Neot Semadar Arts Centre

It's time for me to post something about Israel once again, about the beautiful side of the country I live in. This post was written over a year ago, when we took a short break in Eilat, Israel's southernmost city. We planned to go again this last December, but the war in Israel meant that we were unable to travel there.

Neot Semadar is a kibbutz in the southern Negev desert, about 70 kilometres north of Eilat. It was established in 1989 on the grounds of an abandoned kibbutz, Shizafon. The founders, a group of ideological young people who met whilst living in Jerusalem, shared a love of the desert, the desire to set up a communal community and to create an oasis in the southern Negev.

The kibbutz members created an organic community, engaged in agricultural waste recycling, and built eco-friendly homes. Their economy is based on agriculture, with 500 dunams of organically cultivated vineyards, olives, date plantations and a herb garden. The kibbutz also operates a boutique organic winery and produces a variety of cheeses from fresh goat milk. On our way to Eilat we stopped for lunch at their roadside restaurant, Pundak Neot Semadar, which offers vegetarian food and sells the kibbutz's organic products. It was delicious!

Before lunch we made a quick visit to the kibbutz's Arts Centre. Unfortunately it closes early several days of the week but, even though we arrived after their closing time, we got lucky and met a kibbutz member who was keen to show us around.
The Arts Centre is an architecturally unique building which serves as a gallery and studio for all of the artists living on the kibbutz. Many of their works of art are on display in the gallery located on the ground floor of the centre and a variety of workshops for stained glass, ceramics, textile, wood and metals are offered there. The building is insulated with mud bricks, with "air conditioning" supplied by a desert cooling tower.

The Arts Centre was gradually constructed by kibbutz members over a period of 15 years. The entire kibbutz participated and there was no blueprint for the building. Instead, many techniques of architecture were studied and applied as they went along. The members developed a special way of casting a mosaic floor, a technique of moulding reliefs and sculptures in concrete, and applied some desert construction principles, such as the massive air cooling tower which is kept cool using a unique evaporative cooling system. There is a balcony at the top of the tower, from which you can look out over the expansive desert surrounding the kibbutz.

Residents of the Neot Semadar had never worked on a project outside of the desert until the world-renowned Turkish architect Sinan Kafadar sought out their expertise while finishing off the interior of the 226 room Waldorf-Astoria in Jerusalem. About 10 kibbutz members employed techniques regularly practiced on the colourful eco-friendly buildings at Neot Semadar to make wall panels, door frames and number signs on the rooms at the historic 1929 hotel.

A program of courses and seminars in the Arts Centre is offered to people from Israel and abroad. Students can learn a new art form, while staying in one of the kibbutz's eco-friendly bed and breakfast units with gorgeous views that overlook the fields. Each unit has its own balcony and herb garden. There is a communal kitchen outfitted with appliances, kitchenware and a communal dining area, and prepared meals can be booked ahead of time.
I might just try one out one day.

*This post has been shared on The Good. The Random. The Fun., Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) and My Corner of the World.

The Ancient Synagogue of Ein Gedi

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

After our delightful hike through Nahal Arugot, I asked Mister Handmade in Israel if he wouldn't mind stopping at the ancient synagogue of Ein Gedi before we returned home. The synagogue, which was built in the 2nd century CE and then renovated between the 3rd-4th centuries CE, can be spotted from the road that leads to Nahal Arugot, under a large white tent and surrounded by date palm trees. The tent protects the precious synagogue mosaics from the sun and also serves to protect the visitors from the heat. Unfortunately it also means that my photos are all a little 'orange' in colour since I was taking them under the cover of the tent, but the perfectly preserved mosaic floor of the synagogue is so beautiful that I am going to share my photos here anyway.

The ancient synagogue of Ein Gedi was discovered by chance in the 1960s when members of kibbutz Ein Gedi were placing a water pipe in its vicinity. Excavations in the 1970s uncovered a well preserved mosaic floor and several important inscriptions. We can learn a great deal about the town of Ein Gedi from the mosaic floor of its most important building. It was clearly extremely prosperous! For a small remote settlement of no more than a few hundred people to bring the best artisans in the country to create such a masterpiece would have cost a huge amount of money.
Respecting the Jewish tradition of refraining from figurative depiction, the mosaic floor is made up of geometric designs weaved together to create a central 8-pointed star. A central square depicts exotic birds, perhaps geese and peacocks. At the northern end of the synagogue, facing Jerusalem, is a bimah (an elevated platform used for Torah reading during services) and a semicircular niche for storing the Torah scroll.

Similar contemporary synagogues, such as the ancient synagogue of Beit Alpha, which we visited back in January, feature a central circular zodiac with the 12 star signs, each representing a Hebrew lunar month and a personification of the four seasons. In the Ein Gedi synagogue there is a written list of the horoscope signs and of the Hebrew months set in the floor of one aisle. Another inscription mentions the descendants from Adam to the children of Noah, and one more thanks the local rabbis and the synagogue donors, "Yose, Ezron, and Hazikin, sons of Halfi", who contributed to the building. The most exciting inscription, however, is the 'spell' - a warning for all the members of the community never to give away the 'secret' of the village.

