We met at the entrance to Har Homa, met our guide Shmuel Browns, and drove the short drive to Herodion.
We started out at lower Herodion, where we say the remains of the Roman bath house, the articial pond which was surrounded by gardens, and various other structures.
After lower Herodion, we drove up to the palace-fortress, we walked around the various sites, visited the bathhouse that was built inside the fortress which includes one of the oldest complete domes found in Israel, the triclinium (formal dining room) that later served as a synagogue, and a Mikve from a later period.
Next we went underground and visited the water cisterns dug out to supply water to the palace.
These cisterns were later connected by tunnels and served as hiding places during the Second Jewish Revolt.
When we exited the tunnels we had a view of the theater that was recently discovered.
We ended our day with a picnic at the entrance to the site.
Thanks to Michelle for organizning a wonderfull day, Shmuel for bringing the site to life, and to all the participants.
Pictures:
Gadi's Pictures
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Mtzpe Ramon - November 11th-13th, 2010
"Please do not feed the ibex!" – Mosaic hiking weekend at Mitzpe Ramon
Those who were lucky enough to reach the Har HaNegev Field School in Mitzpe Ramon before dark were treated to a beautiful sunset seen from the promenade. Everyone made it to the field school, for an early start on Friday morning.
We drove out towards Canyon Ada with our intrepid guide Eshchar, who seems to prefer unmarked trails and is a true man of the desert. We had to squeeze through boulders and climb up a knotted rope, using handholds. We continued climbing upwards (and very carefully downwards)…with some slightly difficult hiking over crumbling sandstone and gravelly trails.
The payoff was a magnificent view of the canyon and a vista of the Negev.
Warren's ultimate killer brownies at the end of the hike seem to have made up for the "pain."
Hard to recognize the "sweaty" hikers transformed in Shabbat clothes but we joined voices in a sunset Kabbalat Shabbat, overlooking the crater, making sure mourners (male and female) could say kaddish.
The next day, hikers took advantage of the various trails and circuits leading out from the field school, overlooking and through the crater, for beautiful walks.
The new faces brought good cheer, good games and great voices to the weekend. Welcome! And refuah shlemah to Simcha Layah.
Many thanks to Rachel and Ephraim who coordinated the hike and to Eshchar who led us.
Warren's Pictures
Warning: Canyon Ada is in an Army training area. If you would like to go there on your own, you need to coordinate with the Army.
Those who were lucky enough to reach the Har HaNegev Field School in Mitzpe Ramon before dark were treated to a beautiful sunset seen from the promenade. Everyone made it to the field school, for an early start on Friday morning.
We drove out towards Canyon Ada with our intrepid guide Eshchar, who seems to prefer unmarked trails and is a true man of the desert. We had to squeeze through boulders and climb up a knotted rope, using handholds. We continued climbing upwards (and very carefully downwards)…with some slightly difficult hiking over crumbling sandstone and gravelly trails.
The payoff was a magnificent view of the canyon and a vista of the Negev.
Warren's ultimate killer brownies at the end of the hike seem to have made up for the "pain."
Hard to recognize the "sweaty" hikers transformed in Shabbat clothes but we joined voices in a sunset Kabbalat Shabbat, overlooking the crater, making sure mourners (male and female) could say kaddish.
The next day, hikers took advantage of the various trails and circuits leading out from the field school, overlooking and through the crater, for beautiful walks.
The new faces brought good cheer, good games and great voices to the weekend. Welcome! And refuah shlemah to Simcha Layah.
Many thanks to Rachel and Ephraim who coordinated the hike and to Eshchar who led us.
Warren's Pictures
Warning: Canyon Ada is in an Army training area. If you would like to go there on your own, you need to coordinate with the Army.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tel Megiddo - October 22nd 2010
October 22nd was Armageddon day.
The Jerusalem crowd met at the Nayot gas station, and after getting assigned to cars started the drive to Megiddo.
At Megiddo, we met people coming from other parts of the country, and our guide, Dr. Norma Franklin of the The Megiddo Expedition.
Norma gave us an introduction to the history of Megiddo, highlighting various point about the site. One interesting point was the Megiddo was the site of the first documented battle in history.
We went through the site, getting some very interesting insights from someone who has been involved with the site for a few years.
We visited Norma’s active dig site, where a team was unearthing a spot where it seems like a kitchen fire caused some local destruction. Some whole ceramic vessels where found at the site, some containing grains. The find was too fresh to know what types of grains were found.
