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

“The Spirit of G-d began to resound in him (Sampson) in the camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol (Judges 13:25)”.

Today, we are going to visit a special Biblical site that few people are aware even exists.  It is close to my residence, and I am able to see it from several spots in my neighborhood.  This site, nestled in the tranquil, hand planted President’s Forest, has stunning views from the top!

When the children of Israel entered the Holy Land, the country was divided by the tribes, according to divine lottery. Zorah was given to the Tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:41).

Zohar was the hometown of Samson, the strongest man who ever lived. His righteous mother was barren, constantly praying for a child. As she was sitting in the field just outside the town, a man (an angel, unbeknownst to her) appeared and told her that she was to have a child. This child would save the Jewish people from the hands of the Philistines, who at that time were oppressing them. She then quickly ran home to tell her husband Manoah about what had just happened. Manoah prayed that G-d would send the man again, so he could ask him how G-d wanted his son to be raised (although he did not know he was an angel, he knew he was a man of G-d, perhaps a prophet, who would be able to communicate G-d’s will to him.

When the angel reappeared to his wife, she ran to get Manoah who asked the “man” how G-d wanted him to raise his son.  The angel told him his son should never cut his hair or eat anything which comes from the Grapevine (Nazarite).

Manoah wanted to thank the “man” for the good news and asked him to join them for a meal. The Angel said that he would not be able accompany them, suggesting instead that Manoah should offer it to G-d as an elevation offering.  Manoah made an altar and offered the sacrifice (although according to Torah law, it is forbidden to bring a sacrifice on a private altar when either the Temple or the Tabernacle of Shiloh existed, in individual cases a prophet or angel could command a person to privately offer a onetime sacrifice, in which case it was permitted).  

Upon the offering a miracle happened, and a flame rose from atop the altar to the heavens and consumed the “man”, whom they now knew was an angel. The couple went on to name their newborn son Samson (Judges 13).

One of the most exciting stories in the Bible occurred in the valley directly below Zorah.  Samson was out walking with his parents when they arrived at a vineyard.  Since drinking wine was forbidden to him, he did not even want to go through the vineyard, choosing instead to walk around it while his parents went through it.  As Samson was walking, a lion attacked him (Lions used to be abundant in Israel, for more on exotic animals which used to roam the Holy Land, click here).   Samson ripped the beast apart with his bare hands  (Judges 14: 5-6) .

When Samson died in Gaza, his body was taken and buried by Zorah in the same burial plot as his father (Judges 16: 31). Interestingly, Jewish sources mention that Samson was lame in both legs. Coincidentally, ground penetration radar was recently used at the Tomb, and the bones were indeed found to be that of a lame person.

Centuries later, King Rehoboam (son of Solomon) fearing invasion from the north, fortified many of his cities including Zorah (2 Chronicles 11:10).

In 422 BCE, the Jewish people of the Kingdom of Judah were exiled by the conquering Babylonians, who brought them to modern day Iraq. Fifty years later, the Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Persians under King Cyrus the great, who allowed his Jewish subjects to return to Israel and even rebuild the holy Temple in Jerusalem. Under Jewish leaders Ezra and Nehamiah, 50,000 Jews moved back to Israel, with some of them settling in Zorah (Nehemiah 11: 29).

In 1948 near the ancient ruins of Zorah, Kibbutz Tzora (Hebrew for Zorah) was founded and today is thriving with several successful wineries and businesses!

Due to its central location (between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem), enchanting beauty, and the fact that it is so accessible to many other nearby sites of interest, a stop here can most definitely enhance a visit to Israel!

By Nosson Shulman – Licensed Tour Guide and Trip Organizer in Israel who specializes in History, Tanach (Bible) and Adventure Tours. For more itineraries click here. Check out our new Virtual tours including free sneak preview videos.

