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February 2, 2001/Shevet 8, 5761, Vol. 53, No.18
Ancient trees fill Israel's landscape
MICHAEL BROWN
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 The Katlav, or Oriental strawberry tree, stands at the Jerusalem British War Cemetery. Photo by Michael Brown |
When life gets hectic or confusing, you can sit by a tree, and time seems to stand still. Just as an older person can relate a lifetime full of stories, an old tree can create links to events and stories that span tens, or even hundreds of years.
Most people associate Israel with new forests, but the country is also full of ancient trees. Some are grouped into groves, such as the mighty oaks at Hurshat Tal, or the olives at Gethsemane. Others stand alone, either planted by unknown hands centuries ago, or the remnants of long-gone forests. Most ancient trees were spared the axe because they were considered sacred or were in close proximity to a sacred site.
Sometimes they remain by virtue of their remote location, such as the numerous ancient Atlantic pistachio trees in the Negev highlands. Following are a number of trees I have encountered on my journeys through Israel. All are beautiful and inspiring, and each conjures up a memory of life or events in Israel throughout the ages.
In 1523, Rabbi Moshe Basulah began a long-awaited pilgrimage to the Holy Land. During his travels in the Galilee, he visited the village of Anon, "about one day distant from Safed." In a letter home, he describes the homes and the inhabitants. From there he went to visit the grave of Rabbi Abba Halafta, a distinguished second century sage buried nearby.
He writes: "I prayed over the grave of Rabbi Halafta, which is on the plain, and a large oak tree is over it."
Hundreds of years later, the village of Anon has disappeared. However, the huge oak, dominating the surrounding countryside, still towers over the tomb. It
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To find the tree, take road 85, which is just before the ascent to Safed. Shortly after this will be a right hand turn and soon afterward will be the well-kept tomb.
Less than an hour drive from the tomb of Halafta lies the picturesque town of Rosh Pina. Settled in 1882, it was the first modern Jewish village in the Galilee. Visitors climbing the hill to the site of the original settlement will notice a number of thick-trunked mulberry trees. Their crowns have been cropped, but their age is obvious. These are the remnants of an ambitious undertaking - the establishment of a silk industry in Eretz, Israel, toward the end of the 19th century.
Rosh Pina served as the hub for this enterprise, which was responsible for planting hundreds of thousands of mulberry trees as food for silk worms. An article from the Sept. 29, 1893 edition of the newspaper Hamalitz records that the baron's administration had planted 71,000 mulberry trees that year. When all the planting had been completed, there were 156,000 trees in Rosh Pina covering an area of 3,000 dunams (3,000 square meters). Many more were planted at other settlements in the north and center of the country.
When the silk factory opened, it employed about 60 workers, and at its peak, close to 150. The workday in the factory was long and tedious.
Poor working conditions along with unusually strict discipline led to the distinction of the first workers' strike in the country. It was eventually resolved when the manager of the factory was persuaded to leave.
Only a few years after the workers' strike the factory closed, mainly due to competition from silk produced overseas. Thus ended a grand undertaking that is today largely forgotten.
To reach the old part of Rosh Pina, go up the hill as if traveling to Zefat. When the road turns sharply left, continue straight onto a small cobblestone street. At the end of this street, turn left and continue up the hill until you see a sign for parking.
Gush Etzion is a group of villages and kibbutzim nestled in the Judean hills about halfway between Jerusalem and Hebron. Modern Jewish settlement began in the area in 1927, and over the next 20 years four kibbutzim were established.
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During these 19 years, from the fall of Gush Etzion in 1948 until its reestablishment, this tree was the only identifiable landmark that could be seen from the Jerusalem hills. The oak is located near the settlement of Alon Shvut, whose name translates as the oak of return.
The tree is 600 years old. Though there is no grave nearby, the tree is nonetheless held to be holy by the local Arabs. This has no doubt enabled it to survive so that we may enjoy it today as a symbol of our return to the Land.
On the morning of Dec. 9, 1917, the mayor of Jerusalem went out from the city gate to give the Turkish governor's letter of surrender to the advancing British army. Later that day the city was occupied by the British and the era of Turkish rule came to an end. One of the first things the British did was to establish a cemetery for their war dead.
In the center of this cemetery, which commemorates nearly 2,500 casualties from World War I, is one of the most beautiful Oriental Strawberry trees in the country. It is a relative newcomer to the city, not more than 80 years old.
The red bark of the tree has long been associated with bloodshed. A local tale relates how a shepherd had argued with his father over the affections of a young woman. In anger he raised the staff in his hand and struck his father, killing him. In shock, the son threw the blood stained staff to the ground, where it sprouted.
A visit to the cemetery serves as a reminder of all the armies that have gone to war and died over this small piece of land over the centuries.
To see the tree, follow signs in Jerusalem for Mount Scopus. At the crossroads with the Hyatt Hotel, which is on the left, turn left. There is an orange colored sign that reads "Military Cemetery." At the top of the hill there is a junction. Cross almost straight over this, then turn right and sharp left. The cemetery will be visible at this point.
Many more ancient and historic trees are scattered throughout Israel. Some are in the heart of cities; others stand alone on quiet side roads. All of them tell a tale that brings alive some aspect of Jewish history.
Michael Brown, a school librarian in Marlboro, N.J., is the author of the "Jewish Gardening Cookbook."