Allenby Bridge
One of the bridges over the Jordan River, east of Jericho. Named after General Allenby.

Arad
A new town in the northeastern Negev, 37 km. east of Beer Sheva, on the road to the Dead Sea. Nearby at Tel Arad are the ruins of the Biblical town conquered by Joshua.

Ashdod
The second largest port in Israel, 30 km. south of Tel Aviv, established in 1957. In Old Testament times, this was one of the five important Philistine cities.

Ashkelon
A city 50 km. south of Tel Aviv on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. One of the important port cities of the Philistines.

Banias
One of the main sources of the Jordan River. A nature reserve at the base of Mount Herman, on the road to the Golan Heights. During the Hellenistic period, the city Panyas (named after the Greek god Pan) stood in this place. During the Roman period, King Herod's son Philippus built the city of Caesarea Philippi, mentioned in the New Testament.

Beer Sheva
The capital city of the Negev, the southern region of Israel. Beer Sheva means "the well of the oath", recalling the covenant made there between Abraham and Abimelech. Beer Sheva is the regional center of industry and commerce, administration and services, as well as the main junction serving the whole of the Negev.

Bet Guvrin
An archeological park (and an adjacent kibbutz) on the road from the coastal plain to Hebron and Jerusalem. Contains a fascinating complex of caves and ruins dating to the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods.Bet She'an
A town in the Bet She'an Valley, on the site of the ancient city of Bet She'an. Was a city of great commercial and military importance throughout almost all historical periods. During the Roman period, it was one of the Decapolis, a league of 10 Hellenistic cities. It is a national park with interesting ruins of a theater, bath-house, main streets and other remains dating to the Roman and Byzantine periods.

Bet She'arim
A Jewish town of the Mishna period, on the border between the Jezreel Valley and the Lower Galilee. The base of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court, around 200 CE, and the home of the great sage and community leader, Rabbi Judah Hanassi. Following his burial in Bet She'arim, the city became a central burial place for Jews from Israel and the Diaspora. Excavations have revealed many catacombs as well as the remains of many buildings, workshops, dwellings and a large synagogue.

Bet Shemesh
A town west of Jerusalem, named after the ancient city of Bet Shemesh, located on one of the important roads from the plains to Jerusalem. Remnants and relics from the Canaanite and Israelite periods were discovered in the nearby tel, as well as remains of a Byzantine monastery and ancient catacombs.

Bethany
A village east of Jerusalem, on the road to Jericho, called in Arabic El Azarieh. A beautiful church is built upon the traditional site of the house of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. This is where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

Bethlehem
A Biblical town in the tribal area of Judah. In Hebrew the name means "house of bread". Today it is a Palestinian city, 7 km. south of Jerusalem. This is where the story of Ruth took place and where King David, her great-grandson, was born. Here is located one of the most important Christian sites, the Church of the Nativity, believed to be built over the cave in which Jesus was born. At the northern edge of town is Rachel's Tomb, an important Jewish site.

Caesarea
45 km. north of Tel Aviv. Built by King Herod the Great in the Roman period and named after Caesar Augustus, the huge city served as the provincial capital and main port. A restored Roman theater, hippodrome, aqueduct and remains of the port, as well as extensive Crusader remains, can be seen.

Capernaum
The site of an ancient Jewish town on the north-western shore of the Sea of Galilee. According to Jewish tradition named after the prophet Nahum. This was the center of Jesus' Galilean ministry, where he called several of his disciples, and performed miracles. The excavations revealed the remains of a Jewish synagogue from the 3rd century, as well as the village houses built of basalt stone. A modern Roman Catholic church, built by the Franciscan Order, stands over the site of St. Pater's house.

Dead Sea
The saltiest body of water in the world at the lowest spot on earth (400m below sea level). Its main sources are the Jordan River, the Zarka and Arnon Streams, and dry canyons which carry winter flood-waters. The Dead Sea water is rich in minerals, and Israel has built several industrial extraction plants in the south. The health-giving minerals have become the basis of popular lines of skin-care products. Along its western shores are several hot mineral springs.

