Qumran: the history of Jewish Sects

Qumran is a site near the Dead Sea that is believed to have been inhabited by the Essences. Who were the Essenes? After the Second Temple was destroyed, there were different sects of Jews living in the land of Israel. The Essenes strived to live a very isolated and pious life. They lived celibate and refrained from other sensual pleasures in order to devote their lives to study. They also immersed multiple times a day in the mikva (ritual path). Some historian believe this was the roots of Christianity, others call them "the early Hasidim". More about the Essenes can be found by clicking here.

The site is most famous for the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The scrolls are a collection of about 900 documents from the Hebrew Bible found in 11 different caves. They are the oldest surviving biblical documents dating back to the second Temple period. It is interesting to note that the scrolls were discovered between 1947-1956, at a time when the area was under Jordanian control. Because of that, Jews did not have access to the scrolls at the time. The politics, are for another discussion. If you are interested in viewing some of the scrolls from up close, go pay a visit to Kibbutz Almog, not far from the site.

For any history buff or Bible enthusiast, this site is a must see, and its only about an hour away from Jerusalem.

Fun in Eilat with the Yeshiva boys

Last week I went down to Eilat for a few days with the Yeshiva I work for. Eilat feels like Ocean City in Israel. Its a beach town, without a lot of permanent residents. Its a place for Israelis to get away, though it also attracts tourists from abroad. It even has its own airport. It has also historically been a central port for world trade, as it connects Africa, Asia and Europe. For example, when the Japanese want to export their cars to Europe, the bring them to the port of Eilat, drive them through Israel, then pick them up on a boat in Ashkelon.
While it is not contested whether Eilat is part of the Modern state of Israel, there debate as to whether it is really within the borders of the land of Israel. Eilat definitely has biblical significance, it is mentioned in the bible and was conquered by King David. However, it was not inhabited by Jews during the second temple. For Jewish laws specific to Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel), the boarders during the second temple are the basis according most poskim (main authorities in Jewish law) as to where Israel starts and stops.
We went on a 3 day trip. The first day me hiked Mitzpe Ramon, an beautiful hike along a crater in the Negev. We then drove farther south and camped out under the stars. The following morning we got up before dawn to hike Har Shlomo. On a clear day on the peak of Har Shlomo, its possible to see 4 different countries: Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. How many places in the entire world can you see 4 countries at once? We got to the top just after sunrise and said our morning prayers there. Afterwards we drove down to Eilat and rested up at the youth hostel for a couple hours. In the evening we planned a fun activity for them and took them out bowling. The next morning we went out on a boat in the Red Sea and got to have some fun. The Eilat area is a great place to get away, and you dont have to be a beach lover to enjoy it.