would find it among the following communities in the area: Maccabim, Hashmonaim, Matitiyahu, Lapid and Menora. Can you guess why these places were given these names?

Interesting facts about Modi’in:

• Modi'in is located midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv

• Modi'in is considered one of Israel’s fastest growing cities

• The current population is around 80,000 residents, but plans are for it to reach 250,000 residents

• Modi'in is considered an outstanding example of modern urban planning. Fifty percent of the city is comprised of green spaces (parks, landscaped areas and protected space)

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On the road from Modi’in to Jerusalem there are large signs saying, “Maccabean Graves – Hasmonean Village.” A group of Jewish schoolchildren discovered these graves on the eve of Hanukkah 1907 when they came to a site which was called Kubur al-Yahud, Arabic for “the graves of the Jews.” The graves were carved into rocks and covered by large boulders. There is a myth that claims that these are “the graves of the Maccabees,” but historians tell us that the real graves of the Maccabees probably still lie undisturbed somewhere near the bustling city of Modi’in.

Did You Know?


Activity 4

Make believe you are a resident of Modi’in today. Write a letter to Yehuda HaMaccabee, telling him what in your life would make him proud of his achievements.

Conclusion

So folks, that’s all for today. It was great spending time with you again. We learned about the Samaritans, who have been living around the Samarian Mountains for thousands of years. We learned about the ancient Maccabees who came from Modi’in, a city in the Judean Mountains. We discussed whether the spirit of the Maccabees is still alive. We also learned about President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, his modesty and his keen interest in the diversity of the Jewish people.

The next time we meet we will learn about the famous Judean Desert which hosts the Dead Sea and discover other wonders in the area.

Looking forward to seeing you then!

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Lesson 3

The Dead Sea and the Judean Desert

Hi again. Have you ever been to the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea? That’s where we’re going today. It’s amazing, these places were mentioned in the Bible, and yet we have the privilege to go and see them with our own eyes, and explore them with our own feet.

In this lesson we will:

• Learn about the Judean Desert – biblical times and today

• Discuss the Dead Sea and find out why more than one million people go there every year

• See how the Dead Sea is dying and visit the thriving Dead Sea Works

• Discover the amazing agricultural advances in the area

The Judean Desert

The Judean Desert is a relatively small desert – it is approximately 932 square miles. This means that it can fit into the American Great Basin Desert four times! But typical of Israel, it makes up in quality for what it lacks in quantity: it is home to rocky mountains, jagged cliffs and chalky hills which stand alongside dry riverbeds, deep canyons and dark caves. It has amazing wildlife and unique plant life. It’s also not so far from Jerusalem. Just get into your car and drive 10 minutes east, and you will already find Bedouin tents, which mark the edge of the desert.

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In addition to being a stunning natural phenomena, the Judean Desert’s rugged landscape has provided a shelter and hiding place for fugitives, rebels and zealots throughout history.

Facts and Figures

• Drastic contrasts – the highest mountains of the Judean Desert climb 3,300 feet, while just a few miles away, the Dead Sea lies at 1,380 feet below sea level – the lowest place on earth.

• Flashfloods – because of the extreme difference in altitudes, heavy rain in the mountains can suddenly cascade ferociously down into the wadis (dry river beds) below, sweeping away everything in its path. People, animals and even cars caught in these floods have only a small chance of survival.

• Jericho, a city in the Jordan Valley, is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is the first known city in the history of mankind to have walls built around it for protection.

• The Dead Sea Scrolls written before 100 BCE, are the oldest known copies of biblical documents. They were discovered in caves in the Judean Desert.

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Abraham and Lot in the Judean Desert

The biblical story of Abraham, Lot and Sedom (see Bereshit 19) took place in this area. You may remember that Lot and his family escaped from the wicked city by fleeing to the nearby mountains. When Lot’s wife disobeyed God and watched the destruction of Sedom, she was turned into a pillar of salt.

