Life In Holly Land:  Identity

Based from the bible, Israel is the name given by God to Jacob and a country known today as the Holly Land in terms of Judaism.  In today’s modern times, it is made of two large but distinct nationalities namely the Jewish and the Palestinian.  Jews are those who originated from the Israelites or Hebrews and Palestinians are Arabs whose traditions are followed from the Muslim culture.  Both come from a long history dating back to ancient times filled with wars and conflicts even up to this day.  Because of this, the national identity of the land is still divided with others who would think of such identity based on their religion.  This in turn divides a supposedly singular distinctiveness of the land into more than one.

Life in Holly Land:  Ethnicity, Food and Occasions

When it comes to ethnicity, the Jews and Arabs are clearly out of terms with each other.  Both parties see each other as the antagonists in their lives especially when it comes to beliefs.  For the Jews, they feel that the Holly Land is rightfully theirs and the Arabs have exiled them from for thousands of years.  Meanwhile, for the Palestinians (Arabs) view the Jews to have taken over their homeland with superior military strength even went as far as doing terrorist acts.  The whole world has watched and even played part in the effort to reconcile both sides yet it would seem like even as of today, there is no sign of such possibility.  Even among the Jewish community, there are factions that disagree about any form of compromise with the Palestinians due to religious laws they deem not to support such an idea.

Food, just like in any other country is abundant.  The falafel is a ball of chickpeas, onions, spices and fried to be served with pita bread.  Other dishes include tabuleh a salad made with chopped vegetables and bulgar wheat, Baklava a popular desert made of dough with honey and nuts.  A Turkish style coffee is often served known to be really strong even thick the reason why it is served in little cups.  There are restrictions to the Jewish diet and it includes eating of pork, shellfish and having both meat and milk produce in one meal. 

A number of occasions are celebrated by Jews including the Sabbath every Saturday and the Jewish New Year where a food called challah is served.   Other occasions celebrated are the Passover and Shavuot where food is always a part of the celebration and entails meaning as to why and how it is served.

Life in Holly Land:  Marriage and Family

In both religions found in this country, most of the marriages are arranged although nowadays it is already not common and only practiced by those who find themselves bound to the old ways.  People are quite keen though on intermarriages and find it a taboo to marry someone from another religious sect.  When it comes to the family, the old kibbutz system separates the husband and wife from the children.  Today, it is common to see families in the Holly Land under one roof.

Holly Land: Urbanization History

Israel is one of the most urbanized counties in the world.  Over 80 percent of its population live in cities and about 75 percent of the population live in the three big cities namely: Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Haifa and Jerusalem.  Although the Holly Land is a relatively new country founded in 1948, it has a vibrant history and culture. These aspects make Israel a fascinating and strategic destination of tourists and pilgrims. The urbanization history of this country is a lot more fascinating from the natural caves where the first settlers live up to the modern towns and cities.

Stages of the Holly Land Urbanization

Here’s the complete list of Holly Land’s urbanization

Natural Caves. The first settlers of Israel used the shelter and protection of the natural caves as their first home. Until today you can see several sites that showed the remains of the early man for over the last 150,000 years ago. Such sites include the hills along the shore on Mount Carmel, hills of Galilee and the Sea of Galilee.

Seasonal sites, farms and villages. The increase of population and change in occupation and source of food make the natural caves too small for the early settlers of Israel. They move from the natural caves to the areas nearby. Until on the 8,300 BC when agriculture started, they abandon the caves and along the rivers and near the springs they built temporary and seasonal houses and later on begin to establish their farm land. Nahal Zippori is a particular site where you can see the remains of the farms and villages of the olden days.

Fortified Cities. The rise of fortified cities marks the advancement of civilization. About 7,500 BC the early settlers started to master the art of ceramics which enhance the level of tools making it possible for them to build structures. During this period the small villages started to emerge into larger cities such as Jericho.  As time goes by the cities grew bigger and increased to dozens of fortified cities like the Tells which is protected by high defensive walls and gates. The stronger cities invaded the nearby cities and later other countries and as time goes by it eventually emerged as empires.

