|
|
Impression of King Hezekiah's Royal Seal Discovered in
Ophel Excavations South of Temple Mount in Jerusalem
|
Discovery brings to life the Biblical narratives about King Hezekiah and the activity conducted during his lifetime in Jerusalem's 1st Temple Period Royal Quarter
The Ophel excavations at the foot of the southern wall of the Temple Mount, conducted by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Institute of Archaeology under the direction of Dr. Eilat Mazar, have unearthed an impression of the royal seal of King Hezekiah (727-698 BCE).
The impression bears an inscription in ancient Hebrew script:
"לחזקיהו [בן] אחז מלך יהדה"
"Belonging to Hezekiah [son of] Ahaz king of Judah"
|
|
CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES IN ISRAEL
|
Christmas in Israel offers pilgrims and visitors a very special and unique festive and spiritual experience, with the opportunity to spend Christmas in the ancient city of Jerusalem, to participate in Christmas festivities and Mass in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth and visit the many Christian sites in the Galilee as well as participate in the Holiday of Holidays Festival in Haifa.
During the holiday, the Ministry of Tourism will offer free transportation, helping pilgrims travelling between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Representatives from the Ministry of Tourism will welcome tourists and pilgrims at Rachel's Crossing with sweets in the spirit of the holiday.
|
ISRAEL SEES SHARP RISE IN TOURISTS FROM NORTH AMERICA
|
Statistical data compiling tourists visiting Israel from all over the world indicate a dramatic increase of travelers visiting from North America.
Over half a million North American visitors have been welcomed to Israel since January 2015, marking a 3% increase over the past two years.
|
EL AL AIRLINES ANNOUNCES LARGEST AIRCRAFT ACQUISITION IN HISTORY OF THE COMPANY
|
El Al Chairman David Maimon recently announced the largest aircraft acquisition program in the history of the company. EL AL will conduct exclusive negotiations with Boeing Corporation for the procurement of wide-body Dreamliner aircraft, which is expected to include the purchase and lease of 15 aircraft in the next five years. This move is expected to constitute a significant step forward in the optimization of the network of routes, passenger service and flight experience.
During the next five years, these aircraft will replace the 747-400 and 767 fleets and are designated to fly to medium and long haul destinations (New York, Boston, Toronto, Bangkok, Beijing, Mumbai, South Africa and more). These aircraft are considered the latest and most advanced in the aviation world and are considered highly efficient and economical in terms of fuel consumption, utilization and maintenance costs.
|
 ISRAEL RECOGNIZED FOR BEST CITY, AIRLINE AND LEADING HOTELS BY CONDE NAST TRAVELER READERS
|
More than 128,000 ratings and comments were compiled to procure a list of winning favorites for the Conde Nast Travelers 28th Annual Readers Choice Awards. Israel was listed in 11 separate categories, winning mention with 6 out of the top 15 hotels in the Middle East located in Israel, including:
Top 15 Hotels in the Middle East
Includes the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem (#1), Mamilla Hotel (#6), King David Jerusalem (#8), Inbal Jerusalem Hotel (#12), Hilton Tel Aviv (#14) and David Citadel Hotel (#15)
Top 100 Hotels & Resorts in the World
Includes the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem (#7)
Top 5 Resorts in the Middle East
Includes Dan Eilat Red Sea Hotel (#3)
Best Cities in the World
Includes Jerusalem (#11)
Best International Airlines
Includes EL AL (#18)
The Best Hotels in the World
Includes the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem (#7)
The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, recognized in three categories in the awards, is the newest luxury hotel in downtown Jerusalem that joins the King David Hotel, the Mamilla Hotel, the Inbal Hotel and the David Citadel Hotel all in easy walking distance from the Old City of Jerusalem. All these hotels were also listed in the Readers' Awards.
|
|
SOUNDS OF THE OLD CITY MUSIC FEST TO BE HELD IN MARCH IN JERUSALEM
|
The Festival offers us a glimpse into Jerusalem's Old City's musical traditions. Festival visitors can sample a rare offering of musical bands and ensembles scheduled to perform authentic music on central stages and in the streets of the Old City quarters. Each band and ensemble are scheduled to perform music unique to the quarter and area in which it performs, providing an exciting experience for visitors in the magical atmosphere of the Old City.
The Sounds of the Old City Festival is one of several festivals organized in the Old City for the general public to enjoy. The next festival following this event is the Lights in the Old City Festival from May 25 - June 2, 2016.
|
|
Eyal Carlin, Consul and Director, Southern Region
Dana Shemesh, Director of Communications & PR, Southern Region
Robert Potts, Director of Marketing & Christian Relations
Hagar Sides, Office Manager and Marketing Assist, Southern Region
|
|
|
|