After visiting Megiddo’s amazing water system, and returning to the sites entrance, we had lunch.
After lunch we continued our tour with views of Megiddo’s temples.
Thanks to Steve for organizing this special tour and to Norma for providing interesting insights into the history of Megiddo.
Pictures
Gadi's Pictures
Steve's Pictures
The Jerusalem crowd met at the Nayot gas station, and after getting assigned to cars started the drive to Megiddo.
At Megiddo, we met people coming from other parts of the country, and our guide, Dr. Norma Franklin of the The Megiddo Expedition.
Norma gave us an introduction to the history of Megiddo, highlighting various point about the site. One interesting point was the Megiddo was the site of the first documented battle in history.
We went through the site, getting some very interesting insights from someone who has been involved with the site for a few years.
We visited Norma’s active dig site, where a team was unearthing a spot where it seems like a kitchen fire caused some local destruction. Some whole ceramic vessels where found at the site, some containing grains. The find was too fresh to know what types of grains were found.
After visiting Megiddo’s amazing water system, and returning to the sites entrance, we had lunch.
After lunch we continued our tour with views of Megiddo’s temples.
Thanks to Steve for organizing this special tour and to Norma for providing interesting insights into the history of Megiddo.
Pictures
Gadi's Pictures
Steve's Pictures
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Gush Etzion at Night - August 26th, 2010
After meeting at the Paz gas station in Gilo, we drove to Sde Boaz section of Neve Daniel. The drivers took the cars to the end of the route, and then came back to find the rest of the group immitating icles.
After a short introduction by our guide, Ganit, we started walking back towards Neve Daniel. We made a short detour towards a spring. After returning to the main route we stopped at Nebi Daniel, the site the gave its name to the area and heard the story of the Nebi Daniel Convoy in 1948.
There was supposed to be a great view from this point, but we walking in a cloud and could not see anything.
Our next stop was the water tower, at 996 meters above sea level, the highest peak in the area. Again the view eluded us.
We continued through Neve Daniel and stopped and the only remains of the original site. The Cohen Farm. The site was purchased in 1935 as a farm, but was abandoned in 1936 during the Arab Revolt.
We left Neve Daniel and walked along the Patriarchs road. This is a small section of the anceint road the went along the top of the mountains of Judea and Sumaria. The Romans rebuilt the road and that is what we see today. Along the road we saw some Roman mile stones and a mikve that was probably used by pilgrims on the way to Jerusalem.
Our next stop was a vinyard where we saw how mountain agriculture is used and how it was described in the bible.
We ended our walk at the load oak, the old center of Gush Etzion.
Thanks to Warren who organized our walk, and to Ganit, our Guide.
After a short introduction by our guide, Ganit, we started walking back towards Neve Daniel. We made a short detour towards a spring. After returning to the main route we stopped at Nebi Daniel, the site the gave its name to the area and heard the story of the Nebi Daniel Convoy in 1948.
There was supposed to be a great view from this point, but we walking in a cloud and could not see anything.
Our next stop was the water tower, at 996 meters above sea level, the highest peak in the area. Again the view eluded us.
We continued through Neve Daniel and stopped and the only remains of the original site. The Cohen Farm. The site was purchased in 1935 as a farm, but was abandoned in 1936 during the Arab Revolt.
We left Neve Daniel and walked along the Patriarchs road. This is a small section of the anceint road the went along the top of the mountains of Judea and Sumaria. The Romans rebuilt the road and that is what we see today. Along the road we saw some Roman mile stones and a mikve that was probably used by pilgrims on the way to Jerusalem.
Our next stop was a vinyard where we saw how mountain agriculture is used and how it was described in the bible.
We ended our walk at the load oak, the old center of Gush Etzion.
Thanks to Warren who organized our walk, and to Ganit, our Guide.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Perseid Meteor Shower - August 12, 2010
Phyliss Wrote:
I volunteered to organize the August Mosaic event because for a long time I’ve wanted to take a guided tour of the stars with an astronomer. The nice thing about organizing a Mosaic hike (in this case, Mosaic event) is that you can plan the program you’d love to do, or tour of the site you always wanted to visit (which might be beyond your technical or financial ability if you had to do it alone) and then share it with everyone.
This year the peak of the Perseid meteor shower fell on August 12, two days after Rosh Chodesh, so the sky was as dark as could be. And August 12 was a Thursday night, which is when Mosaic weekends start. An ideal date to watch the stars…
When our buses left Jerusalem at 20:50, the sky was ominously overcast, and I seriously considered canceling the program. But “Astro Tom” Rosenfeld, our sky guide, who had already arrived at Mitzpe Masua, in Britain Park, phoned to tell me that the sky south of Beit Shemesh was reasonably clear. So, with some misgivings, 33 Mosaic chevre set out to join him.
