Genevieve Belmaker - Moon Jerusalem & the Holy Land: Including Tel Aviv & Petra (Moon Handbooks)

HANDBOOKS

GENEVIEVE BELMAKER

Calls to prayer echo out over valleys and rooftops. The ringing of church bells and the wailing siren for Shabbat are omnipresent. This is a city of religious pilgrimages and a land of ancient stories, where even the bodies of water whisper of miracles.

Birthplace of the three largest monotheistic religions in the worldJudaism, Christianity, and Islamthe city of Jerusalem is filled with prayers and songs of different faiths. The time-worn, earthen-colored stones of the Old City have borne witness to thousands of years of history.

Pilgrims come here to walk in the footsteps that their religion took on its path to coming into the world: to touch the Western Wall, Judaisms holiest site; to stand where Jesus stood while crying over the coming destruction of Jerusalem; or to see the light gleaming off the golden Dome of the Rock, built over the stone where Muslims believe Muhammed ascended to heaven.

This diversity in beliefs and lifestyles can also make a trip to the Holy Land an ardent journey toward connection and understanding. As much as Jerusalem makes the past feel present, liberal, freewheeling Tel Aviv is intently focused on the future. The fresh scent of sand and sea seems soaked into everything, and marketplaces smell of spices, falafel, and Turkish coffee. Its an assault on the senses, in the best possible way. North along the Mediterranean, in sparkling Haifa, Jews and Arabs coexist peacefully in the shadow of the world-famous Bahai Golden Dome.

The West Bank, with its ancient cities of Bethlehem, Jericho, and Hebron, offers a journey into another world. On a hot summer day with the warm smell of olive trees set against a backdrop of rolling brown hills, youll almost forget the political tensions that have troubled this area for centuries.

Many wait their entire lives to experience this timeless land. See it for yourself and you will begin to understand. Is it any wonder this region has inspired such passions, such devotion, such faith?

Time can fly by when you are in this region as there is so much to see and do, and traveling about can be exhausting especially during the summer months. Plan your trip as carefully in advance as possible to make the most of your time.

A city of 800,000 people and home to the three major religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Jerusalem seems older than time itself and is enthralling with its dozens of archaeological, religious, and historical sites and museums. When you tire of tours and history lessons, it is just as interesting to stroll through the unique districts of the city, such as the German Colony, with its interesting gardens, homes, shops, buildings, and people, and stop for a world-class meal in one of the citys many restaurants. A classic destination for religious pilgrimage, Jerusalem also has a lively arts scene and decent nightlife offerings. A claim to fame is that it is home to more museums than anywhere else in Israel.

the Knesset Menorah, by sculptor Benno Elkan, Jerusalem

Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv isnt called the center for nothing, with a dizzying offering of restaurants, clubs, museums, performing arts venues of all sizes, nightlife, music, beaches, surfing, and outdoor sports. The first modern Jewish city, Tel Aviv has earned its reputation as the center of Israeli life. It is a place known for its openly accepting atmosphere of all kinds of people, a high-powered technical and business sector, and the heart of the countrys famed diamond industry. Tel Avivs world-class parks and recreation offerings are at the heart of its many summer festivals, events, and live concerts. It is, by far and away, the most popular place in Israel to party and just enjoy life.

Haifa and the North Coast

Once youre in Haifa, Israels third-largest city and situated on the coast north of Tel Aviv, you can easily jump off to other charming coastal towns and nearby historical and religious sites, such as Akko, Caesarea, and Zichron Yaakov, with minimal hassle. The life of Haifa, the only city in Israel with any public transportation on the weekend, revolves around the dominating Bahai Gardens and Golden Dome. You can spend days just going between exploring Haifas museums, restaurants, and beaches and then wandering through the serene and pristine grounds of the Bahai Gardens.

Knowing how to spend your time and where to go is crucial when traveling in Jerusalem and the Holy Land. There is so much to see and do that you could stay occupied for one week in just one region. Following are some recommendations for potential travel itineraries, by city and related region, depending on different amounts of time. No matter what other areas of the region you visit, old and new Jerusalem are musts.