You can't drive for five minutes in Israel without seeing a sign directing you to a "tel." Tel is Hebrew for an archaeological hill. When a civilization died off or deserted an area, the new inhabitants built their town right on top of the old one. This pattern continued over thousands of years, leaving us with an archaeological gold mine; keep digging, and you will remnants of older and older civilizations.

One of the most intriguing of these sites may not be a tel at all. Tel Arad, located west of the Dead Sea, is located near the modern-day city of Arad. "Arad" first appears in the Bible in Numbers 21, as the Israelites are ending their 40-year sojourn in the desert. The "King of Arad" hears that they are approaching and attacks them; the Israelites fight back and destroy Arad. Arad is mentioned later in Judges 1, as the place where the Kenites settled. However, some archaeologists that Tel Arad is not an authentic tel, because two separate settlements have been found at the site, rather than one atop the other.

The upper settlement was an ancient Canaanite settlement. First inhabited around 4,000 BCE, it was an important trading post, due to its strategic location at a crossroads. Much trade was conducted with Egypt, as attested to by the Egyptian pottery shards found at the site. Bitumen, a material found in abundance in the Dead Sea, was useful as a sealant for ships and storage jars, and many conjecture that it was also used in the mummification process. The bitumen brought in much business from Egypt, and Arad prospered. Remains of houses were found, all built in a similar style. A larger structure, believed to be the temple, was also discovered.

After the destruction of the Canaanite city, the area was deserted for a while. Then, during the time of Kings David and Solomon, Arad was rebuilt - not on top of the Canaanite city, but rather in the "lower city." Arad may have served as a military outpost needed to strengthen Israel's borders. Indeed, Israel faced the constant threat of incursion from nomadic tribes and from the neighboring Edom. Among the ostraca (pottery shards) found, one contains an explicit warning about an invasion from the Edomites.

The most fascinating discovery, however, is an Israelite sanctuary. It is the only known Israelite temple found outside of Jerusalem. Ostraca found at the site support the belief that this was an active temple during Israelite history - on some, names of priestly families are inscribed; on others is inscribed "the House of God." (The most ostraca ever found from the Biblical period were found in Tel Arad.) Scholars believe that during the time of the Divided Kingship, Israelites living outside of Jerusalem constructed their own place of worship. In fact, the temple is strikingly similar to the description in the Torah of the Mishkan, the tabernacle which accompanied the Israelites in the desert. And naturally, it bears a strong resemblance to the temple in Jerusalem. It functioned as a sanctuary until the time of King Hezekiah. According to Torah law, it is forbidden to create other houses of worship aside from the one in Jerusalem, and during his religious reformation of the land, King Hezekiah destroyed all sanctuaries outside of Jerusalem. However, even after its destruction, it was considered a sacred place by the local population.

The Arad sanctuary was divided into three parts, again, similar to the Jerusalem temple. Within the holy of holies, the innermost section, archaeologists discovered two incense altars and two slabs of stone (called stela, or stelae in the plural). The doubling is mysterious. Are they meant to represent the masculine and feminine aspects of God? Or was one meant to serve God, and the other Ashera - in other words, a corruption of the monotheistic theology of the Israelites?

The Jewish civilization of Arad was eventually razed during the Roman conquest, in 70 CE, when the Romans destroyed the Temple and exiled the Jews. Today, the modern city of Arad entices Dead Sea tourists - high above sea level, the air is relatively cooler and many tourists spend the night there after a day of Dead Sea treatments. There are many artists and galleries in the town, and nearby is the Yattir Forest, a lush oasis in this arid region. The forest even boasts vineyards and a nearby winery.

"Tel Arad" may not be on popular "Top 10 Sites in Israel" lists, but despite lacking the glamour of Masada, the Dead Sea, the Western Wall, or the Sea of Galilee, this little tel (or not-tel, as the case may be), boasts some fascinating archaeology and a unique glimpse into the history of the people who lived here before us.

The wilderness of Zin, probably one of the most beautiful and peaceful locales in Israel,  yet few pilgrims or other tourists ever venture there.