This 'secret', it is assumed, has to do with the industry of the precious Balsam resin, called "Afarsimon" in Hebrew (the same name given to today's Persimmon Tree). For centuries the locals made a precious perfume from the Persimmon that was worth its weight in gold. The method and precise ingredients for the production of the perfume remain a riddle to this day. Keeping the process a secret was an economic imperative of such magnitude that every citizen who entered and exited the synagogue needed to be reminded. And what better way to be reminded than in the building whose elegant artistry is a testimony to the importance of the spice trade that sustained the village?

The availability of water at Ein Gedi allowed for the development of agriculture in the settlement. As well as the Persimmon, Ein Gedi's unique local vegetation also supplied the fibres of the Calotropis Procera (the Apple of Sodom) from which the locals made threads which they wove into luxurious fabrics and made wicks for their candles. Indigofera articulata was grown in order to produce indigo dye - the amazing blue colour which was in high demand and expensive. Lawsonia inermis, or Henna tree, which was mentioned in the Song of Songs together with the name Ein Gedi, is thought to be a highly favoured fragrance tree. In addition the locals knew how to produce henna colour from this tree.

Another obvious source of income for the village people of Ein Gedi was salt mining in the Dead Sea. Besides its use in seasoning food, salt also constituted an important means of food preservation and was used for medical purposes too.

The earliest evidence of human settlement at Ein Gedi actually dates back to the Chalcolithic period, 6,000 years ago. A small rectangular room with 50cm high walls was found in the area. It is assumed to be a temple where animals were sacrificed, since many animal bones and ash were found there.
Excavated housing structures and terraces northeast of the synagogue, at the foot of a hill known as Tel Goren, date from the 3rd-6th centuries CE, the Late Roman and Byzantine periods. They may have belonged to synagogue officials or served as study halls. The houses were built close together, each consisting of two rooms and a courtyard. Large clay vats for the storage of drinking water or liquids made from special plants growing in the area were found in them. Royal seal impressions and others bearing personal names, as well as a hoard of silver pieces were also discovered in the ruins of the village, once again indicating wealth and economic importance.
Stone terraces were constructed on the hillsides and a sophisticated water system, including storage pools and a network of irrigation channels, was developed. These measures made the productions of the perfume more efficient.  To protect the cultivated areas and to control the trade route, a fortress and watch towers were built.
The synagogue and village at Ein Gedi stood for 400 years and was destroyed by fire, probably during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in the second half of the 6th century, a period of Jewish persecution. Among the many archaeological finds discovered in the debris was a scroll from the Book of Leviticus and a bronze 30 cm seven-branched menorah.

On our way home I asked Mister Handmade in Israel to stop once more at one of the lookout points overlooking the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea, known in Hebrew as Yam Ha-Melakh (the Sea of Salt) is the lowest point on earth and the saline water of the lake gives lead to the name because no plants or animals can survive in the salty waters. The other result of the salty water is its renowned health and healing properties and the unique feature that one can float naturally in it.

The Dead Sea is part of the long border between Israel and Jordan, whose towering mountains can be seen from the Israeli side. Just a one hour drive from Jerusalem, the lake is a place popular for Israelis wanting a few days relaxation or to take advantage of the medical properties of the water. People famously cover themselves in the mineral rich mud from the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea has in fact attracted visitors for thousands of years. It was one of the world's first health resorts, used by Herod the Great, and it has been the supplier of a wide variety of products, from asphalt for Egyptian mummification to potash for fertilisers. On this occasion I simply had a great view of it from a vantage point along the road. It was breathtakingly beautiful and a wonderful way to end a fabulous day.

* This post has been shared on Little Things Thursday, All Seasons, Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday), Sharon's Souvenirs, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday's Treasures, My Corner of the World and Pictorial Tuesday.

A Return Visit to Be'ersheva

I've blogged about Be'ersheva before. Mister Handmade in Israel and I made an impromptu visit there back in 2016. This time I took my dad. Be'ersheva is a very old city, having been in existence for more than 6,000 years, though the city as we know it today is relatively new and was only established at the beginning of the 20th century under the Ottoman Turkish rule. There were a few places I wanted to show Dad in Be'ersheva's Old City, which still retains many of its historic Ottoman buildings and buildings built during the British rule. We started with the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Memorial Centre.

