JOSEPH DUMAS, Writer-Journalist-Photographer: Israel

"Israel is a land of magnificent contrasts: the sea, the desert, the mountains."

"Before my visit, I expected a religious state, and it was a revelation to discover a more secularized society. A great diaspora inhabits this tiny land mass (akin to the American state of New Jersey) of 7.2 million residents: Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and more."

"...Our driver, Natschun—aka, Sonny—skirted the green hills of Jerusalem and in a span of minutes we were ushered into the Judean desert. Suddenly, the highway narrowed to two lanes and began its rapid descent. We were hurtling toward the lowest known point on earth: The Dead Sea. It is 1,300 feet below sea-level. And the world's color had been reduced to two tones: khaki-colored sand dunes rose into a turquoise sky."
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For additional tourism information, http://www.goisrael.com/tourism_eng

For the Rosh Pina resort, Mizpe Hiyamim, visit
http://www.mizpe-hayamim.com/

For The David Citadel Hotel, in Jerusalem, visit
http://www.thedavidcitadel.com/

For the Jerusalem restaurant, Eucalyptus, which serves a biblical tasting menu, visit: http://www.the-eucalyptus.com/

The city of Haifa

The city of Haifa
A summit above the Mediterranean Sea in the Bahai Gardens / @JDumas

Jerusalem's Old City at dawn

Jerusalem's Old City at dawn
@JDumas

The Tower in the Old City of Jaffa

The Tower in the Old City of Jaffa
@JDumas

HAIFA: Bahai Gardens / @JDumas

Eggplants / @ JDumas

JERUSALEM: Award-winning chef Moshe Basson (l), with his sous chef (r.) who have a biblically inspired menu at the restaurant "Eucalyptus" / @JDumas

Jerusalem's Old City

Jerusalem's Old City
The Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock / @JDumas

Jerusalem's Old City: The Christian Quarter

Jerusalem's Old City: The Christian Quarter
Clerics outside The Church of the Holy Sephulchre / @JDumas

The Judean Desert

The Judean Desert
Palm Groves / @JDumas

Jerusalem's Old City

Jerusalem's Old City
Religious items near the Western Wall, Judaism's most holy site / @JDumas

Jerusalem's Old City

Jerusalem's Old City
Near the Western Wall: Judaism's most holy site / @JDumas

Tel-Aviv

Tel-Aviv
@JDumas

Jerusalem's Old City

Jerusalem's Old City
@JDumas