Planned towns. During the Hellenistic period Tells which the strongest city in the Holly Land where abandoned and new modern and larger cities are established. These cities had planned designs with installed water systems which can support larger population and accommodate its annual increase.  Years later, number of cities and villages grew into hundreds in the Galilee area alone. Other towns includes Tiberias, Capernaum, Arbel Cliffs and Arbala and Magdala. Most of these sites had many public structures and roads.

Final Stage of the Urbanization of Holly Land

The final stage of the urbanization of Holly Land is the Modern towns and cities and several of these sites are preserved nowadays. Although Israel is a new country, its urbanization is surprisingly fast as compared to other countries; in fact it is more urbanized on the 100,000 – plus level than any other country with a comparable proportion of agriculture. The Holly Land is not just holy it’s remarkable too.

Touring The Holly Land

A land made of three major faiths Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the Holly Land is filled with numerous ruins, artifacts that depict activities of patriarchs, saints, martyrs and prophets that a lot of people know today from holy scriptures.  Due to political confusions trips to the land is entailed with a lot of risks and planning to travel in such a land means preparing hard to be able to fully enjoy it.  Safety is important in areas where politics are not in good terms that even the people are in turmoil.

Preparing the Tour for the Holly Land

The first thing that you need to do is to choose which kind of trip you want.  There are three general tours from which you could choose from and those were the Christian, Muslim and Jewish tours.  There are also some tours that are a combination of various sites from all faiths which would be a good choice for those who only wants to visit the region and get to know the areas surrounding the Holly Land.

There are a lot of tours that you can choose from and offering packages that can relieve you of all the hassles of booking a ticket, reservations, permits and other requirements to enter some sites.  Although you can do all these yourself, it is better to let the professionals to do their job for you.

Some tours omit sites even churches so it would be best if you get a copy of the entire itinerary for the trip.  This will allow you to prepare better and ask if you can include some sites that were omitted from the list.

Travel insurances are important in any trip especially where there is a possibility for you to encounter troubles along the way.  Purchase one if the tour company does not offer it.

Get a list of legal requirements that will allow you to enter the land.  Some nationalities need only valid passports to enter but it would be a good idea to if ever there is a need for visa or something else.  Preparation is key to any travel especially to this land.

If you are unsure of being able to navigate around the cities yourself and get lost among the numerous sites, signing up for a guided tour can be helpful for you.  Some companies offer guided tours as part of their package but if they don’t they can easily set you up with one the moment you arrive.   Your tour guide should be well understood and has a huge amount of knowledge over the sites and everything else.

Clothing is important so make sure that you wear accordingly especially for women since the custom vary from country to country.

Note on Touring the Holly Land

You have to remember that you are in a totally different place unlike any other country that you have visited.  There are various practices in this land and it is imperative that you listen to briefings on things you need to be aware of in the Holly Land.

Holy Sites In The Holly Land

The Holly Land is said to be filled with dozens of sites considered to be holy by different religions especially to Judaism and Islam.  The Muslims have their mosques and domes in various areas in the capital of Israel which is Jerusalem.  The Jews have their holy sites there as well and four of the holiest are found in the capital city.  With its history rich in different cultures and religions, the overwhelming sites around the land can surely bring anyone to tour around.

Judaism sites found in the Holly Land

Below are four of the holiest sites in Judaism that can be found within the Holly Land:

Foundation Stone:  Found in the Dome of the Rock, it is what a certain stone is called and at times referred to as the Pierced Stone.  This is due to the small hole on one of its corners leading to a cavern also known as the Well of Souls where people believed to be the location of the Holy of Holies.  Considered to be the holiest site in Judaism, Jews usually face this rock while they pray.  Although there are surrounding controversies with this stone, Judaism refers to this rock with great significance as it is said to be the center of the world from which man was born and offered sacrifices to God.

Temple Mount:  It is due to the presence of the Foundation Rock by which Jews belived it to be the spot where the creation of the world began.  This is the site that was said to be purchased by David for its full price where his son completed the task of constructing the First Temple.  There have been a lot of debates regarding the entry to the site  and explorations just wouldn’t seem to be possible as entry to the Mount was limited by purity laws.  This area has played part to a lot of period starting from that of the Israelites to the Israeli period.

