Mysterious Underwater Building Discovered in the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee)

Underwater photo:  Shmulik Marco.

Underwater photo: 

Shmulik Marco.

What and why is there a massive building at the bottom of the Kinneret?

Researchers from Tel Aviv University found the structure at the bottom ofSouthern end of the Kinneret while conducting sonar mapping of the sea.  They say the structure is a cone-shaped monument, approximately 230 feet in diameter, 39 feet high, and weighing an estimated 60,000 tons.

Initial findings indicate that the structure was built on dry land approximately 6,000 years ago, and later submerged under the water. Prof. Marco calls it an impressive feat, noting that the stones, which comprise the structure, were probably brought from more than a mile away and arranged according to a specific construction plan.

Dr. Yitzhak Paz of the Antiquities Authority and Ben-Gurion University says that the site, which was recently detailed in the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, resembles early burial sites in Europe and was likely built in the early Bronze Age. He believes that there may be a connection to the nearby ancient city of Beit Yerah, the largest and most fortified city in the area.

Read more about it here: AFTAU

What was it?

Tower of Bavel
Ancient Headquarters of Palestinian Authority
Early Quadruplex drive-in.
Failed Superdome stadium for Bronze Age Baseball
Stonehenge 1.0

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Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Weekend News Roundup

1. The Yoreh.

Israelis were treated to the "Yoreh" over Rosh Hashana, our Jewish New Year on Saturday and Sunday. The "Yoreh" are the first heavy rains of the winter season -- (the word and blessings of rain are mentioned in the Jewish "Shma" prayer, recited daily). The accumulated rainfall in just 2 days (30 to 40 millimeters fell in Northern Israel, and up to 60 mm. in the Golan Heights) surpassed the average of the entire average rainfall for the 2 months of September and October! 10 millimeters worth of rainfall fell on the Kinneret as well, though woefully low.

My daughter asked me over Rosh HaShana that if a cloud appeared over the Kineret and started to rain, how long/much would it take to fill up the Kinneret.

Assuming 10 millimeters an hour (which is generous), it would take 500 hours...so if we're really lucky and get 10 hours of rain a day, it would take 50 days.

Seems like we're off to a good start, but need a lot more. (more here at the JPost)

2. The Outstanding Thinker Targets Israel.

President Obama's "one of our most outstanding thinkers" Zbigniew Brzezinski, has urged Obama to make it clear that if the IAF tries to launch an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities via Iraqi airspace, the US Air Force will shoot down the Israeli jets.

"We are not exactly impotent little babies," Brzezinski told The Daily Beast in an interview published Sunday. "They have to fly over our airspace in Iraq. Are we just going to sit there and watch? ... We have to be serious about denying them that right. That means a denial where you aren't just saying it. If they fly over, you go up and confront them. They have the choice of turning back or not. " (JPost)

With such outstanding thinkers like that, I think the SAT's need to be recalibrated.

3. Probably the most newsworthy of all: Simpsons to Visit Israel in 2010.

The Simpsons are taking a trip to Israel in an upcoming episode of the popular animated series that will be screened in 2010, during the show's 21st season - and their tour guide is going to be none other than Sacha Baron Cohen.

The comedian behind Borat and Bruno will play an aggressive Israeli tour guide who leads the family around during their church group tour of the Holy Land, according to Entertainment Weekly magazine.

The show's executive producer Al Jean told the magazine that Cohen's character is "trying to get Marge to give him good grades on the comment card, and she goes, 'You people are pushy,' and he goes, 'What do you mean, you people? You try having Syria for a neighbor! What do you have - Canada?'"

Jean also disclosed that in the episode, titled "The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed," Homer Simpson gets Jerusalem Syndrome and believes that he is the messiah.

The episode is scheduled to coincide with Palm Sunday.

"It'll be a show that all faiths can come together and be offended by," Jean quipped. (Jpost)

WooHoo!!!

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Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Need. More. Water.

Thankfully, Israel received a serious dose of rain relief over the past few days, and the Kinneret rose 41 centimeters from last Friday through Tuesday. Every centimeter of height in the Kinneret is roughly equivalent to 1.7 million cubic meters of water...and the Kinneret is still 4.93 meters from maximum capacity -- meaning we're missing over 820 million cubic meters of water.

Even half of that would be amount to amazing rainfall, but we would need an additional 7 rainstorms like the one we just had which is incredibly unlikely.

While Israel is one of the world leaders in high-tech (and lowest cost) water desalination, extreme negligence on behalf of the past Kadima government resulted in Israel being completely unprepared for the impending water crisis. The writing has been on the wall for the past 3 years which is ample time to build desalination plants, yet the funding never came through.

Well, I won't kvetch about the water shortage -- so instead go ahead and enjoy these pictures from a trip to the Galil and Golan Heights yesterday.

Daily Hebrew Update on the Kinneret's water level.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד