In the vision of Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat and deputy mayor Naomi Tsur, green is the new gold. The two politicians hope to bring 10-million tourists and pilgrims to Jerusalem by the end of the decade, up from the current four million, by branding the holy city as both an environmental mecca and pilgrimage destination for the world's four billion Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Pursuing that agenda, Tsur - who founded the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel before entering municipal politics - orchestrated the First International Jerusalem Symposium on Green and Accessible Pilgrimage which opened here Sunday at a multi-faith gala at the landmark YMCA.

Amongst the highlights of the five-day congress, which coincides with Earth Day on April 22, was the display of 18 "Cool Globes" on exhibit at the nearby Mamilla Mall. Each of the five-foot diameter orbs artistically showcases a different solution to climate change - from solar power to rooftop gardens, and green buildings to fuel efficiency.

Initiated in Chicago in 2006 by environmental activist Wendy Abrams as a public art project dedicated to increasing awareness of global warming and climate change, "Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet" sponsored an exhibit of 125 sculptures decorated with solutions to global warming. The works were on prominent display in Grant Park near the Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium and the Lake Michigan bike path

Beginning at sundown on April 14, Israel will begin its annual Memorial Day celebration (Yom Hazikaron. Across the country relatives of fallen soldiers and victims of terrorist attacks will gather at cemetaries and at their homes in remembrance of their loved ones. At 8 pm this evening a siren sill sound for one minute marking the beginning of Memorial Day. At 11 pm tomorrow, April 15, a two minute alarm will sound after which memorial day services will be held at locations across the country.

Each year Israel stops to remember those who fell in its defense and in terror attacks. As the sirens sound, people will stop on the street, halt their vehicles and get out of their cars,  stand in their places of work, or at school, in order to remember those who have been killed.

In honory of Memorial Day, Prime Minister Netanyahu met today withBen Reuven (David Herman), the song writer that wrote "The Yonatan Victory March", in 1976 which was written in memory of the Prime Minister's brother, Lt.-Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, and sing it.

Reuven told Prime Minister Netanyahu, "Like I wrote on the back of the disc, I am among the millions of people around the world who were deeply impressed by the daring and heroism of the Entebbe operation. I wrote the song and set it to music almost 40 years ago out of the urge to express my admiration for the great achievement of the Entebbe operation and the late Yoni Netany

When following in the footsteps of Jesus most Christian pilgrims will, at some point during their Holy Land tour, find their away onto a Holy Land Sailing boat going across the Sea of Galilee, taking in the numerous holy and historical sites that are situated along waters edge. And some groups may make their way to the Yigal Alon museum to view the historic first centery "Jesus Boat" that was exposed several years ago in very shallow waters of Lake Galilee.

But what most people don't know and what marine archaeologists have yet to understand is that lying 8 or 9 meters underneath the surface in the southwest corner of the Sea of Galilee lies an impressive rock structure weighing close to 60000 tons, in the shape of a perfect circle.

Shmulik Marco, a senior researcher in the Geophysics Department of Tel Aviv University, made the discovery in 2003 using a sonar. The discovery was recently published in the "|International Journal of Nautical Archaeology" It is believed that the structure was put together on dry land and later submerged in rising waters. The stones are about a meter long and the overall size is close to 60 meters in diameter and 10 meters high.

So far there has not been a dig carried out at the site, however, archaeologists believe it is an early Bronze Age structure and that it may be connected to the nearby ancient city of Beit Yerah

Huddled in a hidden alley in East Jerusalem, hundreds of Christians from all corners of the world waited quietly in the crisp pre-dawn air to enter the idyllic Garden Tomb. They had come to commemorate the resurrection of Christ, and they would not remain quiet for long.

Having attended the Garden Tomb's long-running "SonRise Service" in the past, though admittedly not for a number of years, it was striking how much it has changed. While still a solemn and reverent gathering, there was an undeniable freshness, even a youthfulness that lent itself to a truly celebratory atmosphere.

The setting couldn't have been any more perfect. Garden Tomb Director Richard Meryon reiterated something he has said several times in the past: "Some believe this to be the authentic tomb of Christ. But the truth is that it doesn't matter, because the tomb is empty, and that is what we are here to celebrate." Meryon has stressed before that whether or not it be the authentic location, the Garden Tomb serves as a visual teaching tool to bring worshipers closer to the reality of what Christ did for them.

As the sun crested the nearby Mount of Olives, the Christians filling every corner of the Garden Tomb's peaceful sanctu

“Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull”. (Jn 19:17)

Jesus Christ was unjustly pronounced to death, however, he did not oppose to the given sentence for it was his wish and act of an unconditional love to die for our sins and be a redeemer to us. He was crucified and later entombed on a hill called Golgotha in Aramaic, Kranion in Greek, and Catvary in Latin, which means ‘skul’. This was also the place of his resurrection.

Tags: holy sepulchre jesus easter jerusalem