BEIRUT’S BLOODY HISTORY OF HOTELS

Lebanon’s coastal gem functions simultaneously as a vibrant cultural and nightlife ‘Hot Spot’ as well as a high-risk area due to intense geopolitical tensions.

By Motti Verses

For about $100 a night including breakfast, you can become a guest at the Ramada Plaza, a relatively modern hotel with about 144 rooms and suites in an approximately 18-story building overlooking the promenade and the Mediterranean Sea. Yet it is doubtful that the attractive price alone would tempt many travelers to stay there nowdays, as the hotel stands in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, facing the Pigeon Rocks, one of the city’s most famous landmarks – two massive rock formations rising from the sea opposite the Corniche promenade.

Ramada Plaza Beirut Raouche (Credit: Ramada Plaza Beirut website).

A few days ago, in particular it would not have been advisable to be among the hotel’s guests. An Israeli strike hit a suite on the top floor of the building. Members of the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard were reportedly staying there. At least five people were killed and about ten others injured:

Majid Hosseini, Financial officer of the Quds Force Lebanon Corps, responsible for transferring Iranian funds to Hezbollah and allied groups.
Ali Biazaar, Intelligence representative of the IRGC in Lebanon, reportedly involved in intelligence coordination with Hezbollah.
Hossein Ahmadlou, Head of what Israeli sources call the “Zionist file” within the Quds Force unit operating in Lebanon.
Ahmad Rasouli, Intelligence officer connected to the Palestine Corps of the Quds Force, allegedly involved in coordinating activity with Palestinian militant groups.

According to Israeli military statements, the men were meeting in the hotel suite in central Beirut while coordinating militant activity and attacks against Israel through the Quds Force–Hezbollah network.

The strike was highly targeted: windows shattered and part of the façade was damaged, but the structure itself did not collapse and the damage was limited to a precise, surgical hit on a single room.

The hotel, owned by a Lebanese group, operates under the Ramada brand of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, which operates more than 9,000 hotels in around 95 countries under roughly 25 brands. Ramada, one of the oldest hotel brands in the world, was founded in the United States in 1954 and today, hundreds of hotels operate under the name worldwide. In Israel, Ramada hotels operate in Jerusalem and Netanya.

A bird flies next to the damaged Ramada Plaza hotel building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike on key commanders of Iran’s elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard, in central Beirut, Lebanon, March 8, 2026. (Photo: Reuters)

Under normal circumstances, the Beirut property functions primarily as a business and leisure hotel, hosting international delegations, journalists and business travelers. It stands in the heart of one of the city’s main tourism districts. The Raouché hotel strip, home to a long row of mostly upscale international hotels.

The strike was particularly unusual geographically as well. The Raouché district, where the Ramada stands, lies several kilometers away from Dahieh, Beirut’s southern suburb considered the main stronghold of Hezbollah, where Israeli strikes are usually concentrated. A strike on a hotel in the center of the city’s seaside tourism district, far from Dahieh, is considered an exceptional event in Beirut’s security landscape.

Yet for the city’s residents, a hotel suddenly turning into a security headline is not entirely new.

Two decades earlier, an even more dramatic event occurred nearby. On February 14, 2005, former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was killed in a massive explosion along Beirut’s waterfront. His convoy was attacked near the historic St. George Hotel, long regarded as one of the city’s iconic hotels. The explosion devastated parts of the building and turned it into a symbol of the event that reshaped Lebanese politics.

On 14 February 2005, former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated in an explosion as his motorcade drove near the historic and iconic St. George Hotel. (Photo: Getty images)

“WAR OF THE HOTELS”

The connection between hotels and Beirut’s turbulent history runs even deeper. At the beginning of the Lebanese civil war in the 1970s, many of the city’s luxury hotels became battle positions in what became known as the “War of the Hotels”. High-rise buildings of that era, such as the Holiday Inn and the InterContinental, were used as sniper positions and improvised fortresses. The Holiday Inn building still stands today as an abandoned concrete shell in the center of the city. One of the most powerful symbols of that traumatic civil war.

Forbidden to the public, Beirut’s Holiday Inn building still stands today as an abandoned concrete shell in the center of the city – one of the most powerful symbols of the traumatic civil war. (Photo: Alamy)

The recent strike is not comparable to those battles in scale. It struck only a single room. Yet the very fact that a hotel in the heart of Beirut’s tourism district once again makes security headlines is a reminder of how fragile reality in this city can be.

Abandoned a year after the opening, this photograph as seen through a ‘window’ of the forsakened Holiday Inn, encapsulates a city a half century later still at war with itself. (Photo: AFP)

Despite its turbulent history and the unpleasant events that have taken place in some of its hotels, Beirut continues during periods of calm to draw travelers to its shores. But for visitors to the city, history offers a quiet warning: even in a hotel with a perfect sea view, one may suddenly find oneself at the center of a chaotic drama.

About the writer:

The author is a seasoned hotel expert, traveler, writer, and videographer, and formerly served as Head of Public Relations for Hilton Hotels & Resorts in Israel. Today, as a travel writer and hospitality trends analyst, his insights and experiences are regularly featured in leading Israeli media outlets.

Feature Picture – Beirut Beauty. An idyllic waterfront that belies the dangers that beset its otherwise calm.(Photo: Lebanon Ministry of Tourism)

While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

TEHRAN’S HOTELS: WAR, REGULATION AND SANCTIONS

Discerning differences is not visible in the lobby; it lies within the system behind it.

By Motti Verses

As heavy airstrikes struck multiple targets across the Iranian capital, Tehran, the city’s hotels have assumed an unexpected role, transforming into temporary civilian shelters. Unlike several Gulf cities where hospitality properties have suffered damage during the regional escalation, no hotels in Tehran have so far been reported hit despite the extensive bombardment.

According to reports in Iranian media, around 1,100 residents whose homes were damaged have been accommodated in approximately 13 hotels across the city. Among them is the Laleh International Hotel, where roughly 150 rooms have been allocated and more than 300 people are currently staying on a temporary basis. Additional hotels belonging to the Parsian International Hotels group, have also opened rooms for families displaced by the strikes. In a city under bombardment, Tehran’s hotels have so far avoided physical damage, yet many have quietly shifted from welcoming travelers to sheltering residents whose homes no longer stand.

The Laleh Hotel in downtown Tehran, originally built as the Intercontinental, retains a faded charm recalling its 1960s heyday. Today, the Laleh International Hotel is one of 13 hotels across Tehran that is accommodating city residents whose homes have been damaged in the current war with the US and Israel.

The Laleh itself carries historical significance. During the era of ruler Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, it was one of Tehran’s most prestigious hotels, welcoming Western diplomats, international business figures and official guests at a time when the city stood prominently on the Middle East’s tourism and business map. For the local hospitality industry, the current use of hotels as emergency accommodation is unusual, though limited in scale. Estimates suggest that Tehran’s hotel sector offers roughly 8,000 to 12,000 rooms in total, meaning that only a small fraction of the city’s hospitality capacity is currently hosting displaced residents.

The gap also reflects Iran’s local evacuation model. Unlike Israel, where more than 120,000 evacuees were accommodated in hundreds of hotels following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Tehran has not seen the large-scale evacuation of entire districts. Many affected residents stay at home or first seek temporary solutions with relatives or in public facilities before turning to hotels.

This reality offers a rare glimpse into Tehran’s hotel industry. Behind the imposing facades and marble-lined lobbies of properties such as Espinas Palace Hotel and Parsian Azadi Hotel,operates a management structure quite different from what hotel executives in Dubai, London or New York would recognize. On the surface, these are fully fledged five-star hotels: spacious suites, refined restaurants, multilingual staff and sweeping views of the Alborz Mountains. Yet behind the scenes, lies a system deeply shaped by Iranian regulation and geopolitical realities.

Unlike the hotel landscapes of the Gulf emirates, Tehran today hosts no Western hotel brands. Prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, several leading international chains operated in the city as Iran opened to global tourism and business. Properties such as Hilton, Hyatt and InterContinental – today’s Laleh – were built to international luxury standards and managed by Western companies. After the revolution, the hotels were nationalized, foreign operators withdrew, and the properties were renamed and transferred to Iranian hotel groups.

Beneath the splendor of Tehran’s 5-star Parsian Azadi Hotel, lies – like most of Tehran’s hotels – a rigid regulatory management system shaped by geopolitics. Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence monitor the movements and communications of guests, particularly foreign nationals, in hotel premises.

Since then, many of these hotels have operated under ownership structures that are sometimes private and sometimes semi-governmental. They lack the backing of global loyalty programs, international marketing systems or standardized operational frameworks. Hotel managers often have to build their service standards largely on their own, train local staff internally and maintain quality levels even when market conditions remain unstable.