© 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)

“And Joshua passed on from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it. And G-d delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel; and he took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all of the souls that were in it (Joshua 10: 31-32)”

Today we will explore a unique biblical site called Lachish. This site, though not widely known, was actually Israel’s largest city during the biblical First Temple era (aside from Jerusalem). Unlike Jerusalem which hosts millions of tourists a year, Lachish almost always stands empty, even during the busiest tourist season. Allow me to explore this breathtaking gem with you now!

The city was one of the most powerful of the Canaanite cities with its own King. It controlled much of the surrounding territory.

Circa 1500 BCE, Israel was taken over by Egypt where they ruled for about 300 years (during the time the Children of Israel were enslaved). Egypt allowed the Canaanite Kings to keep their position as long as they stayed loyal to the Pharaoh. Lachish flourished during this time.

When the Children of Israel entered Israel, they waged war with 31 Canaanite city kings. After Jericho and Ai were conquered, the city of Gibeon decided it was better to make an alliance with Israel. Five kings, including Lachish, heard that the Gibeonites were seeking peace with Israel and were afraid that other City states would do the same. In order to prevent this, Lachish and the four other cities attacked Gibeon. Joshua then came to their aid, and G-d caused the five kings to immediately be confounded and flee. The Children of Israel then captured the Kings, along with their armies, and executed them (see Joshua 10). Soon after, Joshua entered Lachish itself and destroyed the city. Lachish was then given to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:39).

Israelite Lachish became an important city, partly due to its location on an important Ancient Highway (the road to Hebron or Jerusalem from Egypt went through here). Its fortifications were massive, and Lachish soon became the second biggest city in the Kingdom after Jerusalem.

Lachish became a regional capital city, which meant it had its own Governor. The Governor’s home was the largest palace ever found from Ancient Israel.

After Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam became King. Under him, the Kingdom split into two, with Rehoboam retaining control of Judah, the southern kingdom. Fearing an invasion from the Northern Kingdom of Israel he fortified his cities, including Lachish which will still in his possession (2 Chronicles 11:9).

Circa 600 BCE, the Assyrian Kingdom of Northern Iraq became the world’s superpower. They had never lost a war or battle and were quite ruthless. They quickly conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Under Assyrian King Sennacherib, King Hezekiah’s Kingdom of Judah was attacked, and Lachish was under siege (2 Chronicles 32:9).

During the siege, Assyrians built siege ramps to enter the city.

From Lachish, Sennacherib laid siege to Jerusalem with 185,000 troops. G-d created a miracle, and an angel came down and smote Sennacherib’s entire army. This destroyed Assyria’s threat to Judah, which continued to remain independent for close to 150 years (for more on the giant miracle in Jerusalem, click here).

The only one left alive was Sennacherib himself, and when he returned he documented his version of the story (which does not contradict the Biblical account). Throughout his palace, he bragged about conquering various capital cities. Only in Judah, did he boast about conquering a non-capital city, that of Lachish. As for Jerusalem, he said “He caged it like a bird” (basically saying that he failed to get the job done). Had he been able to conquer Jerusalem, it is almost guaranteed he would have bragged only about the capital city and not Lachish.

After the Assyrians left Judah, Lachish was rebuilt, once again remaining the second largest city in the Kingdom.

When the Babylonians conquered Judah, the last three cities holding out were Azekah (for more on this city click here), Lachish and Jerusalem (Jeremiah 34:7). Millenia later when archeologists dug inside the city gate, they found 20 letters between Hoshayahu, probably a commander of an outpost by Lachish to his superior Yaush during the Babylonian siege.

In one letter, Hoshayahu says “We’re watching for the signals of Lachish, according to all the indications… for we cannot see Azekah”. In other words, just as in Jeremiah, the letter mentions Lachish, Azekah and Jerusalem as being the last three cities left.

Ultimately, Lachish was destroyed, and its inhabitants exiled. With only a couple of exceptions, Lachish has laid in ruins since then.