Today, you can visit Sedom along the southwestern part of the Dead Sea, at the edge of the Judean desert. It is most remarkable because it is made almost entirely of rock salt. A pillar stands out on the edge of the mountain, looking at the valley below. This pillar is called “Lot’s Wife.”

King David in the Judean Desert

In the middle of the dry, rocky Judean Desert lies an oasis called Ein Gedi. Since biblical times, Ein Gedi was an exceptionally fertile area because of the gushing fresh water spring that runs there.

When King Saul wanted to kill David in a fit of jealousy, David fled to the Judean Desert and hid in one of the many caves in Ein Gedi (Shmuel I 24). It

must have been a great hiding place – totally remote, impossible to find, cool and with plenty of water close by.

Today, you can visit those very same caves. Ein Gedi is a popular nature reserve and hiking location. The waterfalls, pools and caves are a cool relief from the scorching desert sun. Because of the water springs you will find a surprising sight of flowers, plants and trees in the middle of the desert. As you climb up the slopes of

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1. The shores of the Dead Sea are the lowest land level on earth - 1,385 feet below sea level. In other words, if you go to your local sea and dig a hole 1,385 feet deep, you will be on the same level as the Dead Sea.

2. Despite its name, the Dead Sea isn’t a sea at all. It is actually a saltwater lake.

3. The Dead Sea is called “dead” because there is no marine life in it. This is because nothing can survive in the high salt and mineral content.

4. The Dead Sea is 8.6 times saltier than regular seawater.

5. You can lie on the surface of the water without sinking. The high salt content makes you float.

Did You Know?


Ein Gedi you might see splendid ibex, mountain goats and even a leopard leaping from rock to rock on the steep mountain slopes.

On the eastern border of the Judean Desert lies the world famous Dead Sea.

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6. Cleopatra, the famous Queen of Egypt, loved the Dead Sea so much that she ordered that cosmetic factories and resorts be built along its shores.

7. Water flows into the Dead Sea from many streams and rivers, but no water flows out of it.

8. The Dead Sea is filled not only with salt but other minerals that are good for us: calcium, iodine, saline, potassium and bromide.

9. Egyptians used mud from the Dead Sea to mummify their dead.

10. Mineral-loaded mud from the Dead Sea is said to treat many skin and muscle conditions.

11. The Dead Sea borders both Israel and Jordan. This means that it can be a source of international cooperation or international agitation!

12. According to the Bible, the Dead Sea will one day come alive and be filled with marine life.

Eretz Yisrael Throughout the Year 31

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HELP! The Dead Sea Is Dying

The Jordan River is the main feeder for the Dead Sea. It also feeds the thirsty people and summer parched fields of Israel, Jordan and Syria. This means that much of the water flowing down the Jordan River towards

the Dead Sea is removed before it gets there. Today less than 7% of the river actually reaches there. Consequently, the Dead Sea is now 1/3 of the size that it was 50 years ago. If this continues it will evaporate altogether!

In addition to the shrinking of this precious resource, the draining of the Dead Sea is creating havoc on the land and the wildlife in its immediate environment. The area around the

sea has become unstable, and roads, hotels and chemical plants are in danger of sudden collapse. This has also affected the bird migration and desert wildlife

patterns. A territorial and ecological disaster may be just around the corner.

The “Red to Dead Plan”

According to this plan, water would be brought from the Red Sea (bordering Eilat) to the Dead Sea via a $3 billion canal. Some environmentalists and scientists warn that this plan might cause other

problems. It might be harmful to mix the waters because of their differing chemical properties. Instead of saving this lake, it might ruin it.

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Sinkholes where the water has receeded

The Jordan River

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Israel pre-June (1967)

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Activity 1

“Look how pleasant my world is and look how good my creations are. Everything I created, I created for you. Set your mind not to spoil them and not to destroy my world.”

According to this Midrash, God said these words to Adam in the Garden of Eden. How should Adam’s descendents keep this message in mind? Discuss.

