By Nosson Shulman: Licensed Tour Guide of VIP Israel Tours & Authentic Virtual Tours (click here to check out his free trailer videos)

“It was on the next day that the Philistines came…and they found Saul and his sons lying on Mt Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:8)”

Today we are exploring an incredibly unique mountain that few non-residents of Israel will visit (or even notice) unless they are with a tour guide. This mountain, located between two, deep valleys (nearby Beit Shean is 120 meters (394 feet) below sea level) dramatically rises above the surrounding area to a maximum height of 650 meters (2133 feet) above sea level, giving tourists an unparalleled, panoramic view of much of Israel and Jordan.

The mountain boasts some of the most exciting hiking trails and picnic sites in the country! Extreme sports such as mountain biking and paragliding from the top of the summit are becoming increasingly popular.

While all of these unique features are reason enough to visit this stunning mountain, what really makes this place special are the incredible biblical events that took place here. In addition, arguably the most consequential battle in world history occurred here less than 800 years ago!

Gilboa is sandwiched between two fertile biblical valleys, the Jezreel Valley to its north and the Beit Shean valley to the east (for more on Beit Shean, click here). It was (and remains to this day) Israel’s breadbasket. What makes this area so fertile? A combination of frequent sunshine (it is one of Israel’s hottest regions, in 1943 a town in the Beit Shean valley recorded a temperature of 129 degrees). Also, the area is under sea-level, and there are abundant springs that emerge at the foot of nearby mountains, such as Gilboa. While Israel has historically struggled with water shortages, this area is an exception.

One spring emanating from Gilboa (Ein Harod) is also the location of one of the most exciting stories recorded in the Bible! During the times of the judges, the Midianites and the Amalekites had been oppressing the Jewish people for 7 years, severely impoverishing them.

The people cried out to G-d for salvation, who responded by sending an angel to Gideon who lived on Mount Gilead (for more on Mount Gilead, click here) requesting that he take charge and lead his people. Gideon was surprised that he was chosen, because although he was physically strong and pious, he was unknown and the youngest child from the poorest family of his Tribe of Manasseh (see Judges 6:15). When Gideon asked for a sign, G-d told him to offer a sacrifice on an altar which was then consumed by a fire from heaven. This indicated that he was indeed chosen for the job!

Gideon gathered 22,000 fighters to the spring, but G-d said that was too many and that he should send some home. Why would G-d tell Gideon to trim his forces, when intuitively the opposite should have happened? Because G-d wanted His people not to rely on their own strength but to rely on Him alone. When only 10,000 troops remained, G-d once again told him that was too much. G-d then asked Gideon to bring his troops to the Ein-Harod spring to drink, where he would conduct a water test. Whomever bent down on his knees to drink would be sent home (according to Jewish sources this was because those who kneeled did so because they were accustomed to bowing down to idols. Since this victory was going to be gained miraculously, a high level of spirituality was required). After the test only 300 remained, defeating the combined, massive force of Midianites and Amalekites, thus bringing 40 years of quiet to the Jewish people (for more on Gideon and a recent discovery of an inscription bearing his name, click here).

Gilboa is predominantly known for being the battleground between King Saul and the Philistines. In the battle Saul and his sons were killed, which meant that David was now king. Rather than rejoice at his good fortune, he immediately tore his garments (a Jewish mourning custom) and mourned the death of Saul and his son Jonathan (who was King David’s best friend). Upset at what happened, David cursed the mountain, saying “O Mountains of Gilboa – let neither Dew nor rain be upon you, nor fields of bounty (2 Samuel 1:21).” According to Jewish sources, David was saying that even if the mountain were to produce some vegetation, it should never become edible enough to be harvested. Indeed, to this day the mountain is mostly barren, with the exception of non-edible trees planted by the Jewish National Fund on one side of the mountain (the other side is dramatically empty) together with beautiful flowers which came from nearby old Arab cemeteries (over the centuries, the flower seeds naturally found their way onto the mountain and sprouted). This is despite that fact that the mountain is sandwiched between the most fertile parts of Israel. Because of King David’s curse, the mountain is an island of infertility (though still incredibly beautiful) in the midst of plenty!

Many millennia later (circa 1260 CE) arguably the most important and consequential battle in world history took place here; the battle of Ein Jalut. At that time, the Mongolian Empire was the largest continuous territory the world had ever seen (in fact, that record has never been broken)!

