Israel Beat

A medley of stories for the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashannah.

Get full access to Jewish History Moment podcast with Ben Bresky at benbresky.substack.com/subscribe

I was privileged to visit the alter on Har Eval (Mount Ebal) as described in the Bible. This is a brief overview of the site and a biography of the man who discovered it, the Prof. Adam Zertal who became an archeologist after recovering from an injury in the Yom Kippur War.

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Tracey Shipley talks about Jerusalem Woodstock and music as a way to help troubled teens. Nadav, a manager at the Silo Cafe talks about the history of the unique site.

The Jerusalem train station was inaugurated in 1892 after much effort by Yosef Navon, a community leader from a prominent Sephardic Jerusalem family. After funding by Jewish investors, the Land of Israel’s first modern train was inaugurated. Eliezer Ben-Yehuda was in attendance and wrote an inspiring poem about the wonders of modern transportation in the ancient city.

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I attended the Hutzot Hayotzer festival in Jerusalem were I saw hand-made arts, crafts, jewelry and clothing from Israel and around the world, plus food and music. This festival dates back to the late 1960s when Jerusalem was reunited. Back in the late 1890s, the area was home to the Jewish neighborhood of Jurat al-Anab which featured one of the first Berman’s Bakery flour mills. Also, learn about the history of the Sultan’s Pool.

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The annual Aharit Hayamim Festival in Gush Etzion is organized by a family whose roots in the region go back to the pre-state days. Hear interviews from Grammy-nominated musicians Yossi Fine, Nachman Solomon of the Solomon Brothers, guitar wiz Lazer Lloyd, and new up-and-coming band Shlepping Nachas.

For my full-length article in the Jerusalem Post see here: The 'Jewish indie rave' music festival returns to Gush Etzion

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Meet the innovative graduate students from the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design department of industrial design. Plus, a brief history of the school, founded in 1906 by Boris Schatz.

Student projects featured:

Rafael Amzallag: ultra-light easy-to-use tent, Sunny Lustov: Underwater structures for coral reef cooling, Shi Sharabi: couples therapy candles, Hye Seo Chang: AI stuffed animal sleep aide for children, Avia Revivi: biodegradable toilet paper, Dor Zerkavod: zero-gravity spacesuit, Yoni Zazon: watch for blind people, Deborah Hoffnung: nightgowns for cancer survivors, Maayan Cohen Bar-On: smart clothing for endometriosis, Ran Shtub: flying defibrillator, Arad Rubinovitch: earthquake rescue backpack, Daniel Cohen: magnetic levitation racecar, Amit Martin Mansharof & Ofir Danino: furniture made from police barricades, Reut Morowitz: innovative outdoor furniture, Mai Cohen: creative wooden building blocks game, Chen Smadar: plastic chair martial arts.

For full list of graduate students see Bezalel website.

Stay tuned for my full length article in the Jerusalem Post about the exhibition.

Get full access to Jewish History Moment podcast with Ben Bresky at benbresky.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to Jewish History Moment podcast with Ben Bresky at benbresky.substack.com/subscribe

The Jewish Legion was the first Jewish fighting force since the time of the Romans. Formed during World War I, they comprised soldiers from the United States, Canada, Europe, the land of Israel and included Sephardic, Ashkenazic, religious and secular troops. Included in the podcast are the voices of Gilbert Sandler, an historian from Baltimore who talks about American recruits and Jack Wolofsky whose father was a Jewish Legion soldier from Canada.

Learn about Zev Jabotinsky and Yosef Trumpeldor

whose Zionist beliefs led them to form the Zion Mule Corps which became the Jewish Legion. And Col. John Henry Patterson, an Irish Christian who trained the troops. Excerpts from a moving speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is included from a memorial service to Patterson in which he describes his family’s personal connection.

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Tisha B’Av, the 9th day of the month of Av, is a solemn fast day commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Holy temple in Jerusalem. In this podcast I discuss my experiences on Tisha B’Av at the Kotel, on Mount Herodium and more.

Get full access to Jewish History Moment podcast with Ben Bresky at benbresky.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to Jewish History Moment podcast with Ben Bresky at benbresky.substack.com/subscribe