Dead Sea: Finalist in the Seven New Wonders of the World Competition.In 2011, the Dead Sea was one of the finalists in a worldwide competition to choose the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. In a show of cooperation, the tourism ministries of Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority all signed the official supporting papers for its candidacy. Although the Dead Sea was not one of the winners, the contest provided a major boost to tourism in the area.

The Dead Sea Works

The Dead Sea may be lifeless…but visitors can see that industry in the area is thriving. Moshe Novomeysky is the man to thank for that.

Novomeysky was a brilliant Russian scientist who came to Eretz Yisrael in the 1920s and realized that the lifeless Dead Sea was in fact a source of incredible resources, healing and wealth. He established a company on the northern shore of the Dead Sea which would mine the minerals and export them all over the world. He convinced the British Mandate government that he needed to establish a village for his factory workers, and a kibbutz to learn how to grow produce in salty soil. At the time, the British did not allow Jews to settle in the area, but they actually agreed to his requests.

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Jews and Arabs worked together at his company, and Novomeysky developed a personal friendship with King Abdullah I of Jordan who ruled on the other side of the Dead Sea. They wanted both Jews and Arabs to work together to reap the benefits of the “blue wonder.” Because of their friendship, during the

Arab Riots in the 1920s and 1930s, the Jews in the Dead Sea area were safe and unharmed. Just before Ben-Gurion declared the independence of the State of Israel, Novomeysky met with King Abdullah. They developed a peace plan which would protect the Dead Sea area from the upcoming war. However, Novomeysky was injured in a car accident and the plan never came to fruition.

When the War of Independence began, the Arab population attacked the Dead Sea villages and kibbutzim. The Jewish inhabitants and workers were forced to abandon their settlements on a fleet of ships. As they left, their land and equipment were vandalized and destroyed by local Arabs.

After the establishment of the State of Israel, Novomeysky rebuilt the company on the southern shore and it was called the Dead Sea Works. Today the Dead Sea Works is the largest plant in the world to exploit solar energy. The water is collected in huge pools and is allowed to evaporate. The salt and chemicals that remain are then processed. It is also the fourth largest producer and supplier of potash products in the world. It serves customers in over 60 countries.

Tourism in the Dead Sea Area

There are so many factors that draw people to the Dead Sea: the hot weather all year long, the stunning views, the remarkable phenomenon of floating on the water…and more. Most remarkable of all, the unique

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conditions in the Dead Sea area create an atmosphere which is beneficial and healing for our bodies. The health and relaxation benefits as well as the fun and recreation, attract 1.2 million foreign visitors to its shore each year.

Sun – The Dead Sea enjoys approximately 330 days of sun a year. That’s a lot! But as we all know, UVB rays and ultraviolet radiation make the sun dangerous, and health experts tell us to cover up. But not in the Dead Sea. Because of the depth of the area, the UVB rays and radiation are very weak. This means that the dangers of the sun that you and I experience in other locations in the world do not exist in the Dead Sea area. So people can benefit from all the healing aspects of the sun without suffering from the dangers.

Air – Because of its depth, there is high atmospheric pressure. This atmosphere is very good for people with breathing difficulties. Additionally, the air around the Dead Sea is dry, unpolluted and pollen-free.

Water – The minerals in the Dead Sea have very effective healing properties, and they are used for therapeutic and cosmetic treatments.

Because of these unique conditions, the safe sun, the healthy air and the healing minerals, the Dead Sea area has become a unique treatment resort. In fact, special treatments have been developed that maximize these unique conditions. Not surprisingly, health clinics have popped up all along the shore of the Dead Sea and the many luxurious hotels offer health and wellness centers. But you don’t have to come all the way to the Dead Sea to enjoy some of its bounty. At least 80 Israeli cosmetic brands that use the Dead Sea minerals are sold worldwide.

