Happy Israel Independence Day, In this Newsletter we invite you to read about Israel Independence Day history and traditions, about Israeli symbols and about some of Israel's cities and chosen places.
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Hope you celebrate with us the Israel's Independence day with a hope for Peace. Bluenoemi's Team Bluenoemi Jewelry & Gifts
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Let us start with a good cup of Turkish coffee.
The rich aroma of Turkish coffee is not easily forgotten.
This label of Elite coffee exists for many years and it is the most popular Turkish coffee in Israel. Try at home the rich aroma of Oriental coffee.
How to prepare a tasteful cup of Turkish coffee?
1.5 heaped T-spoons of coffee to a cup of water
Bring to boil while watching the pot. (Do not let over boil.)
Let simmer for a few seconds while adding sugar to taste. (Do not add the sugar prior to this!!). Pour carefully.
Enjoy the aroma and taste.
Contents per sachet: 100g.(3.53oz)
You can also prepare the so called in Israel "Mud" coffee.
Put 1 spoon of turquish coffe in a mug.
Pour on it boiling water and mix.
What does coffee mean in Israel?
"Coffee is like a fingerprint because we each take it so differently: in a large or small cup, glass or mug, with/without milk or just a drop, sweetened or no sugar, strong or weak, it really doesn't matter.
At the same time, coffee is the biggest common denominator we have with billions of people around the world waking up to its awesome aroma every day.
On a personal level, coffee is the answer that reacts right away and motivates us by providing strength, energy and renewal. It is a powerful desire, a yearning that cannot be denied.
Coffee is the experience happening right now and it continues to wash over each and every one of us that have already experienced everything and want more.
Coffee is a way to learn about new cultures, new people and new tastes from around the world.
When we drink coffee we want to continue to experience, taste, respond and create more and more new moments. Coffee moments.
You can enjoy them too at home with a cup of Turkish coffeee from Israel!
About Israel Independence Day
Independence Day, Israel national holiday, marks Israel's Declaration of Independence with the end of the British Mandate. It is the only full holiday in the calendar decreed by law without a tradition of hundreds or thousands of years.
Independence Day is on the fifth day of the Jewish month of Iyar (from the end of April till mid-May), the day in which David Ben-Gurion, the state's first prime minister, declared the country's independence in 1948. It was declared a full holiday in a law enacted in the Knesset in 1949. Over the years various traditions evolved to celebrate the holiday, and it is now marked by family picnics in scenic spots all over the
country.
Independence Day celebrations begin on the evening of the fifth of Iyar with the end of Yom Hazikaron, the Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel's Wars, with special ceremonies marking the transition from mourning to celebration. The main ceremony is held in Har (Mount)
Herzl in Jerusalem. During Independence Day, the World Bible Quiz is held in Jerusalem and the prestigious Israel Prizes are distributed to the year's winners in a special ceremony.
Most businesses are closed on Independence Day, but cafes restaurants and other places of entertainment are open because it is not a religious holiday.
Holiday Customs
Flags - Many Israelis fly flags from their houses, porches or cars, often with colorful decorations.
Entertainment Stages - Because of Independence Day's profoundly secular nature, a tradition of evolved of free entertainment by performers, dancers and comics on stages set up in the center of cities and other communities on the eve of Independence Day. The shows are often accompanied by fireworks. The main streets of towns and cities are usually packed with
people.Barbeque - Independence Day has become Israel's unofficial barbeque holiday with families picnicking huge amounts of meat in every green spot they can find in the country.
Visits the IDF camps - Many of the army's camps are open to the public on Independence Day, offering Israelis a chances to see arms, navy ships, tanks and aircraft.
Israeli Movies - Local channels devote all of their programming to the holiday and often screen old Israeli movies which have become cult items.
About Yom Hazikaron
Yom Hazikaron, the Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel's Wars and for Terror Victims is marked every year on the fourth of Iyar (towards the end of April or beginning of May,) one week after the Holocaust Remembrance Day and two weeks after Pesach (Passover.) The day is dedicated to commemorating the country's soldiers and members of security forces, the memory of the fallen from the
pre-state undergrounds, and to victims of terrorism.
