Unit 2 - SW

UNIT TWO: Rise and Walk the Land

קום והתהלך בארץ

Student Workbook

A curriculum for Israel Engagement

Written by Belrose Maram

In collaboration with Gila Ansell Brauner

Elisheva Kupferman, Chief Editor

Esti-Moskovitz-Kalman, Director of Education

UNIT 2 Student Workbook

1

Geographic Uniqueness

Part 1. Maps

Israel has both a unique as well as strategic location.

To help understand this, we are going to explore 3 different maps.

A. Map of the Middle East/Mediterranean

©W123, http://www.knittingliberally.com

• Israel is situated between 3 continents: Which continents are they?

1. _____________________________

2. _____________________________

3. _____________________________

• What is the name of the sea to the West of Israel? __________________

Israel

Lesson 1:

?


2

• Israel's position:

Taking into account what you have learned, why do you think Israel's geographic

position has been strategically important throughout history?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

B. Israel/Canaan during the

Reign of King David

* The orange and the yellow areas belonged to

David's Kingdom.

From The Penguin Atlas of World History Volume One, 1974

http://www.mideastweb.org/palearly.htm

?

*The light beige areas, combined with the West

Bank and Gaza, make up Israel since 1967.

C. Map of Israel Today


3

Study and compare these two maps. The one on the left is a map of Israel during

King's David period and the map on the right is Israel today.

• On the map of Israel Today, what are the northernmost and southernmost

cities?

North: ___________________________________________________________

South: ___________________________________________________________

Where are Israel's current borders?

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

• In which period did Israel have a larger area? (circle your answer)

King David’s Period / The Modern Period

• In your opining does Israel's size and borders affect the connection the Jewish

People has with it? If so, How? If not, explain.

______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

• Israel’s Seas: Israel is situated between different seas.

Read the information box below.

Israel's Seas and their Names

Did You Know?

The English name: Mediterranean, means "middle" sea or sea

"between the lands". In Hebrew, the language of modern Israel, it is

called Hayam Hatichon, הים התיכון : the "Middle Sea".

Israel has two inland lakes/seas: the Kinneret ים הכינרת - the Sea of

Galilee - in the North-East, and the Dead Sea, known in Hebrew as

Yam Hamelach ים המלח (the "Salt Sea") which is at the southern end

of the Jordan River, forming part of Israel's border with Jordan.

Eilat, Israel's southern port, sits at the apex of Israel's fourth sea:

Hayam Ha'adom הים האדום - the Red Sea.

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4

Part 2. Israel at 60 and beyond

In this part of the lesson we are going to learn about Israel’s own internal geography, as

well as how Israel has developed and evolved since its establishment.

Some photos of Israel:

© Israel Ministry of Tourism website: www.goisrael.com



5

Read the following information boxes about Israel:

© MASA © Malki Firer

Israel is a land that is both as old as the 4000-year old stone inscriptions

uncovered in the hills of the Galilee and as new as a rock concert in a Tel Aviv

park. Within Israel’s borders are dusty ancient villages as well as new cities

bustling with modern life. It’s just a short three-hour drive from the warm

Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, to the snowy top of Mount Hermon. Just

about anywhere you go in Israel, you can find yourself close to remnants of

ancient civilizations.

The total area of Israel today is 8,630

square miles, of which 8,367 sq. miles is

land. Israel is about 290 miles in length

and about 85 miles across at the widest

point. The country is bordered by

Lebanon to the north, Syria to the

northeast, Jordan to the east, Egypt to

the southwest and the Mediterranean

Sea to the west.


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© Israel Ministry of Tourism website: www.goisrael.com © Israel Ministry of Tourism website: www.goisrael.com

Find the places that are bolded in the information boxes on the map you received earlier

titled C. Map of Israel Today (page 2) and circle them on the map.

In Israel, mountains and plains, fertile land and

desert are often just a few-minutes car ride

apart. The width of the country, from the

Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea

in the east, can be crossed by car in about 90

minutes; and the trip from Metulla, in the far

north, to Eilat at the country's southern tip takes

just about six hours.

This small country is comprised

of four distinct geographical

regions: the Mediterranean

Coastal Plain, the Central

Mountain Range, the Jordan Rift

Valley and the Arid Region (the

Negev) further south.


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Homework Assignment 1:

At home, research how long it takes to drive across, from North to South,

as well as East to West:

• Your City:

North-South:____hours ____minutes / East-West:____hours ____minutes

• Your State


• The United States of America


Compare these numbers to Israel’s numbers for a powerful insight into

Israel’s small size! North-South: 6 hours / East-West: 1 hour 30 minutes

Based on the hours and minutes above, the size of Israel is closest to:

� My City

� My State

� The U.S.A.