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Agriculture in the Dead Sea Area

If you think miracles are happening in the Dead Sea with regards to health, wait until you hear what’s happening in agriculture. The land is desert land, the soil has a very high salt content and access to water is minimal. You would have been forgiven for thinking that it is impossible to grow anything there…but Israelis don’t believe in the word impossible! In fact, there are six kibbutzim in the Dead Sea area that employ ground-breaking technologies that make the impossible become commonplace.

• Israel is one of the pioneer developers of drip irrigation. This means that rather than showering the fields with water, plants are fed directly to their roots by means of dripping pipes. This method saves the farmer 50% of his water consumption. So in a water-stricken area every drop is used.

• Israeli farmers and scientists have developed laboratories to study the unique soil conditions in which plants can actually thrive. They discovered that palm trees do particularly well in the Dead Sea area. When you visit, you will see row after row of palm trees.

• Because it is so salty, Israeli scientists have developed a method for washing and cleaning the soil that flushes out the salt content. Ironically, this method has to be increased when it rains, as the rain washes more salt into the soil.

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• The Dead Sea farmers use green houses to create an artificial climate. Therefore, crops that otherwise grow only in certain seasons, can grow all year long.

All this means that Israeli farmers and scientists have not only cracked the mystery of how to grow produce in poor soil and water stricken areas, but they have done it on a huge scale. They are proud to share their discoveries with colleagues throughout the world, and have helped create solutions for many other countries suffering from harsh climates.

Activity 2

In groups, prepare a commercial / poster / collage / poem to show the beauty of the Dead Sea.

Conclusion

That’s it for today. Every time I talk about this area I get inspired. We learned all about the magnificent Judean Desert, how it features in the Bible, and what can be found in the Ein Gedi oasis. We learned about the remarkable happenings in the area of the Dead Sea – the tourism, the agriculture and the industry.

In the next lesson we will look at two battles that took place in Judea long ago.

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Lesson 4

Great Battles in Ancient Judea: Rome vs. Jerusalem

Hi friends. Good to see you again. Sadly, this is our last time together.

But we have so much to talk about…let’s start right away.

Imagine little David, before he was king, battling the great giant Goliath. Then try and imagine that David and Goliath are two countries: one massive powerful country versus one small weak country. Which one will win? Goliath Land - of course!

No? What’s that you say? So you’ve read your Bible and you know that strange things happen in the Middle East? Today we will find out how the people in Judea fought off the great giant nation of Rome – and what eventually happened.

In this lesson, we will:

• Learn about two important clashes between Rome and Jerusalem: on Masada and in Beitar. Masada lies in the Judean Desert and Beitar is in the Judean Mountains.

• Meet a number of important Jewish leaders, as well as an Israeli archaeologist.

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Background to the Events at Masada

Long ago, the Romans were a mighty nation who aimed to conquer the whole world and force their way of life upon it. Many smaller nations were happy to adopt the Roman lifestyle, but the Jews in the Land of Israel/Judea were particularly stubborn.

When the Romans conquered Judea they charged the Jews high taxes, but worse than that, they brought Roman idols into the Temple. Roman generals stole Jewish religious items for their personal use and one leader actually burnt a Torah scroll. Eventually, the Jews could not stand this any longer, and despite their small chance of victory, they rebelled against the Roman invaders.

Stunningly, the Jews were victorious in their first battles. But the Romans were determined to put down the Jewish rebellion. They believed that if the Jews succeeded, nations throughout the empire would rebel. Battles were fought all over the country and the Jews suffered huge losses; some historians estimate that 100,000 Jews were killed or sold into slavery.

The Jews who succeeded in escaping these massacres fled to Jerusalem - and they fortified themselves inside the strong walls of the city. The Romans pounded the walls with their huge battering rams, they shot fireballs with their catapults, and eventually managed to breach the walls. They entered the city and attacked the battle-weakened and starving population. Shortly thereafter, on Tisha B’Av in the year 70CE, the city fell and the Temple was destroyed.