There were, however, a few exceptional years. Near Imam Khomeini International Airport, hotels operated by the French hospitality group Accor – including Ibis and Novotel – opened after the 2015 nuclear agreement. Airport hotels may lack the glamour of city landmarks, but for investors and international chains they represent a reliable anchor: predictable cash flow, relatively low risk and a stable operating model. Three years later, with the return of U.S. sanctions, Accor ended its direct involvement in the country and management was transferred to a local operator.

Under local ownership, operations are fully subject to Iranian law. Alcohol is prohibited; guest registration is conducted through government systems and financial transactions are constrained by sanctions. Management takes place within a tightly controlled regulatory environment.

Every foreign guest is registered in official databases, passports are scanned and information is transferred to authorities. Hosting delegations or senior business figures may require additional coordination. In an environment of regional tension, running a hotel means dealing not only with rooms and restaurants, but also with emergency procedures, security coordination and careful control of external communications. Even the ability to respond quickly to media events or leverage publicity opportunities is not always fully within the hotel management’s autonomy.

Teheran’s Parsian Esteghlal International Hotel – formerly the Royal Hilton which attracted the city’s elite – today operates under intense state surveillance and is located in an area of the city that is close to the conflict with the US and Israel.

Social and cultural rules add further layers unfamiliar in the West:

a complete ban on alcohol
strict modest dress codes in public spaces
and for local guests, verification of marital status in certain circumstances.

A hotel general manager in Tehran is not only a host, but also an enforcer of regulatory requirements. Operational flexibility is limited.

The flag of Iran’s ‘Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts’ which is the body responsible for the oversight of tourism establishments that includes the enforcement of strict Islamic rules in hotels, notably – strict dress codes (hijab) for women and the banning of alcohol.

The economic challenges are no less complex. In the absence of regular international payment systems and under the shadow of ongoing sanctions, financial operations become intricate. Procuring equipment, maintaining high-end facilities and managing cash flow in a volatile currency environment require constant creativity and risk management. Global procurement systems and stable supply chains, common in major international hotel groups, are largely absent.

Yet for the guest, the experience can still feel polished and impressive. Staff are courteous, public spaces expansive and service often warm and personal. The difference is not visible in the lobby; it lies within the system behind it.

For hospitality professionals, Tehran represents a unique model of luxury hotel management under constraints:

-a combination of professional hospitality expertise

– political awareness

-and the ability to navigate a tightly regulated environment.

In some ways, the city resembles Russia or Cuba, where luxury hospitality continues to operate under sanctions and heavy state oversight, relying on flexible local management and the ability to maneuver within a restricted financial and political framework.

For cities like Moscow, St. Petersburg or Havana, there remains a long-term ambition to reconnect more fully with global tourism flows. For Tehran, the trajectory appears less certain. The displaced residents currently staying in the capital’s hotels are, in a sense, the privileged ones who secured temporary shelter. Whether foreign guests will one day return to these properties in significant numbers again is a question that the outcome of the current conflict may ultimately answer.

About the writer:

CYPRUS, ISRAEL’S CLOSEST FARAWAY PLACE

Not only an attraction for Israel travelers, this captivating Mediterranean gem is attracting Israelis who are contributing to the Island and its tourism industry.

By Motti Verses

Israel does not possess an island, yet it has found one it returns to with remarkable consistency. A close, welcoming getaway for Israelis in the Mediterranean, Cyprus has evolved into something more than a holiday destination for Israelis. It has become a familiar refuge, close enough to feel reassuring, distant enough to feel like an escape.

The connection is evident in the numbers. With multiple daily flights year-round, including during winter months, Israelis travel to Cyprus in extraordinary volumes. Beaches, food, and a sense of ease draw them in, but what sustains the relationship is something less tangible: the feeling of being welcome, understood, and safe.

Few people understand this bond better than Louisa Varaclas, Director of the Israel Office at the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Tourism. Having spent nearly three decades in the role, she has witnessed the transformation firsthand.

**Venturing into the Vinyards**. Touring a Cypriot winery, the Director of the Israel Office at the Cyprus Ministry of Tourism Louisa Varaclas (left), assures the writer that “Israelis have discovered that Cypriots remain genuine friends, regardless of circumstances.” (Photo: Motti Verses)

“When I began, fewer than 30,000 Israelis visited Cyprus each year,” she recalls. “By 2025, that number had risen to almost 600,000, not including cruise passengers.”

Varaclas identifies the COVID period as a turning point, but not the sole explanation. “Israelis are natural travelers,” she says. “Travel is embedded in the culture. Cyprus offers proximity, affordability, and the reassurance that home is always within easy reach.”

That reassurance, she adds, has taken on greater importance in recent years. “Cyprus has remained consistently friendly. Israeli visitors feel genuinely welcomed here, especially compared to destinations that have become more complicated or less hospitable. Israeli tourists are also significant contributors to the local economy, staying in high-end hotels, shopping, dining, and engaging with entertainment and leisure offerings.”

Winter Light, Mediterranean Calm

Arriving in Limassol at the start of 2026, I encountered a city in its quieter season. Winter strips the coastline of its summer crowds and reveals something more elemental. The sea turns dramatic, the air sharp, the promenade contemplative. Walking along the rocky shoreline, with waves crashing hard against the coast, the city feels grounded and honest. A place allowed to breathe.

Yet Cyprus is not only a destination Israelis visit. Increasingly, it is a place where Israeli professionals shape the hospitality landscape itself.

That realization became clear when Roni Aloni, Managing Director of the Mediterranean Region at Leonardo–Fattal Hotels, was awarded the Award of Excellence by the Cyprus Hotel Managers Association, recognizing his contribution to hospitality development across the region in 2025.

**Rising Tide**. Making waves in the Mediterranean is the award-winning Managing Director of the Mediterranean Region Roni Aloni (right) who tells the writer (left) that “Nine Fattal hotels are already operating in Cyprus with three more set to open soon.” (Photo: Motti Verses).

The award prompted a deeper look at the Israeli hotel group whose footprint on the island has become impossible to ignore.

Israeli Hospitality, Mediterranean Scale

Leonardo–Fattal Hotels, a publicly traded Israeli hospitality group, has quietly become the largest international hotel operator in Cyprus, surpassing global brands such as Marriott, Hilton, InterContinental, and Wyndham in number of properties.

**Coasting Along**. Taking in a drink and the vista of the promenade and beachfront from the roof top bar of NYX Limassol. (Photo: Leonardo-Fattal Hotels)

My base during this exploration was NYX Hotel Limassol, part of Fattal’s lifestyle-oriented NYX brand. Positioned along the promenade near the port, the hotel reflects a distinctly urban sensibility: contemporary design, social energy, curated music and art, and a relaxed cosmopolitan atmosphere. With 189 rooms, generous public spaces, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking either sea or city, it feels tuned to modern travelers rather than traditional resort guests.

**View Bar None**. A view of the Mediterranean view from the roof top bar of NYX Limassol. (Photo: Leonardo–Fattal Hotels).

Meeting Aloni there felt less like a formal interview and more like a professional exchange between peers shaped by similar decades in the industry.

“Our move into Cyprus began about eight years ago,” he explains. “After establishing ourselves in major European cities, we wanted to enter the resort world, which is operationally and commercially far more complex. Cyprus made sense immediately.”

The group identified underperforming locally owned hotels, particularly in Paphos, and saw opportunity. “We believed these properties could be completely reimagined under our brands. Cyprus was open to foreign investment, close to Israel, and aligned with our long-term vision. Greece followed naturally.”

**Lively Lobby**. The urban-design lobby in the NYX Limassol blending the contemporary with a Mediterranean feel. (Photo: Motti Verses).

DESIGNED WITH ISRAELIS IN MIND

Many of the group’s Cypriot properties feel uncannily tailored to Israeli travelers. A point Aloni readily acknowledges.

“In some ways, we’ve expanded Israelis’ holiday choices beyond Eilat,” he says. “The decision is no longer automatic. Do you drive south, or take a short flight to Larnaca or Paphos? Cyprus competes on price, convenience, and experience.”

The hotels are deliberately segmented: adults-only resorts, family-focused properties, and seasonally adaptable concepts. Attention to detail matters: Hebrew signage, kosher solutions, diverse dining, personalized service, and entertainment designed around Israeli expectations. Even elements like escape rooms, spa concepts, and family lounges were developed specifically for the Cypriot context.

**Captivating Cyprus**. View of the harbor of the ancient city of Paphos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One in eight tourists in Cyprus is Israeli with approximately 590,000 visiting in 2025, making Israel the second largest tourism market in Cyprus after the UK.