Western Wall:  Also called the Wailing Wall or Kotel, it is located at the foot of the west side of the Temple Mount.  It is said to be what’s left of the wall that surrounds the Jewish Temple’s courtyard.  For centuries, Jews have been coming here to offer prayers which started in the 4^th century.  Claims to the wall have been made by both Jews and Muslims and became a common ground for outbreaks of violence that even international commissions interfered to determine who has the right to claim the wall.

Cave of Patriarchs:  For Jews, it is the second most important site in the whole world.  This site was said to be purchased by Abraham as a land of burial and is home to three couples namely; Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebekah and Jacob & Leah.  It was believed to be the threshold to the garden of Eden.

The Holly Land:  Place of holy sites

Indeed there are numerous sites bringing more holiness to the land and despite the conflicts of religions over certain areas, those sites are still considered to places of prayers.  Though the Holly Land has conflicts between various religions, it still is worthy of pilgrims all over the world.

Islam Sites In Holly Land

Even the religion Islam has its sites where their pilgrims can visit in Holly Land.  With the occupation of Muslims long ago, they have set up mosques from where they practice their faith and even with the reoccupation of Christians these building still are aground.  In various areas of Jerusalem, golden domes can be seen from afar along with cathedrals and other historical landmarks that millions of people visit.

Different sites of Islam found in the Holly Land

The Holly Land play host to numerous religious buildings that are significant to other religions like that of the Muslims.  Below are some of which can be found:

The Dome of the Chain:  This dome is built right beside the bigger Dome of the Rock and sit on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem without clear reason as to why the Dome of the Chain was built right next to its neighbour.  It’s name came from the legend when Solomon hung a chain at the roof and those who swore and lied would be hit by lightning.  Although there are lots of theories surrounding this structure it still is a site to see.

Dome of the Rock:  This is said to be the most famous site in Jerusalem and can be seen from all over the city with its impressive and towering edifice.  It is not a mosque but a shrine built on top of a sacred stone where it is believed that the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.  It is home to the oldest mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca) and considered the oldest and one of the most beautiful Islamic monument.  On the other hand, the sacred rock over which this dome is built was said to be the place where Abraham went to sacrifice his son Isaac to God.  The dome on top used to be made up of gold but was replace with copper to aluminium where to this day, it is now covered with gold leaf from the late king of Jordan.

Al Aqsa Mosque:  This is the most important mosque that you will find in Jerusalem.  Located in Temple Mount, it is considered to be the third holiest site for Muslims next to the Mecca and Medina.  It is the place considered to be central to Islam faith in Jerusalem and accommodates a large number of crowds especially during Friday sermons.  The site was said to be the place where the first mosque stood in 680, unfortunately none of the remnants of the said first mosque existed as of today.  It was almost entirely torn down during the recapturing of Jerusalem  only to be restored centuries later by the Mamelukes.

Significance of Islam sites found in Holly Land

Above are but a few of the sites found in the Jerusalem and are definitely a part of the city and its history.  Aside from the attraction it gives to tourist and locales, it proves to have great significance as to how the Holly Land was forged from the time of Jesus to the occupation of Muslims to its reoccupation by Christians.

Crusades On The Holly Land

There are those who believe that crusades were actually religiously sanctioned military campaigns by the pope to bring back Christian control over the Holly Land.  All of the crusaders are from Europe and it was during the years between 1095 and 1291 that the main crusades happened.  Although most of the crusades were numbered by historians from the first to the ninth crusade, there are others that are unnumbered and happened for various reasons.  The wars waged were mostly between Roman Catholics and Muslims although some of it was fought with Greek Orthodox Christians.  After the campaigns against the Muslims, the crusade turned their attention to pagans and heretics.  The campaign had temporary success as they were eventually forced out of the land and some of which have diverted their aim from its original cause. 

Even though it were men who were in the frontline, the women played a very important role behind the scene even as direct victims to the war.  They were key to recruiting men into the crusade and are tasked with preserving their homes.  Some however, decided to take up the cross themselves and joined the movement or participated in the acts of diplomacy. 