Although tourists seldom come here, this site is beautiful with well preserved archeology, and the views alone warrant the visit! The quiet and pastoral setting of this site has a calming effect on tourists and on your next trip to Israel, this is a site I would most highly recommend.

Please visit the author’s Israel tour guiding site: https://guidedtoursofisrael.com

By Nosson Shulman – Licensed Tour Guide and Trip Organizer in Israel who specializes in History, Tanach (Bible) and Adventure Tours. For more itineraries click here. Check out our new Virtual tours including free sneak preview videos.

© 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)

“Ahab sent among the Children of Israel and he gathered the prophets to Mount Carmel. Elijah approached all the people (1 Kings 18: 20-21)”

Today we will visit one of Israel’s most beautiful and off the beaten track sites, the Carmel Mountain range. Although the majority of tourists pass alongside the mountain, only a few actually enter. Historically, due to its sloped hillsides and deep caves, the Carmel has been sparsely populated and a great place to hide out from the authorities. It was here that Jewish refuges hid from the Romans (contemporary historian Josephus wrote that the Romans would not enter here).

Those making the effort to come here are seldom disappointed. The area boasts some of the best hiking in the country, and its natural beauty and panoramic views are second to none. This is one of the few remaining places where Israel’s natural forest (filled with oaks and laurels) can be seen. In the late 19th/early 20th century, the Turks destroyed most of the forests to build railroads and factories. Most of Israel’s dense forests have been handplanted in the last 70 years!

“Carmel” means the Vineyard of G-d. The majesty of this beautiful Mountain is referenced in the Bible (Song of Songs 7:6). In Isiah 35 when mentioning the end of days, it says the deserts will blossom like the majesty of the Carmel!

Although there are several biblical references to Carmel, one story (arguably the most well-known in the entire Hebrew Bible) stands out. That is the story of Elijah challenging the false prophets of Baal.

At that time, the land was divided into two Kingdoms, Israel in the North and Judah in the South. The Northern Kingdom of Israel was ruled by the evil King Ahab and his wicked wife Jezebel.

When Ahab married Jezebel (a non-Jewish Sidonian princess) she brought the Baal, a form of idol worship, to Israel thus influencing the King to join her. At her own expense, hundreds of false prophets were supported, and in order to rid the land of true prophets, she began to slaughter them. The prophet Ovadia, at great risk to his own life, hid 100 prophets, saving them.

Elijah spoke out against the King’s idol worship.  G-d then commanded him to go into hiding in a cave, where Ravens brought him food daily.  According to Jewish sources, the ravens brought the food from the King and Queen’s table.  After three years had passed, G-d told Elijah to leave the cave and confront Ahab.  Upon meeting him, he challenged Ahab to gather together the false 850 prophets to Mount Carmel, to see who was really the true G-d.  Ahab was so convinced of the Baal idols superiority, that he invited the Children of Israel to come and watch the test.

Elijah admonished the gathered people saying, “How long will you dance between two opinions? If Hashem is G-d, go after Him and if Baal, go after it. (1 Kings 18:21)”.   Historically at that time, opinions were seldom held that it was “all or nothing”.   A person could believe in G-d, but the temptation for idol worship was so strong that people would fall into temptation and bow to it, even though they felt intellectually that G-d was in charge.  According to Jewish sources, G-d made idols very spiritually appealing, addictive even, in order to test people and allow them to grow spiritually by resisting them.  The ability to resist idol worship took extreme will power and inner strength.  This was especially hard when the King, many influential people and the society at large were encouraging this behavior, even persecuting those speaking out against it!

Why do people not feel the urge to bow down to weird looking statutes today?  At the beginning of the Second Temple period (after the Babylonian exile) the Jewish sages were concerned that the traumatized nation was no longer at a level where the majority could resist these painful urges, so they prayed to G-d to remove the evil inclination of Idol worship, which He did. However (prophesy, the positive counter balance to idol worship) was also removed which is why we do not have prophets or the urges to bow down to statues today.

