Overlooking the
Western Wall
O
ne of the best things about
visiting Israel is that even
though its two major cities,
Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, are
only an hour’s drive apart
they provide completely opposite
experiences. Jerusalem, as one of
the world’s oldest cities, is the
undisputed historic heavyweight,
overflowing with important spiritual
sights, while welterweight Tel Aviv
is more like a sassy little sister who
just wants to have fun. Together
they offer a one-two punch for a
knockout trip you’ll never forget.
Jerusalem
If this is your first visit you’ll
definitely want to hire a guide or join
a good walking tour to at least see
Jerusalem’s awe-inspiring Big Five:
the Church of the Holy Sepulcher,
City of David, the Western Wall,
the Temple Mount and Yad Vashem,
before branching out to explore the
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city’s dynamic food scene, counterculture nabes, hip bars and
an abundance of stylish new
designer boutiques.
Techie Travels
You can aimlessly wander through
the labyrinth of cobble-stone
alleyways that make up the Old City,
where you are almost certain to get
lost and could miss out on some of
the four quarters ( Jewish, Muslim,
Christian and Armenian) or you can
get smart and download a free app.
The Old City of Jerusalem Audio
Walking Tours has 16 self-guided
tours (complete with user-friendly
directions, maps, descriptions of the
sights and photos) covering a wide
range of interests such as In the
footsteps of Christian sects, The
Jewish Quarter, or Marketplaces
in the Old City. This app kicks Siri
to the curb!
Underrated Gem
The new Herzl Museum opened on
the 100th anniversary of Binyamin
Ze’ev, the death of (Theodore) Herzl,
founder of modern political Zionism,
to commemorate the impact his
life had on the creation of a
Jewish State.
“Die Welt” is the publication founded
in 1897 by Theodor Herzl
A visit here includes a riveting
hour-long, audio-visual, theatrical
encounter with this visionary
Zionist. The presentation provides
fascinating insight into Herzl’s
ambitious goals and incredible
achievements, as well as his deep
disappointments and turbulent
personal life--fodder for a reality
show. Herzl and his wife Julia, who
was prone to mental instability, had
three children, each of whom met a
terrible end -- and Herzl died when
he was only 44. Yet only fifty
years later, his daring dream, the
establishment of the independent
State of Israel, became a reality.
Insider Tip: The museum is
adjacent to Mt. Herzl, where Herzl
is buried alongside many of Israel’s
presidents, prime ministers, Knesset
speakers and other leaders.
New/Old Discovery
A half-hour drive into the Judean
Desert brings you to the seldomvisited Herodion, a magnificent
seven-story, palace-fortress built
between 23 and 15 BCE. After a 35
year search, Professor Ehud Netzer
recently discovered Herod’s royal
tomb. Herodian, the third largest
palace of its day, is similar to
Masada, which was also designed by
Herod, the greatest builder of the
ancient world. The Talmud states:
“If you have not seen the Temple