The clearest expression of this strategy is Leonardo Laura Beach & Splash Resort in Paphos. With 420 rooms, extensive dining options, constant entertainment, an on-site water park, and a beachfront location, it has become the group’s most sought-after family property on the island.

LOOKING AHEAD

As holiday habits shift toward nearby destinations where travelers feel culturally comfortable, Cyprus continues to strengthen its appeal.

“Nine Fattal hotels are already operating here, with three more opening soon,” Aloni notes. Among them: a 240-suite family resort in Latchi near the Blue Lagoon, featuring a floating water park; a 72-room urban hotel in Nicosia opening next month; and later in the year, NYX Nicosia, a 162-room lifestyle property.

**Cool View**. High above the coastal city, looking out on the Mediterranean from the roof top pool at NYX Limassol. (Photo: Leonardo–Fattal Hotels).

Together, these developments reinforce Cyprus’ evolving role. Not merely as a holiday island, but as a second home of sorts for Israeli travelers and hospitality professionals alike.

Asked about his recent award, Aloni deflects the spotlight. “It’s not about me,” he says. “It recognizes the teams on the ground – leadership, staff, and partners in Cyprus and Greece. Their work is what made this possible.”

Cyprus today is more than a destination Israelis visit. It is a place where Israeli hospitality has taken root, shaping experiences from behind the scenes and making the island feel, in many ways, comfortably familiar.

*Feature picture: Love is in the Air. The writer marveling at the site where legend has it that Aphrodite – the goddess of love and beauty – was born from the Mediterranean waves below. For centuries, people have traveled to Aphrodite’s Rock to sweep their loved one off their feet. (Photo: Motti Verses).

About the writer:

The writer, Motti Verses, is a Travel Flash Tips publisher. His travel stories are published on THE TIMES OF ISRAEL: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/motti-verses/ 
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPSAnd his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS.

THE JODHPUR-HAIFA CONNECTION

Touring India’s “Land of Kings” reveals surprise insights to Israelis on history of their own land.

By Motti Verses

It all began with my daughter, Lihi Verses, a medical student soon to become a doctor. This summer, she chose to spend her vacation in Rishikesh, the spiritual cradle of India, immersing herself in yoga and meditation at a peaceful ashram beneath the Himalayas. When her course ended, we decided to meet in New Delhi and embark on a journey together through Rajasthan – India’s land of kings.

Rajasthan is India’s largest state and it stretches across 342,000 square kilometers – larger than many countries, home to 80 million people, more than France or Italy. In 2024 alone, over 230 million visiting Indians and 2.1 million foreign travelers sought its colors and stories. Numbers that stagger the mind, yet barely begin to convey its magic.

Our voyage led us to Jodhpur, the fabled Blue City. The first glimpse of it from the desert highway felt like seeing a mirage solidify into stone. A sapphire city shimmering at the edge of the Thar Desert, where houses, temples, and winding lanes glow in shades of indigo, as if the sky had descended to earth.

**True Blue**. Jodhpur in Rajasthan Is known as the “Blue City” of India for the many blue-painted houses in its old town, particularly around the Mehrangarh Fort. (Photo: Motti Verses)

Above it all looms the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort, a citadel carved from sandstone, mighty and eternal. Walking through its colossal gates and latticed courtyards feels like drifting through a dream of another age. Walls that breathe with legend, echoes that whisper of valor, and balconies that once looked down upon an empire of sand and courage.

It was there, among the fort’s ramparts, that our local guide Deepak, acknowledging we are from Israel, surprised us with a question: “Do you know,” he asked, “about the Jodhpur Lancers – the horsemen who saved your city of Haifa from the Germans?”

We exchanged puzzled looks.

Haifa? Saved by Indian cavalry?

**City of Symbols**. The writer and his daughter standing before Mehrangarh Fort and (right) a man with a well-groomed mustache, making an impressive mark, a proud symbol of Rajasthani seen in forts, museums and hotels in Jodhpur. (Photos: Motti Verses)

We recalled that Indian soldiers assisted the British army to free Haifa. But Jodhfur? We had never heard such a story. Deepak looked astonished at our ignorance and then told us briefly about a regiment born from the deserts of the region – the Jodhpur Lancers, led by a noble general, Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh. “They had crossed continents in 1918,” he said, “to fight alongside the British and free the city of Haifa from Ottoman and German forces.” We listened with fascination, but still found it hard to grasp. The fort, glorious as it was, had kept its secrets well.

**Victory over the Turks**. The Battle of Haifa was fought on 23 September 1918 towards the end of the Battle of Sharon which together with the Battle of Nablus formed the set piece Battle of Megiddo fought between 19 and 25 September . Here are India’s Jodhpur Lancers marching through Haifa after it was captured in 1918.

That afternoon, as we climbed toward the dome of Umaid Bhawan Palace – a 20th-century marvel where royal tradition fuses with Art Deco grandeur – our next guide, Rohit, returned to the same theme. When he heard we were from Israel, his eyes lit up.

**Majestic Marvel**. A 20th-century architectural marvel, the Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, gleaming in golden sandstone, sits high above the Blue City, amid 26 acres of gardens. (Photo: Motti Verses)

“Do you know,” he asked eagerly, “that the visionary regent who paved the way for this palace was Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh – the same leader who officially commanded the cavalry that liberated Haifa?” We stood silent once more. Twice in one day, two guides, the same forgotten tale.

Back at our heritage hotel, the elegant Ajit Bhawan Palace, curiosity turned into determination. The hotel itself was a chapter of history. Once the residence of Major General Maharaj Sir Ajit Singh, younger brother of the Maharaja of Jodhpur, it became India’s first palace hotel. The transformation started after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi abolished royal privileges in the 1970s.

**Serene Swimming**. The alluring but tranquil palatial atmosphere at the pool of Jodhpur’s Ajit Bhawan Palace. (Photo: Motti Verses)

Within its courtyards of domes and fountains, I began to search for the truth behind this mysterious link between Jodhpur and Haifa.

And what a story it was.

🇮🇳 Jodhpur the Blue City and the Ajit Bhawan Palace heritage hotel 10/2025 MOTTI VERSES

In September 1918, as the Mediterranean waves lapped the shores of Ottoman-held Haifa, horsemen rose from the desert dust – the Jodhpur Lancers. They had journeyed from faraway Rajasthan region under the patronage of Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh, loyal general and statesman of the British Indian Army. Facing relentless machine-gun fire, these Rajput warriors charged fearlessly into battle, sabres flashing in the sunlight. Within hours they broke through the Ottoman lines, capturing the city and opening its vital port to the Allies.

**Heroism at Haifa**. Known as the “Hero of Haifa” for his actions in the ‘Battle of Haifa’ during World War I, Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh was awarded the Military Cross. Part of his citation read: “… accompanied only by his trumpeter, he charged an entrenched machine gun killing and scattering the crew and capturing the gun. At the same time, he captured the commandant of a regiment and another officer.”

The cost was high. Twenty-six-year-old Major Dalpat Singh, who led the charge, was killed in action. Yet his bravery became legend, earning him the title “The Hero of Haifa”. What we learned in the Blue City were the true facts of history in that that Major Dalpat Singh, although fighting as part of the British Indian Expeditionary Force, he was representing Jodhpur. So, while technically he fell under British command, he represented, as a loyal soldier, his Jodhpur Maharaja ruler and patron. We found these unexpected insights so illuminating. Since gaining independence in1947, the Indian nation has revered him as the key figure in one of the last great cavalry charges in military history in a battle not on India’s soil. Each September 23, at the British Military Cemetery in Haifa, wreaths are laid to honor Major Dalpat Singh and his men. The most recent ceremony, marking 107 years since the battle, was attended a few weeks ago by Haifa’s Mayor Yona Yahav, India’s Ambassador to Israel J.P. Singh, Defense Attaché Captain Vijay Patil, officers of the IDF and Israel Police, and military attachés from around the world. Together they paid tribute to those Jodhpur horsemen and additional battalions, Mysore and Hyderabad Lancers, who changed the course of history. Twenty-one of the soldiers were killed in action.

**India in Israel**. India’s Ambassador to Israel J.P. Singh and Haifa’s Mayor Yona Yahav (right) at the cemetery during a memorial on the annual ‘Haifa Day’ on September 23 2025. (Photo: Bella Shahar Hilel)

In his address, Mayor Yahav admitted:

“All our lives, we were taught that the British liberated Haifa from Ottoman rule. Only in recent years have we learned the historical truth. That it was the Indian Cavalry Regiment, under Major Singh, who led the charge and achieved victory. We thank the people of India from the bottom of our hearts for their contribution, and we are proud to honor their brave soldiers as they deserve.”