Criticisms on Crusades to the Holly Land

There are a lot of controversies regarding the crusade to the Holly land.  Even from the time it was ought to have been founded in 1095, a lot of people like Roger Bacon thought of the crusade as ineffective since those who survive from the chaos get more embittered against the Christian and their faith.  In the 18^th century, some thinkers judged the crusaders callously even modern historians especially in the west showed moral annoyance condemning the past act as a Holy War nothing more than a long act of intolerance in God’s name.  It still is a debate among religions especially the Muslims, Christians and Jews whether the past acts of war were justified by the reasons ought to be behind it. 

The Crusade’s Lasting Effect to the Holly Land

It is because of these crusades that etched lasting imprints on Muslims giving strain to the relationship between Islam and Christianity.  Even in the present, colonialism acts by some countries is seen as a form of new crusade even in the formation of the country Israel.

Way before the crusades, Muslims have had no problems with other religions yet after the wars; they have become less understanding of other people’s faith.  Nowadays, whenever the west interferes with affairs of Muslim countries, they would see it as another Crusade made possible by Christians only to prove its dominance over other faith.

With such unfortunate effects, it would be safe to say that such a strain on religious relationships will be staying for a little while.  Despite talks in between parties, the years that the crusade has lasted has scarred not only the Muslims but the Christians and Jews as well.  The said holy wars waged upon the recapturing of the Holly Land have changed history for years even decades to come.

The Extreme Holly Land

Aside from the holy sites that the Holly Land is known for there are other activities every tourist can indulge with. Like varieties of outdoor activities such as climbing, gliding, mountain biking and other extreme sports.

Holly Land, home of extreme sports

There are several sports conducted near or at the holy sites. Here’s the list on the things you may consider to do when you visit the Holly Land.

What is more exciting than riding an ATV with your buddies while having a tour in the high slopes of Tell Kisson in the plains of Acre? Aside from ATVs you can also ride motorcycles while strolling around the plains and enjoying the view of the Holly Land.

If motor sports is not your thing, mountain biking is another alternative that you can enjoy doing in Israel. There are many clubs and members of mountain biking in the Holly Land. It’s not surprising since mountain biking is a popular weekend sports in the Israel.  Many routes of biker club pass by ancient sites like the ancient rock-cut Roman road Ma’ale-Akrabim which is one of the spice routes that passes in the Negev desert. Other routes are: route  from Sdeh-Boker, along Nahal-Tsin to Hazeva, routes in the Hilazon Creek, the Arbel Cliff near Mt. Carmel and the route through the biblical city of Neiel.

If you enjoy the heights you can try hang gliding in the popular holy sites in Galilee whic includes the Manara cliff near Kiryat-Shmoneh, Gilboa Mountain where King Saul was killed 3000 years ago, the Zichron Yaakov located above the shore of Mount Carmel, and Mount Tabor above the Yizreel valley. If you want to try more extreme sports, rock climbing and rappelling is part of your option. You can climb the Khirbet Oren on mount Carmen known to be the site of the city in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Other popular rappelling sites include the Keshet cave on the border of Lebanon and the Pigeon caves in the western edge of Beit Ha Kerem near Karmiel.

If you want to keep in touch with nature while exploring the holy sites, you may consider hiking and backpacking, though they aren’t extreme as the other outdoor activities in Israel, many are engaged in this activity and most of the routes pass through the Holly Land and ancient cities.  Hiking tours destination includes the park of Timna near Eilat and the red rock around the site called the Solomon Pillars.

From the motor biking in the sloppy mountains of the Holly Land up to hang gliding in the cliff of Kiryat-Shmoneh, you can scuba dive in several holy sites like the Caesarea ancient port and the Tell Shikmona near Haifa.

Experience Holly Land with Extreme Sports

Israel is not all about biblical sites, you can also enjoy the outdoors with extreme sports like rock climbing, backpacking, scuba diving and rappelling. So if you have plans to visit the Holly Land try to consider the indulging yourself in extreme sports!

