Chicken Soup is one dish that has reached mythical status in Jewish culture. Known as the "Jewish Penicillin," chicken soup is offered to nurse colds, eliminate headaches, and even comfort broken hearts. There is almost nothing chicken soup is not purported to cure. This idea...
Hanukka recently passed and my thoughts turned to oil – olive oil to be precise. This is because only olive oil can be used in the Hanukkia, the special eight-branched candlestick, one candle more of which is lit each night of the holiday. This usage...
Touring to both Israel and the Palestinian Territories is getting even easier. A new Palestinian and Israeli experiential tourism project, Breaking Bread Journeys, aims to reach tourists seeking to engage with locals and visit important biblical and other sites. The new program was created by...
On May 4, 2012, the Samaritan's of the Holy Land will celebrate the annual Passover sacrifice. But who are the Samaritans? And how is it that this community continues to survive in the Holy Land? Part 1 in our series of the Holy Land Samaritans In...
I've lived in Israel for over 12 years now. I've navigated the narrow alleyways of Jerusalem and enjoyed the peaceful solitude watching the sunrise over the Sea of Galilee. But, when it comes to the southern Israeli city of Be'er Sheva, I embarrassingly have to plead ignorance. While...
The people of Israel are as varied as the land itself. Although by the latest census 80% of the population of the State of Israel is Jewish, this doesn't mean all Jewish people have the same customs or traditions. As for the remaining 20% this...
As one enter's the wine village of Zichron Ya'acov on Richov (street) Hameyasdim there's a treat for those who plan ahead. The Smadar Winery is small and quaint as well as set back off Zichron's main street with little signage to tell a tourist there's a winery to visit nearby. But...
You've been planning your Holy Land tour for a long time and you'll making your long awaited summer pilgrimage to Israel. You've packed your sunscreen, walking sandals and hat as well as all the appropriately cool clothing - after all the last thing you want...
Each culture is an empire of verbal and nonverbal signs that structure subjective individual consciousness. According to anthropologist Ray Birdwhistell, nonverbal communication, paralanguage, constitutes almost seventy percent of human interaction. Whereas verbal communication may be transcribed in writing, nonverbal communication, such as posture, gesture, stance...
When you visit Israel, one of the highlights of your trip will be a visit to the Western Wall. Standing along the expansive plaza beneath this wall that stretches 187 feet wide and 131 feet tall, it's hard not to feel God's presence as you make...