Although I had engaged one astronomer guide, we lucked out when Tom showed up with his colleague Daniel Jackson and three telescopes. Tom and Daniel took turns giving over a history of astronomy from the Sumerians to Galileo; explaining about meteors, meteor showers, and meteorites; and answering all the questions that that everyone always wanted to ask an astronomer.
We all had opportunities to observe Jupiter through the telescopes, with its “belt” from 2 o’clock to 8 o’clock across its disk. Suspended in pitch-black space, Jupiter was swinging its partners — an entourage of four tiny bright points dancing just below it to its left — moons that unmistakably changed position between 10 pm and 1 am. The very same sight that astounded Galileo four centuries ago astounded me too, even though, unlike him, I should not have been surprised. But the difference between seeing Jupiter and its satellites with my own eyes and seeing them on film is like the difference between meeting someone face-to-face and looking at a photo album. It’s probably the closest I’ll ever come to communing with the cosmos.
We also had a telescopic look at the Andromeda galaxy, the only galaxy visible to the naked eye (well, maybe some people’s naked eyes, or perhaps it’s more visible on clearer nights). We also took a guided tour of the Milky Way and the more recognizable stars and constellations. Tom pointed them out with his green laser pointer, and told us about their histories and legends.
Only people crazy about the idea of a guided tour of the sky showed up, and the evening didn’t disappoint anyone — not even those who expected meteor showers to look like fireworks. (One “streak” every few minutes counts as a “heavy shower.”) Tom and Daniel kept us all engaged the whole time. I thought people would start to fidget after 2 1/2 hours, and I figured that we’d leave when people got bored; but after 4 hours I finally had to cut the program short to announce that it was time to return to the buses. By then the clouds were returning, so the timing wasn’t too bad.
As always, Warren outdid himself with a chocolate fudge cake, but it was too dark to serve it at the park. We ate it on the bus ride home, and it was truly delicious!
Many of the 33 participants expressed interest in attending another star-gazing event, in the Negev next time, where there will be no clouds or fog, no city lights or headlights, and no obnoxious teenagers 50 yards away glaring at us with their flashlights.
I volunteered to organize the August Mosaic event because for a long time I’ve wanted to take a guided tour of the stars with an astronomer. The nice thing about organizing a Mosaic hike (in this case, Mosaic event) is that you can plan the program you’d love to do, or tour of the site you always wanted to visit (which might be beyond your technical or financial ability if you had to do it alone) and then share it with everyone.
This year the peak of the Perseid meteor shower fell on August 12, two days after Rosh Chodesh, so the sky was as dark as could be. And August 12 was a Thursday night, which is when Mosaic weekends start. An ideal date to watch the stars…
When our buses left Jerusalem at 20:50, the sky was ominously overcast, and I seriously considered canceling the program. But “Astro Tom” Rosenfeld, our sky guide, who had already arrived at Mitzpe Masua, in Britain Park, phoned to tell me that the sky south of Beit Shemesh was reasonably clear. So, with some misgivings, 33 Mosaic chevre set out to join him.
Although I had engaged one astronomer guide, we lucked out when Tom showed up with his colleague Daniel Jackson and three telescopes. Tom and Daniel took turns giving over a history of astronomy from the Sumerians to Galileo; explaining about meteors, meteor showers, and meteorites; and answering all the questions that that everyone always wanted to ask an astronomer.
We all had opportunities to observe Jupiter through the telescopes, with its “belt” from 2 o’clock to 8 o’clock across its disk. Suspended in pitch-black space, Jupiter was swinging its partners — an entourage of four tiny bright points dancing just below it to its left — moons that unmistakably changed position between 10 pm and 1 am. The very same sight that astounded Galileo four centuries ago astounded me too, even though, unlike him, I should not have been surprised. But the difference between seeing Jupiter and its satellites with my own eyes and seeing them on film is like the difference between meeting someone face-to-face and looking at a photo album. It’s probably the closest I’ll ever come to communing with the cosmos.
We also had a telescopic look at the Andromeda galaxy, the only galaxy visible to the naked eye (well, maybe some people’s naked eyes, or perhaps it’s more visible on clearer nights). We also took a guided tour of the Milky Way and the more recognizable stars and constellations. Tom pointed them out with his green laser pointer, and told us about their histories and legends.