Back in Jodhpur, on our final morning, before setting off toward our next Rajasthani destination, my daughter Lihi and I met Sumer Singh, who has been an integral part of Ajit Bhawan for over three decades as a doorman. Before joining the hospitality industry, he proudly served in the Indian Army for 20 years, demonstrating exceptional discipline, dedication, and commitment to service. With his towering turban, crisp uniform, and glorious moustache, he looked every bit the embodiment of Rajput pride. Perhaps even a living echo of those 1918 Lancers. I saluted him, half in jest, half in reverence.

“Thank you,” I said. “For the warm hospitality, and … for saving Haifa.”

He straightened his back, eyes fierce yet kind, and returned the salute with quiet dignity. And in that fleeting moment, between two sons of distant lands, the story of Jodhpur and Haifa no longer felt like history. It felt alive.

Upon our return to Israel, I did not miss the chance to visit Haifa’s Indian cemetery near the port, just a few weeks after the official ceremony. The place stood silent and deserted, yet impeccably tended, serene in its solitude.

The lesson about Haifa I had learned in Jodhpur, India, resonated deeply – a quiet echo of history that reached across time and continents.

**Closing a Circle**. Moved by his surprise discoveries in India, the writer on his return to Israel, places a flower at the Indian cemetery tomb in Haifa to honor of the brave soldiers of Jodhpur who left a legacy on the emerging state of Israel. (Photo: Motti Verses)

*Feature picture: Closing a Circle. Honoring a Legacy. Saluting with Sumer Singh, Ajit Bhawan doorman in Jodhpur. (photo by Motti Verses)

About the writer:

The writer, Motti Verses, is a Travel Flash Tips publisher. His travel stories are published on THE TIMES OF ISRAEL https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/motti-verses/. And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPSAnd his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS.

FROM PLONSK TO A NATION

Tracing Ben Gurion’s roots from small town in central Poland to forging a nation.

By Motti Verses

This coming October 16 will mark another birthday of a leader whose wisdom we could certainly use in today’s roller-coaster reality. Born back in the 19^th century in 1886, he is sadly no longer with us. While most people, myself included, tend to honor his memory by visiting his grave in Sde Boker, this time I decided to pay tribute in a different way: by tracing David Ben Gurion’s roots in Poland.

On our way back from Gdańsk to Warsaw Chopin Airport, we turned off the highway to a small, easily overlooked town: Płońsk, 70k/ms north of Warsaw. Israel’s founding prime minister was born here, and I was determined to find the house where he first saw the light of day. Thanks to modern technology, the task was surprisingly easy. Without it, it would have been nearly impossible, as there are no road signs directing visitors there.

It was a moving visit. The oval-shaped old town plaza is tiny, ringed with homes of bygone eras. Among them stood a turquoise-colored building that, according to images on my phone, matched the one I was seeking. Once a restaurant, now closed, it bears a “For Rent” sign in the window. Perhaps this is a golden opportunity for a Jewish investor to acquire the property and give it a purpose worthy of its history. A modest black plaque announces that David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founding prime minister, was born here.

**Food for Thought**. From the outside, a visitor would know that this small turquoise building had once been a restaurant but could be excused for not knowing that long before had been the childhood home of one of the most iconic nation-builders of the 20^th century – David Ben Gurion.(Photo: Motti Verses)

Back then, he was still David Grün, growing up in a modest Jewish household. At the time, Płońsk was part of the Russian Empire (today, Poland) and had a vibrant Jewish community that made up roughly half its population. His father, Avigdor Grün, was a teacher and an active member of the Ḥovevei Zion (“Lovers of Zion”) movement, which inspired young David with the ideals of Jewish national revival.

As a teenager, Ben-Gurion joined Poale Zion, a socialist-Zionist youth group, and even began teaching Hebrew to local children. Life in Płońsk’s close-knit shtetl, shared with both Jews and Poles, shaped his worldview: he saw the necessity of Jewish self-reliance while also recognizing the challenges of coexistence. In 1906, at the age of 19, he emigrated to Eretz Israel and the rest, as they say, is history.

**Płońsk to Palestine**. David Ben-Gurion (bottom center) in white shirt at a gathering of “Poalei Tzion” (Jewish worker youth movement) in Płońsk before his emigration to Eretz Israel/Palestine in 1906 still under the rule of the Ottoman Turks. In the back row, right of the flag, stands his father, Avigdor Grün. (Photo: Ben-Gurion Archives)

Today, Płońsk commemorates him with various educational initiatives. The Płońsk Memorial House (Dom Pamięci w Płońsku) tells the story of his youth and of the once-thriving Jewish community. Located just across the narrow street from the turquoise house, it is dedicated to the intertwined history of Polish and Jewish residents who lived together in Płońsk for nearly five centuries. The museum is housed in a restored early 20th-century two-story brick building that once served as both a pharmacy and a residence. The project reflects a broader goal: to preserve the shared memory of both communities, foster intercultural dialogue, and honor the legacy for visiting descendants of Płońsk’s Jews as well as tourists interested in the town’s history and its connection to David Ben-Gurion.

**Sign of the Times**. A modest black plaque informs that Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion was born in this house.(Photo: Motti Verses)

What struck me most was a remarkable mural on one of the nearby building walls. This vibrant graffiti artwork tells the story of Israel and Ben-Gurion. It was created by the multifaceted Polish artist Bruno Neuhamer (also known as Bruno Althamer), a draftsman, illustrator, sculptor, and street artist. The mural was unveiled on October 26, 2021, during the Jewish Culture Festival in Płońsk. The project was realized in cooperation with the city authorities, the local cultural center, and the Israeli Embassy in Poland.

**Mural of Memories**. Located on a wall of a tenement house at 6 Warszawska Street in Płońsk, Bruno Neuhamer’s mural tells the story of Israel and the life of Ben-Gurion, including the legendary image of the Prime Minister standing on his head which he did from childhood in Płońsk to old age in Israel, including on Tel Aviv beach. (Photo: Motti Verses)

The central image shows Ben-Gurion balancing on his head, inspired by a 1957 photograph by Paul Goldman, preserved at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv. According to historical accounts, young Ben-Gurion often fainted, and his doctor prescribed headstands as a remedy. A habit he maintained well into later life. Beyond the literal image, the pose – as I saw it – carries a deeper metaphor: to achieve something great, one sometimes must turn the world upside down.

**“HISTORY IS NOT WRITEN, HISTORY IS MADE”**. This is the last line in the Murial’s inscription on the life of Ben Gurion that appears in Polish, English and Hebrew. (Photo: Motti Verses)

In Ben-Gurion’s case, this is the story of a boy from Płońsk who did just that, ultimately founding a nation. The mural is filled with details: exotic plants, tanks with raised barrels, adding layers of meaning. At first, the tanks seemed out of place, yet in today’s reality, Neuhamer’s choice feels prophetic. The mural left me thoughtful, even melancholic, about Israel’s present and image in the world.

**Early Life**. One of the exhibits relating to David Ben Gurion in the Płońsk Memorial House. (Photo: Motti Verses)

As an Israeli visiting Płońsk, I felt a mix of emotions. Walking the same streets that young David once knew was like touching the roots of modern Israel’s story. It was a reminder that a boy from here turned the world upside down to create a nation. There was a strong echo of resilience, dreams, and lives stretching from Poland to Israel, along with sadness for the absence of the once-vibrant Jewish community, erased by the Holocaust. The silence where synagogues, schools, and children’s laughter once filled the air was palpable. And yet, there was also warmth: many Polish young people today take pride in commemorating their town’s connection to Israel. Płońsk still holds a living link to the Jewish people. An encouraging reality in our times.

**Past Preserved**. Across the street from Ben Gurion’s childhood home is the entrance to Płońsk Memorial House. (Photo: Motti Verses)

It was pleasantly cool in Płońsk this August. In winter, average temperatures here hover around 0 °C (32°F). My thoughts drifted to young David’s reality, and to the stark contrast of his later life in the Middle East-especially during the sweltering hot days of the Negev desert in Sde Boker. Quite a change, and quite a challenge.

You don’t need more than an hour to see Płońsk; everything is small and close together. But if you’re in the area, make the stop – it will certainly be worth it.

It will also be both enlightening and rewarding to see how from this small town emerged a giant of the 20^th century that defied insurmountable obstacles and challenges to forge a nation on their ancestral land that today hosts the largest core Jewish population in the world, with 7.2 million, followed by the United States with 6.3 million.

The man who did headstands knew where and when to stand where and when it mattered!