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Homework Assignment 2: Israel from the Inside

On a separate paper, prepare a report using the following questions

to guide you. Make sure to site any resources you use.

Instructions: Choose a route across Israel, either half of Israel from

North�� South, or across Israel at any point from East �� West.

• Write up your ideas as a mini-brochure, with maps.

• Describe where your route begins and ends.

• Explain why you are interested in this route.

• Pick out some interesting features and places across this

route: urban or rural areas, mountains, valleys, historical sites,

rivers, etc.

• How would you travel across sections of this route? By Bus, bike,

hiking, rafting…

• Where would you try to link up with young Israelis on this route?


9

Israel Settlements – The Kibbutz

After learning about Israel's unique geography, you will now learn about Israel's

uniqueness in sharper focus. This lesson introduces you to the different types of

settlements that were created in Israel's different geographical zones.

In Israel, there are two main types of communities: rural (mainly kibbutzim –

collective farms, and moshavim – cooperative villages consisting of small

separate farms), and urban (cities). In the first part of this lesson, we will focus

on the creation of kibbutzim, and their important contribution to Israel’s history.

We will focus on Israel's first kibbutz, Degania Alef. In the second part of the

lesson, we will learn about the changes that have taken place in kibbutz culture

and policy over the last 60-odd years.

After learning this information, you will complete the class assignment in the

workbook.

Lesson 2:


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Read the following information about Degania, as well Kibbutz Society.

1. Degania A:

Degania Alef was the first kibbutz to be founded in Israel:

Kibbutz Degania was built in the Jordan Valley, on the south side of

Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galillee), on land purchased for the Jewish

National Fund. At the time, the Land of Israel was part of the Ottoman

Empire. The pioneers found a desolate land, with difficult climatic

conditions. With great perseverance, they succeeded in making a living

from agriculture and fishing.

On October 28, 1910 (Tishrei 25, 5671), the first small group of Jewish

settlers from Eastern Europe set up an independent, collective

community, near Um Juni. The pioneers decided to build the kibbutz in

this area because of its location, on potentially good arable land (with

plenty of water available for irrigation), and close to the Kinneret, so a

fishing industry could be developed.

Degania became a landmark in the history of kibbutz settlement. It was

at Degania that the principles of self-sufficiency and collective life were

first developed. Over the years, about 270 kibbutzim were established in

Israel, some of whose members received their training at Degania.


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This is what the Pioneers wrote:

Central Zionist Archives, www.zionistarchives.org.il ©

Degania Today:

“On the 28th of October, 1910, ten men and two women

arrived at Umm Juni. We came to establish an independent

settlement of Hebrew laborers, on national land, a collective

settlement with neither exploiter nor exploited – a commune.”

In 2007, Degania Alef announced that it would undergo

privatization. Instead of all the members working on the kibbutz

and receiving equal pay, after reorganization many of them

would have to seek jobs outside the kibbutz. The members will all

earn salaries, and own their own homes, though there will still be

a social "safety net" to protect the weaker members of the

group. Degania has become a totally different place, no longer a

kibbutz in the original sense, but still a community with a very

special history.


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2. Kibbutz Society

Early Kibbutz Ideology:

Kibbutzim Today:

The first kibbutzim were established by Jewish pioneers in the early 20th

century. They set up a unique social and economic framework, based on

egalitarian and communal principles, and sheer hard labor. The

members worked for the good of the group, rather than for themselves.

Over the years, most kibbutzim prospered, based at first primarily on

agriculture, with industrial and service enterprises added later. The

kibbutzim became famous for their members' contribution to the

establishment and building of the state. Kibbutzim provided a high

proportion of civil and military leaders, in the pre-state period and

during the early years after Israel became an independent state.

In recent decades, the kibbutzim suffered from economic and social

problems; in their efforts to survive financially, the original framework –

in which each kibbutz provided a livelihood for all its members – was

forced to change. The communal children's houses were closed, the

taboo hiring non-members to work on the kibbutz was overcome (some

kibbutzim, like Degania Alef, permitted hired labor from the start,) and

an increasing number of members started working outside the kibbutz,

at first handing over their whole salaries to the kibbutz.


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The Kibbutz over time:

Today, most kibbutzim have been privatized, or at least partially privatized,

with members receiving salaries from their work on or off the kibbutz, and

paying their own living expenses. They still enjoy subsidized facilities

provided by the community, such as care for the elderly and recreation

facilities, as well as the unique feeling of being part of a close-knit

community.