For the test, Elijah said that both the “prophets” and he should each take a bull, cut it up and put it on an altar without applying fire.  He allowed them to pick the bull they wanted first, so they would not later blame him for their impending failure.  He then told them to call out in the name of their gods while he would call in the name of Hashem.  Whoever was successful in getting G-d to consume the sacrifice with fire, would prove to be the true prophet.  The onlookers responded that this proposal was good (1 Kings 18: 24).  Although the baal prophets knew that they were false, since the challenge was publicly made, they could not back down.

From morning to noon, they called out to their gods but there was no response.  They tried yelling loudly, dancing and frantically cutting themselves to let blood, but all to no avail.  According to Jewish sources, someone hid under the alter and was going to light it from underneath to make it look like this sacrifice was accepted by fire, but G-d sent a poisonous snake to kill him!

Elijah then asked the assembled to “Draw near” to him.  He then built the altar, prayed to G-d to accept his sacrifice, and a heavenly fire came and consumed it.  The people then fell on their faces saying “Hashem-He is the G-d, Hashem-He is the G-d” and the entire nation repented.

Elijah said to “Seize the prophets of Baal! Let none of them escape (1 Kings 18: 40).  They were brought down to the Kishon Brooke, just underneath the mountain, and slaughtered.

Currently there is a small church on the site dedicated to Elijah.  Tourists are able to go onto the roof to see (arguably) Israel’s greatest panoramic view!

On a clear day one can see from the roof, Israel’s coast (and sea), Biblical Jezreel Valley, Samarian mountains, the Galilee and the snowy peaks of Mount Hermon

On your next visit to Israel, be sure to make a quick stop here!

Relive the biblical Mount Carmel with Nosson Shulman on your very own private luxury Israel tour. To experience Israel from the comfort of your own home see our new Virtual Tours including our new released Hebron Tour.

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By Nosson Shulman – Licensed Tour Guide and Trip Organizer in Israel who specializes in History, Tanach (Bible) and Adventure Tours. For more itineraries click here. Check out our new Virtual tours including Jerusalem: free sneak preview videos.

© 2020 All Rights Reserved – Unauthorized Duplication is prohibited

5 incredible animals, still found in Israel’s wild!

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

In part 1, we saw 5 exotic animals which surprisingly roamed the land of Israel in recent times, but no longer do. However, amazingly many of the most beautiful animals mentioned in the Bible can still be seen in Israel today! Some of them never actually went extinct (in Israel). Others did, but were later successfully reintroduced into the wild.

In order to reintroduce animals into the wild, Israel has set up two controlled areas in the country called Hai Bars. One is in the biblical Carmel mountains, which mimic the habitant of animals who thrive in the Mediterranean climate of northern and central Israel. The other is in the desert, for animals that thrive in the arid climates of southern Israel (which tourists may visit).

Below are five beautiful animals which can be found in Israel today:

1) Leopard– “A wolf shall live with a lamb, and a leopard shall lie with a kid (Isaiah 11:6).”

People are often surprised to hear that Israel still has wild leopards, currently the largest felines in Israel. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Arabian leopard was a common sighting throughout Israel. As the years went by the Bedouins hunted them, almost to extinction. The last one in Northern Israel was killed in 1965, and there are believed to only be 6 left in all of Israel (and only 200 Arabian leopards in the world) all living in the Negev desert of Israel’s south.

The last confirmed spotting of this stunning cat was in 2012 on IDF surveillance cameras in Northern Samaria.

2) Hyena – “And one company turned to the road leading to Beth-horon, and one company turned to the road leading to the border, which overlooks the valley of the Hyenas, toward the wilderness (1 Shmuel 13:22)”

Striped Hyenas play an important, “cleanup” role in nature due to the fact that they eat left over carcasses of other predators, which would otherwise just remain there. They can be found in several locales in Israel’s wild (except the coastal region) where they live in packs. Although not that rare, people do not usually see them due to their nocturnal lifestyle, but their “laughter” can be heard at times by campers in the desert.