The Romans destroyed the Jewish Temple, but they did not defeat the Jewish spirit.

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It is now the spring of 73CE and 967 Jewish men, women and children are facing their fate. They are the last remnants of Jewish resistance to Rome and they live on an isolated rock overlooking the Dead Sea at the edge of the Judean Desert. The rock that has become their final refuge, is a mountain called Masada, from the Hebrew word metzuda meaning “fortress” or “stronghold.”

Before we learn about what happened at Masada, let’s learn about its architect, King Herod, sometimes known as Herod the Great.

Herod the Great

When the Romans conquered Judea, they appointed Herod to be Judea’s king. Herod was the son of a man who converted to Judaism. Many considered his conversion to be insincere. In order to strengthen his hold on the throne, Herod married a Hasmonean princess.

Herod was an incredible builder. Among other things, he built the:

• Port city of Caesarea

• Remarkable building on top of the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron

• Massive walls, fortifications and towers around Jerusalem

In order to win the favor of his Jewish subjects, he also renovated the Temple. Even the Talmud acknowledges that the end-result was spectacular. "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building." (Talmud-Bava Batra 4a)

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In spite of his accomplishments, Herod is considered to be an evil man. The Jews were furious when he put a huge Roman eagle at the main entrance of the Temple. When some Jews smashed and destroyed the statue, Herod hunted them down and burned them alive. He appointed his own priests for the Temple (who were not from the Kohen/priestly family) and he executed 46 of the most important rabbis. He even murdered his wife and two of his sons when he considered them to be threats to his rule.

The Fortress at Masada

Herod knew that he was an unpopular king and that it was likely that one day the Jews would try and dethrone him. So he built Masada: a fortress mountain which dominated the desert landscape, far away from the city. To there he could escape and from there he could protect himself.

He built two paths to climb up to the fortress: the snake path which was narrow, winding and dangerous, and the direct path which was very steep. It was almost impossible to launch an assault on Masada. He made sure that the soil on top of Masada was rich and fertile to grow food, and he built massive cisterns to store water. Hunger and thirst would not defeat Herod in the case of a siege.

To further fortify this fortress, he built a huge wall around the entire mountaintop. This was strengthened by the addition of 38 towers, each approximately 75 feet high.

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The Romans vs. the Jews on Masada

One hundred and thirty years after Herod built Masada, the 967 Jewish refugees, under the leadership of Eliezer Ben Yair, escaped the Roman army to the fortress on Masada. They probably believed that all they needed to do was to sit tight and wait for Rome’s patience to run out. But Rome was a ruthless and determined enemy with huge reserves of manpower and resources.

The Roman General, Flavious Silva, marched against Masada with somewhere between 9,000 – 10,000 men. His first move was to surround Masada to prevent escape. Then, he set his force to work, moving thousands of tons of earth and stone to construct a ramp 375 feet high which would climb up the

western approach to Masada.

At the top of the ramp, Silva built a tower 88 feet high. From there the Roman soldiers could attack the Jewish defenders with javelins and boulders. Finally, Silva constructed a massive battering ram and began to ram the thick stone walls of Masada.

As the battering ram did its job, the Jews hastily constructed a second wall of wood and earth to

absorb the heavy blows of the ram. But the Romans hurled burning torches at the wooden wall, setting it on fire. They eventually breached the wall. But they retired to their camp, planning to overcome the fortress the next day.

Masada’s defenders knew they were doomed, but rather than surrender, their leader Eliezer ben Yair proposed a gruesome alternative. “Let our wives die before they are abused, and our children die before they have tasted slavery, and after we have slain them, let us bestow that glorious benefit upon one another.”

So every man on Masada became the executioner of his own wife and children. After this terrible task was completed, the last ten men were chosen by lot to kill the survivors. These ten then drew lots to establish who among

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them would kill the other nine. Having killed his friends, the sole survivor set fire to the fortress before finally killing himself.

