ROUTE No. 5 (The old road to Jerusalem )Tel Aviv - Ramla - Latrun - Jerusalem
ROUTE No. 6 (The
Shephelah -Lowlands) Tel Aviv - Rishon LeZion - Rehovot - Qiryat Gat - Bet
Govrin - Bet Shemesh - Ramla
ROUTE No. 7 (The
Sharon) Tel Aviv - Petah Tikva - Rosh Ha'ayin - Ben Shemen - Lod
ROUTE No. 8
(Northern Sharon and Western Shomron) Tel Aviv - Kfar Saba - Kalkilya - Nablus
- Sebastia-(Samaria) - Tulkarm - Netanya
ROUTE No. 9 (To
the Negev capital by way of the Shephelah) Tel Aviv - Rishon LeZion - Rehovot -
Qiryat Gat - Beer Sheva
ROUTE No. 10 (To
the Negev capital along the ancient ``Via Maris'') Tel Aviv - Ashdod - Ashqelon
- Yad Mordechai - Beer Sheva
ROUTE No. 11 (The
Valley of Jezreel) Tel Aviv - Megiddo - Afula - Mt. Tabor - Nebi Shu'eib -
Tiberias
ROUTE No. 12
(Along the sea road to Haifa) Tel Aviv - Netanya - Caesarea - Zikhron Yaaqov -
En Hod - Haifa
ROUTE No. 5 
TOP
The old road to Jerusalem
Tel Aviv - Ramla (19 km.) - Latrun (35 km.) - Jerusalem (61 km.) (Road Nos. 44,
424 Highway No. 1.)
(Distances in brackets refer to start of route.)
The Tel Aviv-Jerusalem expressway (No.1) - not to be confused with the road
taken on Route No. 5 - was completed in August 1979. The distance between the
two cities is now 60 km. From city centre to city centre it is approximately 63
km. Travelling time has been cut to about 55 minutes (assuming that one keeps
to the legal speed limit).
Access to the new Netivei-Ayalon four-lane divided highway
that runs from the vicinity of the Tel Aviv South Railway Station to Sha'ar
Hagai is via interchanges only - at Gannot, Shapirim (near Beit Dagan),
Ben-Gurion Airport, and Latrun. These exit and entry points are marked in the
following order on the drive from Jerusalem: Ramallah, Ashqelon Ramla, Lod,
Petah Tikva Beit Dagan Haifa Jaffa, Holon.
The distance between Tel Aviv and the airport on the
expressway is 12 km. Those who use this road to Jerusalem will see an
altogether different stretch of country to what they might remember from Route
No. 5, the old road.
Distances for Route No. 5 are calculated from the junction
of Geha Road, Mehlaf HaShiva'a. You will know when you have reached this busy
intersection because the headquarters of the Meteorological Service, with
conspicuous antennae, are on its southeast corner (on your right).
Four kilometres later, on Road No. 4, you arrive at the
turn-off (left) to Kfar Habbad, an interesting agricultural settlement with a
yeshiva. It is one of the best-known Hassidic villages because of the annual
Bar Mitzvah services, in the presence of the Chief of Staff, for children of
soldiers killed in action.
The Habbadniks' spiritual leader was - some say still is -
the late Lubavitcher Rebbe who lived in Brooklyn, New York. They welcome
visitors and this is a good opportunity to see the day-to-day life of students
at a Talmudic academy.
Five kilometres later the road forks (right) for Ramla.
RAMLA
TEL GEZER
LATRUN
ABU GHOSH
ROUTE
No. 6 TOP
The Shephelah (Lowlands)
Tel Aviv - Rishon LeZion (10 km.) - Rehovot (15 km.) - Qiryat Gat (60 km.) -
Bet Govrin (78 km.) - Bet Shemesh (113 km.) - Ramla (139 km.) (Road Nos. 44, 4,
412, 40, 35, 38.)
(Distances in brackets refer to start of route.)
This route should appeal to those with a feel for biblical history and a
yearning for the open countryside of the Holy Land. It leads through parts of
the fertile coastal plain, across the Shephelah, or lowlands, where you can
explore cathedral-sized limestone caves, and goes on to the Valley of Elah
where David slew Goliath, and back to Tel Aviv.
Start the route by following the signs south to Ashdod (Road
No. 4). Some 12 km. further on, follow the signs over the bridge and enter
Rishon LeZion along Rehov Jabotinsky.
RISHON
LEZION
REHOVOT
QIRYAT GAT
LAKHISH
BET GOVRIN
ROUTE
No. 7 TOP
The Sharon
Tel Aviv - Petah Tikva (14 km.) - Rosh Ha'ayin (20 km.) - Ben Shemen (32 km.) -
Lod (37 km.) (Road Nos. 443, 444, 453.)
