Israel is described in the Bible as “a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey” (Deut 8:8). Indeed, olive trees were well established in the land before the Israelites entered under Joshua (Deut 6:11). It is therefore not surprising t…
Israel, a Land of Olive Oil Read More »
One of the casualties of the continuing conflict in Syria is the cultural heritage of the country. UNESCO has raised concern about the civil war’s threat to archaeological sites, ancient structures and monuments. These areas are being illegally excavated and looted of significant artefacts.
Hea…
Destruction of Archaeological Sites and Cultural Heritage in Syria Read More »
Once every several years, there is debate in Israel over whether or not Richard Wagner’s music should be performed publicly. Except for an encore conducted by Daniel Barenboim in 2001, following a forty-minute discussion with the audience, any request to perform Wagner’s music in Israel has not …
Richard Wagner, Hitler and Anti-Semitism Read More »
Very little was known of the mighty Assyrian empire until Sir Austen Henry Layard began his investigations in Mesopotamia in the mid-nineteenth century. Up to that time, the great civilizations of Assyria and Babylon were largely forgotten in the European West. Outside of the Bible, only a few facts…
Assyria and Biblical Archaeology Read More »
Although Jews living in Europe today appear to be successful and secure, there is nevertheless an underlying sense of unease. Anti-Semitism is growing. A survey recently commissioned by the European Union’s Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has found that Jews have experienced anti-S…
The End of European Jewry? Read More »
One of the largest of the beautiful islands in the Ionian Sea, Zakynthos, lies to the west of mainland Greece2. In October, 1943, German forces arrived on the island with orders to round up the Jews. A familiar pattern followed: a night-time curfew was imposed on the island’s Jews and they wer…
The Jews of Zakynthos 1 Read More »
October 31 this year is the ninetieth anniversary of the famous Charge against the Turkish trenches at Beersheba by the Australian Light Horse in 1917. The Charge, said to be the last great cavalry charge in military history, saw the conquest of Beersheba by the Anzac and British forces.
For the …
90th Anniversary of the Australian Light Horse Charge at Beersheba Read More »
A visiting professor at the British Museum has made a discovery “that supports the view that the historical books of the Old Testament are based on fact” (“Tiny tablet provides proof for Old Testament” by Nigel Reynolds, Arts Correspondent Telegraph www.telegraph.co.uk 13/07/2007).
The Te…
Ancient Babylonian Financial Accounts Verify Bible Accuracy Read More »
Sixty years after the foundation of the State, Israel still identifies its citizens in terms of their country of origin or ethnic affiliation, but not as ‘Israelis’. Passports, identification cards and other official documents in Israel, identify citizens as ‘Spanish’, ‘French’, etc, but…
Israel at Sixty: Why Jews and Not Israelis? Read More »
Artefacts found in an ancient Greek tomb excavated in 1977 by archaeologists working in the northern Greek village of Vergina may have belonged to Alexander the Great, researchers now believe (‘Alexander the Great’s “Crown”, Shield Discovered?’ Sara Goudarzi for National Geographic News ht…
Alexander the Great’s Crown Discovered? Read More »