Yom Hazikaron was formally decreed by law in 1963, but the practice of commemorating the fallen on this day started in 1951 to mark the connection between Independence Day and the people who died to achieve and maintain this independence.
The day starts on the evening of the fourth of Iyar and ends the following evening with the opening of the Independence Day celebrations. By law, all places of entertainment are close on Yom Hazikaron, ceremonies commemorating the fallen are held throughout the country, and flags are flown at half mast. On the eve of Yom Hazikaron a siren is sounded at 8 p.m. and again at 11 a.m. on the following
morning. It is customary to stand in silence when the sirens are sounded. Commemoration ceremonies are held in urban centers, public buildings and cemeteries and TV and radio are devoted to the subject.
Yom Hazikaron Customs
There is hardly anybody in Israel who has not lost a family member, friend or acquaintance in Israel's wars, which makes this day significant for every Israeli. Many go to commemoration ceremonies, and family members of the fallen go on this day to military cemeteries.
Israel Symbols
The Flag of Israel
In 1948, after nearly two thousand years of exile, the State of Israel was reestablished as the Jewish homeland. The new flag of the modern state was unfurled at the United Nation in 1949. The flag has been a symbol of the proud return of the Jewish nation to its homeland.
How the Israeli Flag Was Chosen?
David Wolffsohn, who attended the First Zionist Congress in 1897, tells the story of the birth of the Israeli flag:
“At the request of our leader Herzl, I came to Basle to make preparations for the Zionist Congress. Among many other problems that occupied me then was one, which contained something of the essence of the Jewish problem. What flag would we hang in the Congress Hall? Then an idea struck me. We have a flag — and it is blue and white. The Tallit (prayer shawl) with which we wrap ourselves when we pray: that is our symbol. Let us take this Tallit from its bag and
unroll it before the eyes of Israel and the eyes of all nations. So I ordered a blue and white flag with the Shield of David painted upon it. That is how the national flag, which flew over Congress Hall, came into being. The blue stripes above and below the Magen David remind us of the Tallit. When we see the Israeli flag, we remember the faith and the prayers of the many generations of Jews who longed for the return to their homeland.”
Magen David
The Magen David is a traditional symbol of Judaism. The star is made up of two triangles, one right-side up and the other upside down. One of them points upward toward all that is spiritual and holy. The other one points downward — toward all that is earthly and secular. By leading a life of Torah and mitzvot the Jew strives to bring together the worlds of spiritual and the earthly, the worlds of the holy and the secular. Legend tells us that David the king of
Israel adorned his shield with this six-pointed star, thus the star is named the Magen David.
Israel Seal
The Israeli seal reminds us of a very sad story that happened a long time ago. In the year of 70 CE, a Roman general, named Titus, captured the city of Jerusalem, and his armies savagely destroyed the Holy Temple. They seized the golden Temple Menorah. To shame their unfortunate Jewish prisoners, Roman soldiers forced them to parade in chains through the streets of Rome carrying the captured Temple Menorah. The Romans felt so proud of this triumph that they
pictured the event on a monument called the Arch of Titus. Today, the Arch of Titus still stands in Rome, and the picture of the Menorah can still be seen. To the Romans, the story celebrated might and triumph, but to the Jewish people the story told the worst humiliation: the loss of independence in our homeland.
After almost two thousand years and much agony and bloodshed, the modern State of Israel reestablished the Jewish Homeland. Although the Temple and the Menorah were not actually rebuilt, The Jews felt that in a symbolic way, the Menorah had been saved from its ancient disgrace and restored to its original glory. The Jewish dream of independence and return has finally come true.
The Olive Branches
The prophet Zechariah, who lived in the sixth century had a vision. He saw a golden seven branched menorah flanked by two olive trees. Our Rabbis interpreted this vision to mean that the Temple and the State of Israel would someday be restored to their former glory. Also, olive branches are symbols of peace.