The economic base of the kibbutz itself is still agriculture and light industry,

but with an increasing emphasis on tourism. Most kibbutzim have built

"zimmerim" (rustic chalets), catering mainly to family holidays.

Although the kibbutzim have made many changes in the way they live and

work, many families are coming back to live in the Galilee. They want to

fulfill part of the pioneers' dream –"to be close to the land," and to enjoy

the quality of life (and especially the high level of education) found on the

kibbutzim. They either become kibbutz members, or build private houses

next to a kibbutz, where they can enjoy the community services provided for

by the kibbutz. Many kibbutzim and moshavim have been revitalized, with

new families moving in.


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3. Class Assignment:

Instructions:

1. Read the information about Degania Alef and the development of the

kibbutzim in Israel, above.

2. Why do you think the pioneers decided to build the kibbutz in this area?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

3. What was the spirit of the pioneers in the 1920s?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

?


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4. Read the poem "Perhaps," written by the famous Israeli poetess, Rachel

[Bluwstein] below and answer the questions that follow:

AND PERHAPS, Rachel רחל/ ְואּוַלי

(My Kinneret) )ִּכֶנֶרת ֶׁשִלי(

And perhaps – these things never happened ְואּוַלי לֹא ָהיּו ַהְּדָבִרים ֵמעֹוָלם

And perhaps – ְואּוַלי -

I never rose at dawn to go into nature ֵמעֹוָלם לֹא ִהְׁשַּכְמִּתי ִעם ַׁשַחר ַלָּגן

And work the land with the sweat of my brow. ְלָעְבדֹו ְּבֵזַעת :ָּפי .

Or never – on the long, wearing days ֵמעֹוָלם ְּבָיִמים ֲאֻרִּכים ְויֹוְקִדים

(long, wearing) of harvest ֶׁשל ָקִציר

From on top of a wagon piled high with sheaves of

wheat

ת ִּבְמרֹוֵמי ֲעָגָלה ֲעמּוַסת ֲאלֻומֹו

Did I lift up my voice in song. לא ָנַתִתי קֹוִלי ְּבִׁשיר .

Or never – did I purify myself in your calm, azure waters ֵמעֹוָלם לא ָטַהְרִּתי ַּבְתֵכֶלת ׁשֹוְקָטה

Of innocence ּוְבתֹם

Chorus

Of my Kinneret, oh, my Kinneret הֹו ִּכֶנֶרת ֶׁשִלי ...ִליֶׁשל ִּכֶנֶרת ֶׁש

Did you really exist, or did I only dream of you? ֶהָהיִיְת אֹו ָחַלְמִתי ֲחלֹום?

a. What can we learn about the pioneers' spirit through this poem?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

?


16

Read the following information about the Kinneret and answer the

questions that follow:

Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), nestled

between the hills of Galilee and the Golan

Heights at 695 feet (212 m.) below sea level, is

5 miles (8 km.) wide and 13 miles (21 km.)

long. It is Israel's largest lake and serves as the

country's main water reservoir. Along Lake

Kinneret's shores are some important

historical and religious sites, as well as

agricultural communities, fisheries and tourist

facilities.

b. What is the relationship between the pioneers and Lake Kinneret? (based

on Rachel’s poem and the information about the Kinneret above)

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Why do you think that many Israelis are coming back to the Galilee, trying to

fulfill the pioneer’s dream?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

c. On a separate sheet of paper, write a letter to Rachel, explaining to

her the changes that are occurring in the way the kibbutzim are organized

today.


?


17

4. Presentation and Discussion:

a. Present your letter to the class.

b. Think about the advantages and disadvantages of the Kibbutz’s

changes and try to decide which kind of kibbutz is better for the Israeli

Society today, and explain your argument to the class.


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Israel Settlements – The Cities

1. Israeli Cities

After learning about the rural settlements (specifically about kibbutzim), we will

learn about Israel's uniqueness through its urban settlements: its cities. For this

leg of the curriculum, we will be divided into 5 different groups. Each group will

receive a distinct city or establishment that is located in a particular geographical

zone in Israel. Each group will learn what makes their region unique and how the

cities or establishments in this region have developed over time.

The five regions (and their respective cities) that we will be exploring are:

A. The Coastal Plain: Tel- Aviv

B. The Central Mountain Range: Jerusalem

C. The North: Haifa

D. The Arid Region- Negev: Beer Sheva

E. The Partnership City

As a group, read the information provided in this workbook about your

region and city, and answer the questions that follow.