The Mongolians had never lost a major battle at any time. When they overtook Syria, they sent messengers to the Muslim rulers of Egypt (which controlled Israel) demanding their surrender. The rulers in Cairo not only refused to surrender, but also declared war by killing the messengers (displaying their heads for all to see). The angry Mongols then invaded Israel (enroute to Egypt) to wipe out this “brazen” Kingdom. The two Kingdoms met on the battlefield by Mount Gilboa and for the first time in history, the Mongolians were defeated to the extent that Egypt and Israel were forever outside of their grasp (though the still-powerful Mongolians continued to expand rapidly in other directions).

Tourists in Israel will not be disappointed with a visit to Mount Gilboa. The region has much to offer, including stunning views, pastoral quiet, incredible hiking, biblical history and ancient remains! On your next trip to Israel, I highly recommend biblical Mount Gilboa be included on your itinerary!

Nosson Shulman is a journalist and Licensed Tour Guide in Israel specializing in Biblical tours. To allow tourists to experience Israel during the Corona era, he created the new hit Israel tour video series which brings Israel to the home of viewers by simulating actual tours. To check out his free sneak preview tour videos, click here. To view sample tour itineraries or to inquire about private tour opportunities with a personalized itinerary on your next trip to Israel, click here.

© 2020 All Rights Reserved – Unauthorized Duplication is prohibited

By Nosson Shulman: Licensed Tour Guide of VIP Israel Tours & Authentic Virtual Tours (click here to check out his free trailer videos)

“North and South – You created them. Tabor and Hermon sing joyously in Your Name (Psalms 89:13)”

Today we are visiting the stunning Mount Tabor! Surrounded by relatively flat lands, this mountain, which is shaped like a perfectly round semi-circle, dramatically rises 450 meters (1476 feet), seemingly out of nowhere. Because of this, the site is often used by scripture to denote majesty. For example, “As long as I live, says the King, Whose name is the Lord of Hosts, that as sure as Tabor is among the mountains, and Carmel is by the sea, it shall come about (Jeremiah 46:8)”. In Psalms 89:13, the verse says “Tabor…sings joyously in your name”.

The only way to get to the top is to drive upon a very windy road. The drive itself is through a beautiful Mediterranean forest filled with Mount Tabor Oaks (the actual name of this species of trees), Pistachio trees, common oaks, and Carob trees. Depending on the season, you will see beautiful wildflowers on your way up, some of them quite rare!

Once at the top, we are immediately treated to breathtaking panoramic views!

Tabor was an important place in Biblical times, partly due to its location on the main international highway (the Via Marris) which went from Egypt to Damascus and Mesopotamia. It was also on an important North-South route in Israel. Since the mountain can be seen from far away, it acted as an important navigational landmark for wayfarers. The centrality of the mountain is further shown as being the border point between three tribes: Zebulun (Joshua 19:12), Issachar (IBID Joshua 19:22), and Naphtali (IBID 19:34).

Due to the dramatic height difference between the mountain and its surroundings, Tabor was used throughout history as an important fortification. Besides the steep slopes which made it difficult for enemies to climb and conquer, the views above allowed it to spot potential invaders from far away.

When the Jewish people were oppressed by the ultra-powerful general Sisera, Deborah the prophetess told Barak (her husband according to Jewish sources) to gather together an army of 10,000 men and bring them to the top of Mount Tabor. When Sisera was near, Deborah told Barak to forge an attack with his army. As they ran down the mountain, G-d caused the superior forces of Sisera to be confounded, and they fled into the Kishon River. G-d then set a divine trap, and the enemy forces got stuck in the brook where they were subsequently slaughtered (for more on the miracles of the Kishon River and the battle against Sisera, click here). Because of these miracles, the Jewish people had quiet in their land for the next 40 years (see Judges 4). Later, Gideon’s brothers were killed by the Midianites on Mount Tabor (Judges 8:8).

In post biblical times, Tabor continued to be a major fortress and was the site of several wars. When the Romans invaded Israel in 63 BCE, they fought against the Maccabean ruler Alexander, who had his base on Mount Tabor. Alexander refused to surrender, and the Romans attacked (ultimately capturing the mountain) and subsequently slaughtering 10,000 of the Jewish troops stationed there.

