Israel – random
#5 of 5 – for more context, see the main post
Here are some random interesting things I learned about Israel:
Going tribal
According to the Hebrew bible there were twelve tribes of Israel, descended from the 12 sons of Jacob; of the 12, ten were lost tribes – unaccounted for after 722 BCE; the lost tribes are claimed or purported to be descendants of several groups worldwide; Mormon (Latter-day Saints) teachings hold that Native Americans and Polynesians came from lost tribes.
I’m gonna be Iron like a Lion in Zion
– Bob Marley “Iron Lion Zion”
In his song “Iron Lion Zion“, Bob Marley refers to the Lion of Judah (symbol of the tribe of Judah). Zion in this context doesn’t refer to Israel, but to Ethiopia, the homeland for Rastafarians.
Empire vs. empire
The Mamluks, Muslim former-slave soldiers from Egypt, ended westward expansion of the Mongol Empire in the region, defeating their reduced troops (many of them had left the region to attend the funeral of Möngke Khan) in 1260.
In the city of Akko, on the Mediterranean coast, the crusaders (European Christian armies) had a fortified city including subterranean buildings and tunnels which connected directly to the sea for safer, more private transportation.
More serious history
The Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem’s old city is thought to be a good place to be buried, as the resurrection of the dead will begin there. The necropolis there contains the remains of around 150,000 people.
Following battles with Romans (after the destruction of the second temple in 70 CE), some 960 Jewish rebels escaped to a fortified city at Masada and committed mass suicide rather than be captured or killed by the Romans. That is some heavy makes-you-think history.
Tech valley too
As I’ve alluded to a few times, Israel (nicknamed the startup nation) has long been a center of innovation and technological development. While there I saw offices for Google, Microsoft, Wix and others throughout the “Silicon Wadi” (‘wadi’ is Arabic for valley or dry river bed).
Being direct – the Israeli way
The end
Mount Megiddo or in Hebrew Har Megiddo (“Armageddon“), is the location where Saint John proclaimed would host the last great battle on earth (Revelation 16:16) and is located near Nazareth in Israel. I wonder if anyone has watched the movie, acted like a crying Ben Affleck or blasted Aerosmith from Mt. Megiddo? … I really hope so.