Image Credit: This is available from National Photo Collection of Israel, Photography dept. Goverment Press Office (link), under the digital ID D836-011.
Israel’s holy sites have been a destination for pilgrims of many faiths. This week, when we read Parshat Vayishlach, Professor Doron Bar, President of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, shares the stories of two pilgrims to Rachel’s Tomb. One was a fourth-century Christian from Bordeaux. The other was the famous twelfth-century traveler Benjamin of Tudela. What did they each see on their journeys? What do they teach us about the site today?
Doron Bar, former president and dean of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, is a professor of Land of Israel studies. He earned his PhD from The Hebrew University in Historical Geography. Professor Bar is researching the development of popular and national holy places. He is a seventh generation descendant of an Old Yishuv Jerusalem family.