Faces: People, Places, and Cultures articles from December 2004

Faces: People, Places, and Cultures archives from December 2004

Mystery photo?
December 1, 2004... Can you guess what this is? Is it a strange food or animal? The answer is on page 47. Answers to Mystery Photo: The image is an aerial view of trees in the desert. Picture Credits: [c] Jon Arnold/Danita Delimont: inside front cover,...

Editor's message.
December 1, 2004... Dear Reader, References to Israel appear in the Bible and date back thousands of years. However, as a modern state, Israel is relatively new. This issue of FACES focuses on the modern state of Israel and its people. Following World War...

Israel.(At a Glance)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Official name: State of Israel Location: Israel is a Middle Eastern country located at the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered on the north by Lebanon, on the northeast by Syria, on the east and southeast by Jordan and the...

Israel.(Only In ...)
December 1, 2004... The Israel Museum is one of the world's leading cultural institutions. Its unique collections and exhibitions are the reason why. The museum's collection of the archaeology of the Holy Land is the world's leading body of Jewish art and...

In the know: look for the following terms in this issue.
December 1, 2004... Jewish calendar: Calendar used for religious purposes by Jews all over the world, and the official calendar of Israel. It is based upon the patterns of both the sun and the moon. Philistine: Member of the people who settled ancient...

Searching for peace.
December 1, 2004... Open almost any newspaper and you'll find mention of Israel, a small nation on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. Israel itself is roughly the size of New Jersey, but since 1967 it has controlled two adjacent areas as well: the West Bank,...

Israel.(Through Time)
December 1, 2004... 1516-1918 The Ottoman Empire controls a region known as Palestine, which includes the area of modern-day Israel. 1918 The League of Nations gives permission to Britain to take control of Palestine. 1933 Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party...

The many faces of Israel.
December 1, 2004... The problem with talking about "Israeli culture" is that there are many different cultures represented within Israel. Many kinds of people, with very different backgrounds and beliefs, live together in this tiny country. Since the State of...

Going to school in Israel.
December 1, 2004... Did you ever wonder what it would be like to live in Israel? Gabriel Stuart-Sikowitz had the chance to find out when his family moved there for his father's rabbinical program. They lived in the Bayit Vegan (buy-YEET ve-GAHN) community of...

Trees in the dessert.
December 1, 2004... Michael Bassin of Cincinnati, Ohio, was 14 when he planted his first tree under the blazing Israeli sun. Like so many others before him, Michael felt the act made his connection to Israel as solid as the hard soil from which his tree would...

Ilan Ramon: Israel's "perfect" hero.(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... He was handsome, friendly, and smart. A family man, a veteran pilot, and a scientist, Ilan Ramon was a perfect hero for Israel, which the international media had described as "a country in need of heroes." Although the launch of the Columbia...

Hebrew, old and new.
December 1, 2004... Hebrew is an ancient language. The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, and for centuries Jews called it the "holy tongue," because they believed that it was the language God had used to communicate with man. After the Jews were exiled from...

You can read Hebrew.
December 1, 2004... Hebrew may look strange if you aren't used to it, but once you know how to pronounce the letters, reading Hebrew can be fun. Below are a few Hebrew words. Using the guide, can you figure out how to say them and what they mean? Guide:...

Eating in Israel.
December 1, 2004... Eat in Israel, and you will have many menu choices. Because Israeli people came from around the world, its cuisine reflects many tastes and traditions. Sephardic Jewish people from the Middle East and North Africa eat many traditional Arab...

Make haroset.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... At Passover, haroset's texture reminds families of the mortar that Jewish slaves used long ago to build pyramids for the Egyptian pharaohs. Haroset has many variations, and families often have their favorite recipe. Try making your own...

Life on a kibbutz.
December 1, 2004... Caitlin Meyerowitz, 13, lives in a cozy house on a hilltop, about a 25-minute drive from Jerusalem, with her mom, two brothers, a sister, and a little dog named Shoko. The area is known for very clean air and beautiful views. She gets along...

Make your own tzedakah box.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... It's a Jewish moral and religious duty to give money to the poor and needy. The tzedakah box provided a way for Jews to help those in their communities less fortunate than themselves. The Hebrew word "tzedakah" is usually translated into...

The Maccabiah Games.
December 1, 2004... Jewish athletes from every continent will travel to Israel in July 2005 to represent their respective countries in the 17th Maccabiah Games. These Olympic-style games are held every years for world-class athletes 17 years old and older. The...

Ask faces!(Cobblestone Publishing)
December 1, 2004... Here is your chance to send us your world culture--and geography-related questions! Each month our expert will answer several questions from readers like you. Want to know where the world's highest mountain is located? What is the largest...

Think about it ...
December 1, 2004... "Going to School in Israel" by Gina Hagler on page 18 describes the different kinds of schools that students attend in Israel. How is the way you go to school the same or different from kids your age in Israel? Imagine that you have an Israeli...

Face facts.(bird migration)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Because Israel is located at the junction of three continents, scientists estimate that about 600 million birds pass through the country during autumn migration. It has the largest raptor migration in the world.

David and Goliath: a play from the bible.(Play)
December 1, 2004... Cast of Characters: Narrator, God, Samuel, Jesse, King Saul, Servant, David, Goliath, and Eliab Narrator: Long ago, God was unhappy with King Saul because he had sinned. The Lord told his prophet, Samuel, to go to Bethlehem to find a new...

Ilan Ramon: Israel's Space Hero.(Books)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
December 1, 2004... Ilan Ramon: Israel's Space Hero by Barbara Sofer In this issue of FACES, you read about Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut. A talented air force pilot, Ramon was the first Israeli the United States invited on a mission to space....

Your Travel Guide to Ancient Israel.(Books)
December 1, 2004... Your Travel Guide to Ancient Israel by Josepha Sherman Planning a trip to ancient Israel? Of course, before you go, you have to think about what to wear, how to keep track of time, what to eat, and where to stay. And what souvenirs should...

Welcome to Israel!(Books)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
December 1, 2004... Welcome to Israel! by Lilly Rivlin with Gila Geuirtz Welcome to Israel! is a colorful introduction to contemporary Israel and its history, emphasizing its place as a Jewish state. With full-color photos, maps, quirky illustrations, and...

I Believe In ...: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Young People Speak About Their Faith.(Books)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
December 1, 2004... I Believe In...: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Young People Speak About Their Faith by Pearl Gaskins Three major religions can trace their routes to Israel: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But what does it mean to practice these...

Running on Eggs.(Books)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
December 1, 2004... Running on Eggs by Anna Levine When Yasmine drops her lunchbox on Karen's seat, Karen knows Yasmine is trying to send her a message. What could it mean? Karen lives on a kibbutz, and Yasmine lives in an Arab village nearby, so a friendship...

Gavriel and Jemal: Two Boys of Jerusalem.(Books)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
December 1, 2004... Gavriel and Jemal: Two Boys of Jerusalem by Brent Ashabranner, photographs by Paul Conklin This book is from 1984, yet the stories here remain relevant. The story is based on two actual boys, Gavriel and Jemal, who live in the divided Old...

Asih HaTorah.(On-Line)
December 1, 2004... A live feed from the Western Wall, which is updated every minute. Users can see the clusters of people praying at this famous site. www.thewall.org

One last face.
December 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Palestinian Girl Scout in Bethlehem.