My Home in the Desert

The Negev is a 4700 square mile desert in the southern part of Israel.

Despite covering over 60% of the country, the Negev is home to only 8% of the population.

In the middle of this desolate landscape lies the small town of Mitzpe Ramon.

Mitzpe (population around 4300) is 25 miles from its nearest neighbor which makes this the most remote community in the country. After nearly two years of nomadic life, I needed a friendly place to settle for a few months so I could recharge my travel batteries.

Mitzpe turned out to be the perfect place to do this!

Despite the lack of other towns nearby, I have a number of friendly neighbors. . .

Nubian ibex can be found on nearly every cliff

They also wander into town from time to time

Seeing the Negev gazelle reminded me of Africa

The Peri – a desert horse – beautiful when they run!

Of course, every home has some less friendly neighbors. . .

A poisonous viper!

But it was the desert itself that captured my heart. So quiet, so vast, and so beautiful!

Sunrise in the Negev!

I have to give my heartfelt thanks to the town of Mitzpe Ramon, and specifically to Lee and Yoash at the Green Backpackers Hostel. 

Thank you for giving me a home in Israel!

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Sights of the Sinai

The Sinai Peninsula. . .next to Israel on the Red Sea. The Sinai is a 23,000 square mile desert surrounded on two sides by the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aqaba and Gulf of Suez) and on the third side by the Mediterranean Sea. It’s the place where Africa and Asia meet -- a beautiful area full of sand-colored mountains, dry desert plains, and Bedouin Arabs.

I didn’t spend a lot of time in the Sinai but I quickly realized that I was in a different country!

I learned to read “Pepsi” in Arabic!

What looks like a perfect palm tree is actually a cell tower!

There aer 500,000 people in the Sinai, and at least as many camels!

For years, the Sinai has been disputed territory. It was part of Egypt until 1967 when Israel took control of the peninsula. After much fighting, the Sinai returned to Egyptian control in 1982 under the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty.

Fortunately, today the Sinai is a peaceful area and a great place to vacation. Bordered on all sides by seas, the sea is as much a part of the Sinai as the sand -- even the camels enjoy it!

There aren't many places where a sign like this is necessary on a beach:

I was lucky enough to spend a week in the beautiful, seaside city of Dahab, Egypt. But the vast majority of my time was spent underwater!

What a beautiful part of the world. . .many thanks to Egypt for such a warm welcome! I will return!

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Splendor in Israel

Before coming to Israel, I knew that both the Jewish faith and the Christian faith were based here. I also knew that Jerusalem was the third holiest city in the Islamic faith. What I didn’t realize was that the holiest sites of yet another major religion are also in Israel. . .the Bahai faith.

The youngest of the major monotheistic religions, the Bahai faith, was established in Persia (modern-day Iran) in 1844. In that year, Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad, a Persian citizen, declared himself to be the “Bab” (the “gate”), delivering a message from God. The Bab traveled throughout Iran teaching religious history. He claimed that God has sent messengers in the past (Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, etc.) each of whom established a religion that suited the needs of humanity in that time period. The Bab prophesized that another such messenger would come shortly to deliver a new message. Muslim clerics did not support these teachings and the Bab and his followers were persecuted and imprisoned. In 1850, the Bab was executed. The Bab’s body was eventually moved from Iran to its present day resting place in Haifa, Israel.

Mírzá Husayn `Alí Núrí was an early follower of the Bab who was imprisoned in Tehran in 1852. While in prison, he received a vision telling him that he was the fulfillment of the Bab’s prophecies. At this point, he took the title of Bahá'u'lláh (“Glory of God”). Bahaullah was eventually released from prison but was expelled from Persia and put under the watch of the Ottoman Empire. In 1868, Bahaullah was banished to the Ottoman penal colony of Acco, in present-day northern Israel. It was here that he lived his final 24 years, continuing his teachings and writings. Bahaullah was buried in Acco, Israel on the property of the home where he spent his final years. Today, followers of the Bahai faith face Acco in prayer each day.

The word “Bahai” comes from “Baha,” the Arabic word for “glory” or “splendor.” This refers to the message brought to mankind by Bahaullah. The basic tenant of the Bahai faith is the oneness of the human race -- the belief that all people are the same and should unify in one global society. They preach the unity of all religions and harmony between religion and science. They condemn all forms of prejudice (based on sex, religion, race, class, or national origin). The Bahai support worldwide compulsory education, as well as the creation of a universal auxiliary language – a language that all people in the world learn (in addition to their mother tongue) to aid in unity among all peoples. Overall, the Bahai believe that the supreme goal for mankind is the establishment of a permanent and universal peace.

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