Tel Dan

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Tel Dan

Tel Dan

Tel Dan
by Shalom Pollack

Want to see a sensational archaeological find in the middle of one of the most beautiful places in Israel? Make the trip up to Israel's north east corner where the Jordan river spills into the always lush Hula Valley a the foot of majestic (sometimes snow capped) Mount Hermon.

Tel Dan is one of my favorite places to take visitors and to marvel at by myself. Why do I love this place? Some places offer archeology, some nature, others history. and Bible. Tel Dan gets embraces them all

Known as Laish to its original Canaanite inhabitants , it was conquered by the tribe of Dan (Judges: 18). when they sought a safer place to live in the wake of recurring Philistine attacks in their original tribal portion near Bet Shemesh. The place was perfect. As beautiful and bountiful as it is today.

When Lot, Abraham's nephew was captured by the four kings of the north, Abraham led an expedition to free him. (Genesis 14:14) What is so exciting is that the city gates of Dan form Abraham's time have been uncovered! Imagine you can sit in the very gate that Abraham sat! This is more than just where the bible comes alive!

Thats not all. Inscriptions with the words, R20;House of David , king of Israel..R21; Can it get much better?

Apparently this was part of a boast made by Hazael, King of Aram that he defeated the Jewish forces that stemmed from the house of David...

When Yirovam ben Navat broke away from the kingdom of Rechavam son of Solomon, he took ten of the twelve tribes with him in succeeding from the united kingdom. To distract the people from the lawful king and from the symbol of unity, the Temple in Jerusalem, he established pagan worship in the form of golden calves. (Kings I:14| 28) and set them up a the borders of his kingdom One in Bet El on the southern border with Judah and on the way to Jerusalem, and the other at the northern border, Dan.

Are you ready for this? They have found the alter of Yiravam ben Navat! Right out of the book of Kings.

It seems that unlike most parts of the Land of Israel, Tel Dan did not lose any of its original beauty and vitality during the long exile of the Jewish People and absence from their land. It did not become a waste land under the thumb of brutal conquests and neglect as most of Israel had . The waters of the Hermon mountain have not ceased rushing through her streams from time immemorial and maintained her youthful beauty.

In 1939 the British occupying administration issued the infamous R20;White PaperR21;. This severely curtailed Jewish immigration to Israel just when they had to flee Hitlers grasp and put a R20;settlement freeze|R21; on the Jews ( not the Arabs). Young idealistic pioneers, resisting these draconian anti Jewish decrees established new Jewish villages through out the land. They did no accept that Jews were forbidden their land. Period.

In 1939 Tel Dan was established as an illegal settlement.

During the 1948 War when the Arabs attacked from the Golan Heights, the kibbutz evacuated women and children and stood fast against the Syrians that came at them from above the heights.

For nineteen years they lived under the shadow of the Syrian guns that would spit death and destruction at will.

In 1967 all that changed With the Syrians swept off the Heights, Kibbutz Dan could breath easy for once and enjoy the exquisite beauty of their hom

When visiting the nature reserve today, one can enjoy the calming effects of the sounds of rushing waters, the chirping of exotic birds and the sight and smells of a collage of ferns,plants and trees.

At the crossroads of three continents and sitting on the Great Syrian - African rift, Tel Dan hosts a wide variety of species with in its one hundred and twenty acres.

Need I say more?

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