Page 18 - Holyland Magazine - 2018 Edition

Ein Avdat. Photo courtesy of Ministry of Tourism
about Israeli and kibbutz culture during the
early decades of Israel's existence. Other
interactive exhibitions were constructed
around the hut, which demonstrate Ben-
Gurion's vision of inhabiting the desert and
tell the moving story of the establishment
of Sde Boker, a kibbutz that contributed
significantly to future settlements in the
Negev region. Ben-Gurion's last will and
testament continues as follows, "I ask to
be brought for interment in the burial plot at
Midreshet Sde Boker, alongside the grave
of Paula, of blessed memory. I ask that no
eulogies be delivered at the funeral or at my
grave, nor that any gun salute be sounded."
Due to his unique request, Ben-Gurion
was not buried with Israel's great leaders
on Mount Herzl. Instead, he was laid to
rest alongside his wife amid the desert
landscape, overlooking the biblical Zin
River. Ben-Gurion's burial site offers
a breathtaking view of the Israeli desert,
which sprawls over more than 60% of the
total area of the modern state. This barren
desert receives less than 100 mm of rain
per year, but has nevertheless become a
rare residential, industrial, agricultural and
tourism accomplishment.
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Our tour continues from Sde Boker to a
fascinating, ancient Christian heritage site,
which takes visitors back in time to the early
days of Christianity, as it took its first steps were destroyed and magnificent churches
within the desert landscapes among the
people of the Negev. We will now visit Avdat
National Park, a site so special and unique
that it was added to the UNESCO World
Heritage List. Avdat was first constructed in
the 3rd century BC as a modest way station
for the Nabatean caravans that traveled the
ancient trade routes across the Negev en
route to the Gaza port. The Nabateans were a
tribe of Arab origin who dominated the incense
trade (especially myrrh and frankincense)
in the ancient world for hundreds of years,
from the Hellenistic period (4th century BC)
until the end of the Byzantine era (7th century
AD). These valuable spices were carried on
camels' backs in convoys that made their
way through the desert from South Arabia to
the ports of the Mediterranean Sea, towards
their final destination in the pagan temples of
the Mediterranean region (Greece, Anatolia,
Rome, and other ancient kingdoms that used
incense for pagan worship).
Important trade centers appeared alongside
these ancient trade routes, some of which
developed into flourishing cities. When the
Roman Empire converted to Christianity in
the early 4th century AD, the pagan temples
were built in the heart of the desert in their
place. These churches, some of which are
considered the most ancient ones to have
remained intact until this very day, can be
seen here in the desert, serving as a moving
testimony to the birth of Christianity in the
Holy Land and in the entire world.
Saying a short prayer or taking communion
in one of these ancient churches can be
one of the most moving experiences for an
Evangelical Christian visiting the Holy Land.
These magnificent churches can be found in
various ancient Nabatean cities throughout
the Negev, including Avdat, Shivat, Mamshit,
Halasa and Nitzana. The ancient biblical
desert retains its primeval appeal and awaits
the visitors who choose to tour its inviting
trails and wonders.
For more information about Negev tourism
opportunities, see www.friendlydesert.com
The author is a historian and tour guide, specializing
in desert tourism.