Touring Israel with a tour guide

Simon says: “Join us on an exclusive ‘Histillery Tour’, where Israel’s rich historical legacy intersects with the entrepreneurial spirit of the present – and always with a deep connection to The Land - & a winery or distillery visit" During this tour – back in September – we embarked on an exploration of two epic tales of resistance & bravery, spanning over 2,000 years. As I live in Zichron Ya’akov, it meant an early start to drive meet my visitors who were staying at Kibbutz Ma'ale HaHamisha. During the 1948 War of Independence, the kibbutz was the base for the “Portzim” battalion, the Palmach fighters from the Harel Brigade. Driving along route 1 on the approach to Jerusalem, you can't miss the shells of a number of very old armoured vehicles on the side of the road, symbols of the struggle to break the siege of Jerusalem imposed by fighters from The Arab League. This road saw fierce battles & our first stop was a new heritage centre established & dedic

Simon says: "join me in exploring the history of Israel using ancient maps!" Did you know that the oldest map of the Holy Land is actually a magnificent mosaic? I've always been fascinated by maps, and this is another one of my favourites. Join me in unveiling the Marvels of the Madaba Mosaic. Crafted by anonymous artists, likely for the Christian community of Madaba, this magnificent mosaic depicts part of the Middle East during the height of the Byzantine period is the oldest surviving original cartographic depiction of the Holy Land - & especially Jerusalem. It is comprised of thousands of coloured stones, known as tesserae. The mosaic portrays a vast expanse of land, stretching from Lebanon in the north to Egypt in the south, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Arabian Desert in the east. Through its intricate design, we are transported to a world imagined from above, where the central walled city of Jerusalem stands as a symbol of spiritual signific

Simon says: “Join us on an exclusive ‘Histillery Tour’, where Israel’s rich historical legacy intersects with the entrepreneurial spirit of the present – and always with a deep connection to The Land - & a winery or distillery visit" Our day commenced at Elul Vineyard - 30km from Jerusalem - the first kosher organic winery in Israel, founded by Moshe Elul in 2014. Renowned for its distinctive approach, Elul crafts wine from 13 varieties of organic grapes, without the use of bisulphites, relying on wild yeasts for the fermentation process. The vineyard embraces traditional agricultural methods, steering clear of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or mechanical harvesters. Our visit included a tour of the vineyard and a luxurious wine tasting paired with cheeses & more. Our next stop was Tel Gezer, an archaeological site which has revealed important finds including the "Gezer calendar". Discovered in 1908, this small 3,000-year-old limestone tablet from the time of

The north of Israel is still relatively unspoilt, and we can find a treasure trove of hidden gems. Particularly when we explore the Druze villages - Israel has the world's third-largest Druze population, after Syria and Lebanon But who are the 144,000 Israeli Druze / Druze Israelis? Simon says: "Let's find out more about the Druze people": The majority identify as Arabs & are native Arabic speakers, but although their faith developed from Shia Islam, Druze do not identify as Muslims. The religion was created in the 10th and 11th centuries in Egypt, incorporating aspects of Hindu & Greek philosophy into the tenets of Islam. Conversion to the Druze religion is not permitted because of a belief that the first generation after the establishment of the religion had an opportunity then to join - and everyone alive today is reincarnated from that generation. Like the Abrahamic faiths, the Druze religion is monotheistic, and recognizes many prophets, including Moses,