After these events, Masada remained abandoned for almost 2,000 years.

Yigael Yadin and Masada

Yigael Yadin was born in 1917 in Jerusalem. By the time he was 15 years old he joined the Haganah and rose to prominence becoming head of operations during the War of Independence. In this position he was responsible for many of the key decisions that brought about victory for Israel. He later became the second Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.

When he left the army, he followed in the footsteps of his father who was an archeologist. It was in this field that he continued to contribute to the State of Israel. He excavated some of the most important sites in Israel, including Masada.

What Yigael Yadin Found on Masada

After exhaustive excavations on Masada, Yigael Yadin found:

• A magnificent palace which had superb living quarters and luxurious entertainment areas.

• Another huge and magnificent palace which faced Jerusalem.

• Fifteen storerooms with jars for food and other commodities, covered in a thick layer of ash, indicating that they were set on fire.

• Several luxurious bathhouses, with an ancient under-floor heating system.

• A synagogue facing Jerusalem. This is one of the oldest synagogues in the world.

Reconstruction of the northern palace

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• The skeletons of a man, woman and child. Yadin believed that these "skeletons undoubtedly represent the remains of an important commander of Masada and his family.” Twenty-five additional skeletons were also discovered.

• A cluster of small pieces of pottery. Each of these was inscribed with a single name, including one that says “Ben Yair,” the name of the leader of the rebels. Historians have suggested that these were the lots used by the last survivors to decide which of them would kill the others before ending his own life.

• Among the archeological finds, a 2,000-year-old seed was discovered. Scientists today have revived the seed and grown a tree from it.

Masada Today

Today, you don’t need to conquer Masada on foot – although thousands of people do it every year. You can go up in the cable car. While you are there you will see the remains of the Roman ramp and Herod’s palaces.

Masada is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a symbol of the Jewish state’s struggle for existence and of human courage in the face of insurmountable opposition.

To many Israelis, Masada symbolizes the determination of the Jewish people to

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Remains of the synagogue

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be free in their own land. Perhaps one of Israel’s most impressive ceremonies is when IDF soldiers complete their basic training. They ascend to the top of Masada and declare, “Masada shall not fall again.”

In recent times, many families celebrate their children’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah in Israel, and Masada is one of the most popular locations.

Activity 1

Discuss

There was no chance that the Jews on Masada could have defeated the Roman Army. Were the last Jews on Masada really heroes? Perhaps they, their wives and children should have surrendered and gone into slavery. This way their families would not have been wiped out. What do you think?

Activity 2

Imagine you are a fifth grade child on Masada, awaiting the Roman attack. You have decided to write a letter to a fifth grader in the 21st century. You will hide the letter so that it can be found in the future. What will you write?

Dear Brother / Sister Jew of the future…

The Bar Kochba Revolt

One would think that after the tragic events at Masada, the Jews in the Land of Israel would decide to accept Roman rule. However, approximately 60 years later, another Jewish revolt sparked up against the Romans. The end result of this rebellion was disastrous for the Jewish people.

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Background to the Bar Kochba Revolt

After the fall of Masada, the Roman authorities persecuted the Jews in order to prevent further rebellions. They dedicated Jerusalem to the Roman gods, they built a temple to the Roman god Jupiter on the ruins of the Jewish Temple and they renamed the city Aelia Capitolina, in honor of a Roman Emperor and Jupiter. The Romans also banned Brit Milah, circumcision.

Revolt!

One of the leading Jewish rabbis at the time was Rabbi Akiva. He believed that the Jewish people were in a time of terrible darkness, and that God would send the Messiah to save them. He believed that the Messiah was a man called Shimon Bar Kossiba, a mighty fighter. Rabbi Akiva called him Bar Kochba, Son of Star, because he thought he would save the Jews in this terrible time. Eventually, when the revolt failed, the rabbis called him Bar Koziba – Son of Deception. In the 1960s, Yigael Yadin discovered several important letters written by Bar Kochba, which shed light on the rebellion.

