The Israel Situation » City Focus Israel

City Focus Israel Wrap-Up

Eric — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:56:00 +0000

Thanks to all who have read my City Focus Israel series. I hope the posts were fun and informative. Over the course of about 4 months, I covered 24 Israeli cities. In case you missed any, here is a recap of all of the posts in the City Focus Israel series.

-Hod HaSharon

-Lod

I’m sorry if I missed your favorite city. If you want a post about any city I missed, feel free to e-mail me your guest post to eric @ theisraelsituation dot com.

That said, what is your favorite Israeli city? If you were to make aliyah or move today, where in Israel would you pick? If I could live anywhere in Israel, there is no question. Jerusalem is my city.

Once a cousin from Ramat Gan asked my why I love Jerusalem rather than Tel Aviv. My answer: Tel Aviv is a big city full of Jews. Only Jerusalem is a Jewish city.

Hadag Nachash has a song, Henai Ani Ba, describing the clash of Tel Aviv and Yerushalayim. There are many differences which make each city beautiful. Tel Aviv is a free oasis for liberal politics and living a fun, modern life. Jerusalem is the home thousands of years of Jewish tradition and history. I think to truly understand Israel, you have to experience all parts of it. From Tel Aviv (Henai Ani Ba!) to Yerushalayim (Henai Ani Ba!). From Metulla to Eilat. Israel is a special place. No city is better than any other. It is all a matter of opinion. But there is one thing we can agree on, we need to protect our small slice of the world.

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City Focus Israel Wrap-Up is a post from: The Israel Situation

City Focus Israel: Jerusalem

Eric — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:00:00 +0000

Jerusalem is the holiest city to the Jewish people. It is the capital of Israel and home to important religious sites for Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Jerusalem is the largest city in Israel, with a population of 732,000.

Historically, Jerusalem is one of the most fought over cities in the world. The city was founded around 4,000 BCE. It has been razed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured 44 times.

The city had its first Jewish presence around 3000 years ago, when the Israelites, led by King David, took the city from the Jebusites. It remained a Jewish city for 300 years until it was conquered by the Assyrians.

The Jewish people took the city back. However, the reign didn’t last that long, as it was captured again by the Babyloneans, who destroyed the first Temple, in 586 BCE. Persian King Cyrus allowed the Jews to return when his empire conquered Jerusalem. At this point, the second Temple was built.

The Greeks captured Jerusalem next. This was followed by the Maccabean revolt, and the Jewish hold on Jerusalem (and Judea) remained until the Roman wars (and destruction of the Second Temple). Next the Persians battled for the city, and it became a Muslim city for the first time in 638 CE, over 2000 years after the first Jewish presence.

In 1099, the Crusaders made their way into Jerusalem and took control. From there, the city was under several flags until the Ottoman Empire took over in 1517. In 1917 the British Mandate of Palestine began, and control was handed back to the Jewish people in 1948. The city was divided, however, and the Old City fell under Jordanian control until 1967 when Jerusalem became a united Jewish city again!

Modern Jerusalem allows for the ancient world and the modern world to meet. In a short walk you can be immersed in 3000 year Jewish history in the Old City, where you can look on walls built thousands of years ago. From there, you can walk to the modern downtown, home to bars, nightclubs, and businesses.

Within the .9 square miles of the Old City, you can view the Western Wall and Temple Mount, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. Three of the major religions in the world claim history in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Only in Jerusalem can you see Me’ah Sharim, the most religious Jewish neighborhood in the world, walk through a nightclub district, see the Knesset, look over the West Bank from Hebrew University’s amphitheater, see the Arab Shuk in the Old City, look through thousands of years of history under the Cardo, see Rabbi Ovida Yosef walk down the street, walk into the Great Jerusalem Synagogue, cry at Yad Vashem, and feel pride on Har Herzel just a minute away.

I spent five months in the holiest city in the world, and I loved every moment of it. I experienced the feel of the Machanei Yehudah Shuk, the power of the Kotel, the joy of Yom Ha’atzmaut, and the sorrow of Yom Ha’Zikaron. I saw the city freeze for Yom HaShoa, and I saw people dance in Kikar Tzion (Zion Square) for Yom Yerushalayim.

