Touring Israel with a tour guide

#ImagineIsraeltours #SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael Most people only know Macy's for amazing shopping, & the Thanksgiving Parade (pictured) - until a few years ago I didn't know about the Netanya connection. But the story of Nathan Straus who helped build Macy's, is one of the most remarkable philanthropic journeys in American history. Straus wasn't the founder of Macy's - Rowland Hussey Macy started the store in 1858. But in 1896, Nathan & his brother Isidor became co-owners, eventually turning it into the retail empire we know today. What happened next is where the story gets extraordinary & of particular interest to those of us who know & love the beautiful coastal city of Netanya...including my 93-year old mother-in-law who went hang gliding along the coast for her 90th birthday treat to herself! When in 1904 Straus visited Ottoman Syria (also known as Ottoman-controlled Palestine) with his wife Lina, as part of a planned Mediterranean tour, he deve...

# ImagineIsraelTours # SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael I want to tell you about a very special date palm." 🌴 During World War I, 'Nili' was a secret Jewish spy network operating in Ottoman-controlled Palestine. Their mission: help the British defeat the Turks, ease the suffering of the local Jewish population, & advance the cause of an independent Jewish Homeland. In 1917, Avshalom Feinberg - one of Nili's leaders -set out across the Sinai Desert on foot, accompanied by Yosef Lishansky. Both were disguised as Bedouin. Their destination: Egypt, where they hoped to establish contact with British intelligence. They never made it. Near Rafah, they were attacked by Bedouin. Feinberg was killed. Lishansky, though wounded, managed to reach British lines. Feinberg's fate remained unknown for 50 years. Feinberg had been carrying dates in his pocket. Over the decades, a solitary palm grew from one of those seeds, on the very spot where his remains lay hidden. When Israeli for...

#imagineisraeltours #simonostertourguideisrael The Diagonal Butterflyfish (Chaetodon fasciatus) -also known as the Red Sea Raccoon Butterflyfish This is one of nature's most dazzling creations; it is endemic to the Red Sea, meaning it's found nowhere else on Earth. And right here, in the Gulf of Eilat, Israel, we have a front-row seat to one of the most spectacular underwater shows on the planet. The rainbow effect you see is caused by dispersion of sunlight as it enters the water creates a stunning spectrum of colours. This picture was taken at less than 0.5 meters deep. The diagonal bands aren't just for show; they help the fish blend into the coral reefs, breaking up its outline & confusing predators. These fish are monogamous, forming pairs & staying together for life. You'll often spot them swimming side by side among the coral. During breeding season, they form distinct pairs & spawn in open water. The eggs are released into the water column, where th...