Reuven Shavin Israel Guide

Milestones: Roman Sign Posts

The Romans erected milestones along major roads throughout the Roman Empire to mark the way and indicate the remaining distance to or from a major city in the region. They were placed every one-thousand double steps, and stood about 6 feet tall. The milestones in the province of Judaea (Israel) were usually comprised of two parts:

The first part with the name and title of the ruling emperor, and the second part with the practical information: The distance to the next big city.

The milestone in the picture is from the 1st century A.D. and was discovered at the southern end of the Temple Mount (Moriah) in Jerusalem. Try and see if you can read the inscription! What does it say? (See the answer in the comment section below).

For more biblical discoveries visit www.landofistaeltours.com

Shalom! Reuven Shavin

On 27 January 1945, Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest N**i concentration and death camp, was liberated by the Red Army. The United Nations therefore chose this date as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. However, here in Israel, Holocaust Remembrance Day is today, the 27th of the Hebrew month of Nissan. This date was decided upon in 1951, on the anniversary of the biggest Jewish revolt (though not the only one) of the Holocaust – The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. It broke out on Passover eve, the freedom holiday. Although it was doomed from the beginning, it became a symbol of Jewish resistance to tyranny and brutal anti-Semitism. With few weapons, the half-starving Jews held out against the German army for one month – the amount of time it took for Germany to conquer all of Poland! A total 13,000 Jews were killed while the Germans lost about 150. Holocaust Remembrance Day is only one week before Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel and Independence Day, emphasizing the important symbolic connection between these events. No wonder we call this day in Israel “Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day”

In the photograph we can see the iconic picture of Jewish families being forced out of their hiding place at gun point by German soldiers. (photo credit: Yad Vashem).

Shorashim Bus 255 # What an experience! So many wonderful moments with these amazing people makes me feel blessed (: