Ascending to Jerusalem Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Gate of the Valley

Shaar HaGuy marks the point where the flat, coastal plain ends and the Judean Hills begin. This is the point where one truly begins to "ascend" to Jerusalem. An Ottoman-era khan is still visible at the intersection.

Answer: Grafitti painted by an Israeli soldier during the War of Independence

During the Israeli War of Independence in 1948, a Palmach fighter named "Baruch Jamili" wrote his name and the name of his company in large letters, visible to anyone driving to or from Jerusalem. Baruch Jamili became a sort of Israeli folk hero, just as "Kilroy" was to American troops during the Second World War.

A song, "Where are you, Baruch Jamili?", was written in honor of the graffiti artist. In 1984, the Israeli Water Company unceremoniously painted over Jamili's inscription, creating an uproar amongst many Israelis. An enterprising reporter even tracked down the now middle-aged Jamili, who appeared on an evening talk show, and then disappeared again into anonymity.

Answer: They have been left as a war memorial

Jerusalem was under siege during the 1948 War of Independence, and the route to the city saw fierce fighting as Jewish fighters struggled to get supplies through to the people of Jerusalem. The bombed-out shells of vehicles have been intentionally left by the road side, where they serve as a memorial to the brave people who fought to keep the road to Jerusalem open. On Israeli Independence Day, they are decorated with flags and flowers.

Answer: A bigger-than-life sized statue of Elvis Presley

Israeli entrepreneur Uri Yoeli combined his business with his passion, and created the "Elvis Inn" at Neve Ilan, on the highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The "Elvis Inn" consists of a gas station, an American-style burger joint, and a snack bar, all decorated with the Elvis paraphernalia that Yoeli collected over the years, some of it while on an Elvis pilgrimage in the US.

The most notable features of the "Elvis Inn" are two fifteen foot statues of Elvis, one gold-colored, and the other white. One of the statues was damaged in 1980, when a terrorist placed a bomb at the inn.

The statue was later repaired. Twice a year, on January 8, the King's birthday, and on August 16, the anniversaries of his death, the Elvis Inn features an evening of Elvis impersonators. And you thought the US had a monopoly on weird road-side attractions! (Information for this answer came from a December 2, 2007 article on commercialappeal.comm, the Memphis Tenn. online newspaper.) The wrong answers: A model of the Liberty Bell can be found in the aptly named Liberty Bell Park in Jerusalem, a model Jerusalem during the Second Temple Period can be viewed at the Israel Museum, and if you want to see a Brooklyn brownstone in Israel, try visiting Kfar Chabad, where Lubavitch Chassidim constructed an exact model of their Rebbe's home in Crown Heights.

Answer: Circassia

Residents of Abu Ghosh believe that they are the decedents of Circassian tribesmen who migrated to the Holy Land. This explains the fair skin and blue eyes often found amongst the people of Abu Ghosh. The villagers part of the road to Jerusalem in former times, and extracted a road toll from travelers. Today, Abu Ghosh is known for its friendly relations with its Jewish neighbors, and Israelis flock to its famous humus restaurants.

When visiting Abu Ghosh, be sure to see the Crusader-era church in the center of town. (Information for this question came from my friend and colleague, Amram Jaber)

Answer: Fire

The 1995 fire was apparently started by farmers clearing out underbrush in Moshav Mesilat Zion, near Shaar HaGuy. The fire spread rapidly, forcing the evacuation of people from the ultra-Orthodox settlement of Telshe Stone, who found shelter with their Arab neighbors in Abu Gosh. The fire destroyed hundreds of dunams of trees planted by the Jewish National Fund, as well as wild life.

Answer: Almonds

Tu B'Shvat, the Jewish arbor day, falls about this time of year. A popular children's song for this holiday mentions the "blossoming almond trees", and there is no better place to see them than in the Motza Valley. Delicate, white blossoms on hundreds of trees make for a beautiful sight. While olive, fig and carob trees all grow in this area, their trees do not produce blossom.

Answer: A dinasour's footprint

In 1962, Hebrew University student Mordechai Sofer discovered a series of dinosaur tracks on Moshav Beit Zayit. Geology professor Moshe Avnimelech later examined the tracks, which continued for a distance of about ten meters. This site contains about two hundred prints, and is estimated to be between ninety to hundred million years old! (Information for this question came from dinodata.org.)

Answer: The Prophet Samuel

"Nebi Samuel" sits on a hill-top 885 meters above sea level, and it visible to anyone approaching Jerusalem. The small stone structure with its slim tower was build during the Byzantine period, when the legend describing this site as Samuel's burial place originated. (According to the Book of Samuel, the prophet is buried close to Ramallah, north and east of this traditional site.) Between the Israeli War of Independence in 1948, and the Six Day War in 1967, the Jordanian League used it as a fortress.

In 1967 "Nebi Samuel" was taken by the Israeli Defense Forces. Since then it has served as both a Jewish yeshiva and synagogue, as well as a Muslim mosque, in one of those uneasy arrangements that can be found in Israel. (Information for this question came from the Jewish Agency web page.)

Answer: No

Today we have traveled on the Tel Aviv - Jerusalem Highway, also known as "Highway Number One". It is a modern, divided highway with controlled access. From Shaar Hagay to Jerusalem, the road winds through the Judean Hills. The technology required to carve the highway out of the mountains was not available in ancient times.

The historic route was slightly north of the modern road, and followed the crest of the hills, rather than cutting through them. In ancient times, travelers made the journey using donkey or camels, and were faced with danger from robbers and wild animals. Today, the twenty-five kilometer trip from Shaar Hagay to Jerusalem takes from fifteen minutes to half an hour, depending on traffic.

The major danger faced by the modern traveler, of course, is road accidents. Now that you have arrived in Jerusalem, a lot awaits you. You can visit holy sites like the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock or the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. You can peruse first-class museums like the Israel Museum, or the Rockefeller Museum of Archeology, or can enjoy the restaurants and pubs on Nachalat Shiva or the Russian Compound.

As for me, this is my daily commute, and I better punch the clock and get to work!