I can think of no place more important to fight for. B’ezrat HaShem, we may all travel to the holy city when the Third Temple is built. May it be rebuilt speedily in our days.

If there is one place to make sure you see in your lifetime, it is Jerusalem. It is my favorite city in the world.

This post if the capstone to a series, City Focus Israel, that features over twenty articles on the cities of Israel.

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City Focus Israel: Jerusalem is a post from: The Israel Situation

City Focus Israel: Tel Aviv

Eric — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:38:00 +0000

Henai Ani Ba! As the popular Hadag Nachash song states.

Tel Aviv is the big display of the modern, often secular, side of Israel. Though the city proper (second largest city in Israel) has 384,000 inhabitants, the Tel Aviv metro area is the biggest population center, with over 3 million.

Tel Aviv was founded as a Jewish city, on land purchased from Bedouins, just north of the old port city Jaffa (or Yafo).

Tel Aviv is the business and cultral center of Israel. It is home to several tall skyscrapers (included the tallest in the region, located in the Ramat Gan suburb). It is a cross between the feeling of New York City and Miami, with a big Jewish twist.

Tel Aviv has it all. Local outdoor shuks (markets), some of the greatest night clubs in the world, a fun beach, theaters, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, one of the largest diamond exchanges in the world, parks, large synagogues, and a 100 year history. The city was founded in 1909. The city is also home to several major sports teams, including the well known Macabbe Tel Aviv. (In case you were wondering, they are far inferior the the greatest soccer (football) team in Israel, Beitar Yerushalayim).

Tel Aviv has one of the biggest Jewish populations of any city in the world. It has a unique, distinctive culture and feel. To really experience Tel Aviv, you have to get off the bus and explore. Just be careful, like all big cities, Tel Aviv has bad parts of town too. Also make sure your restaurant has a hekshire, many Tel Aviv restaurants are not Kosher.

Tel Aviv is one of my favorite cities in the world.

Want to know what my favorite city is? Subscribe and stay tuned for the final installment of the City Focus Israel series. After a short break, a new, exciting series will begin.

City Focus Israel: Tel Aviv is a post from: The Israel Situation

City Focus Israel: Haifa

Eric — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:17:00 +0000

Haifa is the third largest city in Israel, and sits on the Mediterranean coast in Northern Israel. It is known for a busy port, a beautiful Baha’i garden, a beach, and a nice climate.

The metropolitan area of Haifa is home to 1.03 million residents, a mix of Jewish and Arab citizens. Haifa is often noted as a city of peace, showing a co-existence between the 90% Jewish and 10% Arab population. The city was unscathed by the first years of the intifada, and was hoped to be unaffected by terror attacks. Haifa is also home to a sizable (14%) Christian population, made of up a mix of Arab Christians and immigrants from the former Soviet Union.

Haifa was the largest city within rocket range during the 2006 Lebanon War. 93 rockets fell in the municipality during the war.

The region, centering around Haifa, is known for technology development. Motorola, Intel, Fuji, and many more large tech companies have research and development facilities in Haifa. Haifa is also home to the Technion, a university said to be the M.I.T of Israel.

The Bahai world center is located in Haifa, and the large Bahai gardens is considered to be the holiest Bahai site in the world. The large building at the bottom of the Garden is the burial site of the religion’s founder.

The city is thought to be founded in the 14th century BCE.

Haifa is a bustling cultural center and economic center for the region and all of Israel.

This post is part of a series, City Focus Israel, about major cities in Israel. This is the 3rd to last post in the series. Make sure you don’t miss the last two, subscribe today. Click here to see all City Focus Israel posts.

City Focus Israel: Haifa is a post from: The Israel Situation

City Focus Israel: Be’er Sheva

Eric — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:08:00 +0000

Be’er Sheva is one of the holy cities of Israel. Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Shimon, Judah, and Eliyahu all had ties to the city.

Today, Be’er Sheva is the Capital of the Negev. It is the hub of business, trade, and transportation in the arid region. With a metropolitan area population of over 500,000, Be’er Sheva is one of the largest cities in Israel today.

Much of the population of Be’er Sheva is made up of immigrants from Arab countries. Those people were forced from their homes in 1948 at the founding of Israel, and the Jewish nation happily found them a home. Many Ethopian immigrants were given homes in the area as well.