Only people crazy about the idea of a guided tour of the sky showed up, and the evening didn’t disappoint anyone — not even those who expected meteor showers to look like fireworks. (One “streak” every few minutes counts as a “heavy shower.”) Tom and Daniel kept us all engaged the whole time. I thought people would start to fidget after 2 1/2 hours, and I figured that we’d leave when people got bored; but after 4 hours I finally had to cut the program short to announce that it was time to return to the buses. By then the clouds were returning, so the timing wasn’t too bad.
As always, Warren outdid himself with a chocolate fudge cake, but it was too dark to serve it at the park. We ate it on the bus ride home, and it was truly delicious!
Many of the 33 participants expressed interest in attending another star-gazing event, in the Negev next time, where there will be no clouds or fog, no city lights or headlights, and no obnoxious teenagers 50 yards away glaring at us with their flashlights.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Tel-Aviv Bike Ride - July 1st 2010
We met at the bike shop at the corner of Ben Yehuda and Arlozorov in Tel-Aviv and got our bikes.
Sarah led us a few blocks south to Sderot Ben Gurion and then west towards the sea.
We rode north along the Shlomo Lahat promenade (Tayelet) passing by the Tel-Aviv port.
After crossing the Yarkon, we continued north passing the Reading power station, the Sde Dov airport, the Tel Baruch beach. We stopped along the way to watch the sunset. The northern point of our ride was at the entrance to Chof HaTzuk (The cliff beach).
After a short rest, we returned the same way we came until we crossed the Yarkon. We went for a ride in Park HaYarkon, which took us over bridges and under highways. We took a more or less circular route and ended up back at the Tel Aviv Port.
Another short ride brought us back to the bike shop. We returned our bikes and walked back to the park just south of the Hilton Hotel, where we had Cake and Ice Cream prepared by Sarah.
In total we rode about 20 km.
Thanks to Sarah for organizing and leading the ride.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Haifa - June 4th 2010
On June 4th, 2010, Mosaic went to Haifa to see the Baha'i Gardens and some of the older sections of town.
The organizer was Myla and the tour guide was Ilan Levin. The transportation arrangements were simple: everybody got there by themselves.
After the latecomers arrived, Ilan took us straight to the Gardens. We went down 700 steps through 18 well cultivated terraces. Because of the Baha'i love of symmetry in harmony, the first nine and the second nine terraces are all identical. The place couldn't be better maintained if a thousand volunteers were trimming the grass with toenail scissors. Who knows? Maybe they are.
Ilan told us about the history of the Baha'i and some of their basic beliefs. I think we were all pretty impressed by their individual worship and commitment to peace. Equally impressive is their absolute refusal to evangelize in Israel. In fact they won't even let an Israeli convert if he wants to in Israel.
Outside of the Gardens, we took a walk through parts of the Hadar and the old Haifa center. Ilan told us about the history of the place and about how we could read that history in the architecture.
We strolled through parts of the old German Colony and heard about the Templers, saw some of the original inscriptions on buildings which have been "gentrified."
The tour ended with a walk through Wadi Nisnas and some of the pieces remaining from its arts festival.
The day ended with a ride on Israel's only subway, the Carmelit.
Thanks Steve for writing this entry.
Pictures:
Steve's Pictures
The organizer was Myla and the tour guide was Ilan Levin. The transportation arrangements were simple: everybody got there by themselves.
After the latecomers arrived, Ilan took us straight to the Gardens. We went down 700 steps through 18 well cultivated terraces. Because of the Baha'i love of symmetry in harmony, the first nine and the second nine terraces are all identical. The place couldn't be better maintained if a thousand volunteers were trimming the grass with toenail scissors. Who knows? Maybe they are.
Ilan told us about the history of the Baha'i and some of their basic beliefs. I think we were all pretty impressed by their individual worship and commitment to peace. Equally impressive is their absolute refusal to evangelize in Israel. In fact they won't even let an Israeli convert if he wants to in Israel.
Outside of the Gardens, we took a walk through parts of the Hadar and the old Haifa center. Ilan told us about the history of the place and about how we could read that history in the architecture.
We strolled through parts of the old German Colony and heard about the Templers, saw some of the original inscriptions on buildings which have been "gentrified."
The tour ended with a walk through Wadi Nisnas and some of the pieces remaining from its arts festival.
The day ended with a ride on Israel's only subway, the Carmelit.
Thanks Steve for writing this entry.
Pictures:
Steve's Pictures
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