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| Here are the twelve most ogled and googled articles
on my site this
week. I chose the number twelve to represent
the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles
of Jesus, symbolizing all-encompassing and
far-reaching. |
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| 1.
Gates of the
Old City. A handy orientation to
Jerusalem’s Old City includes the history,
geography, archeology and legends about its nine
gates. A chart of the gate names in English,
Hebrew and Arabic will help you navigate its ancient
alleyways. |
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| 2. Israeli
folk song lyrics. Learn to sing the most
popular Israeli songs such as Hava Nagila, Ode Avinu
Hai and Shalom Haverim. |
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| 3.
Holy Land Spiders. An unusual question about holy land
spiders sent me off to interview Jerusalem’s most
veteran “spider man,” 79-year-old Pini Amitai.
He described the seven most common web-spinning
spiders in Israel and graciously gave me permission
to reprint some of his great photos. |
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| 4.
Handy Hebrew phrases. Ten Hebrew
phrases which will help you connect with Israelis
you will be meeting during your pilgrimage. As
a bonus, some colorful local colloquialisms. |
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"Next year in Jerusalem!" | Ha
Shana Ha Baa b'Yerushalayim |
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| 5.
Armageddon. Strategically
significant Megiddo, overlooking the Jezreel Valley,
plays an important role at the end of days when the
good guys will ultimately triumph over the forces of
evil. This article describes the recent find of a
mosaic floor in what may have been the world’s
oldest church. |
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| 6.
Isaiah scroll.
The crown jewel of the Dead Sea Scrolls is
Isaiah Manuscript 1, the most ancient
Biblical scroll intact with all 66 verses,
found by the Beduin in 1947. Connect the
discovery, the purchase, the preservation
and the interpretation of the scroll to Luke
chapter 4. |
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| 7.
Priestly benediction. Noted
excavator Dr. Gabi Barkay tells of discovering the
oldest fragments of biblical verses -- the priestly
benediction -- from the sixth century BC. |
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Photo: Gila
Yudkin |
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Selection of shofars (rams
horns) |
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| 8.
Choosing a
shofar. Are you considering buying
a shofar -- or have you bought one already?
Here are some tips by expert shofar-blowers on how
to eliminate the odor. |
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| 9. Holy Land
Jargon. A dictionary of 13
expressions vital to understanding the
nuances of a holy land pilgrimage.
This article distinguishes between a
“traditional” site and an “authentic” site;
explains a “Shabbat elevator”; and offers
Bible references for the shekel, Israel’s
unit of currency. |
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| 10.
Cleopatra. The Queen of Egypt's
liaison with Marc Antony threatened Herod the
Great's possession of the lucrative plantations at
Jericho and Ein Gedi and motivated him to build the
Masada fortress. This sage of Cleopatra
debunks a number of myths about the notorious
femme fatale. |
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| 11.
About Gila. A revealing
interview with Gila, encompassing why she became a
guide, why Dan is her favorite Biblical site, the
biggest surprise she arranged for a group and her
most embarrassing moment on tour. |
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| 12.
Charles Warren.
The adventures of Captain Charles Warren who
explored “underground” Jerusalem from 1867
to 1870. His insights and discoveries
are pertinent to Biblical research to this
very day. |
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Wilson and Warren,
The Recovery of Jerusalem |
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Warren’s excavations near
Robinson’s Arch 1867-1870 |
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Newest articles: |
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Discovery at Herod's Tomb:
After 3 decades, Archeologist Ehud Netzer
finally found Herod's Tomb at Herodion, the
cone-shaped mount 7 miles south of
Jerusalem. An itsgila
exclusive: a photo of the sarcophagus
of Herod found on site. |
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Ramat Rahel 2008 highlights:
Latest surprise archeological discoveries at
the Tel Ramat Rahel dig. |
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| Archeology:
Dads, kids and even a granddad share their highlights at the
Ramat Rahel dig July-August
2008. |
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