Orot Israel College Visits Mount Gilboa

by Dr. Ayal Davidson

Head, Land of Israel Studies Department, Orot Israel College

When King Shaul – the humble man who was charged with the daunting task of uniting a torn and fragmented nation – died, a particularly inglorious period in Jewish history came to an abrupt end. The era that had begun with a bright hope for a great monarchy concluded with nationwide disillusionment and disappointment.

"הָרֵי בַגִּלְבֹּעַ אַל טַל וְאַל מָטָר עֲלֵיכֶם..."

“O mountains of Gilboa, let there be neither dew nor rain upon you…” (Shmuel II 1:21)

Mount Gilboa – cursed by none other than King David – became a poignant symbol of the pervasive gloom. Yet, at the same time, it represented a historical turning point, because David would go on to succeed where his predecessor had failed.

Equipped with comfortable shoes, a Tanach, water, and plenty of snacks, Orot Israel College’s student body recently headed to the Gilboa in order to uncover its secrets. From atop Mount Shaul – named for the king who died bravely in battle on this spot – we looked out over the Yizrael and Harod Valleys at the distant Gilad Mountains along the horizon. We then followed the scenic Nachal Yitzpor down the mountain and admired the bold-faced pink and white cyclamens and the numerous autumn crocuses.

The second part of our trip focused on Yizrael, the site of Achav and Izevel’s sumptuous palace. After reading the passage from Sefer Melachim I - which tells how the royal duo infamously betrayed Navot - we discussed the king’s moral authority and the pernicious influences of an alien, idolatrous culture. From Tel Yizrael, we hiked down to “the spring in Yizrael” – the lovely spring which flows along the ancient city - and the adjacent pool.

A special thank you to the wonderful students from Orot’s Land of Israel studies department, who served as our talented tour guides during the amazing trip. They even devoted an entire day to mapping out our route in advance, and all their hard work and dedication certainly paid off. The student guides were supervised by Naamah Bindiger - who gave birth, b’shaah tovah, to a beautiful baby girl during the course of the preparations - and Yehudit Zorger, who quickly and skillfully stepped in and took over from Naamah.