The Holly Land

The Holly Land as defined by Tanakh refers to the Kingdom of Israel.  Jews believe that the land being is a result of its differentiation from other lands with the practice of their religion Judaism possible only in the land of Israel.  The most significant reason for which the land is coined as such is because it is the assumed place from which Jesus’ ministry started.  The so called holiness of the land was one of the driving force that drove the crusaders to fight for it and reclaim it from the muslim turks who once conquered it.  Dozens of sites still stand in the land where pilgrimages are being held and celebrated ever since the biblical times by all Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. 

Holly Land, Judaism

In Tanakh, the land of Israel does not refer as the “Holly Land” this is implied by being the land given to the Israelites by God, so it is commonly referred to as the Promised Land.  On the other hand in the Torah many mitzvoth commanded to the Israelites and their descendants that they are allowed to grow produce on a Jew own land which will differentiate it from other lands. However, Gemara explains that this prohibition is derived from a biblical injunction in Deuteronomy 7:2 which states that “You shall not grant them permanent encampment”. Which was supported by Rmaban in his statement with the explanation “ For if they will not own land, their inhabitance will be temporary.

Furthermore, Ramban points out that the verse in Leviticus, “for the land is Mine” which is explained that the land given to the People of Israel is the possession of God, and that they are permitted to live and enjoy from it only by the virtue of the gift. For that reason, the passage gives an expression to the divine that Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people and that they cannot displace by foreign land owners.

There are other cities in the ancient Israel that are imbued with even greater holiness for the Jews. The Holly Land of Jews includes the four holy cities namely Jerusalem, Hebron, Tzfat  and Tiberias.  Jerusalem is the spiritual focus of Judaism since this is the site of the Temple.

According to the book of Genesis, there’s an area in Jerusalem called Mount Moriah which is said to be the location of the binding of Isaac and believed by many to be the temple mount on which the third temple is said to be rebuilt.  Furthermore, in the Hebrew Bible, Jerusalem and the Land of Israel are inseparable parts of the divine gift which is a part of several covenants.

Holly Land, Christianity and Islam

In Christians, the land of Israel is considered to be the “Holly Land” because of its association with Jesus of Nazareth, known to be the Messiah or Saviour. Israel is where Jesus was born, crucified, buried and resurrected. On Islam on the other hand, the term Holly Land was mention seven times once when Moses declares to the Children of Israel. Muslimes traditionally called Jerusalem as the City of Shalim.

History Of The Holly Land

This timeline is really important  for readers to understand and have a precise and complete idea on the history of the Holly Land. This shows the partition of the history of Israel into periods and the major events that happened in the olden days.  Most of the dates in this timeline was based on Y. Aharoni.

Holly Land Timeline

Early Paleolithic (150,000 – 80,000 BC) also known as the old stone period.

Middle Paleolithic (80,000-40,000 BC)

Upper Paleolithic (40,000 – 16,000 BC)

Epi-Paleolithic (16,000 – 8,300 BC), this is the last stage of cave dwelling the end of ice age. This stage is known as the stone age.

Neolithic (8,300 – 4,500 BC), the New Stone Age, the start of cites, ceramics and agriculture

Chalcolithic (4,500 – 3150 BC), the Stone and Copper Age where the fortified cities are established

Early Bronze (3150 – 2200 BC), Emerging of empires in Egypt and Mesopotamia

Middle Bronze (2200 – 1550 BC), war of the northern kings, Hyksos raise to power in Egypt

Late Bronze (1550 – 1200 BC), Abraham voyage to Israel, Great Battle of Megiddo, Amenhotep II conquest. Ramesses II conquests;

Holly Land, Israelite Period

Early Israelite (1200 – 1000BC), Iron Age, Israelites invade to Canaan, Deborah battle, Mei-Merom battle, Philistines invade and settle along the shores, Land of Israel divided to the Tribes

Middle/Late Israelite (1000 – 586 BC) Iron Age IIa, Jerusalem capital of Kingdom, Kingdom splits to Israel & Jehuda, Syria’s BenHadad invasion along the North Jordan valley, Zenith in Israelite Kingdom (Holly Land), invasion Tiglath-Pileser III,  invasion of Shalmaneser V and Sargon II, Israelite Kingdom was ruined and evacuated, Revolt of Judah against Assyrians; Sancheriv intrusions,  Jerusalem has destroyed.