Lesson 3:


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Region A: THE COASTAL PLAIN

City: TEL AVIV, "The City than Never Stops"

Quick Facts:

Tel Aviv-Yafo Official website: http://www.tel-aviv.gov.il/English/home.asp

Partnered with:

Los Angeles

Founded 1909

Location 32.07°N 34.77°E

On the Mediterranean coastline of central Israel,

along and inwards from the sand dunes, chalk

and sandstone cliffs. At the heart of Gush Dan

metropolitan and industrial area (Dan Region)

with a fertile agricultural hinterland, to a depth of

25 km.

Climate Mediterranean climate: hot summers with high

coastal humidity, inversion at night - exacerbated

by pollution; warm winters, rain.

Type/

Status

Primary urban center; focus of conurbation along

coastal strip.

Size 51.8 sq. km.;

Gush Dan: < 90 x +/-20 sq. km.

Population 404,400 (as of 2010): 17% of Israel's population.

2nd

largest city in Israel.

All Gush Dan: 3.15 million: <50% of Israel's

population.

Coat of Arms

Map of region

The coastal plain runs parallel to the Mediterranean Sea and is

composed of a sandy shoreline, bordered by stretches of fertile

farmland extending up to 25 miles (40 km.) inland.

!


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Tel Aviv is the second most populous city in Israel, after Jerusalem, with a

population of 404,400 (as of 2010). It is the main city of the largest and most

populous metropolitan area in Israel, Gush Dan (Dan Bloc), whose population

numbers 3.15 million as of 2007.

The City of Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 by Jewish immigrants as an

alternative to expensive housing in the neighboring historic port city of Jaffa.

Israel's Independence was declared in Tel Aviv on May 5th

, 1948 and the city

of Tel Aviv-Yafo was united in April 1949. It began a period of intense

expansion and development that has continued to this day. Tel Aviv

celebrated its Centenary in 2009!

Tel Aviv is Israel's business capital, a globalized city, and is the anchor of the

area popularly known as "Silicon Wadi", an area of Israel which contains a

high concentration of successful high-tech industries, similar to Silicon Valley

in California, in the United States.

Tel Aviv is also considered Israel's cultural capital due to its vibrant, modern,

cosmopolitan character. Tel Aviv is home to most of Israel's press and

performing Arts, was host to Israel’s first Symphony orchestra, the Israel

Opera, Habimah National Theater, as well as museums, art galleries and

dance companies.

Tel Aviv has something for everyone: beaches, busy Mediterranean café life,

wild nightlife, shopping malls, bright, bustling main streets, skyscrapers,

hotels, business and conference centers, parks, concerts, theaters, exhibition

centers, museums, art galleries, sports centers, sports teams and more!


21

Rehov Herzl

Central Zionist Archives, www.zionistarchives.org.il ©

One of the most important streets built in Tel Aviv is Rehov Herzl. Named for

Theodor Herzl, Rehov Herzl is a main commercial street in Tel Aviv. This historic

street is known as "The First Hebrew Street" (although there were others before

it). It was the first street that was designed with the purpose of developing a city

in mind.

THEN: TODAY:


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The Tel Aviv Sea shore:

THEN: TODAY:

The Tel Aviv seashore is one of the city’s main attractions. Many Israelis and tourists

visit the beautiful beaches, stay at the impressive hotels and enjoy the restaurants in

the area.

THEN: TODAY:


23

Tel Aviv in Art:

The following picture is titled "Samuel Hagar fights on the sand", and depicts Gutman's

impressions of Tel Aviv, (in particular the seashore) in the early 1920's. The one street in

the center is Rehov Herzl.

Since the creation of the city, many artists have chosen it as a subject or setting of

their art. One of them was Nahum Gutman. Gutman helped pioneer a distinctively

Israeli style of painting, moving away from the European influences of his teachers.

He was also a well-known writer and illustrator of children's books. In 1978, he

received the Israel Prize for his contribution to Hebrew children's literature.

© Nahum Gutman's Museum of Art http://www.gutmanmuseum.co.il/Default.aspx


24

In Gutman's painting, the building that is situated at the end of the street is the

"Herzlia Gymansium" - the first high school in Tel Aviv. If you walk down Rehov

Herzl today, you’ll find a different building entirely where the Herzliya Gymnasium

once stood: The Shalom Tower. The Shalom Tower

was the tallest building in the Middle East until

1999.

Shalom Tower, 1965, © Malki Firer


25

Class Assignment:

Read the information above about Tel Aviv.

1. In the map on page 2, locate Tel Aviv. What is unique about Tel Aviv’s

location?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

2. Why do you think Tel Aviv is called “the city than never stops”?

3. Look at the pictures of Rehov Herzl, then and today. What do you notice has

changed?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

4. Look at the pictures of the Tel Aviv seashore, then and today. What do you

notice has changed?

