Places

A Sabra Christmas

Published on December 21, 2011

It’s debatably the most important Christian holiday, yet in Israel — birthplace of Christendom but home to far fewer Christians than Jews — Christmas is something of an anomaly. No… More…

House from Within

Published on November 30, 2011

Photos by Rina Castelnuovo

(click thumbnails for slideshow)

Twice a year, Jerusalemites and Tel Avivians open their homes and significant buildings to the public for Batim Mibifnim,… More…

Keep it Cool

Published on July 31, 2011

Six months of warm temperatures and unrelentingly blue skies require a certain inventiveness of Israelis, who have long since learned the importance of the afternoon siesta. Of course in… More…

The Simple Life

Published on May 16, 2011

Given Israel’s tight quarters, it’s not unusual to hear about people leaving small city apartments for the more pastoral, spacious setting offered on a moshav. But given the recent… More…

Learning at Bina

Published on April 3, 2011

At Bina, the Center for Jewish Identity and Hebrew Culture, the brand of Judaism being practiced is Jewish social action. It is a formula that is meant to work specifically… More…

Tortoise Territory

Published on March 2, 2011

They’re big, they’re green (or a log-like yellow) and they’re slow. Meet the green and loggerhead sea turtles, two sets of endangered species that are making a measured comeback on… More…

Lotan, The Babybutz

Published on January 17, 2011

Keeping the collective kibbutz life relevant and topical is the everyday mission of the very southern Kibbutz Lotan. Located in Israel’s arid Arava region, this young and relatively small community… More…

Designs on a Suburb

Published on November 29, 2010

For most of us, the only reason to stop by one of Israel’s suburbs when visiting her bigger cities is to see family or friends. But Holon, already known back… More…

Bike-Raising

Published on October 17, 2010

As you read this, hundreds of bike riders are currently on the road in Israel, sweating their way up a hill, pausing to take a swig of water and glance… More…

Coming of Age

Published on June 10, 2010

Figuring out what to do for a bar or bat mitzvah celebration is something of a joyful chore for any parent. What will the synagogue ceremony entail, and who will… More…

Warsaw Outtakes

Published on May 17, 2010

A trip to Poland isn’t the standard Jewish vacation destination. Travelers know they are about to undergo an intense and emotional experience that will take them through centuries… More…

The Shefela Shuffle

Published on April 20, 2010

Head to the Lowlands, locally known as the Shefela, which are the foothills between Israel’s mountains and the coastal plain. It has the look and feel of rolling farmland,… More…

Storm Chasing

Published on March 4, 2010

Rainy days have become something of an event in Israel, particularly during winter seasons that have been fairly  parched. In the Negev Desert, where intense rains can quickly cause flooding… More…

Brno, Czech Republic

Published on March 4, 2010

After a day caving the bedrock of the vast Monravian Karst caverns, including the 452-foot deep gorge that is the Macocha Abyss, head for nearby Brno, the Czech Republic’s… More…