MAINE in Israel!

LOOK ...MAINE IN TEL AVIV.L

http://www.jaffacolony.com/


 My pictures- The wood is from Maine.  I could hear it speaking to me :)

The American Colony, Tel Aviv

The American Colony of Tel Aviv is located in the south of the Tel Aviv, not far from Jaffa, and is quite possibly one of the best-kept secrets in town. Situated between the Florentin and Noga neighborhoods, this small and quaint area has a very unique look, feel, and history. Walking down the cobblestone streets, you’ll be surprised to see wooden homes, a stained-glass church, and a mix of both high-end building projects as well as deteriorated & abandoned structures. The American Colony is an off-the-beaten track gem not far from the heart of Tel Aviv.

History of The American Colony

The history of The American Colony in Tel Aviv dates back to 1886 when a group of over 150 Christian Americans from Maine and the New England region decided to follow their faith and vision and settle in Palestine. Led by George Adams, these families made a 42-day journey overseas and landed where the Etzel Museum stands today, on the beach between Tel Aviv and Jaffa. They brought with them the wood and materials to resurrect their homes in the New England style, and when they were granted permission from the Ottomans, settled in what has come to be called “The American Colony.”
After a few years, the families became very ill and many dispersed to Europe or returned to Maine.  New, German settlers, from the Templar Movement, purchased much of the land and buildings which the Americans had constructed. In 1904, the Germans added the Immanuel Church, which still stands today – along with the Beit Immanuel Hostel – which was the main office, school, and community hall of the German Temple Society in 1873. Today, it is a guesthouse housing Protestant pilgrims, but its beautiful garden and rooms are open to all.

During WWI and WWII, the British authorities deported many of the Germans or put them under police supervision, and much of the area was deemed enemy alien property. With the establishment of the State of Israel, the land fell into the custody of new Israeli government. Religious places (such as the Immanuel Church), remained in public custody, but secular structures fell under the jurisdiction of the government.
Over the years, the neighborhood became neglected and deteriorated. Today, you’ll see many crumbling ruins if you visit the area, however, there has a been a surge of restoration and development in recent years, which brings a new spotlight and hope to the old decaying buildings. http://www.touristisrael.com/american-colony-tel-aviv/12418/

LOOK! a bulkhead!
We all have one of these!

Where'd the week go?

 A week went by.  No, I wasn't on vacation, but y' all in Maine are now!  This blog post shows a variety of pictures.  Let's see...

Last week E and I went to Jerusalem for a workshop.
http://www.jerusalempeacebuilders.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pnVblJ8DOM#t=594
The group had kids from Jerusalem, East and West, Arabs and Jews, and of course, E. We met at the YMCA.  It is not like our Y's. It was fancy! It included a nice hotel and restaurant.

There are not many females in combat units in the IDF.  That number is growing.  Me, I prefer staring down a pine cone to the barrel of a gun :)

 I visited the American International School this week.  It is a private school, in English, where many Ambassadors and the international community send their children to school.  I met with the 7th grade science teacher.  He's doing LOTS of very interesting things.  In the back of the picture you can make out a TV screen.  This is a webcam of a Kestrel nest that runs 24/7 in his room.

 DO I get a classroom wish list? Yes, I want a drone.

 This was an outdoor study space.  The base of these seats are made of old tires!  

We also walked through the natural, NONPESTICIDE area of the school.  Students have worked to keep that area growing only native species.  They will close off the area soon because of vipers.  Well, today was into the 80's, so I watched my step. 

Israel has seven species of venomous snakes, three of which are dangerous to people: the Israeli Viper, the Black Adder and the Israeli Mole Viper, the most common of which is the viper. The viper is found in the region between the Galilee and the Negev.

www.hadassah-med.com/about/tips/poisonous-bites-and-stings

 I personally don't need to meet any of these guys up close and personal!

 Before our meeting in Jerusalem we toured the Western Wall Tunnels.
http://english.thekotel.org/content.asp?id=116
They are UNDER the Muslim Quarter of the Old City.  Under. Yep.

Yucky...

Garbage Art in Tel Aviv. 

Special days

So two weeks or so ago, we lost an hour.  We had no idea there had been daylight savings time!
Awkward.
So I have been briefed on this week.  Thursday, is Holocaust Remembrance Day here in Israel.  At 10 a.m. a siren will sound.  All traffic will stop.  Everything will pause for a moment of silence.  I'm glad I have been informed, otherwise I would undoubtedly head for a shelter :)

Wiki lists the dates and countries of Holocaust Memorial Days. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust_Memorial_Days
Touring Yad Vashem is/was difficult.  When I was in Cambodia, touring the Killing Fields was difficult.
www.yadvashem.org/                         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_Fields


However, awareness is necessary. 

 Truth is often horrifically unbelievable. 

Looking the other way doesn't fix anything.

This certainly doesn't hurt literacy!!

Right out on the street, open 24/7. Many languages.

So much faster to take the train than to drive up the coast.

Shekels, the gold ones at the bottom are 0.1 of a shekel.

Canaan dog, is a breed of pariah dog, and has been part of the Middle Eastern landscape for thousands of years. It may have existed in the eastern Mediterranean seaboard for millennia, as referenced in ancient carvings and drawings. (Wiki)

Lior...

OK, this is awesome!

medieval-cesspit-in-jerusalem

 

http://www.medievalists.net/2015/03/20/medieval-cesspit-in-jerusalem-reveals-15th-century-diseases/

Regular life...in Israel

 A school-

 These little workout stations are all over Tel Aviv.