The ANZAC Memorial Centre, which was dedicated on the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Be'ersheva in 2017, stands adjacent to the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Be'ersheva. The centre tells the story of the ANZAC conquest of Be'ersheva and puts the visitor in the shoes of the young soldiers who fought there 100 years ago, thousands of kilometres away from home.
The ANZAC was a military force of Australian and New Zealand soldiers under the command of the British, who fought in the First World War in the Middle East, including the liberation of Be'ersheva from Ottoman rule. Though the ANZAC cavalry had never trained for such an assault, Lt. Gen. Harry Chauvel, who led the ANZAC forces to victory, ordered his forces to charge the Ottoman forces fortified in trenches. They galloped so fast that the Ottoman marksmen couldn’t adjust their range quickly enough to effectively aim at the advancing cavalry. After crossing the plain, the soldiers dismounted and fought the Ottomans hand to hand in the trenches. By nightfall of 31st October 1917, Be'ersheva was under British control.
Our guided visit to the centre was an informative and moving experience. We learnt about the ANZAC horsemen and the historical developments of the First World War in the Land of Israel. The centre contains archaic items, testimonies from the Battle of Be'ersheva, personal diaries of the famous cavalry that participated in the battles, historical findings and more. The impressive viewing point of the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery very much added to the whole experience.

The Old City of Be'ersheva is currently being transformed into a hub of tourism and culture and, as the development progresses, the area is becoming a cool place to hang out. The Be'ersheva municipality has begun to develop and maintain the streets, and in addition, many of the historic buildings in the area have signs posted by the Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites, making it easier for visitors to the city.
My dad and I stayed at The Ottoman House, gorgeous boutique holiday apartments located in the heart of the Old City and we enjoyed a delicious vegan meal in a lovely cafe located on one the newly renovated pedestrianised streets. The beautifully styled apartments of The Ottoman House, so different from the surrounding rundown area, were a great choice. I have high hopes for tourism in Be'ersheva!

The following morning we took a walk around the Old City, stopping at Allenby Park, named after the English General Edmund Allenby. The park that was constructed in 1902 included trees, an orchard and garden shrubs, and it served as a leisure site for those who came to the Ottoman government building in the city. The park was constructed without a surrounding wall, and within a short time it was destroyed by animals, such as goats and sheep, which ate the vegetation.
In 1915 the park was restored by the Ottoman military governor, Djemal Pasha. Trees and shrubs were planted in order to create a pretty, green area. In the middle of the park, a marble column was erected, which was engraved with an inscription lauding the victory of the Ottoman Empire.
After Be'ersheva was conquered by the British, the new rulers installed a statue of General Allenby, who had conquered the area from the Ottomans. During riots that began in 1938, Arabs shattered the statue and the British decided not to restore the image of the general on the column. In recent years a statue of the legendary General was restored in the park at a ceremony attended by his relatives. Work will soon begin on rehabilitating Allenby Park, which has been somewhat neglected, in order to restore it to its original state from about a hundred years ago.

Our next stop, and a return visit for me, was at Abraham's Well International Visitor Centre. According to the bible, the story in Genesis 21 tells of a well which Abraham dug and Abimelech's servants seized. Abraham gave seven lambs to Abimelech as witness that he dug the well himself. Abimelech accepted the lambs and the two men swore an oath in the place named Be'ersheva. In 1838 the well was identified by the American biblical scholar Edward Robinson and in 1897 a local sheikh built a modern structure above it. To this day many believe that this well is the well that was dug by Abraham and provided the name for the city of Be'ersheva (Be'ersheva means "Well of Seven" or "Well of the Oath").

The new centre, designed as a tent, showcases the life of Abraham, the spiritual father of three monotheistic religions. The well is in the centre of the courtyard. It is 3 metres in diameter and 26 metres deep. The top part of the well is lined with stones, probably from the Byzantine period, and the bottom part is cut into the bedrock.
When Egyptian President Anwar Sadat visited Be'ersheva with Prime Minister Menachem Begin more than 40 years ago, he wanted to visit Abraham's Well, the site where a peace treaty had been signed between Abraham and the Philistine King Abimelech thousands of years ago.

Our last stop of the day was also a place I had visited before but I was so blown away by the design back then, I wanted to see if dad shared my thoughts. The Monument to the Negev Brigade, known locally as the Andarta, is situated on a mountain top north of the city. Designed by sculptor Dani Karavan and built between 1963 and 1968, the memorial's futuristic sculptures symbolise the sacrifice of 324 soldiers of the Palmach Negev Brigade who died defending the region against advancing Egyptian forces during the War of Independence.
The memorial, which has won many architectural awards, is made up of 18 raw concrete objects that symbolise and reflect the events of the War of Independence and of the Palmach. The perforated tower alludes to a watchtower shelled with gunfire and the pipeline tunnel is reminiscent of the channel of water in the Negev defended by the soldiers. Engraved in the concrete are the names of the soldiers who died in the war, the badge of the Palmach, diary passages from the soldiers, the battle registry, verses and songs.
Though the memorial does need a bit of tender loving care, the place is very moving and architecturally very interesting. Walking over and through the sculpture really gives you time to reflect on the events that occurred there over 70 years ago and to appreciate the now quiet beauty of the desert.

* This post has been shared on The Good. The Random. The Fun., Creative Mondays, Sharon's Souvenirs, Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday), Our World Tuesday, Tuesday's Treasures, Travel Tuesday, My Corner of the World