Eilat
A port on the Gulf of Aqaba, established in 1951. Was an important port at times in the Biblical (Old Testament) period, controlling the route to King Solomon's copper mines, the Dead Sea and Jerusalem. Today, a major resort town with excellent hotels.

Ein Gedi
A Kibbutz on the western shore of the Dead Sea, with the Biblical name of the oasis where David found refuge from King Saul. Located about 17 km. north of Massada. Two beautiful nature reserves offer waterfalls and hiking trails. A mosaic synagogue floor from the Byzantine period is well preserved here.

Ein Karem
A quiet little village, today a suburb on the west side of Jerusalem. It is associated with the birth-place of John the Baptist and the "Visitation" of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. Two beautiful churches commemorate these events.

Elijah's Cave
A cave at the foot of Mount Carmel, in the city of Haifa. Tradition has it that the Prophet Elijah spent the night in this cave on his way to the confrontation he had with the false prophets of Baal. According to Christian tradition, Jesus' parents took shelter here upon their return from Egypt. It is primarily a Jewish holy site.

Emmaus
The ruins of a settlement dating from the Roman, Byzantine and Crusader periods. Identified with the appearance of Jesus after his resurrection. Located near Latrun, east of Ben Gurion Airport.
The name for the northern region of Israel. Here we find the main water sources of the country, as well as the most fertile and cultivated land. The Upper Galilee, in the far north-east, includes the highest mountains in the country. The Lower Galilee, to the south of it, includes the Sea of Galilee region. In the 19th century, the renewal of Jewish settlement began in Galilee. The first settlers had to drain the swamps in order to be able to cultivate the land and destroy the habitat of malaria mosquitoes. This is the region where Jesus began his ministry.
Garden Tomb
A beautiful quiet garden outside the Damascus Gate containing an ancient tomb carved in the rock. Identified as a possible site of Calvary and the tomb of Jesus, it is especially popular among Evangelical pilgrims.

Gaza
A Palestinian Arab city in the southern coastal plain, in the north part of the Gaza Strip. The site of an ancient city, which was an important station on the Way of the Sea from Egypt to Syria and Mesopotamia, and a seaport on the Mediterranean. One of the main Philistine cities, where Samson met his death.

Golan Heights
A mountainous plateau in the north-east of the country. Until the Six-Day War of 1967, it was a Syrian military zone dominating the Hula Valley and the Sea of Galilee. To the north are Mt. Hermon and the sources of the Jordan River.

Haifa
A major port and industrial center in the northern part of Israel, situated on Haifa Bay. The old part of the city occupies the coastal plain at the foot of Mt. Carmel, but since the 1920s the city has spread up the northern and western slopes of the mountain itself. The city has two universities and several museums with prehistoric, archeological, art and naval exhibits. The city is also an important religious center: Jews do pilgrimage to Elijah's Cave, Christians worship at the Stella Maris Carmelite monastery, and for the Bahai Haifa (including the gold-domed Shrine of the Bab and magnificent manicured gardens) is their world center.
Hamat Gader
An ancient Roman spa, above the Yarmuk River, at the southern foot of the Golan Heights, renowned for the health benefits of its hot springs. Pools, restaurants, a crocodile farm and other attractions make it a popular excursion spot today.

Hebron
A city in the Judean Hills, 36km. south of Jerusalem. Known also in the Bible as Kiryat Arba, Hebron is one of the most ancient cities in the Land of Israel. It is also one of the "patriarchal" cities, and one of the four Jewish holy cities since Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their wives were buried there. Their tombs, in the Cave of Machpelah, are now a primary site of pilgrimage.

Herodion
A man-made mountain built by King Herod in the Judean Desert, about 6 km. south-east of Bethlehem. Ruins of Herod's palace can be seen, as well as the bath-house and walls.

Holy Land Model
A large scale model of Jerusalem, showing the city in its most glorious days, in the Second Temple Period.