3) Antelope (Arabian Oryx) – “These are the animals that you may eat…Antelope (Deuteronomy 14:4-5)”

In the 1970s, the Arabian Oryx became extinct (in the wild) worldwide. Israel purchased four of them from a zoo which still had them in Phoenix, and by 1982 the first batch were ready to be reintroduced into the wild. Today, more than a hundred live in the wild and their population continues to grow. In addition, Israel continues to breed and release more antelopes from the Hai bar (about 6 on average annually) adding to its numbers.

4) Persian Fallow Deer – “These are the animals that you may eat…fallow deer (Deuteronomy 14:4-5)”

Though common in the Middle East during the early 19th century, due to rampant poaching, they went extinct worldwide (both in the wild and captivity). Or so the world thought! In the 1950s, a small herd was surprisingly discovered in Southwestern Iran.

For two decades, Israel tried to convince the Shah of Iran to give two deer to Israel. They even invited his brother (an avid hunter) to Israel to hunt Ibexes (although the Ibex is a protected species, the Agriculture minister made an exception in this case). Eventually, the Shah’s brother agreed to give the deer. General Avraham Yoffe (the founder and driving force of Israel’s animal reintroduction program, including the hai bars) immediately flew to Tehran to take possession of them, but upon landing he suffered a heart attack, and the project was put on hold.

In December 1978 with the Iranian revolution taking place, the Shah called the Israeli government to come pick up the deer before it was too late. The Mossad (Israel’s secret service) was dispatched to Tehran but by the time they arrived, the Shah and his family had fled to the US and they were now on their own to find the deer. Miraculously, the agents managed to locate the deer and put 4 of them on the last El Al flight to ever leave Iran (since 1979, Iran has refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist).

Today, 400-500 live in Israel’s wild and can be seen by tourists in Nahal Ksiv, Nachal Soreq (outside of Jerusalem) and the Carmel Mountains. Outside of Iran, Israel is the only country in the world to have Persian Fallow Deer currently living in the wild.

5) Griffin Vulture – As a nesher (Griffin Vulture) awakens its nest, hovering over its fledglings, it spreads its wings, taking them and carrying them on its pinions (Deuteronomy 32:11)”

When reading Biblical translations, words often get lost in translation. This majestic bird is a great example. The Hebrew word “Nesher” (see Exodus 19:4 and Proverbs 30:19) is often translated into English as “Eagle” but it really means “Griffin Vulture”.

Fifty years ago, this bird of prey lived in almost all parts of Israel, but their numbers declined to the point where they went extinct in the North and only a few lived in the south. Today the birds are protected and monitored, and their numbers are growing (though they still remain critically endangered). They have even been reintroduced into the Golan Heights. The best place in Israel for tourists to view them is at the Gamla National Park, also home to one of the most fascinating archeology sites. Gamla also boasts Israel’s largest waterfall!

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

5 incredible animals which once roamed Israel

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

For almost any genre of tourism, Israel offers a unique experience paralleled by few. Whether one is a history buff, looking for a spiritual/religious experience, lover of fine cuisine, wine connoisseur, hiker, enjoys relaxing on the beach, driving an ATV or are a medical tourist, Israel is the answer to all of your travel needs!  However, other than birdwatching (where Israel is one of the premier locales) when discussing the great wildlife destinations of the world, Israel is seldom mentioned.  Nonetheless, for thousands of years from Biblical times until fairly recently, Israel has hosted some of the most exotic animals in the world, worthy of any safari!

While many animals have gone extinct (within Israel) it is surprising that many of these incredible animals can still be seen.  Some of the animals were successfully reintroduced into the wild (Israel has a law that any animal, with a few exceptions, which once existed here should be re-introduced).  Others never went away.

