0 Likes
One of the first Jerusalem landmarks to crop up outside the Old City walls, the Montefiore Windmill was named for its funder, British Jewish philanthropist Moses (or Moshe in Hebrew) Montefiore. It was built in 1857 at the site where the Mishkenot Sha’ananim neighborhood would be established some 12 years later. It was originally designed as a flour mill, and was part of Montefiore’s project to help the Old Yishuv (the pre-20th-century Jewish community of Palestine) become more self-sufficient. Montefiore, who was devoted to promoting industry in the Holy Land, also built a printing press and a textile factory and undertook many more projects.
Today, the windmill houses a small museum devoted to the works of Montefiore, and blends right in with its quaint, picturesque surrounding in the upscale Yemin Moshe neighborhood (which is also named after the philanthropist). The museum also includes a replica of the carriage Montefiore used in his travels throughout the Holy Land – the original was destroyed in a fire in 1986. The windmill is an essential stop for anyone wishing to learn more about the transition from old to new Jerusalem in the late 19th century and the ambitious endeavors of Moshe Montefiore, one of the true icons of the old Jewish community in the Land of Israel.
...
Modern civilization began right here in the Tigris-Euphrates river valley. Also known as the Fertile Crescent or Mesopotamia, this is the place where, six thousand years ago, agriculture, writing and mathematics were brought into widespread use.The term "Middle East" comes from the British navy, which used it to describe the countries on the trade route from Europe to India and China. Everything from Afghanistan to Morocco may possibly be classified as "middle eastern", depending on whom you ask -- and when.Only a partial list of past Empires in the middle eastern territory includes Sumeria, Babylonia, Persia, the Ottoman Empire and the Roman Empire!When northern Europe was still lurking about in slimy cold stone castles playing chess, the Middle East was enjoying the flowers of poetry, luxurious craftsmanship, music and literature. In fact, the Renaissance in Europe was partly inspired by stories brought back from the middle east by travelers along the trade route.Strategic location, religious history and the world's largest supply of crude oil have kept the Middle East at the center of world activity for centuries. The saga continues.Text by Steve Smith.