Climate
Israel is located, between 29°-33° north of the equator, which is characterized as a subtropical region, between the temperate zone and the tropical zone. Israel’s climate is characterized by much sunshine, the rainy season extends from October to early May, and rainfall peaks in December through February. Total annual precipitation ranges from 20-50 inches (50-125 cm.) in the north to less than an inch (2.5 cm.) in the far south.
Regional climatic conditions vary considerably: hot, humid summers and mild, wet winters on the coastal plain; dry, warm summers and moderately cold winters, with rain and occasional light snow, in the hill regions; hot, dry summers and pleasant winters in the Jordan Valley; and semi-arid conditions, with warm to hot days and cool nights, in the south.
Flora and Fauna
The rich variety of Israel’s plant and animal life reflects its geographical location as well as its varied topography and climate. Some 47,000 living species have been identified in Israel, with another 4,000 assumed to exist. There are 116 species of mammals native to Israel, 511 kinds of birds, 97 types of reptiles and seven types of amphibians. Some 2,780 types of plants grow countrywide, from Alpine flowers on northern mountain slopes to bright red coral
peonies and desert papyrus reeds in the south.
Cultivated fruits such as bananas, oranges and other citrus fruits dominate the coastal plain. Deciduous fruit trees grow all over the country. Dates, bananas, avocado, guava and mango flourish in the hot Jordan valley. The basic grains rub shoulders with vegetables and tobacco, cotton, groundnuts and sugar beets.
The largest land animals are mountain gazelles, wild boar, foxes, jungle cats, Nubian ibex and the rarely seen leopards, hyenas, jackals and wolves. In all, there are 116 different species of land animals in Israel.
Elat’s coral reef is regarded as a national treasure, and its corals, sponges and shellfish have been protected since 1956. The reef ecosystem is one of the most diverse in the world: 1,270 different species of fish, belonging to 157 families, make their home there, along with hundreds of species of coral and 1,120 species of mollusk.
Jerusalem
The capital of Israel
Located in the Judean Hills, is the capital of Israel, the seat of government and the historical, spiritual and national center of the Jewish people since King David made it the capital of his kingdom over 3,000 years ago.
During its long history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times. The oldest part of the city was settled in the 4th millennium BCE.
Jerusalem has been the holiest city in Jewish tradition since, according to the Torah, King David of Israel first established it as the capital of the united Kingdom of Israel in c. 1000 BCE, and his son, King Solomon, commissioned the building of the First Temple in the city.
The “Western Wall” of the Temple Mount
All branches of the Israeli government are located in Jerusalem, including the Knesset (Israel’s parliament), the residences of the Prime Minister and President, and the Supreme Court.
Although Jerusalem is known primarily for its religious significance, the city is also home to many artistic and cultural venues.The Israel Museum attracts nearly one million visitors a year, approximately one-third of them tourists. The 20-acre (81,000 square meter) museum complex comprises several buildings featuring special exhibits and extensive collections of Judaica, archaeological findings, and Israeli and European art. The Dead Sea scrolls, discovered in
the mid-20th century in the Qumran Caves near the Dead Sea, are housed in the Museum’s Shrine of the Book.
The Shrine of the Book
Many national institutions of Israel are located in Kiryat HaMemshala in Givat Ram in Jerusalem as a part of the Kiryat HaLeom project which is intended to create a large district that will house most government agencies and national cultural institutions. Some government buildings are located in Kiryat Menachem Begin. The city is home to the Knesset,[246] the Supreme Court,[247] the Bank of Israel, the National Headquarters of the Israel Police, the official
residences of the President and Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and all ministries except for the Ministry of Defense (which is located in central Tel Aviv’s HaKirya district) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (which is located in the Tel Aviv suburb of Rishon LeZion).
Knesset Building in Jerusalem
Jerusalem has been sacred to Judaism for roughly 3000 years. Jerusalem was the site of Solomon’s Temple and the Second Temple. It is mentioned in the Bible 632 times. Today, the Western Wall, a remnant of the wall surrounding the Second Temple, is a Jewish holy site second only to the Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount itself. Synagogues around the world are traditionally built with the Holy Ark facing Jerusalem, and Arks within Jerusalem face the “Holy of
Holies”. As prescribed in the Mishna and codified in the Shulchan Aruch, daily prayers are recited while facing towards Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Many Jews have “Mizrach” (meaning “East” – Towards Jerusalem) plaques hung on a wall of their homes to indicate the direction of prayer.