(Distances in brackets refer to start of route.)
For details of Highway No. 1 between Tel Aviv and Ben-Gurion Airport (Lod), see
preliminary note to Route No. 5.] Route No. 7 will take you a couple of hours
at the most, during which you will visit two forts, a gigantic Roman mausoleum,
the Tombs of the Maccabees, historic Lod and countryside around Tel Aviv.
The easiest way of starting is to get onto the Haifa Road
and turn right into Rehov Arlosoroff and then, after passing the Tel Aviv North
Railway Station, veer left into Rehov Jabotinsky in Ramat Gan. Follow this road
past the 28-storey Diamond Exchange Centre for several kilometres. After
crossing the Geha junction you will come to Beilinson Hospital and then Petah
Tikva.
This mother of 19th-century Jewish agricultural settlements
was founded in 1878. The stone arch on the right-hand side of Rehov Rothschild
is in memory of Baron Edmond de Rothschild who assisted the early settlers with
finance.
Near the exit follow the right-hand fork eastwards at the
petrol station on Road No. 483 to Rosh Ha'ayin.
Pass Kibbutz Givat HaShlosha and within a few minutes you'll see the remains of
a mighty fortress standing on the hill on the left-hand side of the road. It is
Antipatris (Tel Afek), brooding over the springs that form the source of the
Yarkon River. It guards the western flank of the biblical Pass of Afek, a
strategic site on the Via Maris.
The fortress includes remnants of the Crusaders' ``Fort at
Deaf Springs,'' with Mameluke and Turkish additions. In earlier days, Herod had
built a fortress here in memory of his father, Antipater - hence the name.
Many battles were waged at the pass. The Philistines overran
the Israelites in about 1066 BCE and St. Paul was led through in captivity on
his way from Jerusalem to Caesarea and Rome. The nearby town of Rosh Ha'ayin is
populated by a large number of immigrants from Yemen who arrived shortly after
the War of Independence. In recent years the population was boosted
significantly by large numbers of young people who settled here after completing
their army service. Continue along road No. 444 for about another 3 km., past
Kibbutz Einat.
Ruins of the 12th-century Crusader fortress of Mirabel
(Migdal Afek) are on top of the hill facing you. It is a few kilometres west of
the pre-1967 border.
Byzantine Christians had lived here earlier and a stone
above a door to the right of the entrance is inscribed, in Greek, ``Martyrion
of Saint Kerykos.'' Kerykos was a young martyr put to death with his mother by
the Romans in the 4th century CE. The Crusaders fortified this hill, about 2
km. west of the Samarian hills, because it formed the eastern flank of the Pass
of Afek. In 1152, a rebel Crusader army, loyal to Queen Mother Melisande,
surrendered in the fortress to troops loyal to Baldwin III. Later, Saladin
conquered it and used it as a base for raiding the coastal plain. Before the
end of the century the Moslems destroyed it as part of their scorched-earth
policy.
Arab villagers lived within these baronial-sized rooms when
it was part of the village of Migdal Tzedek, prior to the 1948 war. Four
kilometres further south along Road No. 444 you'll see on your left the Roman
Mausoleum, unchanged since it was built in the 2nd century CE. Two Corinthian
columns help support the stone roof. Many of the stones measure more than a
metre long. The niche inside is a mihrab, cut by Arabs who at some later stage
converted it into a mosque. They named it Nebi Yehia - Arabic for the prophet
John. The road (No. 444) to Ben Shemen passes several quarries - which supply
stones to the region - before reaching a junction 12 km. from Rosh Ha'ayin. It
forks right (Road No. 453) for Ben-Gurion Airport.
Continue along the other road to Ben Shemen Woods. Near
Moshav Hadid the road cuts through pine woods forming part of the Herzl Forest.
There are many tables and log benches for picnickers. An amphitheatre nearby is
used during the summer months for entertainment. The observation tower helps
the forest rangers spot fires while also providing visitors with a chance to
scan the hill country where the Maccabees launched their revolt.
Drive on, following the signs to the Tombs of the Maccabees
at Modiin, a new town in the process of being built. The tombs are cut in the
rock on the slopes of a hill, near a memorial to the Israel Defence
Force.Return now on the same road and continue westwards until you arrive at
Lod.
ROUTE
No. 8 TOP
Northern Sharon and Western Shomron
Tel Aviv - Kfar Saba (22 km.) - Kalkilya (26 km.) - Nablus (56 km.) -
Sebastia-(Samaria) (66 km.) - Tulkarm (84 km.) - Netanya (99 km.) (Road Nos. 2,
5, 4, 55, 57, 60.)