During the Great Jewish Revolt against the Romans, circa 66-73 CE, Jewish general Josephus Flavius (arguably the most famous historian in history) heavily fortified Mount Tabor, stockpiling provisions for a long siege, including water, food, and weapons. When the Romans came to attack, they were unable to safely climb the mountain, so General Placidus convinced the Rebels to descend and surrender in exchange for their life. The fighters pretended to surrender, but instead attacked the Romans. After a heavy fight the Romans gained the upper hand, and the surviving Jewish fighters fled to Jerusalem (which was ultimately conquered in 70 CE by the Romans, who then destroyed the Holy Temple).

During the Byzantine period, Tabor became a popular Christian pilgrimage site, and three monasteries were built on top.

In 1101 the invading Crusaders rebuilt the monasteries (which had turned into ruins) and built a massive fort atop the mountain.

In 1187 the Muslim ruler Salah captured this place from the crusaders, although he allowed the Churches to continue to function. In 1212 his successor (and brother) Sultan Al-Adil I built massive fortifications using stones from the Churches and monasteries.

In 1217 the Crusaders once again invaded Israel to dislodge the ruling Muslims. At first they were doing well, which caused the Muslims to do something which seemed counter intuitive; they destroyed their own fortification walls here and throughout the country. Why did they do such a peculiar thing when they should have been building more walls? The answer has to do with the different styles of battle that the Crusaders thrived in as compared to the Muslims. The Crusader strategy was to build many fortifications within eyesight of each other and hide behind the walls. If one of the forts was put under siege, soldiers from the other forts could leave their walls and attack the enemies from behind. However, the Muslims fought best in open fields. Had the Crusaders been able to capture the forts, the Muslims would have had little chance of expelling them afterwards. Had no forts existed, the Crusaders would have had little chance of re-capturing the land because they had to fight in the open field. For this reason, the Muslims destroyed their own walls and ultimately, they were victorious.

In 1229 the Crusaders were finally able to capture the mountain, but in 1263 the Muslim ruler Baybars conquered the area. Due to his hatred of the Christians, he destroyed all of the churches and religious institutions, banning Christians from attending.

For the next few centuries, all was relatively quiet atop the mountain. In 1799 the “Battle of Mount Tabor” took place in the valley between the French invading force of Napolean and the Ottoman Turkish rulers. Although the French sent only 2000 troops into battle, they were able to defeat the 35,000 Turkish troops guarding Mount Tabor (only two French troops were killed in battle). Although wildly successful in this battle, the Ottoman Turks were able to turn the tide of war in the siege of Akko (Acre). After 10 weeks in Israel, Napoleon and his forces were forced to retreat from the land.

In the middle of the 19th century, the Greek Orthodox were permitted to rebuild one of their monasteries. In the 1920s, the Catholic churches were also allowed to be rebuilt (both incorporated Byzantine and Crusader ruins into their building plans).

Today, tourists can visit this breathtaking and historic biblical mountain! During your next tour of Israel, I hope to ascend Mount Tabor with you!

Nosson Shulman is a journalist and Licensed Tour Guide in Israel specializing in Biblical tours. To allow tourists to experience Israel during the Corona era, he created the new hit Israel tour video series which brings Israel to the home of viewers by simulating actual tours. To check out his free sneak preview tour videos, click here. To view sample tour itineraries or to inquire about private tour opportunities with a personalized itinerary on your next trip to Israel, click here.

6 Things you need to know about the special US-Israel relationship!

By Nosson Shulman, Licensed Israel Tour Guide offering VIP private tours of Israel, biblical tours of Israel, and authentic virtual tours. Watch free trailer videos. 

Two hundred and Fifty years ago today, the world changed forever when the USA declared Independence from the British empire. Since that time, the US has been a wonderful example for all of us and how we think of important values including personal freedom, individual rights and responsibilities, Democracy, religious liberty, entrepreneurship, and the American Dream. This process has enhanced the lives of countless people outside of its borders, including Israel. Indeed, this is a special day worldwide!

Although not an American, I am delighted to celebrate this wonderful day from Israel! In honor of this special day, here are 6 things you didn’t know about the unique, Israel-American relationship:

1) Both countries declared their independence from the British and had to fight existential wars as underdogs against more powerful armies and yet were still victorious!

The US famously declared independence from the British Empire on this date in 1776. The British did not recognize this move, continuing to attack Colonial forces (the first battles actually started in 1775, but by 1776 it was a full blown war). Although the English had the world’s best trained army and largest navy, this new “American spirit” was victorious, eventually building one of the most successful and powerful nations on earth!

