LASKO FAMILY KOSHER TOURS
presents
rAssovr K 1999
Over the past ten years, we have become world famous
for the outstanding service, attention to detail and
overall enjoyment we provide for our guests.
Join us for the Passover of a lifetime!
New Year's Eve
At The Sunny Dead Sea
An archaeological
expedition at Ein Gedi
makes for an
interesting start to the
new year.
ANET K. RODGERS
Special to The Jewish. News
elebrate New Year's Eve in
the most unusual way by
joining a major archaeologi-
cal dig in the sunny desert
oasis of Ein Gedi.
At a magnificent site on the shore
of the Dead Sea in Israel, this is the
fourth phase of a thrilling excavation.
It will take place this year from Dec.
27 until Jan. 29 under the leadership
of Dr. Yizhar Hirschfeld and jointly
-onsored by the Hebrew University of
erusalem and Universiry of Hartford
(USA).
Most digs take place in summer
months so this one offers a wonderful,
unny opportunity in mid-winter at a
ite about 50 miles southeast of
erusalem and 12 miles north of Masa-
a. One of the most fascinating loca-
nns on earth, Ein Gedi is set in a lush
d exotic oasis in the Negev Desert
Pith high rocky cliffs, a pounding
aterfall, tropical flora in and around
he nature reserve, and a kibbutz-like
arden village. Visitors often spot the
abled ibex (wild goat) in an area that is
hreaded with excellent hiking trails. It
as in this very place that young David
id from the wrath of King Saul (I
uel24) some 3,000 years ago.
When excavations at Ein Gedi
egan about 26 years ago, a series of
ixth-century synagogues was discov-
red, exposing one splendid zodiac
osaic floor. Enthusiastic volunteers
rom all over the world recently uncov-
red an entire section of this isolated
cient community — a street, the
rance to the village, multi-storied
omen, shops, a ritual bath, and many
mall treasures such as coins, pottery
amps, cloth, jewelry and glass.
Roman-Byzantine Ein Gedi was
escribed in the fourth century as a
rge village of Essenes (a second-centu-
sect of Jewish mystics and ascetics)
hat subsisted primarily on the produc-
tion of an expensive aromatic oil called
"balsam." The aim of this third season
of excavations is to uncover the resi-
dential area of this village, its houses,
alleys and shops, and to try to unravel
the secret of the production of this
valuable oil.
What's a dig like?
• Plan to work. An archaeological
dig is the most fun hard work you can
do — digging, picking, sifting, wash-
ing and sorting from early morn to
early afternoon five days a week. It is
often exciting and sometimes truly
thrilling. Weekends are free to travel
and relax. Breakfast and lunch are
served on site under a canopy amid the
dare palm trees. There will be lectures
about the site and the excavation, plus
field trips into the surrounding desert
area. And an important dig like this is
also a great way to meet people from
all over the world. No prior knowl-
edge or background is required but
every volunteer must be energetic and
in good physical health.
Minimum stay is one week. Room
and full board cost between 5180-$300
a w eek, depending on the type of
accommodations.
• Local conditions. Ein Gedi on the
shore of the Dead Sea is uniquely
located at the lowest point on earth.
This means that the sun is always shin-
ing, but because of the low altitude
the sun's rays are not as damaging to
the skin. In winter, desert weather is
the best but quite extreme: The mer-
cury can climb to 90 degrees during
the day and then plunge to 40 degrees
at night. The black mud from the
Dead Sea has medically-proven benefi-
cial effects and people come from all
over the world to benefit from its heal-
ing elements.
• Deadline for registration: Dec. 15,
1998. Contact Dr. Y. Hirschfeld, Insti-
tute of Archaeology, Hebrew Universi-
ty, Mt. Scopus, 91905 Jerusalem,
Israel. Direct fax: 011 972 2 582-
5548. Website:
www.hum.huji.ac.il/archaeology/einge-
di/
Or E-mail: hani@actcom.co.il
For Israel information, call the Israel
Ministry of Tourism InfoCenter, (888)-
77-ISRAEL, or e-mail to info@gois-
rael.com . Tourism information on
Israel is also available by visiting the
Ministry of Tourism's North American
Web-Site: ww.goisrael.com .
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R F S OR T R
Miami Beach, Florida
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Miami Beach, Florida
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Westchester, New York
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Communal & Private Sedorim
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World Class Sports Facilities
Cuisine by Ram Caterers
Reservations:
Call (800) 532-9119 • (954) 894-6000 or by Fax (954) 894-0993
Wendy & Robyn Morse in front of 32 Happy Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Celebrants from the 6/24/98 Bar/Bat Mitzvah Family Tour.
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