Yalla Israel with Leontine & Alan

This week, we talk about food or actually what makes the food of Israel so tasty, SPICES!  Why are Israel's spices so unique, what kind are there, and where can you find them?

In this third part of the series about underground Jerusalem, Leontine and Alan take us to the Struthion Pools in the bowels of the Sisters of Zion Monastery, to the ancient Roman Plaza hidden beneath the Damascas Gate of today, and to Zedekiah's Cave aka Solomon's Quarries all of which are concealed from plain sight under the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City.

Leontine and Alan are back  following their summer holidays refreshed and ready to begin a new year of Yalla Israel. They cheer in the Jewish New Year with  apples and honey and Rosh Hashanah resolutions.

In continuation of our series about about  ancient treasures hidden beneath the modern day city of Jerusalem, we talk about the spectacular Western Wall Tunnels. 

Everything you want or need to know about landing and taking off at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport-the good, the bad and the ugly.

We begin a series of episodes about "Jerusalem Below" and introduce our listeners to ancient treasures hidden in a world beneath the modern day city of Jerusalem starting where Jerusalem began in the City of David! Yalla!

This week we record from the beautiful gardens of "Beit Hansen" and talk about....Beit Hansen, a former leper colony. Today, it has been transformed into a walled oasis in the Talbiye neighborhood of Jerusalem with an organic farm restaurant, tapas bar and  academy of art.

This week, we talk about the growing popularity of biking in Israel.

In this episode, once Leontine gets past her obsession with Diane's challah, we talk about the brilliant ruins of Hippos. Hippos was a Roman decapolis city perched above the Sea of Galilee on the slopes of the Golan Heights.

In this episode,  inspired by excerpts from "Israel 201" written by Joel Chasnoff and Benji Lovitt, we talk about our unique experiences as new immigrants and those  moments when we feel Israeli.......also those moments when we still feel like immigrants.

In this episode, we take you off the main coastal highway to lesser known Hadera and the "hidden beach" in the Gedor Seaside Reserve.

This week, we take you to the river, the Jordan River that is!  Qasr el Yahud meaning Castle of the Jews in Arabic is the traditional location where the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land, where Elijah the Prophet ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire, and where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.

Leontine and Alan toast to their 46th episode and first year anniversary over a delicious full bodied cabernet from the "Aya" winery and reminisce about some of their unforgettable tours.

In this episode Alan re-lives his unforgettable journey deep in the Samarian Hills  searching for "Joshua's Alter" atop Mount Ebal.

In this episode, we take our listeners on a journey way off the beaten path to the southernmost beachside city in Israel  entering through one of the oldest city gates in the world to Ancient Ashquelon.

Hear about the Passover holiday being celebrated in Israel this week; special kosher for Passover foods, unleavened bread called matzah, the festive meal called a "seder", retellling the story about the Jewish exodus from slavery in Egypt, the "four questions", the four cups of wine and much more! Happy Passover!!

Along the  " Via Maris" or ancient "Highway No. 1,"  you can find the remains of many fortresses from throughout the ages. Find out why the modern day city of Rosh Ha'ayin and the surrounding area is worth a visit!

In this episode, we talk all about the history, customs, culture and religious practices of the Druze minority living in Israel.

The  festival of Purim commemorating how ancient Jews were saved from total annihilation during the Persian Empire is celebrated this week.  Find out how this holiday is celebrated with joy and merriment in Israel and around the world.

This week, we talk about everything you ever wanted to know and more about the colorful Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem.

It is the season of the "Reds".  Red anemone (kalaniyot), red buttercups (nurit), and red poppy (pereg) are starting to bloom in fields all over Israel. Learn all about and where you can find them in this episode. 

Believe it or not the "Jerusalem Syndrome" is a real scientifically documented psychosis, no kidding! Hear about it in this week's episode.

This week, we dive headfirst into how Israel, comprised of approximately 60% desert, solved its water crisis and became a world leader in water management. Chef Leontine responds to a listener wanting to know about  "cholent."

In this episode, Leontine talk about their favorite treks in Israel, and surprisingly they select hikes in the same Golan Heights region.

In this episode, we talk about the many dimensions you can discover when exploring the ruins  of Tel Maresha/ Beit Guvrin in the Jerusalem foothills. The ruins above the surface are incredible enough to justify a visit but what you can find by spelunking or participating in an actual archaeological dig in the 5500 bell caves below the surface is spectacular.  Maresha- Beit Guvrin has been designat...