Some facts

Hi all,
This post is just a list of some of the facts that I've put down in notes.  Trying to decipher my notes is a bit of a struggle.  I'm usually taking notes while walking or while riding in a moving bus.  Here's some of the stuff I've deciphered.

• Netanya is known for the diamond industry
• Olive trees, which are so prevalent in Israel don’t really ever die. They grow new shoots from the dead trunk and start over. It’s pretty cool.
• The yalmaka (hope I’m spelling this right) which is the little circlular “hat” worn by orthodox Jews, is different for each sect of Jew.
 • Many orthodox women wear wigs because they are supposed to wear a head covering and the head wig is a head covering. Many even keep their heads shaved.
 • Tiberies is 240 feet below sea level.
 • Mt Hitim which is known as the Hitim Horns, was the location of the final battle of the crusades.
 • Mt Arbel, at the end of the Sea of Galilee was the stronghold of the Jews against the Romans in the year 66.

Looking at the Sea of Galilee is interesting, I would guestimate it to be a little smaller than Lake Chelan in Washington. It supplies most of the fresh water for all of Israel so they keep an eye on the level of the Sea. Although the Northern part of Israel has much water, the southern part is pretty much desert.

Some information about the pioneers that resettled Israel after buying the land from the Arabs:
After the Jews were scattered and the area was taken over by the Arabs. The land turned into swamps so the Jews were able to get the land really cheap. They came in to settle the land and many of the Jews died from malaria because of the swamps. They planted eucalyptus trees to drain the swamps because the eucalyptus trees drink lots of water. Many of the Jews also set up and lived in a kibbutz (keeboots) which is a town or city that is similar to a commune. The kibbutz owns everything. This system was set up by many of the pioneers because they came from Baltic countries where the communistic system was in place. Although it worked for many, eventually the some realized that the system didn't work very well because there were those who worked harder and those who didn't. Although there are many kibbutz in Israel still, they are privatizing the kibbutz so each of the citizens get a share in the kibbutz and the commune system will be dealt away with. If you aren't born in a kibbutz, you have to have approval to live in one. You can’t just automatically move into one.

Well folks.  I'll post some good stuff about Nazareth tomorrow.  Gotta give up the computer so Sue can get her post done.
Hugs