Babylonian/Persian (586 BC- 332 BC), Iron age III, exiles go to Babylon, Babylon descend to Persian, then exiles return to Zion

Hellenistic (332 – 37 BC), Alexander the Great goes to the Holly Land, Seleucids and Thalami wars,  Israel was under Hellenistic rule and influence. In the later years Pompeius conquers Israel

Early Roman (37 BC – 70AD) Herod rules Israel, major earthquake in Jordan valley, Jesus was born, Jesus acts in Galilee, the revolt of Jewish against the Romans has begun, Jerusalem and its temple ruined by Titus

Late Roman (70 – 324 AD) Constantine embraces Christianity and there are wide expansion in population and number of villages

Byzantine (324 -634 AD)the Christianity begins to spread in Galilee, the Persians conquer Israel, return Jerusalem to the Jews for 2 years, the Persians defeated in Ninweh, return Israel to Byzantine

Arab (634 AD – 1099), begin of Arab dynasties, Arab victory against the Byzantines in the Holly Land, Jerusalem was conquered, Abbasids has invaded Israel, Israel and Syria controlled by Egyptian and then conquered by the Abbasids, the Seljukz take Israel.

Crusader (1099 AD – 1250 AD) Arrival of Crusaders to the Holly Land and defeated the Horns of Hittim. Crusaders regain Acre; establish a Kingdom

British Mandate (1920  – 1948 ) Israel become an independent State

State of Israel (1948 – present)  Israel controls west bank & Golan Heights

Christian Holy Sites In Holy Land

For Christians, Israel is considered to be the Holly Land because this is the place where Jesus Christ was born. He was said to be the Saviour or the Messiah of the human race. There are several spots in Israel considered holy in Christians, because of its association with the birth, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus and other personalities in the New Testament.

In early 12^th century immediately after the capture of Jerusalem, the identification of these holy sites become so important most especially during the Crusades when Christian pilgrims wanted the Holy places in the Outremer. It was in the 19^th century when the search for the Christian holy sites becomes significant. It was the foundation of the European Biblical archaeology in the ottoman Syria and later the mandate Palestine.

The two major holy sites in the Holly Land

Calvary the hill outside the 1^st century walls of Jerusalem that contains the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Church of All Nations.  The name Calvary refers to the sculptures or pictures representing the different events happen on the crucifixion of Jesus. Jerusalem is said to be the site of some of Jesus’ ministry, his Last Supper which said to have occurred at the Cenacle and the succeeding institution of the Holy Eucharist and his interment. Christians believed that the Messiah was crucified nearby Mount Calvary. This is one of the most popular sites in the Holly Land for Christians.

Bethlehem is said to be the birthplace of Jesus. The Church of the Nativity is one of the major tourist attractions of Bethlehem and a magnet for Christian pilgrims. The church stand in the center of  the city over a cave called Hoy Crypt where Jesus supposed to be born. Few meters away from the cave was a Milk Grotto where the Holy Family harbour on their flight to Egypt. Next to the grotto is the cave where St. Jerome spent his thirty years in translating the Hebrew Scriptures to Latin. Aside from that, the Shepherd’s Fields found nearby Beit Sahour is located near the city, this is the location of the angel’s visitation to the shepherd announcing the birth of Christ.

Other holy sites in the Holly Land

There are other holy sites in the Holly land one of which is the Church of the Annuniciation in the Basilica and Mary’s Well found in Nazareth which is said to be Jesus’ hometown.  Sephoria is also included in the holy sites, this is where the Virgin Mary  spend her childhood days. Nearby Jerico is the site called the Qar el Yahud located on the western band of the River of Jordan where the Baptism of Jesus took place. Nearby the river is the cave where John the Baptist  lived is also considered as  the holy site.

The Sea of Galilee and the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor were included in the list.  The Mountain of Temptation where Satan failed attempt to Jesus, Jacob’s Well in Nablus and the road connecting Jerusalem to Jericho were also included on the holy sites in the Holly Land.