______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Independent Class Assignment:

1. Read about the artist Nahum Gutman.

2. Research images of Tel Aviv today.

3. On a separate paper, write a letter to Nahum Gutman, explaining in

detail your impressions of how Tel Aviv looks today. Recommend to

Gutman what he might change or add to his picture from the 1920s,

either in words, or by drawing it yourself.

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


26

Region B: THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN RANGE

City: JERUSALEM, “The Holy City”

Quick Facts:

Jerusalem Official website: http://www.jerusalem.muni.il

Partnered with:

New York

Founded 2000 BCE; Jebus, ancient city

Location 31º47'N; 35º13'E.

757 m. > sea level, spur plateau of Judean Mtns in

Central Israel; 48km E of Med. Sea; 30 km W of R.

Jordan; 54 km E&S from Tel Aviv.

Climate Mediterranean variation: semi-arid, mountain -

hot dry summers; moderate- cool winters with

<~ 500 mm. winter rain.

Type/

Status Capital City

Size ~49 square miles

Coat of Arms

Map of Region

Population 780,200 (as of 2009)

Jerusalem is the capital and largest city of Israel in both population and area, with

780,200 (as of 2009) residents in an area of 49 square miles. Located in the Judean

Mountains, between the Mediterranean Sea and the northern tip of the Dead Sea,

Jerusalem is a mosaic of rocky hilltops and fertile valleys, dotted with groves of

age-old, green olive trees.


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Jerusalem’s history goes back as far as the 4th millennium BCE, making it one of

the oldest cities in the world. Jerusalem has been the holiest city in Judaism and the

spiritual center of the Jewish people since the 10th century BCE. It was the home to

both the 1st

and 2nd

Jewish Temples.

Israel's Independence in 1948 was followed by the declaration of Jerusalem as its

seat of government in 1949. In the War of Independence, it was besieged and the

Old City fell to Jordan, thus dividing the city between Israel (West: the new city) and

Jordan (East: the Old City). Israeli access to Jewish sites in the Old City was

forbidden until the Six Day War (1967), during which the city was reunified and

access restored to Israel.

The walled area of Jerusalem, which constituted the entire city until the 1860s, is

now called the Old City. The Old City has been traditionally divided into four

quarters, the Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Quarters. Despite having an

area of only 0.35 square miles, the Old City is home to several sites of key religious

importance: the Temple Mount and its Western Wall for Jews, the Church of the

Holy Sepulcher for Christians, and the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque for

Muslims.

Jerusalem is home to the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament) and the President’s

Residence, as well as the Israel Museum, Yad Vashem, the Jewish National Library

and archives, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel,

Hadassah Hospital, and the Jewish Agency for Israel. Jerusalem boasts major

excavations and archaeological sites. It is a modern cultural center for Jews in

Israel and a revitalized religious center for religions and people around the world.


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Jerusalem is a holy city for three religions: Judaism, Islam and Christianity

Jerusalem's expanded tourist industry can bring in over a million tourists per

year.

© Malki Firer

Jerusalem has been the center of Jewish existence ever since the city was captured by

King David some three thousand years ago. Even when the vast majority of Jews lived

in exile, yearning for the return to Jerusalem remained a central feature of Jewish

life. Through the entire history of Jerusalem, there was hardly a time when Jews did

not live there, though at times they numbered no more than a handful.


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The Western wall:

© Malki Firer

The Western Wall known as the Kotel, is a Jewish religious site located in the Old City

of Jerusalem. The wall itself dates from the Second Temple period, constructed

around 19 BCE by Herod the Great. It is sometimes referred to as the Wailing Wall, a

name referring to Jews who come to the site to mourn the destruction of the Holy

Temple.


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Jerusalem Today

Jerusalem Day

The Israeli Jerusalem Day is a national holiday, held on the 28th day of Iyar, marking the

Israeli capture of East Jerusalem in 1967 and

the subsequent reunification of the city. Until

then, Jewish Israelis weren't allowed to enter

the Eastern part of the city, including the Holy

sites.

Since the return of the Jewish people to the

land, and particularly since Jerusalem's

reunification after the Six Day War in 1967, the

city has become a center for Jewish institutions

and organizations and has flourished culturally.

Modern Jerusalem has grown vastly around the Old City, with its civic and cultural

hub extending westward toward Israel's urban center in Gush Dan. The Arab

population of Jerusalem resides in clusters in the North, East and South. Today,

Jerusalem remains a source of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israel's

annexation of East Jerusalem (captured in the 1967 Six-Day War) has been

particularly controversial, as Palestinians view this part of the city as the capital of a

potential future Palestinian state.