Jaffa
A city on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, south of Tel Aviv, today part of that city. It dates back to Canaanite times. Jaffa served as an ancient Israelite port during the reign of King Solomon. It was the port from which cedars of Lebanon for the construction of the Temple were brought to Jerusalem. The old city of Jaffa has been restored and many artists have made their homes there, establishing an attractive and famous artists' colony. St. Peter's Church is open to visitors. Jaffa is also famous for its flea market and excellent restaurants.

Jericho
The excavation of the tel or archeological mound within today's small Palestinian Arab city has unearthed remains of the oldest walled town in the world. The abundant Elisha's Spring is what has always made Jericho an important oasis in the barren Judean Desert. It was the first city conquered by Joshua, when "the walls came tumbling down". Excavations revealed relics from the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Early and Middle Bronze Periods. South of the city are the remains of King Herod's winter palace. A well-preserved mosaic floor of a 6th-century synagogue was uncovered within the city. One mile to the north is the impressive ruin of the palace of Hisham.

Jerusalem
The capital of the State of Israel, and the ancient capital of the Biblical Jewish kingdom. It is holy for Jews, Christians and Muslims. Jerusalem lies in the Judean Hills. It contains the Old City, surrounded by high-fortified walls and ramparts, and the New City, modern Jerusalem. It was built over 4,000 years ago, and has been occupied by Canaanites, Jebusites, Israelites, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Mamluks, Turks and British. The Old City has four quarters: the Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian. It contains the Temple Mount, site of the ancient Jewish temples, and today the location of two important Muslim shrines, the Dome of the Rock and the El Aqsa Mosque. On the western side of the Temple Mount is the Western or Wailing Wall, the holiest of Jewish sites, dating from the Second Temple. In the Jewish Quarter one can stroll along the Cardo, the restored main street of Byzantine Jerusalem, and visit ancient synagogues. The Christian Quarter contains several famous churches and monasteries, especially the Holy Sepulcher and those along the Via Dolorosa. The Muslim Quarter is the commercial center of the Old City with its colorful marketplace. Mount Zion is the site of David's Tomb and the Room of the Last Supper. Outside the walls one can find the excavations of David's City, the Mount of Olives and many beautiful churches and monasteries. The New City is the site of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, and excellent museums: Yad Vashem, the museum dedicated to the Holocaust; and the world-famous Israel Museum.

Jezreel Valley
A large and fertile valley in the north of the country, between the mountains of the Galilee and Mount Samaria. Strategically located, it controlled the main ancient highways crossing Israel from south to north and west to east. Identified with the New Testament Valley of Armageddon (Valley of Mt. Megiddo in Hebrew), where an end-of-time battle will take place.

Jordan Valley
A long and narrow valley along the Jordan River, part of the Syrian-African Rift.

Mamre
Located 2 km. north of Hebron. It is the Biblical Elonei Mamre, the dwelling place of the Patriarch Abraham.

Me'a Shearim
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish ghetto-like neighborhood in Jerusalem. Most inhabitants belong to charismatic "Hassidic" groups, following a particular rabbi.

Migdal
An agricultural village in the Ginossar Valley, on the west side of the Sea of Galilee, north of Tiberias. Nearby is the site of the ancient Jewish town of Magdala, birthplace of Mary Magdalene, who became one of Jesus' most devoted followers.

Mount of Beatitudes
A Christian holy site, on a hill-top overlooking the Sea of Galilee. A modern Catholic church commemorates the site where Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount.

Mount Carmel
A mountain range between the Valley Jezreel in the northeast and the coastal plain in the west. This is where the confrontation between Elijah and the false prophets of Baal took place. The city of Haifa is at the north-western end of the range, and two large Druze villages are located on the mountain further south.Mount Gerizim
A high mountain south of Nablus (880m above sea level). In the Hebrew Bible it is called - Har Haberacha, the Mount of Blessing. According to Samaritan tradition, this is the holy Mount Moriah.

Mount Hermon
The highest mountain range within the boundaries of the Land of Israel, on the border between Israel, Lebanon and Syria.

