All at once tragic, beautiful and a symbol of both pure evil and pure goodness, Naharyim is a tiny strip of land situated between the Jordan and Yarmuk rivers which is a must see on any visit to the northern part of the Land of Israel. The little strip of land is often referred to as the island of peace because it sits smack dab between Jordan and Israel.

Naharayim by the Jordan river; Photo courtesy Travelujah

The area was under Israeli control until the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan was signed in 1994 and Israel ceded the area to Jordan. However, in a twist worthy of King Solomon, the Jordanians agreed to lease it back to the Israelis so that the Israeli residents there could continue to cultivate the land.

The History

Naharyim, which means "two rivers," since the area is located right between the Yarmuk and Jordan rivers, first came to prominence when Pinchas Rothenberg under the British Mandatory authorities,  built a power plant in the area in 1934. The plant provided electrical power to both the future Kingdom of Jordan and to the future State of Israel; however, it was destroyed in 1948 during fierce fighting between Jewish forces and invading Arab armies.

Israel eventually took control of the area and it became an extension of the nearby Kibbutz Ashdot Ya'acov. The members of the Kibbutz worked the land and the area was fairly unremarkable, save for the occasional visit of families or school groups enjoying the natural beauty of the area.

In 1994 however, the land became the spotlight of international fame when it was ceded to the Jordanians in a peace treaty signed by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin and Jordanian King Hussein. Naharayim was then nicknamed the "island of peace" because of the extraordinary arrangement reached between the two nations, whereby Israeli citizens could continue to visit on the land while Jordan would hold technical sovereignty.

Island of Peace; Photo courtesy Travelujah-Holy Land Tours

The Tragedy

The tragedy of Naharayim occurred 3 years after the land was ceded to the Jordanians. A group of Israeli schoolchildren were visiting the land and receiving a lecture from their teacher about how the area was a symbol of peace when the unimaginable happened -- a Jordanian soldier of Palestinian descent opened fire on the school girls, killing seven before he could be subdued.

Memorial located at Naharayim; photo courtesy Travelujah-Holy Land Tours

Out of this tragic event however, grew closer ties with the Kingdom of Jordan when the late King Hussein made an unprecedented visit to Israel to personally apologize to the families of the children and to offer his condolences.

If you go

Today, visits to Naharayim must be arranged through Kibbutz Ashdot Ya'akov and security arrangements have been put in place to ensure that no tragedy like the one with the school girls is ever allowed to occur again.

http://www.ashdot-naharayim.co.il/
Tel:  04-6709143 
fax:  04-6751777
Ofer-050-7222787
email:  info@ashdot-naharayim.com

The Power Plant - Experience Mesopotamia Bridge, Tourism site of Kibbutz Gesher

A visit to the area is not complete without visit the Mesopotamia bridge at Kibbutz Gesher and seeing the working model of the power plant,  rebuilt in a small scale model to demonstrate what it once was like. The model is intended only as a demonstration and not a practical electrical generation plant.

There is also a light and sound "show" which is put on as part of the experience which is perfect both for children and adults visiting the area to get a better idea of what it was like to be there when the power plant operated. There is a visitors "trail" which will allow you to see the old dams and bridges along with the turbine room so that you can see all the details of what the working power plant was like.

Mesopotamia bridge experience
http://www.naharayim.co.il/
04-6752685 / 04-6753336 Tel
04-6709387 Fax
nfo@naharayim.co.il

Don't Forget the Views

Of course, the real treat here isn't the power plant but simply the breath taking views -- Naharayim boasts a beautiful boardwalk from which the three bridges in the area and the banks of both the Jordan and Yarmuk river can be seen (along with both the border of the State of Israel and the Kingdom of Jordan).

Other Sites

Other things to see include the museum of the Israeli war of Independence, in which Kibbutz Gesher took a central part and the memorial to the seven young victims of the 1997 tragedy.

In addition to these, be sure to ask your guide about things to see in Kibbutz Gesher itself as well as about nearby Bet Shean, an ancient city which existed at the time of Jesus where a number of archeological digs have been found which show what life was like at the time of the Roman occupation and the birth of Christianity.

The Crusader fortress of Belvoir is situated closeby as well and is a worthwhile visit. The reconstructed fortress is the most complete Crusader fortress in the country and the only one that has been completedly excavated. The pentagonal fortress has a 20-meter wide, 12-meter-deep moat surrounding it and also surrounds a stronghold tower (donjon). Phone 04-6581766 for more information or click here.

Where to Stay

Kibbutz Ashdot Yaacov offers a number of well appointed guest rooms that are perfect for individuals traveling on their own as well as larger group stays. The kibbutz is located in the Jordan Valley region, 5 minutes from Sea of Galilee, 15 minutes drive from Tiberias and Hammat-Gader, and it is an excellent vantage point for touring all over the North of Israel, The Galilee and Golan Heights, Beit Shean Valley as well as the main Christian shrines, including the Yardenit Baptismal site. Numerous recreational activities are available nearby including birdwatching, mountain trekking, biking and more.