© Central Zionist Archives, www.zionistarchives.org.il


31

Class Assignment:

Read the information above about Jerusalem.

1. Find Jerusalem on the map of Israel on page 2.

2. What do you notice is unique about Jerusalem’s location on the map?

________________________________________________________

3. Why do you think Jerusalem is called the Holy City? ______________

_________________________________________________________

4. How is Jerusalem a central part of Jewish life?

In the past: _________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Today: _____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

5. What is the significance of the Western Wall for the Jewish People?

___________________________________________________________

6. Why is it sometimes called the Wailing Wall? __________________

___________________________________________________________

7. How is Jerusalem part of the political conflict? __________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

In your opinion, can Jerusalem be the capital of two different states?

Explain your answer. _________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

How do you see a solution to this conflict? ________________________

___________________________________________________________

?


32


Part 1:

Amos and Orit were two young Jews who lived in Jerusalem before 1967

(when the city was still divided). They stand on a hilltop by the Israel-

Jordan border in Abu Tor, on the southern end of Jerusalem and right

across the valley from the walls of the Old City - and try to see the Kotel

through a telescope.

Write Amos and Orit a letter which will reach them in the past:

• Explain to them the ways in which Jerusalem has changed since

1967.

• Offer your ideas and suggestions for how to cope with one of

Jerusalem's challenges.

• Ask them some questions about life in Jerusalem in their time.

Part 2:

Send a friend a Virtual Postcard from Jerusalem, expressing your own

connection to Jerusalem and why it is important to visit it. Keep a copy of what

you send online for the exhibition.

http://www.jerusalem.muni.il/jer_sys/sitemap/open.asp?src=/jernoar/postcar

d/images/front.html&cont=http:/jer_sys/buttons/content.asp?BHtml_id=483


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Region C: THE NORTH

City: HAIFA, “A Unique Mosaic”

© Ron Almog http://www.flickr.com/RonAlmog

Quick Facts:

Haifa Official Site: http://www.haifa.muni.il/Haifa/en-us/

Partnered with:

Boston

Founded Bronze Age; 1761 - modern Haifa.

Location Northern Israeli coastal city along seashore and slopes of Mt

Carmel, western side of Carmel ridge.

Climate Mediterranean type: hot summers, temperate winters, with

high summer coastal humidity – cooler on the upper slopes of

Mt Carmel; winter rain catchment due to Mt Carmel.

Type/ Status Port city; Israel's 4th

city; industrial, regional urban center;

largest city in Northern Israel, with large urban industrial

suburbs & agricultural hinterland.

Size 63.666 sq.km.

Population City: 264,000;

Metro/District: 1,039,000

Coat of Arms

Map of the Region

Haifa is the major port in Israel and the main city in the north of the country. The city

lies on the Mediterranean Sea at the northern end of Mount Carmel, about 50 miles

(80 km) north of Tel Aviv, a population of about 265,500 residents (as of 2010).


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History of Haifa:

© Ron Almog http://www.flickr.com/RonAlmog

The first settlement in the area was a small port town, founded in the 14th century

B.C.E. (Late Bronze Age) and remaining for about a thousand years. Jewish burial

caves from the Roman period have been found nearby. The Talmud mentions it as a

fishing village, and it was later known as a shipbuilding port.

From the 1880s Russian Jews arrived in Haifa, and many opened shops and factories.

During his visit to Israel in 1898-99, Theodor Herzl recognized that Haifa could

potentially become the country's chief port.

After four centuries of Turkish rule, Haifa was captured in 1918 by the British. During

the period of the British Mandate, roads and railroads were extended, and the harbor

was completed in 1934, allowing Haifa to overtake Jaffa as Israel’s chief port. The city

further prospered with the completion in 1939 of the oil pipeline which ended in

Haifa. The port made possible the development of many of Haifa’s main industries

today, such as oil refineries, textiles, glass, bricks and cement. A tenth of the city's

population is employed in the port area, where Zim (Israel's largest shipping

company) also has its main office.

In 1989--90 over 20,000 Russian Jewish immigrants settled in Haifa.


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The Many Sides of Haifa:

There is 'Haifa-the-metropolis', boasting all the attributes of a contemporary

urban center - including a lively cultural life, top class hotels, and an

impressive concert hall where some of the world's greatest artists appear

regularly. Haifa also boasts Israel's only subway, set up in 1959, and known as

the "Carmelit." Places of interest include Haifa University, The Technion, the

Naval Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art.