Visit Israel
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is a modern city with skyscrapers and hotels that overlook the Mediterranean Sea. Tel means, “mound,” as it is used in archaeology. Aviv means “Spring.” The name of the city shows the blending of the old and the new which is the spirit of Israel, and its people.
Tel Aviv is Israel’s commercial and financial center. Headquartered there are most industrial and agricultural organizations, the stock exchange, major newspapers, periodicals and publishing houses.
Tel Aviv, the first all-Jewish city in modern times, was founded in 1909 as a suburb of Jaffa, one of the oldest urban settlements in the world. In 1934 Tel Aviv was granted municipal status, and in 1950 it was merged with Yafo, the new municipality absorbing the older town. The area around the ancient port of Yafo (Jaffa) has been developed into an artists’ colony and tourist center, with galleries, restaurants and night clubs.
Tel Aviv is the first all-Jewish city in modern times. Originally named Ahuzat Bayit, it was founded by 60 families in 1909 as a Jewish neighborhood near Jaffa. In 1910, the name was changed to Tel Aviv, meaning “hill of spring.” The name was taken from Ezekiel 3:15, “…and I came to the exiles at Tel Aviv”.
Today, Tel Aviv is Israel’s second largest city (after Jerusalem), with a population of 360,000, and among the big city problems it shares is traffic congestion. Things are more spread out in Tel Aviv than the smaller cities, but it’s still often easier and faster to travel by foot. The Shalom Tower Constructed in 1957, the building’s observation deck – 433 feet high, the tallest building in the middle east (at that time), is in Tel-Aviv.
Jaffa is an ancient port city – Tel Aviv grew up around it. Jaffa has been a fortified port city overlooking the Mediterranean Sea for more than 4,000 years.
It is one of the world’s most ancient towns. It has been the target of conquerors throughout the ages because of its strategic locations between Asia, Africa and Europe. Tel Aviv is the transportation center of Israel and the main hub for bus and rail stations.
Haifa
The University of Haifa on top of Mt. Carmel
Haifa is the third largest city in Israel, and it’s northern capital, with a population of about 250,000, and perhaps its most progressive.
Located in a natural bay and Mount Carmel, Haifa has beautiful views in all directions. The city is built all up the slopes of Mount Carmel and has different neighborhoods at each level.
The Carmelit – Haifa’s Subway
Although it does not appear in the Bible, Haifa is mentioned in Talmudic literature as a well-established Jewish community. Across from the National Maritime Museum on Allenby Road are steps to Elijah’s Cave. According to a Byzantine tradition, this is where Elijah the Prophet hid to escape the wrath of King Ahab. The first Sunday after Tisha B’Av, Oriental Jews recite Isaiah 40 and ask the prophet to bless their children, cure their illnesses and
better their lives.
In 1099 C.E., the city was conquered by the Crusaders, who slaughtered all the Jewish inhabitants. The Carmelite Order was established in 1156 C.E. over Elijah’s Cave. In 1265 C.E., Haifa fell to the Mamlukes, and in 1750 C.E. was captured by the Bedouin, Dahar al-Omar, who destroyed, then rebuilt and fortified it. From 1775 C.E. until World War I, Haifa was under Turkish control with two interruptions in 1799 C.E., it was conquered by Napoleon and, from 1831-1840
C.E., it was under Egyptian rule. Early in the 19th century, Jews from North Africa settled in Haifa. In 1868 C.E., German Templars established Haifa’s German Colony and in 1879 C.E. European Jews settled in the city.
“Israel’s MIT,” the Technion, is in Haifa. The only subway in Israel is also in Haifa.
At the top of Mount Carmel is the Carmel Hospital, noted for its architecture. The building looks like a pyramid standing on its point.
At the foot of the Carmel is the MATAM industrial center which is one of the largest concentrations of high technology business in Israel.
