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Students, Fellow Teachers and Parents – Welcome!

This journal is designed to allow you to follow my travels during my week in Israel. Following the blog is as simple as coming back daily for updates; however, student in order to comment will need to register a gmail email account. You should receive a letter detailing the purpose of this account and the grading scale and process for this activity.

In the World History 1 classroom Jerusalem is a city that is often mentioned. During the course of this class we will learn about the origins and development of the world’s three major monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Through the ages, this area of the world has changed hands many times. Its close proximity to the Fertile Crescent has allowed Jerusalem to be part of or important to the Sumerian, Assyrian and Babylonian Empires. The Phoenicians were also instrumental in the early success of Jerusalem as a city. Throughout various times in history Jerusalem has been included in Egyptian, Persian, Roman, Hun, Byzantine, Muslim and Ottoman Empires (just to name some of the major groups!)

Today, Israel is a modern State. It was declared a country in 1948 traces its historical and religious roots to the Biblical Land of Israel, also known as Zion, a concept central to Judaism. During the last 1800s and following the First and Second World Wars political Zionism (self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland) took shape. Neighboring Arab states contested Jewish independence and a series of wars ensured, many of which still plague Israel today. For example, the border between Israel and the neighboring West Bank is not formally defined by the Israeli government and skirmishes have often broken out as a result.

Places of interest I will be visiting:

Old City Jerusalem - home of the Dome of the Rock & Western Wall or Wailing Wall (it is a remnant of the ancient wall that surrounded the Jewish Temple's courtyard and is one of the most sacred sites in Judaism outside of the Temple Mount itself.)

Jericho
Nazareth
Galilee
Caesarea - old Roman/ Crusader site which is still home to a Roman aquaduct.
Bethlehem
Israel Museum – home of a Crusader exhibit among countless artifacts and cultural exhibits relating to the history and religion of the area.
Qumran – site of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Dead Sea