*Feature picture: Birth of a Nation. The writer stands in front of Ben-Gurion’s childhood home in Płońsk, Poland. (Photo: Motti Verses)

About the writer:

FROM DEVASTATED HOMES TO HOTEL HOSPITALITY

As Iran’s ballistic missiles pummel Israel’s urban areas turning residents into evacuees, Israel’s hotels – despite tourist decline – meet the challenge.

By Motti Verses

(This article first appeared in The Jerusalem Post)

Friday morning in Be’er Sheva this June, 51-year-old Sima Elimeleh huddled with her husband Avi and their daughters in their apartment’s safe room as air raid sirens echoed throughout the city.

**It’s Personal***. “We were determined to do everything we could for those who had lost their homes and their sense of safety*,” said Sima Elimeleh, GM at the Leonardo Negev hotel of Fattal group in Be’er Sheva. (Photo: Ohad Abrahimi)

Heightening the family’s anxiety was the previous day’s ballistic missile strike from Iran scoring a direct hit on the nearby Soroka Medical Center, that provides medical services to approximately one million residents of the South. Then, when the news broke that another missile had hit their normally quiet neighborhood causing severe damage to numerous buildings, and local residents reeling from shock began to assessing the destruction, Elimeleh, the General Manager of the Leonardo Negev Hotel, quickly shifted gears. Asking her husband to manage preparations for their family’s Shabbat (Friday night) dinner, Elimelah Whats App’ed her hotel management team to report immediately to the hotel. Despite being only three months in her new position, she acted like a seasoned professional and arrived there within ten minutes. Her team wasn’t far behind.

**Hit on a Hospital**. Damage at the Soroka hospital in Be’er Sheba following a direct hit from an Iranian missile barrage on June 19, 2025. (Credit: Israel Fire and Rescue Services)

Within an hour, the hotel had transformed. Guest rooms were readied, public spaces organized, refreshments laid out, and even a kindergarten was established. “We at Fattal Hotels have experience hosting 20,000 evacuees since October 7,” Elimelah explains. “But when it’s your own hometown, people you know, whose children go to school with yours, it hits differently – it’s personal. I felt a sense of mission. We were determined to do everything we could for those who had lost their homes and their sense of safety.”

Minutes before the ceasefire was announced of the ‘12 Day War’, Be’er Sheva suffered another deadly attack, claiming four lives. A second wave of evacuees soon arrived at Elimeleh’s hotel. By nightfall, 500 civilians were housed there. Many are expected to remain for at least a month.

**Serving the People**. The Fattal Hotels that have been hosting Israeli evacuees since October 7, 2023, were back in “business” when its Leonardo Negev hotel in Be’er Sheva welcomed evacuees following the devastating missile attacks from Iran that also hit the local Soroko hospital.(Photo: Aya Ben-Ezri)

The events of October 7 and the ensuing war with Hamas displaced over 200,000 Israelis, particularly from communities near Gaza and later from the north. Many were sheltered in hotels and short-term rentals. What began as temporary arrangements soon extended into months, testing the limits of logistics, finances, and emotional resilience.

Hoteliers found themselves in dual roles: offering standard hospitality services while simultaneously meeting humanitarian needs. Guest rooms were repurposed for long-term stays. Support services, mental health care, educational programming, childcare was coordinated in part by the government.

The hard-earned experience from those months proved invaluable when Iranian missile strikes targeted Israeli cities this June. Since the outbreak of Israel’s military campaign with Iran, the country’s tourism industry has faced a dramatic downturn. Regional tensions, heightened travel advisories, flight cancellations and general insecurity have nearly brought international tourism to a standstill. Even domestic tourism, especially in the north and along the southern coast has evaporated. In this vacuum, many hotels saw housing evacuees as both a moral imperative and a practical solution.

One person well-positioned to manage this challenge is Romi Gorodisky, Deputy General Manager of the Israel Hotel Association. Known as a behind-the-scenes powerhouse, Gorodisky has led crisis responses since 1996, when the IDF launched ‘Operation Grapes of Wrath’ against Hezbollah. On October 7, she helped establish a command center to oversee hotel placements for evacuees from both the Gaza and northern borders. When ‘Operation Rising Lion’ against Iran began, she launched a new center. “In the Iron Swords operation, launched following the October 7, 2023 massacre, everything was centrally coordinated via the National Evacuation, Care, and Casualties Authority (EWC); this time, the responsibility shifted to municipalities,” she says.

While the previous efforts focused on peripheral communities, this round of war effected Israel’s urban centers. “Of the 15,000 evacuees, 10,000 were placed in hotels,” she explains. “The rest stayed with friends or family. We worked with municipalities to place people close to their original neighborhoods, preserving familiar environments and community continuity,” she says. Her team’s real-time ops room and inventory system – another possible Israeli innovation – allowed for rapid, efficient placement of evacuees. Their proven-under-pressure methodology may well serve as a model for crisis management globally. It would also do the industry good by being studied at hotel schools.

**New Home.** Danny Sadeh (right), Yoav Yaari and Tyson the dog became literally overnight evacuees when an Iranian ballistic missile struck a building near their apartment in Tel Aviv causing widespread damage. (Photo: Danny Sadeh)

Among the displaced is 72-year-old Danny Sadeh, a former tourism correspondent for the Israeli daily, Yedioth Aharonot, who has reviewed hotels worldwide and locally for 20 years. He was evacuated just hours after a missile struck a building near his Tel Aviv apartment. “I found myself with my partner in a 14-square-meter room at the Brown Bobo Hotel, along with 100 other civilians,” he recounts. “The room is small, but the food is excellent and the staff is incredibly supportive.” Sadeh, who has stayed in over 250 hotels in 40 countries, says this stay is unlike any other. “This is the first time I’ve had to bring my dog. Running to the basement during sirens, especially when the elevators are full, isn’t pleasant. Much of our time is spent on paperwork related to our damaged apartment. This is not a hotel stay I ever imagined.”

**Home away from Home**. Following the destruction of their home from an Iranian missile, the Brown Bobo urban hotel in Tel Aviv provides for evacuees this guest room. (Photo: Max Kovalsky)

So how are hoteliers in metropolitan Tel Aviv responding to this unexpected influx of guests? Dr. Eran Ketter, Head of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Kinneret Academic College, offers some perspective:

“From January to April 2025, Tel Aviv hotels saw only 45% occupancy, due to the sluggish return of international tourism. The arrival of evacuees has improved this, offering hotels a much-needed revenue stream, at least temporarily.”

**Rescuing Kids**. Security and rescue personnel at the scene where an Iranian ballistic missile hit in Tel Aviv, June 22, 2025. (Photo: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90.)

Still, challenges remain. Many Tel Avivian evacuees will struggle to find alternate housing in a city where real estate values are comparable to major global hubs like Paris and New York. “However, the hospitality industry has adapted. In 2024, many hotels experimented with hybrid models, hosting evacuees alongside regular guests. While this brings operational challenges and concerns about guest experience, most people seem to understand the unique reality we’re living in. To avoid friction, larger hotel chains may designate specific properties for evacuees while reserving others for tourists. Flexibility will be key,’’ concludes Ketter.

**Meeting Changing Needs**. With war impacting negatively on international tourism, Israel’s “hospitality industry has adapted,” says Dr. Eran Ketter, Head of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Kinneret Academic College. (Photo:Tal Hefetz)

Ask any Israeli hotelier, and they’ll tell you:

“We long for peace and the day when tourism resumes in full force. Until then, we will continue to serve evacuees quietly, professionally, and with compassion.”

Feature picture: These were once Israeli Homes! Apartment complex in Tel Aviv following a direct missile strike launched from Iran on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Photo: AP/Oded Balilty).

About the writer:

RETRACING ROOTS

Israeli travel advisor takes a trip of a different kind tracing the footsteps of his late mother to Uzbekistan’s Samarkand.

By Motti Verses

Central Asia was one of the few places that accepted Jews fleeing the Holocaust. Altogether, about 1.6 million Soviet Jews and 200,000 Polish Jewish refugees are estimated to have survived the war in Central Asia – across Siberia and parts of the Ural Mountains. In this fortuitous part of the world that became an unlikely center for Jewish refugees, the city of Samarkand played a significant role as a hub for these displaced Jews. Few in the world today are aware that this city served as a major center for the evacuation of children from the Soviet Union, with thousands being sent to Uzbek families and orphanages. Research reveals that the Samarkand region during the first years of the war, absorbed about 90,000 children. To meet this influx, sixteen orphanages were established absorbing 8,000 children, including 300 from Poland.