Port of Haifa
The Technion
Tiberias
Tiberias plays an important role in Jewish history. It was part of the land bequeathed to Naphtali (Joshua 19:35). The Sanhedrin (the High Court of Israel during the period of the Second Temple) relocated to Tiberias from Sepphoris.
Tiberias was an important spiritual center in the Mishnaic and Talmudic period. The Mishna was completed in Tiberias in 200 C.E. under the supervision of Rabbi Yehuda Ha-Nasi (“Judah the Prince”). The Jerusalem Talmud was compiled in 400 C.E. After his death in 1204, the great Jewish sage Maimonides was buried in Tiberias. His tomb is on Ben Zakkai Street, a short distance from the town center. The street’s namesake, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, is also believed to
be buried nearby. Yet another shrine is the Tomb of Rabbi Akiva.
Tiberias and Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee)
Tiberias and Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee)
A Samaritan center existed in Tiberias in the middle of the 4th century. The Crusaders later captured the city and made it the capital of the Galilee, but Saladin retook the city for the Muslim Empire in 1187. The city suffered a decline until it was revived by the Ottoman Turks. After the city was built up over a period of about a century, it was devastated by an earthquake in 1837.
The early Zionist pioneers established some of Israel’s first kibbutzim at the turn of the century in this area. After the establishment of the state, newcomers flocked to the city and the population quadrupled. Today, it is home to about 30,000 people.
Tiberias has been a popular destination for tourists for more than 2,000 years. As early as Roman times, this thriving recreation spa, built around 17 natural mineral hot springs more than 600 feet below sea level, welcomed visitors from every part of the ancient world. Built by Herod Antipas (one of Herod the Great’s three sons who divided up Palestine after their father’s death), the city was named Tiberias in honor of the Roman Emperor Tiberius.
Tiberias at night
1862 CE Photo of Tiberias
Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is a very salty lake that is located between Israel and Jordan. At 420 meters (1,378 ft) below sea level, it is the lowest point on Earth that is dry land. It is also the second most saltiest body of water in the world. It is also the deepest salt lake on earth at 330 m (1,083 ft) deep.
The Dead Sea is called “Yam Hamelach” in Hebrew.
Floating on the Dead Sea
Salt Formations
The Dead Sea’s climate offers year-round sunny skies and dry air. The northern part of the Dead Sea receives only 100 mm (4 in) of rain a year. The southern section just 50 mm (2 in).
Because the Dead sea is so salty, you can actually float on the water. The Dead sea is home to many resorts and spas.
This is the site of Sodom and Gomorrah. There are large pillars of salt and some people point to one of them and say: “That’s Lots wife.”
Many companies use the salt from the Dead Sea for bath salts. The entire southern end of the Dead Sea has big evaporation pans that is used to get the industrial chemicals potash, caustic soda, magnesium metal, and sodium chloride.
Dead Sea Minerals
Dances of Israel
Israeli Hora
The Israeli Horah , which is somewhat different from that of some of the Eastern European countries, is widespread in the Jewish diaspora and played a foundational role in modern Israeli folk dancing. Originally from Zikhron Yaakov, it became the symbol of the reconstruction of the country by the socialistic-agricultural Zionist movement. Although considered traditional, the Hora Agadati, which may be the first Jewish adaptation of this
dance, was only performed for the first time in 1924.
It is usually performed to Israeli folk songs, and sometimes to Jewish songs, typically to the music of Hava Nagila.
To start the dance, everybody forms a circle, holding hands, and steps forward toward the right with the left foot, then follows with the right foot. The left foot is then brought back, followed by the right foot. This is done while holding hands and circling together in a fast and cheerful motion to the right. Large groups allow for the creation of several concentric circles.
In the early days, Horah was popular mainly in the Kibbutzim and small communities. Later it became a must in group dances throughout Israel, and at weddings and other celebrations by Jews in Israel, the United States and Canada. The dance appeared in North America in the early 20th century, well before modern Israeli independence, brought directly from Eastern Europe by Jewish immigrants.
At bar and bat mitzvahs, it is customary to raise the honoree, and sometimes his or her family members, on a chair during the horah. This is also done at many Jewish weddings, following the Israeli tradition.
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