The following is a list of five animals mentioned in the Bible which were once found in Israel (for Part 2, you will be shown 5 exotic animals which surprisingly still live in Israel’s wild):

1) Lion– “Then Sampson went down to Timna… and behold, a young lion was roaring towards him! The spirit of G-d came over him and he tore it apart (Judges 14:5-6)”

While Israel may not be the first country that comes to mind when one thinks of lions, throughout most of history, the opposite was true.  In fact, the Hebrew Bible has several exciting stories involving lions.  David (before he was King) would shepherd his sheep in the outskirts of Bethlehem, and often had to fend off hungry lions (1 Samuel 17:36).

When the Assyrians exiled the Northern tribes of Israel, in their place, they brought idol worshippers from modern day Iraq. The transplanted idol worshippers to Israel were immediately attacked by lions (2 Kings: 17:25-26).   Less than a 10-minute drive from my home, is the actual location where Samson (the world’s strongest man) ripped apart a lion with his bare hands.

How were the abovementioned stories possible?  This is because Israel was filled with lions until about 800 years ago, during the Crusader period.  The local species, the Asiatic Lion, were found in parts of the Middle East as late as the early 20^th century.  Today, India is the only country where this endangered species lives in the wild. 

2) Hippopotamus– “Look at Behemoth (i.e. Hippo), which I made just as I made you, it eats grass like an ox. Its strength is in its loins, and its power in the muscles of its belly (Job 40:15-16). “

Today, hippos are found in only 2 places in the world: Africa and, since the 1990s, the Magdalena River in Colombia.  The hippos in Colombia got there by escaping from the private zoo of the late drug lord Pablo Escobar.  However, for thousands of years, Israel had its own hippos who lived in the Swampy coastal region (the swamps were dried in the early 20^th century by Zionist pioneers) and archaeologists have the bones to prove this.  For example, in the Yarkon River (today in northern Tel Aviv) hippo bones were found from the time of the Judges (more than 3000 years ago).

It is believed that Hippos continued to live in Israel until the 2^nd century BCE.

3)Cheetah – Can… leopards (in Biblical times, the word “Leopard” probably meant any spotted feline including Cheetahs) change their spots? (Jeremiah 13:23)”

Being able to run from 0 to 60 miles per hour within a three second span, Cheetahs are the world’s fastest land animals.  They too lived in Israel from Biblical times, until after the State of Israel declared independence. The last known confirmed sighting of a cheetah was in 1959 in the Arava region of Southern Israel.  None are believed to exist today in the Holy Land. 

4) Crocodile– “Thus said Lord Hashem: Behold, I am against you Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great crocodiles that crouches within its rivers (Ezekiel 29:3)”

It will surprise many to learn that the Nile Crocodile, certainly one of the most dangerous animals in the world, used to live in Israel.  In fact, one of the rivers near Caesarea, a popular tourist site, is called “Crocodile River”.  The last Crocodile was killed by an Arab hunter in 1912.

Why was the crocodile killed?  In Europe, taxidermy (the art of stuffing animals) from animals of the Holy Land was in high demand.  Father Schmitz, a German priest, had a business that hired local Arabs to hunt animals, paying them very generously for their work.  The animals would then be stuffed and shipped to Europe where they would then be sold to Museums and private collections.  Unfortunately, this caused other animals to become extinct in Israel as well.

What happened to the last Crocodile in Israel? It can be seen today on display at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History in Tel Aviv.

Interestingly, Israel does have two Crocodile breeding farms where tourists can learn about and touch real crocodiles (which should only ever be attempted in the presence and assistance of a trained professional). 

5) Syrian Brown Bear– “He (Elisha) turned around and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Hashem.  Two bears then came out of the forest (2 Kings 2:24)”

The last known sighting of the Syrian Brown Bear in Israel was in 1918.  It is now believed to be extinct in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, though small numbers live in Iran, Iraq and Turkey where they are endangered.

In 2017, for the first time in 60 years, a brown bear was spotted and filmed in Lebanon, raising the unlikely possibility that the Brown bear will re-appear in Israel.

-To Be Continued…

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.