**Safety in Samarkand**. During WWII, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, became a refuge for Jewish refugees, primarily from Poland, who had been displaced by the war. Above is a group portrait of Polish Jewish refugees in Samarkand in 1943. (Photo Credit: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anne Miransky)

My late mother Sarah was a teenager when together with her family and a quarter of a million Polish Jews, fled with the outbreak of WWII, to the interior of the Soviet Union. Residing in a small village near the city of Chelm in eastern Poland, my mother, together with her parents and a brother and sister, crossed the nearby border into Soviet Russia following the German Wehrmacht entering Warsaw on October 1, 1939. In retrospect, she was among the fortunate to have escaped the genocide that befell European Jewry. I can only imagine what she experienced as she fled from one labor camp to another across Central Asia’s Muslim regions.

Years passed, and when I was her age in Israel of the 1970s, she began to revisit her past and spoke about this “most beautiful town” she remembered – Samarkand. She was reliving the best and blocking out the worst – like her experiences in a labor camp. This was understandable.

While for years hearing the name “Samarkand”, I never imagined that 85 years after the deadliest disaster to befall the Jewish people, I too – intrigued by my mother’s recollections – would journey to this intriguing city in Uzbekistan renowned in ancient times for being on the Silk Road linking China to the Mediterranean.

Samarkand Uzbekistan on the Silk Road and the Hilton hotel / MOTTI VERSES 5/2025

This past Spring, I set out on my long-awaited journey tracing my mother’s footsteps to the city and its people that saved her life. A five-hour comfortable night flight in an empty aircraft from Ben Gurion airport and we landed in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. The view from my taxi was of a modern impressive metropolis, but while our eyes feasted on the city’s wide boulevards, its iconic Independence Square with vibrant fountains, an impressive park and spacious walkways, our minds were elsewhere, some 300 kilometers away – Samarkand.

ON TRACK TO SAMARKAND

Uzbekistan offers modern transportation, including flights and trains – fast track as well as regular. Unfortunately acquiring tickets to the faster options is not that easy with online tickets sold-out long in advance. Frustrated, we booked the 4-hour slow train, however, fortune favored us as the Tashkent hotel concierge came to our rescue and business class tickets on the fast train were found at the last minute at affordable prices. This 210 km/h high-speed train, the Afrosiyob, proved quick and comfortable as well as providing an unexpected and interesting encounter. I met a fellow passenger, Orif Shermatov, an Uzbek astronomer who was on his way to a paragliding festival in Samarkand and we engaged in a long conversation thanks to Google translation. He told me about his Jewish friends that had immigrated to Israel and when the conversation shifted to why Jews eat Matzah on Passover, my mind shifted back in time to the war and the Jewish refugees – including my late mother and her family – marking Pesach (Passover) during those trying times in work camps.

The 2-hour ride passed quickly and soon felt as if we had passed through a time tunnel arriving in Samarkand one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia. It felt as if we had also arrived back in the 14th century. Situated at the crossroads of trade, Samarkand flourished under the rule of empires with its strategic location on the Silk Road marking it a melting pot of diverse cultures, fostering advancements in science, art and particularly in astonishing architecture that soon became visually all to apparent. It is home of the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty, a Turco-Mongol empire that ruled much of Persia and Central Asia in the late 14th and 15th centuries founded by Amir Timur, widely regarded as one of the greatest military leaders of Central Asia and today an Uzbek national hero.

**Exquisite and Enchanting**. The structural geometry and colorful facades of Samarkand’s renowned Islamic architecture did not fail to enchant the writer. (Photo: Motti Verses)

For history lovers and architecture enthusiasts alike, visiting the exquisite Gūr-i Amīr or Guri Amir Mausoleum Complex is undoubtedly a must as we soon found out. It took our breath away staring at the incredibly huge azure dome over the tombs of Amir Timur himself and his sons and grandsons. It was a highlight not to be missed. Gur-e Amir means “Tomb of the King” in Persian.

**A Feast for the Eyes**. Interior of the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum which was erected on the initiative of Timur in 1404 and occupies an important place in the history of world Islamic architecture.(Photo: Motti Verses)

Located in the heart of Samarkand, the ancient Registan Square ensemble of Madrasas is a real gem and undeniably the centerpiece of the city. Its grand architectural ensemble has earned it global fame as a monument of oriental architecture offering a breathtaking journey through centuries of history, architecture, and cultural heritage. But it did not always look like this as we soon discovered.

**‘Roaring’ Success**. The name of the impressively restored Sher-Dor Madrasah on Registan Square built between 1619 and 1636, translates to “Madrassah with Lions”. *(Photo: Motti Verses)*

Over the centuries and a lack of resources left it neglected. We learnt how Samarkand had gone through severe economic decline, particularly when its status of being a capital city passed to Bukhara and merchants of the Great Silk Road bypassed the city.

However major restoration works were undertaken between 1967-1987 and the outcome is jaw dropping. We were left speechless facing this grand architectural collection and I couldn’t help thinking about my late mother, who had been 14 and 15 years old at the time, admiring the unmaintained sites in the 1940s before the restoration. The structures were then in a ruined condition with the domes and portals partially or in some cases, totally destroyed. The minarets were dangerously inclined and the façades in some places had lost 70-80% of their ceramic tile coverings. We saw in the museum section of the madrasas, photographs capturing the history from those days. However, and this is what struck me so emotionally, was reflecting back to the city’s depressed period, its iconic architectural gems neglected and my mother as with all the Jewish refugees also in a state of tragic upheaval and ‘disrepair’, nevertheless marveling at what she saw and experienced here in Samarkand. To my mother, it was the most beautiful city she had ever seen in her life.

**Iconic Leader**. A great patron of art and architecture, Uzbek national hero, Amir Timur, the Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire. (Photo: Motti Verses)

The old town is gigantic in size. Much bigger to what I imagined. We explored endless additional breathtaking structures, monuments, mausoleums and the famous Bibi-Khanum Mosque, named after the emperor’s wife. At the time it was one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world. Bibi-Khanym Mosque is considered a masterpiece of the Timurid Renaissance and left us once again breathless.

**Majestic Mosque**. A masterpiece of the Timurid Renaissance, Samarkand’s Bibi-Khanym Mosque is one of the country’s most important monuments and in the fifteenth century was one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world. (Photo: Motti Verses)

Everywhere we explored, I thought of my Mom as a teenager here, where she had been and what she saw and experienced. Leaving the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, we visited the nearby colorful Siab Bazaar known for its vibrant atmosphere and a wide variety of goods, including fresh produce, spices, textiles, and local handicrafts.

Walking by numerous restaurants offering delicious Uzbek cuisine, we eventually stopped and tried the Plov, the national dish of Uzbekistan with carrots, rice and lamb. Tasty and definitely the ultimate social food here that brings people together. As I chewed this delicious food, I could not escape the thought:

“What did my mother eat as a refugee in this city? Did she also enjoy as I was the Plov?”

**Food for Thought**. Always wondering what his mother may have eaten here during the war years, the writer enjoys a plate of Plov, the quintessential dish of Uzbekistan. (Photo: Motti Verses)

Thirty minutes away into the countryside and we were in the ‘Silk Road Samarkand Tourist Center’, a unique tourist complex built along an artificial rowing canal dating from the soviet times.

**Dazzling Delights**. Constantly wondering what his mother had seen all those years before of the ‘Eternal City’, the writer explores and is bedazzled by the restored beauty of Samarkand. (Photo: Motti Verses)

The architecture and landscaping – a recreation of ancient Samarkand, complete with domes and mosques, restaurants and bazaar-style shops – was stunning.

**Surprise Encounters**. The writer found surprise and beauty at every turn in this dream “Eternal City”. (Photo: Motti Verses)

Like Alice entering Wonderland, we felt we had stepped into an oriental fairy tale with the turquoise domes, majestic mosaics on palaces and high minarets piercing the blue sky.

While we strolled fascinated by the architecture, it was our minds too that wandered, imagining the versatile heritage of bygone centuries. The trade routes of the Great Silk Road paved the way to Samarkand paper manufacturing. The silk paper process-making is one of the most impressive presentations here. Thousands of years of astonishing technology by Samarkand craftsmen.

**Paper Processing**. From ancient times to the present, Samarkand paper has not lost its significance as seen hear in this silk paper process-making. (Photo by Motti Verses)

Moved by Samarkand’s magical landmarks and its rich cultural heritage, this city will certainly remain in our hearts forever. We felt – as my mother must have felt – completely safe here, surrounded by the friendly Uzbek people. In my heart, I thanked them for being so brave and warm to the refugees fleeing the bloodiest conflict in human history.