With Rabbi Akiva’s support, Bar Kochba led a revolt that spread across the country. It was a fierce guerilla warfare that was waged from the towns, villages and caves in the Judean Mountains. The rebels even managed to expel the Roman soldiers from their beloved Jerusalem.

The Era of the Redemption of Israel

The Jews had prayed for someone to relieve them from the oppressive Roman rule, and they had prayed for their Jerusalem to return to its former glory. They believed that God had finally heard and answered their prayers.

A new Jewish state was formed under the leadership of Bar Kochba. Coins were minted showing a Jewish Temple with a rising star (in honor of Bar

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Kochba) on the one side, and on the other side, a lulav with the text saying: “to the freedom of Jerusalem.”

The Bloody Battle at Beitar

But this was not the end. Although the Jewish uprising took the Romans by surprise, once the Romans saw the strength and determination of the tiny Jewish army, the Emperor called for huge troop reinforcements from all over his empire.

Believe it or not, the Jewish army managed to hold off the Roman forces for three whole years! But eventually the Jewish revolt was brutally crushed by massive Roman forces. Bar Kochba, and the remnants of his army, withdrew to the city of Beitar in the Judean Mountains. Soon they were under siege there too. Their chances of survival were zero. Despite this, they fought bitterly. Beitar was the last standing Jewish fortress and it was destroyed by the Romans on Tisha B’Av in 135CE. Rabbi Akiva himself, was executed by the Romans.

Outcome of the War

According to Roman sources, 580,000 Jews were killed and 50 towns and 985 villages were destroyed during the Bar Kochba Revolt. From then on, Hadrian, the Roman Emperor, did his very best to completely destroy Judaism. Jews could not learn Torah or follow Jewish law. In the holiest place of the destroyed Temple, he placed two statues: one of Jupiter, another of himself. In an attempt to erase any memory of Judea, he changed its name to Syria Palaestina. This was named after the Philistines, the ancient enemies of the Jews. From then on, the land became referred to as Palestine. Only the Jews, spread throughout the Diaspora, continued to call it the Land of Israel. He reestablished Jerusalem as the Roman pagan city of Aelia Capitolina and Jews were not allowed to step foot in it.

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Activity 3

Your Jewish community is establishing a new Jewish youth movement. You and your friends have been chosen to decide the name and nature of the movement. After much research and debate the following three name were selected:

• Maccabees

• Masada

• Bar Kochba

In groups:

• Choose the best name for your youth movement.

• Write a letter to the leaders of your community explaining why this is the best name.

• Design a banner for your movement.

• Write down the three most important principles of the movement.

• Who will be invited to join your movement?

• Prepare an anthem for your movement.

At the end of the lesson, hold a vote among all your classmates to determine the winning name.

Conclusion

So friends, today we learned about the heroes of Masada and Beitar. We heard about some fierce and bloody battles that took place in the Judean Mountains and desert. We thought about what defines heroism, and started thinking about who our heroes should be (Maccabee, Bar Kochba, Masada).

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This concludes our lessons about Judea and Samaria, that ancient biblical area.

On Asara BeTevet we commemorate the beginning of the destruction of Jerusalem. We think about how the Jews fought against all odds to save their city and to live their lives as Jews. The Jews lost that battle. Jerusalem fell. The Temple was destroyed. The Jews were exiled far away from their homeland.

But here we are today, a new generation of Jews. We are affirming our ancient ties to the Land of Israel, and we are connecting to the challenge to live a Jewish life. There are more Jews living in Israel today than ever before in history.

We hope to see you in Israel one day.

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The Mountain and the Valley50

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Eretz Yisrael Throughout the Year 51

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The Lookstein Center for Jewish EducationSchool of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900 Israel

Tel: 972-3-531-8199 | Fax: 972-3-535-1912 [email protected] www.lookstein.org

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