Holy Exposures Commentary and Photos of Israel

When I think of Caesarea, and its 18 hole golf course near the beach, it usually comes with a longing for my golf clubs that I left in the USA 14 years ago.  It’s situated about 50KM north of Tel Aviv and is easily accessible from the main Coastal Highway.

Caesarea, is actually however, a top Israel tourist destination. The town is built on the ruins of a Herodian village from the times of the Roman era. The tourist section, which is much bigger than the inhabited portion, is filled with activities, Roman ruins, and the famous Roman Amphitheater.  Click here to learn more about the city’s impressive history.

The central tourist area has many artisan shops, including a “yekev” vineyard factory store.  The Israeli army brings cadets to Caeserea for training and for history lessons.  A soldier has to know what he’s fighting for.

Here are some photos of the beach, the Ampitheater,  Roman Ruins, and Aqueducts, which were quite an engineering feat.  (Remember the Monty Python skit about “what have the Romans done for us”?)…

Beit Guvrin (Bet Guvrin) is a national park in Israel, about 15km east of Kiryat Gat. This cave city was dug out in the 3rd-2nd centuries BCE (Hellenistic Period) and sits about 400m above sea level, with soft chalky rock. The inhabitants profited from raising pigeons. This cave shows pigeon nesting holes that were dug out in symetrical lines.

Recently Added Photos of Beit Guvrin Caves. Notice how these top openings are cylindrical. That’s impressive for 2,000+ years ago. The cave dwellers used these holes for sunlight. They covered them with leaves and straw in the winter months to protect from cold and rain.

Here’s the ruins of the famous Hurva Synagogue. The commemorative arch was built in 1978 to memorialize the former size and splendor of this once grand synagogue until it was destroyed in 1948 by the Arab Legion (Jordanian Army) in the Israeli War of Independence.

Here are two views of the Arch.

Technical Details: Nikon FE, Fuji Velvia, both shot with a Sigma 24mm.

Beit Jimel is a Franciscan order monastery on the foothills to the Judean Hills - near Bet Shemesh.

The church is said to own the land adjacent to the monastery which includes breathtaking views of the Judean Hills to the East, the city of Bet Shemesh to the North, and prime hiking trails to the South and West. The monastery also has grapevines, a winery, and olive tree orchards.

This photo was shot in the afternoon. I especially like the angle, the lighting, and the grace of the trees. They have a somewhat majestic swagger. The warmth of the Velvia film really works nicely here.

Technical Info: Nikon F100, Fuji Velvia, 24mm, 1/250, E-6 Home Processed, Minolta Dual-Scan.