Lupines and Almonds: A success story

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I recently filmed and produced a new video about Lupines and Almond Trees as a new part of my YouTube channel called “Israel Safari” (viewable below).

Unfortunately my filming session in the מצפתל – Mitzpetel nature spot was a bit of a downer as I learned that the beautiful green hill in the middle of Jerusalem’s Armon Hanatziv neighborhood was scheduled for development. This unique opportunity to see Lupines and the various Jerusalem plants and animals was going to be bulldozed.

Imagine my surprise and happiness when I found out today that Jerusalem municipality is now planning to keep Mitzpetel as an urban nature reserve!

You can view my video here, but remember I need 1000 subscribers to monetize, I am an out of work Tour Guide and could do with this boost.

My Israel ישראל שלי

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A Series of Children’s videos

Due to insufficient demand for the My Israel virtual tours for kids, I have taken the decision to release some of the videos as a series of short shows aimed at kids from pre-school to first grade on my ScoutIsrael Youtube Channel.

These videos will be a light-hearted video ‘trip’ to see something that kids’ will find fun. We start the first video with a Jerusalem nature reserve called “Gazelle Valley”! We learn about the family groups in which Gazelles live in. We also learn about Moorhens. Here is the video:

It was great fun making this video as it was all filmed on a number of days out with my family.

I am focusing on my videos because of the temporary stop in worldwide tourism due to the COVID-19 crisis. Please support my channel and my podcasts by clicking on either the Ko-Fi button or Patreon button.

Virtual Jerusalem Tour: At the Western Wall

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The 4th Pop up tour where we visit the Western Wall itself

We are visiting the Western Wall at the time of Corona. Ever wondered what structure the Western Wall is the western wall of? Or who built it? Are the stones all the same age? Why is it so important to Jews? Hit play to find out.

Here’s some quick facts:

  • The Western wall is 488m long, it was originally 65m high.
  • It was built in around 20 BC
  • The first refurbishment was carried out by the early Muslim (Ummayad dynasty)
  • It also incorporates various arches and bridges

Watch the video above to find out more!

King Hezekiah and King Menashe of Judea – the archaeology

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If you’ve been following my podcasts recently you might know that I’ve been talking mainly about King Hezekiah and his son Menashe of Judah. Hezekiah lived around the same time as the Assyrian Emperor Sennacharib 705-681 BCE. There is a clay prism in the British Museum which chronicles Sennacharib’s life. It mentions Hezekiah too. It describes Sennacharib’s conquest of Judea and siege of Jerusalem.

(If you are looking for the podcasts scroll to the bottom of the page)

The Taylor Prism viewable in the British Museum

The British Museum used to have a complete transcript available online. It got removed, I will update this page with any further resources.

In addition to the Prism there is also a display  in the British Museum of a wall frieze of the  siege of Lachish, a town in the foothills of Judea. This siege is both mentioned on the Prism depicted above and the Bible, namely in the book of Kings (II Kings 18) and Chronicles (II Chronicles 32).

The Frieze includes:

A depiction of Sennacharib sitting on his throne at the gates to the city:

Source : Wikimedia Author : User:oncenawhile

Depictions of the battle:

Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)

And, as mentioned in the podcast the capture and punishment of enemies, possibly a cruxifiction, possibly a flaying, what do you think?

Source: Wikimedia Author: Zunkir

Fairly recently an archaeologist called Eilat Mazar found an official Bullae or clay stamp of Hezekiah in an archaeological park called the City of David. I have also sketched my observation of the stamp. Note that the lettering is “Proto – Canaanite script and the “logo” of Hezekiah is a sun with wings and an Ankh.

If you listen to the podcasts posted at the bottom you will hear that this is part of the evidence confirming both Hezekiah (podcast 8) and Menashe (Podcast 9) as historical actors.

Source: Wikimedia Author: Rubén Betanzo S.

“Artist”‘s impression of Hezekiah’s official stamp

Similar “logos” were found on numerous jug handles from the same era possibly for the collection of money or produce for the King, in fact “for the King” was written on many such handles.

More stylised sun with wings logo common to the jug handles.
Author: Hanay
Source: Wikimedia

In addition to this we have a 533m long tunnel outside the Old City of Jerusalem amongst other building projects that as you will hear in podcast 8 Hezekiah and later Menashe (Podcast 9) build structures that include the tunnel depicted below.

IMG_1056

On Tour at Hezekiah’s tunnel, City of David

Podcast 8 : Hezekiah

Podcast 9 : Menashe

As of March 25th 2020 I have been furloughed from all tourism related work, due to COVID-19 all tourist flights have stopped.

If you want to help: please share this article.

In order to produce more articles and podcasts I need to pay bills, contributions will be happily recieved by clicking on the coffee mug below.

New Media, New Forums, New Challenges and new ways to show your support

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I’ve been very busy.

As you well might imagine my business took a nose dive due to the International COVID-19 crisis. All the planes from abroad were cancelled and any form of socializing was prohibited for a short space of time. My regular job at the Western Wall Tunnels ended. All tours were cancelled for the foreseeable future.

I did not stop, I did not give up and still today I am touring, educating and learning.

As soon as I could, I started work at an archeological site, not as a glamorous educator, but as a worker shifting buckets of sand in the hot sun. This I call my daily Archeo-Zumba!

 

I started this Youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcQWuD6k-Xruf1H1dVqUyUw

 

I recorded a new podcast and am recording another one right now!

And I haven’t finished yet…

I started a subreddit too!

r/HistoryofJudaismcast Lounge from HistoryofJudaismcast

Do you want to help?

Then Please Comment!

Like and Share my work!

If you really want to help physically, I need to be able to sustain these media, improve my hardware, pay bills (of course!) and drink the occaisional coffee!

Uploaded a past Passover Podcast to YouTube

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I’m in the process of uploading my podcasts to YouTube.

This is the latest upload.

A discussion of scriptural references to Arameans in the Passover Seder and their connection to Isaac and Rebecca and Jacob and Esau.

I focus specifically on the verse in Deuteronomy  דברים 26:10  :

Either:

“My father was a wandering Aramean”

Or

“An Aramean oppressed my father”.

Which translation do you favor?

Leave a comment and tell me.

 

Family Tour – Judean Foothills

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A hands on educational experience for all the family

Tel Socho also known as “Lupine Hill”

The “Shfeila” or Judean Foothills is the area between the Jerusalem Hills and the Coastal Plain. It has been the battlefield of Judea for more than 2000 years. The soft chalk hills crowned with grassy meadows are a perfect home for many plants and animals. Join me on a fun family adventure, exploring the Foothills of Judea.

Itinerary:

  • Nature Walk in Tel Soho (pictured above). The first part of the David and Goliath Story. In the spring the best place to view flowering Lupines.
  • Dramatic Enactment of David and Goliath at Tel Azeikah.  Bringing the Bible and archaeology to life at a classic archaeological site.

 

Khirbet Midras Bar Kochba Caves

  • Crawl the Bar Kochba Caves.  A system of crawl caves where Judeans held out against the forces of Roman Emperor Hadrian.
  • Lunch in area

  • Underground Adventure at the Soreq Stalactite caves.
  • Animals and The Bible explore the nature in the Holy Land at the Biblical Museum of Natural History.

Continue reading →