Mount Moriah
The most important site in Jerusalem. Holy to the three monotheistic religions. Believed to be the place where Abraham took his son Isaac to be sacrificed. It is also called the Temple Mount, where the First and Second Temples stood. Today two important Muslim shrines stand here, the Dome of the Rock and the Mosque of El-Aqsa.

Mount Nebo
The mountain across the Dead Sea in Jordan from which Moses viewed the Promised Land before his death. A beautiful ancient mosaic floor of a Byzantine church marks the place.

Mount of Olives
The mountain to the east of the Old City of Jerusalem, holy for Jews and Christians. On its slopes is the large and most ancient Jewish cemetery, and many churches recalling New Testament events associated with Jesus. A superb view from the summit.

Mountains of Samaria
A large range in central Israel, stretching from the Jezreel Valley in the north, the Sharon in the west, the Mountains of Judah in the south and the Jordan Valley in the east.

Mount Tabor
A mountain in the Lower Galilee, on the edge of the Jezreel Valley. This is the traditional New Testament Mt. of Transfiguration, and the place where the army of the Old Testament judge Deborah defeated the Canaanites. Two churches, one Roman Catholic and one Greek Orthodox, occupy the summit.

Mount of Temptation
A mountain high above Jericho believed to be the one upon which Jesus was tempted. On its slope is the Greek Orthodox monastery of Qarantal, reachable by a new cable-car.

Mount Zion
South of the walls of Jerusalem. The Room of the Last Supper (Cenacle) and the Tomb of King David
are located here.

Nablus (Ancient Shechem)
A Palestinian Arab city in Samaria, situated between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. The city has been populated continuously from the Canaanite Period up to the present day. An old church is built on the site of a well, believed to be where Jesus met the Samaritan women.

Nain
A small Arab village in the Jezreel Valley. Here according to the Christian tradition, Jesus raised the son of the poor widow from the dead.

Nazareth
Arab city in the Lower Galilee, holy to Christians. Here Jesus grew to manhood. Archeological findings indicate that Nazareth was populated already in the Early Canaanite Period. It is first mentioned as a Jewish village in the New Testament, and continued to be so after the destruction of the Second Temple. Most important of the Christian churches in the town are the Roman Catholic Church of the Annunciation and the adjacent Church of St. Joseph, and the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Gabriel.

Nebi Samwil
A holy site, believed to be the tomb of the Prophet Samuel, located north of Jerusalem.Negev
The southern-most and largest region of Israel. The Negev Desert has often had strategic importance throughout history, located as it is between Asia and Africa, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, and (in modern times) bordering on Egypt and Jordan. Archeological findings indicate that the Negev was an inhabited region throughout several historical periods. Many ruins of ancient cities are found here, with those of the Nabateans being the most impressive.

Qumran
The remains of a settlement dating from the Second Temple period, on the north-western shore of the Dead Sea. It was the residence of the Jewish religious sect of the Esssenes, who wrote the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, which were discovered in 1947 in some caves in the area.

Rachel's Tomb
The tomb of the matriarch Rachel, a Jewish holy site, revered as well by Muslims. Located at the entrance to Bethlehem.

Red Sea
A long narrow sea which separates the African continent from the Asian continent. Called Yam Suf in the Hebrew Bible. Near its northern tip, it splits into two gulfs, the Gulf of Eilat or Aqaba in the east, and the Gulf of Suez (joined to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal) in the west. The Sinai Peninsula separates the gulfs. The Israeli port of Eilat and the Jordanian port of Aqaba serve trade routes to Africa, the Far East and Australia.

Rosh Hanikra
A chalk cliff on the Mediterranean coast of the Upper Galilee, at the Israel-Lebanon border. Marvelous grottoes (accessible by cable-car) have been carved out of the cliff by eons of wave action. This is the so-called Ladder of Tyre, which carried one of the most important roads of ancient times, between Akko in the Land of Israel and the Phoenician city of Tyre.