Sure, its a bit out of the way. Most Christian tourists traditionally know of the Galilee (including Nazareth) and Jerusalem. and yes, most of us have heard of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. But with only 7 or 10 days generally dedicated for traveling in the Holy Land, often the desert experience just doesn't make the cut.

But it should. True, perhaps Jesus did not cross the valley of Zin -but our forefathers did and it is mentioned at length in the Old Testament. The Zin desert  is the  Biblical desert from which the 12 spies were sent by Moses to tour the promise land.  The Zin River marks the historical border of Israel in biblical times. ( Joshua 15 2:3 ) 2. And their south border was from the Dead Sea,  3 And it went southward. to the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed along to Desert Zin, and went up to Kadesh-barnea, So to really gain an understanding of our roots and desert  life,  one needs only to venture one hour south of Jerusalem to gain  a visual perspective of our biblical heritage. The Negev desert is a must.

The wilderness is ripe with biblical sites, ranging from the Nabatean communities of Shivta, Nitzana, and Mamsheet, all of which offer amazing evidence of ancient Nabatean life as well as evidence of early Christian community formation. Tel Arad and Tel Beersheva are likewise extraordinary. And of course, there is Avdat and the valley of Ein Avdat, which is part of the valley of Zin. For those looking for a quite respite within the vast outback of the Negev desert, hiking amongst the eroded canyons set between the mountain tops, scaling the ridges of these desert hills of Zin and discovering abundant waterfalls amongst the dry pink and yellow tones of the desert, nothing surpasses this extraordinary region.

Just a few weeks ago, Israel's Negev desert received unusually hard rains and the dry valleys became overrun by mass floods. With springtime almost here the flowers are beginning to bloom and the Negev desert, particularly this year, is extraordinarily colorful and vibrant. We are now in the heart of "Drom Adom" - the "Red South" an annual festival that celebrates the flowering of the south. But this year promises to be exceptional. The event takes place annually in the north western part of the Negev during the month of February, when the anemones blossom and attracts thousands of blossoming enthusiasts. They come to observe the magnificent carpets of anemones which grow in the area's fields at the end of the winter and the beginning of the spring. Festival activities include hikes, events and other programs for the entire family. The guided hikes take place on Fridays and Saturdays, for a cost of 10 NIS per participant. In addition, there are bike tours around Kibbutz Be'eri and Kibbutz Ruhama, with an option to rent a bicycle on site.

If you are already traveling south, another can't miss stop in the Negev is Sde Boker,  a kibbutz located approximately 45 minutes south of Beersheva. The kibbutz was the home of Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion. A modest field school complete with rooms for six people offers lodging and meals to groups and individuals. A small grocery is also available for essential purchases while the kibbutz dining hall provides necessary meals. But the kibbutz's main attraction is the small home of the former Prime Minister which has been transformed into a museum. Nearby is the grave site which sits in a peaceful outdoor courtyard overlooking the tremendous Zin Valley. Numerous hikes abound in the area, two of which we hiked on our last visit there. Nahal Avdat (known as Ein Avdat) and Nahal Zin. Nahal Avdat is an exciting 1 hour walk that took us through dry and wet riverbed then up and out of the canyon. Metal steps and handrails had been carefully drilled into the bedrock walls at strategic points allowing us to properly place our hands and feet on the steep climb up and out of the canyon. Nahal Zin was a bit more challenging offering a steep descent into the canyon as well as careful walking along the connecting mountain ridges. Both valleys were important trade routes in ancient times.

Ein Avodat charges a small fee to enter (approximately $5 per person) and is open daily from 8 to 4 during the winter, 8 to 5 during the summr and is managed by Israel's Park Service. Nahal Zin is freely accessed and there is no entrance fee.

Don't limit your next trip here to just Jerusalem or the Galilee. Take a day and experience the desert. From bedouin encampments, to great hiking, ancient fortresses, and much more, Israel's largely unpopulated Negev desert is rich in history and rich in adventure.