There is 'Haifa-the-beautiful-residential-city', as the upper slopes of the

mountain host beautiful suburbs with spacious villas, abundant greenery, and

panoramic views. Haifa is home to residents from the three largest religions,

as well as those from other minority faiths. In this way, Haifa is a symbol of

outstanding co-existence and tolerance

And there is 'Haifa-of-the-workers', the Haifa of heavy

industry, which is perhaps the Haifa which tourists tend to avoid.

Yet this industry is the heart of Haifa.

The non-Jewish Bahai sect has built a gold-domed sanctuary as its world

center in Haifa, and has

cultivated there one of the finest and largest gardens in the country.

The Bahai Gardens in Haifa


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Class Assignment:

Read the information above about Haifa and answer the following

questions:

1. Find Haifa on the map map of Israel on page 2. What do you notice is

unique about Haifa’s location on the map? _____________________

___________________________________________________________

2. Why do you think Haifa is called a Unique Mosaic? ______________

___________________________________________________________

3. Which of the many “sides” of Haifa speaks to you most - and why?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

4. Name some of the contrasts you found within Haifa and explain why they

are unique to Haifa.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

5. Which aspects of Haifa seem most challenging to you - and why? Bring

two specific examples.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

6. In what ways does Haifa resemble or differ from a city in your country?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

?


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1. Read the information above about Haifa.

2. On a separate sheet of paper, write a letter to a family friend of yours

who planning a trip to Israel. They are tourists, and are not sure what

sites their trip should include. They are willing to come up north to visit

Haifa, but are thinking about just going to the beach (and maybe the

Bahai Gardens) and then leaving. Tell them about the other things that

Haifa has to offer. Suggest to them what you think a complete trip to

Haifa should include, so that after they leave, they will have gotten to

know the “real Haifa”.


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Region D: THE ARID REGION, THE NEGEV

City: BEER SHEVA, “Living Ben Gurion’s Dream”

Quick Facts:

Be’er Sheva

Partnered with:

Montreal Founded 4

th Millennium BCE; 1900

Location 31º14'N; 34º47'E; Valley in southern central Israel, at

northern edge of Negev Desert. ~115 km SE of Tel Aviv; 120

km SW of Jerusalem (by main highway); 243 km N of Eilat.

Climate Desert oasis. Hot dry summers with valley (humid) night-

time climate inversion; Arid, moderate winters with cold

nights. 22 cm average (low) rainfall - flash floods and run-off

rainwater from the Hebron Mtns.

Type/

Status

Urban center; Capital of Negev region; Rose of Negev; Chess

capital

Size > 117.5 sq. km

Population 194,800, as of 2010

Beersheva Metro: 531,000 (as of 2009)

Official Emblem

Map of the Region

The Negev, comprising about half of Israel's land area, is sparsely Populated

Further south, the Negev becomes an arid zone, abounding with canyons and

valleys. Be’er Sheva is the capital city of the Negev, with a population of 194,800.

It has both ancient and modern-day significance. The Old City, the university, the

Turkish railway station, and the Bedouin market represent only a part of the

colorful features offered by the city of Be’er Sheva.


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Biblical Be’er Sheva:

Be’er Sheva sits on a major crossroads whose geographical significance was felt

by Abraham who arrived there about 3,700 years ago.

Geography: Be’er Sheva is located at the intersection of two important ancient international

road junctions: The "Road of the Sea" (Via Maris) which extended along the

shoreline to the west, and the King’s Highway (the valley route) to the east.

Consequently, the city is mentioned throughout biblical times as a wayside

station, as a resting spot, as a border point, and as a ritual center.

Name: Be’er Sheva’s name finds its source from two biblical events that took place

there: Abraham dug a well [in Hebrew: Be’er] to find water for his flock and

struck a covenant, or oath [in Hebrew: Shava] of peace there with Avimelech,

the king of Gerar. “Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the

two of them took an oath (Genesis 21, Verse 21). Abraham’s descendants

continued to live there.

Tel Be’er Sheva, 5

kilometers east of the city,

is usually identified with

biblical Be’er Sheva.

Tel Be’er Sheva © Daniel Baránek


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Beer Sheva Today

Modern-day Be’er Sheva was founded at the start of the 20th

century by the Ottomans, and was the only city that the Turks

built in the Land of Israel. Remains of buildings from this

period and from the time of the British Mandate can be seen

today in the Old City, located in the south of Be’er Sheva.

Such buildings include the residence and office of the city’s

former governor (built in 1906) which today houses the

Negev Museum of Art. In addition, the city’s first mosque,

built in 1906 still stands. Other features from this period

include the Turkish railway, the water tower that supplied the

trains’ steam engines, the Saraya (Government House), which

today serves as the city’s police station, a public garden, and

more, all testifying to Be’er Sheva’s history under Turkish and

British rule.

