Touring Israel with a tour guide

#ImagineIsraelTours #SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael Simon says: "Have you met Israel's national bird?" It has a punk-rock crown, a long curved beak & an attitude all its own. The Eurasian Hoopoe (Duchifat in Hebrew) was chosen as Israel's national bird in 2008, 60 years after declaring independence, following the departure of the British occupation. The Hoopoe is mentioned in the Bible, listed among the unclean birds in Leviticus/Vayikra 11:19. It's been part of this Land's story for millennia. Jewish folklore gives it a starring role: King Solomon supposedly sent the Hoopoe to find the shamir - a magical worm capable of cutting stone without iron, so the Temple could be built without tools of war. In the Talmud, it's called tarnegola bara -"wild rooster" - because of its feathery crest . King Solomon gave every Hoopoe a golden crown as thanks for shielding him from the desert sun. The birds grew so vain they'd stop to admire themselves in ev...

The Ushpizim #ImagineIsraelTours #SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael Simon says: "Who are the guests in your sukkah?" During Sukkot, we don't just invite friends & family into our sukkah, we also welcome 7 very special guests. They're called the Ushpizin (Aramaic for "guests"), the 7 'shepherds of Israel' who, according to Kabbalistic tradition, visit every sukkah during the seven days of the festival. Who are they? Abraham: the embodiment of kindness & hospitality Isaac: strength & judgment Jacob: beauty & balance Moses: victory & leadership Aaron: splendor & peace Joseph: connection & abundance David : majesty & kingship Each night, a different guest "leads" the others into the sukkah. On the first night, Abraham enters first. On the second, Isaac. And so on through the week. The Zohar teaches that when we leave our homes & enter the sukkah for the sake of Heaven, we merit to welcome the Divine Presence, ...

#ImagineIsraelTours #SimonOsterTourGuide Figs The fig is one of the 7 Species (Shivat HaMinim) & has been part of life in this land for thousands of years. It's mentioned in Deuteronomy (Devarim) 8:8, alongside wheat, barley, grapes, pomegranates, olives & dates. 🌿 The first mention of figs in the Bible comes in the Garden of Eden, Genesis (Bereshit) 3:7. After eating from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam & Eve sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 1 Kings 4:25 "Every man under his vine & under his fig tree." Deuteronomy 8:8: the fig is listed among the special produce of the Promised Land, a reminder of the richness of its agriculture. Hosea 9:10: the prophet compares Israel's early ancestors to "the first fruit on the fig tree." 📍 Where to find figs in Israel 🥾 Look out for fig trees on hiking trails, particularly near streams, springs & old agricultural terraces. 🛒 In the shuk: right now is fig season & Israeli markets are ...

#ImagineIsraelTours #SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael Jellyfish Planning a beach day in Israel? Don’t forget to check for jellyfish! Every summer, usually from late May or June, nomad jellyfish (Rhopilema nomadica) appear along the Mediterranean coast. They entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal decades ago & are now a familiar part of Israeli summers. Their beautiful blue-white bells hide stinging tentacles, which can cause a painful reaction. Most stings are not dangerous, but they can certainly spoil a day at the beach! Numbers usually peak in June & July, gradually declining through August. However, jellyfish - including detached tentacles - may still be present afterwards, floating nearby. Check Meduzot Ba’am (Jellyfish in the Nation) before heading out. This crowd-sourced map shows reported jellyfish activity along the coast: https://www.meduzot.co.il/ If you’re stung: • Rinse with seawater. • Carefully remove tentacles without rubbing. • Follow local medical advice fo...

#ImagineIsraelTours #SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael Sheep in Israel Wealth, sacrifice - & the image attributed most often to Jesus of Nazareth, the shepherd and the flock. In the ancient Near East, a man's wealth wasn't counted in coins. It was counted in sheep. The flocks of Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov were their fortune. When the Torah describes the patriarchs as wealthy, it measures that wealth in livestock. When the Temple stood, the daily offering was a lamb. Twice a day. Every day. Plus every festival, every sin offering, every act of thanksgiving. The altar ran on sheep. Sheep are everywhere in Israel. They graze on the limestone hills of the Judean lowlands, the same hills we walk on our tours. You hear them before you see them - the bells, the bleating, the sound of a flock moving across a landscape that hasn't changed in thousands of years. When you walk the Land of Israel, the Bible stops being a book and becomes a map. The shepherd and the flock aren't a metaph...