Story posted: 16. April 2010 by Rafael Ben-Ari
The first settlement on Nitzan's current grounds was the kibbutz of Nitzanim in 1943. The kibbutz was conquered by Egypt during the 1948 Arab?Israeli War, but recaptured by Israel towards the end of the conflict. However, the kibbutz was re-established four miles to the south. In 1949 Nitzanim Youth Village was established on the site, but this closed in 1990, and a few years later, foundations were laid for the modern Nitzan. By 1995 Nitzan had a population of 105. It experienced rapid expansion in the mid-2000s after being selected to temporarily house a large group of families evacuated from Gush Katif as part of disengagement plan. 500 temporary caravillas were constructed on the eastern end of Nitzan (an area which became known as Nitzan Bet), and 250 more were ordered by the Israeli Government. According to government plans, a school and sports area will eventually be constructed.Several environmental organisations objected to the new construction, which increased Nitzan's area by four-and-a-half times, fearing damage to the fragile sand dune ecosystem. The neighbourhood has also been the target of criticism from the settlers, as well as Israeli human-rights groups,[1][2] citing a lack of adequate housing and facilities. They argue that governmental negligence resulted in a housing shortage which forced large families to separate into multiple caravillas, and that basic infrastructure like a youth area, nursery, and synagogue were absent. Photos Rafael Ben-Ari/Chameleons Eye
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Story posted: 9. April 2010 by Rafael Ben-Ari
Mount Zion is an elevation west of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Jewish scriptures apply the term Mount Zion to the Temple Mount or the City of David, both located on this elevation. For Jews the term Zion became a synecdoche referring to the entire city of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel. Photo by Rafael Ben-Ari/Chameleons Eye
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Story posted: 9. April 2010 by Rafael Ben-Ari
The Botanical Gardens - Jerusalem.Photos Rafael Ben-Ari/Chameleons Eye
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Story posted: 9. April 2010 by Rafael Ben-Ari
Judea or Juda is the name given to the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel or Eretz Yisrael , an area now divided between Israel and the West Bank (itself partly under Palestinian Authority administration and Israeli military rule).The name Judea is a Greek and Roman adaptation of the name Judah, which originally encompassed the territory of the Israelite tribe of that name and later of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. The area was the site of the Hasmonean Kingdom and the later Kingdom of Judah, a client kingdom of the Roman Empire. In modern times, the name Yehudah may be used by Hebrew speakers to refer to a large southern section of Israel and the West Bank, or in the combined term Judea and Samaria, as the alternative name for the West Bank. Geographically, Judea is a mountainous and arid region, much of which is considered to be a desert. It varies greatly in height, rising to an altitude of 1,020 m (3,346 ft) in the south at Mount Hebron, 19 miles (30 km) southwest of Jerusalem, and descending to as much as 400 m (1,312ft) below sea level in the east of the region. Major urban areas in the region include Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Gush Etzion (including Beitar Illit and Efrat), Jericho and Hebron. Photos by Rafael Ben-Ari/Chameleons Eye
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Story posted: 1. April 2010 by Rafael Ben-Ari
Boombamela is a former Shanti/ New Age and currently a Mainstream festival held annually on Chol HaMoed Pesach (Intermediate Days of Passover) in Israel since 1999, described by its organisers as "a place for meeting, experiencing, crossing borders and transcending social limitations through music, creation, and connection with nature."The festival is located on the sandy beach of Hof Nitzanim, between Ashdod and Ashkelon, about as far from anything as anything can be in crowded Israel.More and more foreigners have taken note of the festival, and a visitor will often hear tongues being spoken beside Hebrew.The inspiration for the festival is the Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela India.Photos by Rafael Ben-Ari/Chameleons Eye
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