How Israel’s history grounds our connection
Charlotte Henry connects with our story in the Holy Land and provides many reasons we must continue to visit
Whether we get to visit regularly or rarely, Israel holds a special place in the hearts of Jews around the world. That’s just not because of the great beaches, fantastic hiking or delicious food. It’s because we have a profound, ancient connection with the country. Stepping off the plane at Ben Gurion always feels special.
For many of us, these feelings have intensified since the horrors of October 7. Going to Israel is now not just a nice holiday, but one of the best things we can do for the country. In the midst of so much anti-Israel hatred, being there matters.
What is more, being reminded of the history of the Jewish people is an uplifting experience. Those connections with the land is what we explore in this latest part of a series from Jewish News with the Israel Government Tourist Office.
A great way to start when trying to understand the history of the Jews and Israel is the Anu Museum – The Museum of the Jewish People. Opened three years ago, it feels fresh and new, but tells a long story. As the name suggests, the museum gives details of Jews from across the world. This includes outlining how British Jews were twice expelled from their home country and how Oliver Cromwell invited them back.
There is also the moving account of how 30,000 people were reunited after the Holocaust. Elsewhere, there are tales of Jews from Arab countries and also large amounts of Russian immigration, underlining the diversity of Israeli society.
The Anu Museum is also home to an incredible collection of model synagogues in the Hallelujah! Assemble, Pray, Study – Synagogues Past and Present exhibition. Inside are 21 intricately detailed models. They help to remind us of different communities around the world and important aspects of Jewish life. It seems right that while sitting in Israel, the centre of Jewish life, we can also glimpse the diaspora. Each model is accompanied by an original artefact that comes from the synagogue itself or the associated community.
Tragically, October 7 is now also a crucial part of the story of the Jewish people and there is an exhibition commemorating it at the museum. Indeed, it includes an AI-generated heart and records of the attack from “while it was happening”, our guide explains. Reading the thoughts of people affected really knocks you back, but it’s crucial to do so.
My favourite segment of the museum is much lighter in tone. It is an exhibition recording the long and proud history of Jewish comedy. It does a good job of explaining why jokes and humour are so important to our culture and highlights some off the great protagonists of the craft. The exhibition covers Jewish comedy right up to the modern day. Every family member will have affection for someone featured there. Recently, comedian Modi was given a dedicated spot in the highly enjoyable exhibition.
As much as anywhere else, the Bet She’arim National Park outlines the long connection between Jews and the land of Israel. Going there is as meaningful as visiting Masada.
Ruins in Beit Shearim National ParkThe Necropolis of Bet She’arim, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015, is in the Lower Galilee, east of Haifa. Despite its importance to Jewish history, it is somewhat of the beaten track for tourists. It is, though, both a beautiful park and a deeply important site.
I am not a particularly religious person, but I was taken aback when I was told that I was standing by the grave of Rabbi Judah the Patriarch. He not only led the Jewish revival after 135 AD, but also wrote the Mishnah, bringing together in writing what were previously oral explanations of Jewish law. Despite this, his actual sarcophagus is very modest. It gives no indication of the significance of the person buried there. And you can just walk up to it.
The statue of Alexander Zeid, a leading figure in the Second AliyahElsewhere in the park are the burial sites of more great Jewish leaders and others. Many of the ancient sarcophagi are well preserved, although they were clearly looted long, long ago. They often have clear Jewish markings on them – symbols such as menorahs and stars of David. It all emphasises once again the long Jewish connection with this part of the world. There is also the statue of Alexander Zeid, a leading figure in the Second Aliyah, who founded the secret Jewish defence movements Bar Giora and then Hashomer. He was killed in 1938, but is depicted sitting on horseback, looking out onto the Jezreel Valley, perhaps marvelling at what the country he helped protect has now become.
The village of Zichron Yaakov, meanwhile, “was one of the important milestones and basis of modern-time Israel”, explains our guide. It is to the south of Haifa and the museum there tells the story of a collection of families who emigrated from Romania in 1882. “The beginning was really rough,” our guide says, “because the Romanians did not have any knowledge in agriculture.” There were also tensions with the Ottomans and a malaria outbreak to contend with. That virus eventually killed 10 percent of the area’s population in just the first two to three years.
Overlooking the village of Zichron Yaakov, aouth of Haifa and an important milestoneThe village was, however, home to the first Jewish spy network, NILI, with the Aaronsohn family at the heart of it. They tried to work with the British to defeat the Ottomans. It took a long time to build trust and there was plenty of difficulty and loss on the way. It’s an incredible tale that involves family members fleeing and even dying. Sarah Aaronsohn led the organisation at one point, but was tortured and took her own life before she could be hung.
Due to the work of this spy network, the British got crucial intelligence that helped General Allenby in the Battle of Beersheva, from which he went on to Jerusalem. The NILI spy network, inspired by the notion of practical Zionism, ultimately helped create the situation that led to the Balfour Declaration, bringing about modern Israel.
The whole tale would be appropriate for a thriller, but the museum tells it in an enlightening manner. Interestingly, the story is not widely shared outside of Israel, but being able to see and walk through some of the original houses helps to take it all in.
Many of us know instinctively that we have a connection to Israel, but we live in a time when people are trying to rewrite history. Places such as the Anu Museum, Zichron Yaakov and Bet She’arim give meaningful context and help to explain why we feel this way. They give any trip to Israel even greater meaning.
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