**Time Travels**. During the time the writer’s mother was in Samarkand during WWII, a group of fellow Jewish refugees are seen here in front of Tamarlane’s tomb. (Photo Credit:United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Marc Ratner)

Visiting Samarkand was not only a breathtaking journey to a beautiful city with wonderful people but it was also a journey into the past, linking my mother’s stories of my childhood with her childhood in this wonderous place where she found refuge before starting a new life in a new land – Israel.

In memory of Sarah Migdal-Verses (1926-2009)

*Feature picture: The writer thinking of his late mother Sarah (right) in Samarkand’s Registan Square (Photo: Motti Verses).

About the writer:

ICE CREAM AND A BOMB SHELTER FOR TOPPING!

How the mundane morphs into the monstrous as two totally separate concepts find commonality for an anguished Israeli grandfather.

By Jonathan Feldstein

One of the best things in life is to have the privilege of taking one’s grandchildren out for ice cream. Even during a war. Perhaps, especially during a war.

This week, my daughter and son-in-law brought my four grandsons for a visit, partly as a fun outing and partly as a respite for themselves. Since the war began with Iran, all school and pre-school programs have been canceled, leaving parents of young children to figure out how to juggle keeping all the kids occupied without pulling their own hair out, and keeping them safe and close to home for the eventuality of having to take cover in the bomb shelter sometimes 2-3 or more times a day.

This variety of ice creams could at any moment be followed by a variety in lethality of incoming Iranian missiles.

My kids have taken to putting their boys to sleep in the spare room that doubles as the bomb shelter, to avoid having to move them all in 90 seconds, and risking their waking up due to being moved and the jarring sound of the siren.

Moving little children to the bomb shelter is all the more complicated in families where one of the spouses had been called up for reserves, something that’s much more common in the past week, even more so than the recent previous major call up of reservists. Imagine being a young mother with three to four kids under seven, home alone, not only having to move the kids into the shelter one by one, but also having to get them back to sleep after an attack.

Then there are the times during the day when they are awake, as happened again yesterday (and at night) and having to occupy and comfort them for at least 10-15 minutes, but sometimes for over an hour.

Whether one or two parents with little kids, or empty nesters like ourselves, we are all operating bleary eyed from repeated nights’ sleep being interrupted. Last night the “blessing” was that it was at 4:20am. The day before it was at 2:30am. Sometimes one is able to get back to sleep. Sometimes (like me in all cases), not. Good thing I am not operating heavy machinery!

With grandson #4 napping, and me more than a little envious, it was prime time to take the three older boys for ice cream, giving my daughter and son-in-law a few minutes of quiet. Bleary eyed or not, it’s always a pleasure to take the kids out and spend some time with them. Also, parenting never ends, and letting your own kids in their 30s have a break is important.

On the way out, my daughter said something I not only had never heard, but never could have imagined. In my life, I never would have put these words together in the same sentence. “Make sure you know where the bomb shelter is at the ice cream parlor when you’re out with the boys,” the mama-hen responsibly reminded.

Nope. I’d never have thought of it. But we’re at war. Iran is firing ballistic missiles with massive warheads directly at our towns and cities. All the casualties in Israel have been civilians. Yet even while we are at war, there’s never a better time for ice cream with whipped cream and sprinkles – to at least bring also a “sprinkle” of normalcy on these young precious lives!

Also, for the first time, there was abundant signage in and around the strip-mall next to our house identifying where all the bomb shelters were – just in case. As much as I’d never thought of including “ice cream” and “bomb shelter” in the same sentence, I never would have thought that whoever planned the architecture would put a bomb shelter right there in the ice cream shop. But there it is, behind the bright pink walls and shelves of toppings.

Just in case!

On the way home, my first-grade grandson told me about all the different ice cream flavors they have at home. It’s a good parenting strategy to have ice cream to pull out even under missile attacks, maybe especially so. While I joined them with a scoop of yummy pistachio today, I’m really feeling that I need something more along the lines of a rum raisin or bourbon-caramel swirl.

Maybe a double!

An ice scream parlor in Tel Aviv, Israel.

When it was time for my grandchildren to return home to their parents, I experienced feelings of ambiguity. On the one hand I did not want them to leave – as I never do – but this time I wished they would hurry because reports were coming through that Israel had again successfully struck significant Iranian targets and I knew that this would soon – probably very soon – translate into a lethal response and our skies would again light up with Iranian missiles. This would send Israelis to the bomb shelters again – whether at home or in an ice cream store! When this happens – as it inevitably would – I wanted my grandchildren at home in the safety, familiarity, and comfort of their own bomb shelter.

This has become their norm, and all of ours. The reality could not be more contrasting:

Israel issues warnings to Iranians living near various military sites that they should evacuate before an aerial attack in order to prevent the loss of civilian life while the Iranian Islamic regime deliberately fires dozens or hundreds of missiles at a time into civilian areas, targeting homes like where my grandkids live.

Okay to enjoy ice creams during the day, but you want the kids safely at their homes with bomb shelters long before evening with the expectation of incoming missiles from Iran.

Iranians are given ample notice to flee in advance of a military strike, and indeed we have seen massive traffic jams with them doing just that. On our side, the evacuation is wanting my grandchildren to leave early enough that they will be in the ‘comfort’ of their own bomb shelter when the jihadi missiles target us all.

I welcome the return to the day when I can again take my grandchildren for an ice cream and not have to think of a bomb shelter!

About the writer:

Jonathan Feldstein - President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Jornal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.

REFLECTIONS IN SUNNY EILAT

A week’s holiday in Israel’s southern seaside resort during war presents some illuminating thoughts beyond sea and sun.

By David E. Kaplan

Before setting off to the beach I stepped into two bookstores. It presented the first clue signifying a fundamental change from visiting Eilat in years gone by when there were always robust English sections and prominently displaced – no more! Such as there were, were now tucked away; one had to look for it and when found, they displayed few recently published books in English, mainly the old classics – good to read but also having read. So, I saw Melville’s Moby Dick and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings – as if obligatory presentations – but no sight of a latest Follett or Baldacci bestseller. Afterall, it was the beach I was heading to, not an English lit tutorial! While hot outside at a sweltering 36 degrees, there was little hot on the bookshelves – in English. The reason was soon obvious; why stock a merchandise if there are no customers and clearly, there are no foreign English-speaking tourists from abroad coming to Eilat.

It was soon evident there were no foreign tourist coming from anywhere!

**Turquoise and Tranquil**. View from the writer’s hotel balcony overlooking the Red Sea with Jordan and Saudi Arabia to the left and Egypt on the right. (Photo: D.E. Kaplan)

This observation was all too evident walking along the long beautifully renovated beach tayelet (promenade) splicing a path between the long line of majestic hotels on one side and the emerald green merging into turquoise of the Red Sea on the other. It was packed – day and night – and to walk it was like threading a needle but there was another conspicuous difference from the not-too-distant past. Whereas previously Hebrew was a ‘foreign language’ on the promenade as one walked past conversations in French, English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and German. Today, the lingua franca is emphatically Hebrew as the tourists here in their multitude were all local Israelis.

With enemy ballistic missiles from Yemen directed mostly at central Israel, the concern here may not be existential but it is certainly financial. Being a resort city dependent on foreign tourism, Eilat is being hard hit by the war and is a microcosm of the situation vis-à-vis Israel and the Jewish world. Foreign tourists seeking sea and sun have stopped coming to Eilat and Israelis – feeling increasingly isolated by rampant antisemitism abroad and few airlines flying to Israel because of the Houthi missiles aimed at Ben Gurion Airport – flock to Eilat.

**Splendid and Serene**. Four countries that were once at war but no more as seen from Israel’s Eilat beach with Egypt on the righ and Jordan and Saudi Arabia on the left. (Photo: D.E. Kaplan)

Actually, the bookstores should not have been the first clue of this now presently flawed gem!

Frequent visitors to Eilat over the years will recall when the airport was in the center of town and the planes would approach the runway from the sea, skimming over the roofs of the hotels, it used to be a fun pastime while lying on the beach – particularly with kids – to count the incoming planes and to identify the airline from the logos – that’s how close they flew in to land. I recall times when they used to come in at intervals of 5 minutes, with planes flying directly to Eilat from cities across Europe and Russia. Now the new airport – Ramon International – is approximately 20 kilometers north of Eilat and as my wife and I drove past heading to Eilat, we saw not ONE plane fly in, nor could we see any planes parked. There was not a plane in sight, either in the air or the ground.

It didn’t register as significant then until hours later we processed on the promenade – No Foreign Tourists!