Samaria (Shomron)
Capital city of the Old Testament Kingdom of Israel. Impressive Herodian ruins of Sebastia, an important city in Roman times.

Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret)
A sweet-water lake in the eastern Lower Galilee. On its shores are three fertile valleys: the Ginossar Valley,
the Bethsaida Valley, and the Jordan Valley. During the Second Temple times, it was surrounded by many Jewish settlements: Tiberias, Magdala, Sussita, Capernaum. This is an important area for Christians, since many events and miracles connected with the life and ministry of Jesus took place around the lake.

Sharon
A region on the central western coast of Israel.

Shivta
The well-preserved ruins of an ancient city in the Negev, west of Sde Boker. Originated as a Nabatean way-station, apparently established in the first century BC.

Shrine of the Book
A separate part of the Israel Museum, housing some of the Dead Sea Scrolls.Solomon's Pools
A complex of 3 large pools, south of Bethlehem. The pools served to gather rainwater and the water of nearby springs. From here the water was brought to Jerusalem in aqueducts or pipes by force of gravity. The two lower pools were apparently built by King Herod in the 1st century BC, the upper one about two centuries later, thus greatly enhancing Jerusalem's water supply.

Tabgha
An important Christian holy site, located on the north-western shores of the Sea of Galilee. The church erected at the place commemorates the miracle of the Multiplication of the Fishes and Loaves. It is built on the remains of two Byzantine churches, and contains a beautiful mosaic floor from that period.

Tel Aviv
Located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Tel Aviv is Israel's commercial center, and the hub of the country's largest metropolitan area (over 2 million inhabitants). It is chic and fast-paced, offering fine restaurants and stores, galleries and theaters.

"Tel"
A tel is a flat-topped mound that has within it the layers or "strata" of ancient cities, built one upon the other. Most date back to the Old Testament period. Among the many excavated tels in Israel are the famous Megiddo, Hatzor, Beer Sheva and Tel Dan.

Tel Dan
An archeological mound with remains of the city of Dan. Located in the far north of Israel. Very interesting ruins were found, including city gates and a cultic "high place", indicating that the city was an important religious center in antiquity.

Tel Hai
A tiny stockaded Jewish settlement, overrun by Arabs in 1920. Today it is preserved as a museum and memorial to those early pioneers.

Tel Hatzor
The largest ancient tel or archeological mound in Israel, covering over 200 acres, Hatzor straddled the great ancient highway from Egypt to Syria and Mesopotamia. Joshua burned it, King Solomon rebuilt it as a regional capital, and Ahab installed the remarkable water system still seen today.

Tel Maresha
A strategic Old Testament city in the south-west of the country, Maresha is mentioned in Egyptian sources. The endless networks of man-made caves date from the Hellenistic period (3rd-2nd centuries BC). Alongside the slightly later site of Bet Guvrin.

Tiberias
Built in the 1st century AD on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and named for Tiberius Caesar, the city became the seat of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court, around 400 AD. The codification of the important "Jerusalem Talmud" in the town ensured its place as one of the four Jewish holy cities in the land. Famous rabbis like Akiva (2nd century AD) and Maimonides (13th century) are buried here. Today it is a famous resort town and a base for many tourists and pilgrims visiting the Galilee.

Timna
North of Eilat. It is the area where already 4,000 years ago, copper was exploited from the copper mines in the area. It is believed that these were King Solomon's copper mines. Via Dolorosa
It means "the Way of Suffering", but is better known in English as "the Way of the Cross", Jesus' last walk to Calvary carrying his cross. Fourteen "stations", five of them within the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, mark the incidents believed to have occurred along the route.

Western (Wailing) Wall
This was the western "retaining wall" of the vast Temple Mount, built over 2,000 years ago. With the destruction of the Temple by the Romans, Jews feared entering the ruined sacred precincts lest they unwittingly trespass on forbidden areas. The Western Wall became a "proxy" holy place, and is today the most revered in Jewish religious tradition.

Yad Vashem
The extensive museum and memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Nazi Holocaust in the Second World War. Located in West Jerusalem.