Guest room at Nehara guesthouse -  Kibbutz Ashdot Yaakov; photo courtesy Travelujah-Holy Land tours

The guesthouse includes a total of 43 rooms, 32 of which are designed for 2 people and 11 are family units. The guesthouse is managed by Yonatan Alter, one of the most well regarded figures in Israel's hospitality industry. Yonatan will organize agricultural tours to the date farms and  to the nearby Naharayim center and Island of Peace, along with other nearby attractions. For additional information regarding special events at Ashdot Yaakov contact Yonatan@nehara.co.il

For further information on Christian tourism and Holy Land tours please contact Travelujah at info@travelujah.com.

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Eric Hammer and Elisa Moed for Travelujah, the leading Christian social network focused on travel to the Holy Land. People can learn, plan and share their Holy Land tour and travel experiences on Travelujah.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and [John the Baptist] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on [Jesus]. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17)

The Feast of the Epiphany (January 6 on the Julian calendar) is the third most important day on the calendar behind Passover and Pentecost for the Eastern Orthodox churches, and it is little wonder why.

Also known as the Theophany - manifestation of the divine - the Feast of the Epiphany marks that moment in scripture that birthed Christian faith in Jesus as the Son of God and the promised Messiah. It is also the foundation of the doctrine of the Trinity.

Just as Christian pilgrims have been doing for nearly two thousand years, the Feast of the Epiphany begins with a short journey from Jerusalem to the Jordan River. Even the route is identical, following the same natural pathway down through the mountains of Judah into the Judean wilderness and up to the banks of that sacred stream.

PIlgrims at the Epiphany ceremony at Qasr El Yahud, on the Jordan River

Today, we are able to make the journey in about half-an-hour aboard comfortable passenger buses to Qasr El Yahud, the site many believe to be the authentic site where John baptised Jesus. But for much of Christian history, the trip took a bit longer, and often required an overnight stop along the way, and so it would be negligent to fail to mention that most famous of way stations, the Inn of the Good Samaritan. Situated just off the road from Jerusalem to the Jordan, the Inn of the Good Samaritan served Christian pilgrims journeying to the place of Jesus' baptism for centuries.

The inn has today been transformed into a fascinating museum featuring mosaic floors found among the ruins of ancient synagogues and churches from across Judea and Samaria, the areas most commonly known as the West Bank. In its current capacity, the Inn of the Good Samaritan is a powerful reminder of the religious history permeating the entire area.

Mosaic on display at the Museum of the Good Samaritan

And the Inn of the Good Samaritan is not the only such reminder. Israel Parks Authority guide,Yoav Hermoni, explained that the Judean wilderness is a localized desert, meaning it is very small and far more abundant in natural resources than larger, more desolate deserts. What that means is that the Judean wilderness is the perfect location for monasteries - both in a natural and religious sense - and there are indeed many of them dotting the landscape.

Upon arriving at Jordan, pilgrims must wait upon the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem to start the event, but there is no lack of activity in the interim. The atmosphere is festive, to say the least, but also very solemn.

"I am very happy to be here," said Masha, a pious young pilgrim from Moscow who was clearly overwhelmed by the gravity of the event. Stylianos from Thessalonika, Greece didn't speak much English, but expressed a similar gratitude at being able to participate in ceremony.

Qasr al-Yahud, the Arabic name for the location, was identified nearly 1,700 years ago by Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, as the place not only where Jesus was baptized, but also where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Hence the Arabic name, which means "the Jews' cutting [of the river]."

Both the eastern and western sides of the river have seen development by Jordan and Israel, respectively, and today boast ample facilities for visiting pilgrims.

Following a lengthy, but much anticipated procession from the nearby Monastery of John the Baptist, the Greek patriarch pronounces a series of blessings at a small chapel near the river and then proceeds to the water line.

At the river, the patriarch conducted a short ritual that centered around the releasing of three doves signifying the revelation of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

While the Jordan is very cold this time of year, that didn't stop many pilgrims and priests from washing their feet, hands and heads in its holy waters following the ceremony.

Ultimately, the Feast of the Epiphany is a brief event, but also a very important one. Significant enough for 20,000 Christian pilgrims to make their way to the Jordan River, most of them arriving from abroad.

Lydia Weitzman, Foreign Press Adviser for Israel's Ministry of Tourism, said there has been a strong effort to return the focus on Israel and the surrounding areas to that of the Holy Land. She said that while Israel has the same great weather and beaches as Cyprus and other eastern Mediterranean destinations, it offers so much more.

That strategy appears to be paying off. This past year saw a significant rise in tourism to Israel, and 69 percent of all visitors were Christians, most of whom consider themselves pilgrims. Of all tourists, Catholics come in the most significant numbers, totaling 39% of all tourists to Israel. And visiting Qasr al-Yahud and the Inn of the Good Samaritan demonstrates that there is a real commitment to adequately accommodate those Christian pilgrims and ensure that their journey is a meaningful and spiritual one.

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Ryan Jones writes for www.travelujah.com, the leading Christian social network focused on Holy land tours. People can learn, plan and share their Holy Land tour and travel experiences on Travelujah.