Be’er Sheva is home to several sports teams and Ben Gurion University.

City Focus Israel: Be’er Sheva is a post from: The Israel Situation

City Focus Israel: Hevron

Eric — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:37:00 +0000

Hevron is one of the holy cities of Israel. It is mentioned specifically in Jewish biblical writings. While less than a thousand settlers live in the city limits, it is one of the four holiest cities in Judaism, arguably the second holiest after Jerusalem.

The Cave of the Patriarchs lies in Hevron, and is the burial site of Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah. The majority of Jewish residents in the area live in Hevron suburb Kiryat Shmona.

In 1929, the expansionist Arabs in Hevron murdered 67 Jews and injured 60 more. From that time until after the 1967 war, there was no major Jewish population in the city.

Today, the city is a major tension point between Religious Zionists and left wing land-for-peace supporters. If you are in Israel, make sure to visit Hevron. We may not be able to forever.

City Focus Israel: Hevron is a post from: The Israel Situation

City Focus Israel: Ashdod

Eric — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:35:00 +0000

Ashdod is a Mediterranean coastal city with a population of over 200,000. Contrary to popular belief, the largest port in Israel lies in Ashdod, responsible for 60% of imports, rather than Haifa.

Historically, archeologists have found that the area was first settled by the Cannanites, as discussed in the Torah.

In 1948, Egyptian forces took control of Ashdod during the War of Independence. However, the Egyptians retreated and Israel held control from 1948 to present.

From 1990-2001, the city experienced a 150% growth rate, and welcomed over 100,000 Soviet immigrants.

The weather is warm or hot all year round, which makes Ashdod a popular destination for beach goers. The city has shopping, outdoor recreation, archological history, and a large culture center. It is easily accessible by road, bus, and rail, and is a great place to see.

The city is 95% Jewish, of which 30% are considered observant. The city is also home to the largest Karite Jewish population in the world.

City Focus Israel: Ashdod is a post from: The Israel Situation

City Focus Israel: Beit Shemesh

Eric — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 01:27:00 +0000

Beit Shemesh is a beautiful city. As the name, House of Sun, suggests, it is often sunny in the city between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Many have passed through on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem train, but few have spent much time there.

The population, nearly 70,000, lies in the Jerusalem district. The city was first mentioned in Prophets, in the book of Joshua, as a city in the land of the tribe of Judah near the boarder with Dan.

The city was born in December, 1950, when a group of displaced Jews set out to build a new home. The city has recently been a center for many Jews fleeing the former Soviet Union.

The city has a large Haredi population, including Todlos Ahron chasidim, and the anti-Israel Satmar and Neutori Karta chasidim.

City Focus Israel: Beit Shemesh is a post from: The Israel Situation

City Focus Israel: Karmiel

Eric — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:13:00 +0000

Karmiel is a master planned city in Northern Israel. The master plan was a pre-planned design for city zoning and growth, and has led to one of the nicest, cleanest cities in Israel. With a population of 50,000, Karmiel is still growing quickly. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Karmiel was a major absorption center for Jewish Russian immigrants.

Due to the northern location of the city, Karmiel was a target of Ketusha rocket fire during the 2006 Lebanon war. An estimated 180 rockets fell in or near the city.

City officials in Karmiel work to be in good relations with neighboring Arab towns, and the city’s industrial zone is home to jobs for Karmiel residents and both Arab and Jewish workers around the region.

City Focus Israel: Karmiel is a post from: The Israel Situation

City Focus Israel: B’nai Brak

Eric — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:00:00 +0000

B’nai Brak, with 140,000 residents, is one of the largest suburbs of Tel Aviv. B’nai Brak is arguably the second most religious neighborhood in Israel, behind Meah Sharim in Jerusalem. It is the only large city in Israel with a population of primarily Haredi Jews.

B’nai Brak is mentioned in the Tanach, and was home to Rabbi Akiva’s religious court, called the sanhedrin.

Today, B’nai Brak is home to many Chasidim, yeshivot, and religious schools. A well known landmark in the city is the large Coca Cola bottling plant, which can be seen from the highway as you pass by the city around Tel Aviv.

City Focus Israel: B’nai Brak is a post from: The Israel Situation