Dispatch from Jerusalem

Prepare!–kun

{image_1}Sometimes, a single word can be found to describe a current reality or even an entire period in history. Such is the case today in Israel where one word seems to be on the lips of everyone: prepare. As storm clouds gather on the horizon, much attention is being given to the concept of preparation, on virtually every level of society.

Reacting to Chemicals: The Other Weapons of Mass Destruction

{image_1}They have already been the impetus for a war in the Middle East. They have been sought by ruthless regimes. And, they have caused serious and real concern across the world. But they aren’t nuclear in nature. No, these are other weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), and they have already been unleashed on the Middle East region.

Burial Stone Uncovered

{image_1}A basalt burial stone with an embossed image of a man was unearthed during this summer’s 13th season of digging at Susita-Hippos, which overlooks the east side of the Sea of Galilee.

The Pros and Cons of Striking Iran

{image_1}An American strike on Iran could delay the Islamic Republic's nuclear program by four years; an Israeli strike could delay it by two, whereas a military operation could lead to an all-out war in the Middle East, unite citizens in Iran, and widen gaps between the Western and Islamic worlds, a recent report published by the “Iran Project” revealed.

Schools Drilling Distance-learning Paths

{image_1}Preparing for Iranian reaction to a possible nuclear attack? The Education Ministry directed primary schools across Israel to practice online distance-learning in order to prepare for a drastic happening such as war or an earthquake.

Face-lift for Lions Gate

{image_1}A large part of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s job is the work of conservation. Over the past five years, they have been working meticulously to conserve and rehabilitate the gates and walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, one of the most important monuments in Jerusalem. The latest is the impressive Lions Gate in the eastern wall, which was badly in need of repair.

The Iron Dome—For Sale

{image_1}A year and five months after the Iron Dome intercepted its first rocket, President Shimon Peres awarded the inventors of the aerial defense system the Israel Defense Prize for 2012. The prestigious prize was granted to eight engineers who work for the Defense Ministry's Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and the Air Force.

Seal May Commemorate Samson

{image_1}“And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart…” (Judges 14:6a).

Tel Aviv University researchers, led by Professor Shlomo Bunimovitz and Dr. Zvi Lederman, recently uncovered a seal, measuring 15mm (about a half-inch) in diameter, which depicts a human figure next to a lion. The seal was discovered at the archaeological site of Beit Shemesh, located between the biblical cities of Zorah and Eshtaol, where Samson was born, flourished, and was finally buried—this according to the book of Judges [chapters 13–16].

Giving Thanks

{image_1}“Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!” (1 Chron. 16:8–10).

Huge Temple Mount Cistern Found

{image_1}These days, if a week goes by and we haven’t heard an announcement of some interesting archaeological find somewhere in Israel, it feels like a rather lack luster archaeological week. Such is the frequency of finds all over the country that each subsequent discovery seems to outshine the previous ones.