 Yep, it's here too!

Here's the puppy we are trying to save/bring home.

 Yes, that is what it looks like.  He's heading to the beach to surf. 

Pesach (Passover)

What is Pesach and when do we celebrate it?

Passover or Pesach, as it is called in Hebrew, is the festival that reminds us of when the Jewish people were slaves in Egypt about 3,500 years ago and how God freed them from the evil Egyptian king Pharaoh.
The Pesach story is written in the Torah, in Exodus, Chapters 1-15 and is one of the most important stories in Jewish history.
Pesach starts on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan, at the full moon. It lasts for eight days (seven in Israel). The four days in the middle are called Chol Hamo’ed (weekdays of the festival). In the English calendar, Pesach will be during April or (sometimes) in late March. As the Jewish calendar is lunar, the English dates of Pesach will change from year to year even though the dates in the Jewish calendar remain the same. (http://www.bje.org.au/learning/judaism/kids/holydays/pesach.html)
 During Passover there are certain foods you can't buy (or eat if that is in your belief system).

 Med Sea sunset

E asked if this was the U.S. Embassy.  It was a car wash :)

Oh dear dog...

We have had a dog adopt us.  We did a kick starter type thing to help finance getting her back to Maine.

https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/1211381?fb_action_ids=10204946129230333&fb_action_types=og.shares

If you can help, thanks.  If not wish us luck :)

BIG POST- been a busy weekend

After a whirlwind of work Wed and Thursday night until 11, Friday began the weekend.

We were invited to attend a very cool preview of some educational start-up companies.  Here I am from the viewpoint of the dog, in this virtual reality experience.

 

Then the weekend!

• I drove!  It felt so good!  I rented a car, got lost horribly in Tel Aviv ( they have no left-hand turns, I swear), finally made it to friends in Haifa ( city north, not quite to Lebanon, but in that direction).
• Haifa is Israel's third-largest city, consisting of 103,000 households,^[3] or a population of 266,300. Immigrants from the former Soviet Union constitute 25% of Haifa's population.^[67] According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, Israeli Arabs constitute 10% of Haifa's population, the majority living in Wadi Nisnas, Abbas and Halissa neighborhoods.^[67] 
   Haifa is commonly portrayed as a model of co-existence between Arabs and Jews, although tensions and hostility do still exist.  Thank you Wikipedia. 
  
  
  • We spent two nights with our friends in Wadi Nisnas in their super beautiful home.  They started with this-
  It was vacant for many years and inhabited by pigeons,
  
  
  
  

and renovated it into this-

 It was just gorgeous.  We ate LOTS of great local food- Maine food might be a little boring after this!


HAIFA-

• a port city, basically built on a hill, with the Baha'i world headquarters and gardens at the top.

 The Bahá'í Faith  is a monotheistic religion which emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind.^[2] Three core principles establish a basis for Bahá'í teachings and doctrine: the unity of God, that there is only one God who is the source of all creation; the unity of religion, that all major religions have the same spiritual source and come from the same God; and the unity of humanity, that all humans have been created equal and that diversity of race and culture are seen as worthy of appreciation and acceptance.^[3] According to the Bahá'í Faith's teachings, the human purpose is to learn to know and to love God through such methods as prayer, reflection and being of service to humanity. Thanks Wikipedia.
I interject this info for those who want a little more info.

Two views one looking down, one looking up at night, at the beautiful Baha'i gardens.

 

Then onto the Sea of Galilee- Tiberias

The Sea of Galilee is situated in northeast Israel, between the Golan Heights and the Galilee region, in the Jordan Rift Valley, the valley caused by the separation of the African and Arabian Plates. Consequently the area is subject to earthquakes, and in the past, volcanic activity. This is evident by the abundant basalt and other igneous rocks that define the geology of the Galilee. It is said that here much of the ministry of Jesus occurred.Many of his miracles are also said to have occurred here including his walking on water, calming the storm, the disciples and the boatload of fish, and his feeding five thousand people. 

NOTE: Let's just say it my info blurbs are all from Wiki.  For those who are anti-wiki, we can talk about this when I get back...

On the way to the Dead Sea- The Jordan River valley

 THE DEAD SEA- LOWEST PLACE ON THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH.

-The Dead Sea is a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east, and Palestine and Israel to the west. Its surface and shores are 1,407 ft below sea level, Earth's lowest elevation on land.
-The Dead Sea is 304 m (997 ft) deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. With 34.2% salinity, it is also one of the world's saltiest bodies of water.
-It is 9.6 times as salty as the ocean.^[7] This salinity makes for a harsh environment in which animals cannot flourish, hence its name.
-The Dead Sea is 50 kilometres (31 mi) long and 15 kilometres (9 mi) wide at its widest point.
^- It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley and its main tributary is the Jordan River.
-The Dead Sea has attracted visitors from around the Mediterranean basin for thousands of years. In the Bible, it is a place of refuge for King David. It was one of the world's first health resorts (for Herod the Great), and it has been the supplier of a wide variety of products, from asphalt for Egyptian mummification to potash for fertilizers. People also use the salt and the minerals from the Dead Sea to create cosmetics and herbal sachets.
-The Dead Sea water has a density of 1,240 kg/m³, which makes swimming similar to floating

 This is what bodies do in water almost 10x saltier than the ocean.

You can't sink!!

And then there's the mud- the sea and mud are said to have medicinal properties. 





But look at how it dries... eww.

 

The air is often hazy here.  This time of year the winds blow from Africa and there is dust in the air. Sahara dust maybe.