On the cusp of Ramadan, I traveled along the Tzippori River to meet with members of the local Bedouin communities. We visited a mosque, learned about traditional medicines, ate local sweets, and were guests in a traditional iftar (break fast) meal.

A wonderful new museum dedicated to the Armenian community in Israel was recently opened. The museum does an excellent job of explaining Armenia’s history, its deep connection to Jerusalem and Israel, as well as memorializing the Armenian Genocide.

Though they make up over 20% of the population in neighboring Syria, Alawites comprise a tiny Shiite minority in the Muslim world. The village of Ghajar, which spans the border with Lebanon, is the only Alawite village in Israel. Recently, after being a closed military zone for almost twenty years, it was opened to the public, so I went there to explore and learn about their culture.