The Jewish city of Be’er Sheva was established in 1949. It

became a key immigrant population center in the ‘50s, and

was greatly enhanced by the founding of the Soroka Hospital

and Ben Gurion University of the Negev. A major transport

hub for Southern Israel, it improved its industrial, cultural and

economic potential with the major influx of immigrants in the

‘70s and doubling its size in the early ‘90s. Today, Be’er Sheva

has museums, a Music Conservatory, Sinfonietta and

Theater, a zoo, historical sites, and the famous Bedouin

market.

Be’er Sheva, 1917

Downtown Be’er Sheva, 2009 © David Shankbone, http://blog.shankbone.org/


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Ben-Gurion's Dream:

David Ben-Gurion had a vision of cultivating the arid Negev

desert and building up its surrounding towns such as

Yeruham and Dimona. He believed that eventually the

Negev would be home to many Jews who would move to

Israel after having made aliyah, and he felt that the

kibbutz Sde-Boker, his home, was an example for what

should follow.

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Established in 1969, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has a current

enrollment of 17,400 students and is one of Israel's fastest growing

universities. One of the university's goals is to promote the development

of the Negev region, inspired by the vision of David Ben-Gurion, who

believed that the country's future lay in the relatively undeveloped

south. Originally named University of the Negev, the name was changed

to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev after Ben-Gurion's death in 1973.

Ben-Gurion University is a world leader in arid zone research and offers

its expertise to many developing countries. In keeping with its mandate,

it plays a key role in promoting industry, agriculture and education in the

Negev.

© Daniel Baránek


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Class Assignment:

Read the Information above about Be’er Sheva, then answer the following questions:

.

1. Find Be’er Sheva on themap of Israel on page 2. What do you notice is

unique about Be’er Sheva’s location?

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

2. Explain Be’er Sheva’s connection to the Biblical Period:

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

3. Briefly explain what David Ben Gurion's dream was:

_________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Read the following paragraph taken from an Israeli newspaper

advertisement and answer the questions that follow:

?

“Living the Dream”: Keeping the Vision Alive-

Ben Gurion Day, July, 2007

“A proactive recruitment program at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

has brought many of Israel’s most promising scholars and scientists to the

region, creating a positive population growth of young families that has

turned Be’er Sheva into a thriving metropolis. The Negev, long considered

well off-the-beaten track of modern Israel, has slowly turned its reputation

around. Today, hundreds of families are seeking out the quality of life and

Zionist challenges found in this frontier region”.


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4. In your opinion, has Ben Gurion’s dream been fulfilled? Explain.

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

5. What do you think was the real purpose of this advertisement?

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________


1. On a separate piece of paper, write a letter to Ben Gurion explaining

how Be'er Sheva, the Capital of the Negev, has changed over the last

60-odd years (Use the information and the pictures above to detail your

letter).

2. Prove to Ben Gurion that his vision is still alive, bringing facts from the

information that you have read above to support your claim.

?


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Contest Assignment (for all 5 region/city groups):

Imagine that you are a new immigrant to Israel and you have chosen to live in a

the city your group researched in class. Once you get to your new city, you feel

alone and really want some other young people from America to join you in your

new Israeli city.

You decide to write and "advertisement" to publish it your community in

America’s Jewish newspaper, promoting life in your new city, in the hopes that

people will be won over and come join you there.

Here is an example of an actual ad that was printed in the newspaper in 2007,

promoting people moving to Be’er Sheva:

1. Think about the arguments you can use to convince a young American like

yourself to choose this city as their new home.

2. Select a title/headline for your ad that expresses your argument in a catchy

way.

3. Think about the facts that you can include in the ad to strengthen your

argument.

4. Be creative! Bring examples and pictures to enhance the ad.

5. At the end of the ad, write a summary paragraph expressing why it is worth it

to live in your new city in Israel.

“Living the Dream”: Keeping the Vision Alive- Ben Gurion Day, July, 2007

“A proactive recruitment program at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has

brought many of Israel’s most promising scholars and scientists to the region,

creating a positive population growth of young families that has turned Be’er

Sheva into a thriving metropolis. The Negev, long considered well off-the-

beaten track of modern Israel, has slowly turned its reputation around. Today,

hundreds of families are seeking out the quality of life and Zionist challenges

found in this frontier region”.

?


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Submit the ad in print.

Note :This is an Israel Contest Assignment.

Documents

Unit 2 - SW