Pesach Tour of the Shomron
On this tour we’ll explore the Shomron – the Biblical heartland of Israel, including it’s history, sights and tastes!
Tuesday April 7th, 2015.
Here’s some of what we’ll experience:
Ancient Shiloh
Before the Temple stood in Jerusalem, the Mishkan in Shiloh was the center of Jewish worship for 369 years! This is where all of Israel would go three times a year for the Aliya LaRegel Pilgrimage. This is where they would bring their Korban Pesach. Shiloh is also where Chana prayed for her son Shmuel who became the leader of Israel and anointed the first Kings.
We’ll do a short hike/walk around the archaeological site, including the site where archaeologists say the Mishkan actually stood! We’ll also enjoy a short multimedia presentation that brings the history of Shiloh to life.
A meeting with the Jewish Shepherd and lunch in his tent
Avraham Hertzlich left the fast paced life in New York in 1966 to become a shepherd in Israel, returning to the ancient lifestyle of the Patriarchs. Today he tends his flock outside the small town of Tapuach in the Shomron. Avraham will greet us in his tent and tell us about his life as a shepherd and the insights he has gained from living this lifestyle.
Afterwards we’ll enjoy a home cooked lunch (milchig, kosher l’Pesach) in his tent including many local herbs, cheeses and other local products to give us a taste of the Shoron.
Wine tasting and tour of the Tura Winery
The Tura Winery is a family estate winery which produces some of the finest wines Israel has to offer! We’ll get a tour of the winery as well as a tasting of some of their offerings.
Visit to the Samaritan Neighborhood on Mt. Gerizim
The Samaritans are a very unique people who keep a version of the Torah that is similar to and yet very different from the Jewish Torah. During the Second Temple period they numbered in the millions and were a dominant presence in the Shomron. Due to persecution, their numbers dwindled to just a couple hundred at the time of the establishment of the State of Israel. With help from the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and protection from the State of Israel, they have begun to make a comeback and their numbers have grown to almost a thousand members, with half living in Holon, Israel and half on Mt. Gerizim.
We will stroll through their neighborhood on Mt. Gerizim to learn a bit about their history and special customs. We’ll also see the site where they bring the Korbon Pesach till this day!
Time Permitting
If traffic isn’t too bad and we move quickly enough there will also be time for:
Three Seas Lookout
The “Three Seas Lookout” at the Givaot Olam Farm stands at 864 meters above sea level. From here, on a clear day (G-d willing) you can see the Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean all from the same mountain top! In addition, we’ll have a view of Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Aival (where the blessings and curses were proclaimed upon entering the land) with Shchem (where Joseph is buried) in the middle.
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