**Desert Dreams**. As seen from Eilat, a close-up of the lettering of Marsa Zayed boldly embedded into the Jordanian mountain. (Photo: D.E. Kaplan)

Lying on a deckchair under palm trees at the beach in front of the hotel was sheer joy. Far removed visually and atmospherically from war, my eyes scanned from left to right, taking in the ochre-colored mountains of Jordan, followed in the distance by Saudi Arabia and then across the Red Sea dotted by moving and at varying speeds, yachts, power boats and jet skis – Egypt. All so pleasantly peaceful. Dreams and visions for the future were all to visually evident. On the Israeli side, new residential building was sprouting out the desert scaling the mountain side, while to the left on the mountain of Jordan above the port of Aqaba, was a huge sign embedded into the mountain. The writing was so big that one did not require binoculus sitting in Eilat to read the two words – Marsa Zayed. “What did it mean?” I wondered and was puzzled why it was spelt so boldly in English and not in Arabic. Curiosity got the better of me, so I Googled and leant that Marsa means “harbor” or “anchorage” and that Mara Zayed is a $10 billion redevelopment project named after sheikh Zayed Bin Saltan Al Nahyan, an Emerati royal politician, philanthropist and founder of the United Arab Emirates and served as its first president from its independence on 2 December 1971.

**Aqaba Awakening**. An artist’s impression of Aqaba’s $10 billion Marsa Zayed development project that will comprise a marina, high-rise, hotels as well as retail, residential, entertainment and financial districts. The white tower in the center is clearly visible from the beaches in Eilat.

The project will consist of a marina, high-rise, hotels, retail, residential, entertainment and financial districts. This is Jordans only coastline and is only 16 miles (26 Km) long, the country with the fourth shortest in the world but nevertheless plans to make the most of it. Size does not matter – one has only to look at Monaca with the world’s shortest coastal frontage – a mere 2.5 miles of Mediterranean coastline but boasts home to over 12,000 millionaires.

**Jubilant Jordanians**. At the Marsa Zayed project initiation ceremony in Aqaba which will transform a 320-hectare section of Red Sea beachfront into a tourism and business hub. The name MARSA ZAYED can be seen in the center halfway up the mountain.

No shortage of coastline is Egypt with its Red Sea Riviera immensely popular for its year-round warm weather, its white sand beaches and world-renowned diving.

I reflected on the name of Eilat’s tayelet called the “Peace Promenade” and the plan for it to eventually run from Taba in Egypt’s Sinai through to Aqaba in Jordan. Both countries are contractually at peace with Israel if not with any great public enthusiasm or support, but the vision and the potential is there, particularly if Saudi Arabia , which I could clearly make out to the south, joins in a post-Gaza war, the Abrahams Accord.

**Music and Musings**. A staple of Eilat’s nightlife, the popular ‘Three Monkeys’ on the promenade offers live music nightly and has been attracting a diverse and dynamic crowd since its creation. Usually filled with foreign tourists, at present because of the war, mostly Israelis.

Trade and tourism not tumult I thought as I doused myself with more sunscreen lotion. The only danger today was the sun’s rays and I hoped on my next visit to Eilat, the bookstores will again be replete with English books!

Feature picture: Eilat’s coastal frontage of beaches and hotels with the city center to the left.

MODI’IN: ISRAEL’S NEW TOURISM DESTINATION?

The fast-growing city in central Israel has just opened its first hotel in a bid to attract business and leisure tourism.

By Rolene Marks

(*First published in the JNS)

Modi’in, situated halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is considered a quiet city that is more sleepy suburbia than fast-paced metropolis. But that may be changing rapidly, symbolized by the recent opening of its first hotel.

The city is an attractive destination for many immigrant families. It boasts a diverse community composed of olim from English-speaking countries as well as from France, South America and elsewhere. They enjoy the “soft landing” provided by the municipality, which seeks to ensure that all the bureaucracy associated with immigration is made as easy as possible.

Like many Israeli towns and cities, Modi’in straddles its ancient roots and the modern day. Often dubbed “The Chanukah city” in a nod to the Maccabees who lived and are buried there, Modi’in is also Israel’s only “learning city” and is regarded as the first and most modern “green city” in the world.

Orna Mager is the director of the municipal Multidisciplinary Center (MDCM) and is responsible for growing small businesses and tourism in the city. Mager, who represents Israel at the UNESCO Global Forum of Learning Cities, explained what this meant in an interview with JNS.

“A learning city is a model that the global forum is running that focuses on understanding that the world is changing so quickly and [that] people need to learn how to adapt to these changes,” she said. “There are a lot of crises in the world. It’s about learning how to adapt and learn to live with all the changes,” she added.

“Learning cities means that the municipalities take responsibility for the lifelong learning of its citizens. We also deal with other issues like climate change, sustainability, gender equality and social cohesion. The policy of the mayor [Haim Bibas] is to promote learning for every citizen.”

Modi’in’s municipality is hoping that the city will soon become a popular tourist destination, and Mager stressed that growing tourism is a top priority for the city.

“Even during these difficult times, we have taken a huge leap forward with tourism,” she said. “We have mapped out the tourist attractions in the city in order to map our story. There are archaeology, culinary courses, nature parks, the museum, businesses that cater to tourism. We have found a treasure in human resources.

“The city has invested a lot in courses to help people who have stories to tell or something unique about their homes to share their stories. For example, we have unique collections in some of the homes. Someone has a collection of cactuses and another ancient menorahs; some have art and many more. We are preparing routes that tourists can follow.”

On Feb. 15, the city received a major boost in its endeavor to brand itself as a tourist and business hub—the opening of the Jacob Modi’in. The luxury hotel is part of the Jacob Hotels chain and has 85 rooms and suites, high-quality facilities for conferences and events and public areas for relaxation.

A tastefully furnished suite in Modi’in’s first hotel Jacobs Modi’in.

The hotel is a short distance from the city’s entertainment area, with restaurants, bars and stores, and is next to the Azrieli Center and train station. Because it is conveniently close to Ben-Gurion International Airport, its owners hope to attract both business and leisure tourism.

The hotel is located in the new West complex of the Azrieli Group, which combines commerce, offices and rental housing. The Jacobs Hotel chain has invested approximately 7 million shekels [$1.9 million] in the hotel’s design. There are rooms of various sizes, spread over two floors, in an area of approximately 5,200 square meters (56,000 square feet). These include rooms for couples and families, as well as suites.

All rooms are equipped with a smart system for operating the electrical and air conditioning systems. The public areas are large and include a luxurious lobby. Future amenities will include a spa with five treatment rooms, a bar and restaurant open to outside guests, and two large play areas for children.

Einat Ganon, the hotel manager and CEO of the Jacobs Hotel chain, said this was a milestone event.

Set midway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Modi’in’s first hotel Jacobs Modi’in, has opened for business.

“We are very excited to be the cornerstone of the hotel industry in the city of Modi’in,” she said. “The Jacob Hotel Modi’in is great news for the city and for the hotel industry in Israel.”

The owners are confident that the Jacob Modi’in, which has five meeting rooms, an event hall and a large garden, will attract companies wanting to hold seminars and conferences. The hotel caters for Shabbat and family events and has a large synagogue. It can accommodate events of up to 150 people and has been fitted with state-of-the-art technology to facilitate both professional and family gatherings at a high level.

**Let there be light**. Windows from floor to ceiling invite the sun’s rays, illuminating the lobby.

Modi’in has plenty to offer. Among the attractions is the Hashmonean Heritage Museum in the center of the city, which connects the modern with the ancient. Many archaeological finds in the city and surrounding area that testify to its rich, historical past are featured in the museum’s exhibitions. The museum presents the story of Modi’in from the time of the Hasmonean dynasty until the establishment of the modern city.

The Hasmonean Heritage Museum presents a fascinating saga of the city of Modiin from the days of the ancient Hasmoneans until the present day.

The modern city of Modi’in was built in the 1990s and later merged with the nearby towns of Maccabim and Re’ut to create the unified municipality of Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut. Now home to more than 100,000 residents, Modi’in is on the way to becoming a desirable tourist spot with all the essential amenities, including shopping malls, a variety of good restaurants, entertainment facilities and sports fields.

On March 14, Modi’in is scheduled to officially open The Wall—the largest climbing wall in Israel that includes a variety of walls for all levels, from children to adults.

Other attractions include a popular water park and Givat HaBroshim, where people from around the country visit to see the blooming flowers and enjoy local cuisine from food trucks. In April, an exhibition of sustainable art called Land Art will open to the public.

Category: Tourism

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MODI’IN: ISRAEL’S NEW TOURISM DESTINATION?

The fast-growing city in central Israel has just opened its first hotel in a bid to attract business and leisure tourism.

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The fast-growing city in central Israel has just opened its first hotel in a bid to attract business and leisure tourism.

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