Israel’s day would come on May 14, 1948, when the British rulers left the Holy Land and Ben Gurion declared Independence. The next day, 7 Arab armies invaded Israel. Though vastly outnumbered in both troops and weaponry, Israel miraculously won the war, an outcome that no one expected. Today, Israel has become a leading nation, particularly in science, technology, its military, and so much more.

This shared history of fighting for Independence, triumphs against more powerful forces, and successfully creating two strong nations (during the most trying of circumstances) is one of the factors that had created strong bond between Americans and Israelis.

2) The US was the first country to recognize Israel after the Jewish state declared independence.

The US-Israel relationship began a mere 10 minutes after Israel declared independence. At 4:00 PM Ben Gurion announced the founding of the new Jewish state, and President Harry Truman reciprocated with a letter of recognition at 4:10 PM, becoming the first country to do so!

An interesting fact: No one knew what this new state would be called, so President Truman’s typed letter mentions “The new Jewish State”. Minutes later when he heard about the new name, he crossed out the typed letters and in his own handwriting wrote on top of it “The State of Israel”.

3) For the US Bicentennial in 1976, a park was planted in Jerusalem with an exact replica of the Liberty Bell.

In 1976 Israel took the American Independence Day celebration a step further, and in honor of America’s bicentennial, planted a 9 acre park in Jerusalem. The park boasts sports facilities, a thousand seat amphitheater, playgrounds, several grassy areas for picnics (with plenty of trees for shade) and of course an exact replica of the Liberty Bell.

Today, Liberty Park is arguably the most popular park in Israel’s eternal capital.

4) There are three towns in Israel named after US presidents.

In Israeli history, while most US presidents could arguably have been called “Pro-Israel” (with some notable exceptions) two presidents have stood out for their exceptional Pro-Israel actions and have been honored with having a town named after them during their administration. In 1949, Kfar Truman was founded in Central Israel to honor Harry Truman, the first world leader to recognize Israel’s Independence. In 2019 Trump Heights was founded in the Golan Heights, after Donald Trump recognized Israel’s legitimate claim to that land (he also recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital).

In addition, there is a youth village is central Israel named after George Washington called Givat Washington.

Learn about the first families to move into Trump Heights in the Golan Heights. 

5) Outside of New York, the only September 11 memorial with the names of all 2,996 people who were killed, is found in Israel

Good friends celebrate together during good times, but also share their pain during the bad. On September 11, 2001, the US suffered one of the worst and most tragic terrorist attacks in history. Although Israel has suffered from terrorist attacks since its inception (with most Israelis actually knowing at least one victim) we have not been desensitized to the pain of our friend and greatest ally.

To commemorate all victims of 9/11, the Jewish National Fund designed a 5-acre memorial plaza outside of Jerusalem. Etched into the monument are the names of all the victims (the only place in the world outside of New York with that distinction). Today, tourists visiting Israel may visit this remarkable site just outside of Jerusalem to pay their respects to the victims.

6) The US has vetoed at least 57 anti-Israel resolutions in the UN’s Security Council since 1972.

The UN has been infected with anti-Semitism from its inception. Despite Israel being a model of religious freedom and tolerance, the UN has targeted Israel more than all other countries combined. In spite of the fact that 2020 saw many countries involved in genocide, war crimes, human trafficking, religious persecution, and torture and imprisonment of political opponents, 17 of the 23 condemnations issued that year by the UN General Assembly were against Israel.

In the UN security Council since 1972, at least 57 resolutions were blocked by the US who have veto power. On the flip side, Israel and the US have introduced many resolutions against terrorist organizations such as Hamas over the years, but very few have passed because the other countries on the council have vetoed them.

The US continues to be a valuable ally and dear friend of the Jewish state! I would personally like to wish the people of America a Very Happy and Healthy Independence Day!

Nosson Shulman is a journalist and  Licensed Tour Guide in Israel, specializing in Private Biblical tours. To help people experience Israel from anywhere in the world, he created an Israel virtual tour video series. featuring Jerusalem and Hebron through immersive guided tours. Watch a free sneak preview of his Jerusalem Virtual Tour and Hebron Virtual Tour. To view  sample Israel tour itineraries or inquire about private Israel tours with a personalized itinerary for your next trip to Israel, visit VIP Israel Tours.

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