Israel - Necropolis of Bet She’arim: A Landmark of Jewish Renewal

"Consisting of a series of catacombs, the necropolis developed from the 2nd century BCE as the primary Jewish burial place outside Jerusalem following the failure of the second Jewish revolt against Roman rule. Located southeast of the city of Haifa, these catacombs are a treasury of artworks and inscriptions in Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew. Beth She’arim bears unique testimony to ancient Judaism under the leadership of Rabbi Judah the Patriarch, who is credited with Jewish renewal after 135 CE."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage


Beth Shearim - entrance door to the Cave of the Coffines. Thanks to Marcel of Germany who arranged this postcard to be mailed from Israel.

Israel - Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel: The Nahal Me’arot / Wadi el-Mughara Caves

"On the western slope of the Mount Carmel range, includes the cave sites of Tabun, Jamal, el-Wad and Skhul. It covers 54 hectares and contains cultural deposits representing 500,000 years of human evolution with evidence of burials, early stone architecture and the transition from a hunter-gathering lifestyle to agriculture and animal husbandry. The site demonstrates the unique existence of both Neanderthals and Early Anatomically Modern Humans (EAMH) within the same Middle Paleolithic cultural framework, the Mousterian. As such, it has become a key site of the chrono-stratigraphic framework for human evolution in general, and the prehistory of the Levant in particular. Ninety years of archaeological research have revealed a cultural sequence of unparalleled duration, providing an archive of early human life in south-west Asia." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage 

Nahal Me'Arot of Mount Carmel. Thanks to Guy of Canada who sent it from Israel.

Israel - Biblical Tels - Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba

"Tels (prehistoric settlement mounds), are characteristic of the flatter lands of the eastern Mediterranean, particularly Lebanon, Syria, Israel and eastern Turkey. Of more than 200 tels in Israel, Megiddo, Hazor and Beer Sheba are representative of those that contain substantial remains of cities with biblical connections. The three tels also present some of the best examples in the Levant of elaborate Iron Age, underground water-collecting systems, created to serve dense urban communities. Their traces of construction over the millennia reflect the existence of centralized authority, prosperous agricultural activity and the control of important trade routes." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage



Tel Megiddo. Thanks to Tanya of Israel.

Israel - Incense Route - Desert Cities in the Negev

"The four Nabatean towns of Haluza, Mamshit, Avdat and Shivta, along with associated fortresses and agricultural landscapes in the Negev Desert, are spread along routes linking them to the Mediterranean end of the incense and spice route. Together they reflect the hugely profitable trade in frankincense and myrrh from south Arabia to the Mediterranean, which flourished from the 3rd century BC until the 2nd century AD. With the vestiges of their sophisticated irrigation systems, urban constructions, forts and caravanserai, they bear witness to the way in which the harsh desert was settled for trade and agriculture." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

The Northern Church of Avdat, Israel. Thanks to Liza of Israel who lives about 3 hours away from Avdat.

Israel - White City of Tel-Aviv -- the Modern Movement

"Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 and developed as a metropolitan city under the British Mandate in Palestine. The White City was constructed from the early 1930s until the 1950s, based on the urban plan by Sir Patrick Geddes, reflecting modern organic planning principles. The buildings were designed by architects who were trained in Europe where they practised their profession before immigrating. They created an outstanding architectural ensemble of the Modern Movement in a new cultural context." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Aerial view of Kikar Hamedina of Tel Aviv. Nice stamp showing honey collection. Thanks to Debora of Israel.

Israel - Old City of Acre

"Acre is a historic walled port-city with continuous settlement from the Phoenician period. The present city is characteristic of a fortified town dating from the Ottoman 18th and 19th centuries, with typical urban components such as the citadel, mosques, khans and baths. The remains of the Crusader town, dating from 1104 to 1291, lie almost intact, both above and below today's street level, providing an exceptional picture of the layout and structures of the capital of the medieval Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

View of Acre - El Jazar Mosque, Khal El Umdan with clock tower, Steps in old Acre, St.John's Crypt, Part of Ancient Wall. Nice surfing stamps. Thanks to Alice of Israel.

Israel - Bahá’i Holy Places in Haifa and the Western Galilee

"The Bahá’i Holy Places in Haifa and Western Galilee are inscribed for their profound spiritual meaning and the testimony they bear to the strong tradition of pilgrimage in the Bahá’i faith. The property includes the two most holy places in the Bahá’í religion associated with the founders, the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh in Acre and the Shrine of the Báb in Haifa, together with their surrounding gardens, associated buildings and monuments. These two shrines are part of a larger complex of buildings, monuments and sites at seven distinct locations in Haifa and Western Galilee that are visited as part of the Bahá’i pilgrimage." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Nice aerial view of Bahai Shrine and its garden in Haifa, Israel. Many stamps used. Thanks to Alice of Israel.

Israel - Masada

"Masada is a rugged natural fortress, of majestic beauty, in the Judaean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. It is a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel, its violent destruction and the last stand of Jewish patriots in the face of the Roman army, in 73 A.D. It was built as a palace complex, in the classic style of the early Roman Empire, by Herod the Great, King of Judaea, (reigned 37 – 4 B.C.). The camps, fortifications and attack ramp that encircle the monument constitute the most complete Roman siege works surviving to the present day." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Received this postcard of Masada sent from Israel. Thanks to "Hotsauce".