(Distances in brackets refer to start of route.)
This fascinating circular route takes you to the heart of Samaria and areas
recently placed under Palestinian authority, through bucolic countryside, to
towering Mt. Gerizim, where Samaritans (see ``Communities'') celebrate their
Passover and where Joshua assembled the tribes of Israel. Close by is Sebastia
(Samaria) where the biblical kings of Israel had their capital after Judaea was
separated from the other tribes.
The trip requires an entire morning and consultation with
the police concerning safety. It can only be attempted if the army has not
closed off part of the area due to political violence. Extreme caution should
be exercised in the Palestinian areas.
Leave Tel Aviv on the Haifa Road (Highway No. 2), turning
right opposite the Country Club at the 10 km. peg (Road No. 5). Continue along
this road until you come to the fork that directs you right to Jerusalem and
left along Road No. 4 to Kfar Saba, founded as an agricultural settlement in
1905 and today a town of some 40,000. At the next junction take the right fork
and, turning immediately left, follow the signpost to Kfar Saba, crossing the
town eastwards and then the pre-1967 cease-fire line with Jordan on Road No. 55
until you reach the Palestinian city of Kalkilya, which you pass through.
The road to Nablus is clearly signposted in this small town. After you leave Kalkilya and its citrus plantations, the beauty of Samaria opens out in all its still simplicity. The road leads through rolling countryside with grey stones splattered on the faces and summits of the hills. The tarred road is lined with many olive and citrus groves and there are lush orchards.
The pace of life in Samaria is indicated by the familiar
sight of mule-driven carts.
When passing through the Arab villages notice how splendidly
the stone buildings blend in with the surrounding landscape. These houses are
set on several mounds and the road winds past cypress trees, fine,
symmetrically lined rock terraces, olive groves, goat herds and sprays of wild
flowers and thistles that are a lovely feature of Samaria.
You pass the settlements of Maale Shomron, Karne Shomron and
Kedumim, as well as the town of Emanuel established by Orthodox Jews.
The road tacks round the side of a mountain and suddenly,
with wide-angled-lens grandeur, the city of Nablus comes into view, its
profusion of grey stone houses dwarfed by biblical Mt. Gerizim on the right and
Mt. Ebal, scarred by modern quarries, on the left. Enter the city and follow
the signposts up Mt. Gerizim for a look at many of the principal sites and for
a bird's-eye view of Nablus and the Mountains of Ephraim.
NABLUS (SHECHEM)
SEBASTIA (SAMARIA)
TOP
ROUTE
No. 9 TOP
To the Negev capital by way of the Shephelah
Tel Aviv - Rishon LeZion (16 km.) - Rehovot (22 km.) - Qiryat Gat (60 km.) -
Beer Sheva (107 km.) (Road Nos. 44, 4, 264, 412, 40.)
(Distances in brackets refer to start of route.)
This route leads through many of the settlements founded by Zionist pioneers in
the late 19th century, and enters the northern Negev where much of the fighting
was carried out during the War of Independence.
To get to Qiryat Gat take the road leading to Rishon Lezion
as detailed in Route No. 6, then continue along this route on Road No. 40 until
you reach the northern perimeter of Qiryat Gat.
The junction is known as the Plugot Crossroads, with the
right fork (Road No. 35) going to Ashqelon. It was at Faluja, on your immediate
right, that the Israeli Army encircled an Egyptian brigade during the War of
Independence. The second in command of the invaders was none other than the
late Gamal Abdel Nasser. Follow the signpost to Beer Sheva, detour round Qiryat
Gat and then take the left fork down to Beer Sheva on Road No. 40 to the south.
Drive on past the string of settlements with cotton and wheatfields and then
stop for a closer look at the imposing concrete memorial on your right.
This is the Yiftach Brigade Memorial, commemorating the
Yiftach Palmach brigade that saw action in the Galilee and in the centre of the
country before shifting south to rout the Egyptians in the ``Faluja Pocket.''
Large concrete steps lead up to the austere memorial inscribed with the names
of valiant men. The lawns and trees that surround it are near tables and
benches set here for picnickers.
At Tzomet Qama there are two roads (Nos. 264 and 40) to Beer
Sheva. (No. 40 is the shortest route to the northern part of Beer Sheva.) No.
264 passes many settlements, set on undulating hills, that gallantly withstood
attacks from Egyptian armour and infantry in 1948. Twelve kilometres from Beer
Sheva, the road joins up with the highway coming in from Gaza, Yad Mordechai
and Netivot (Road No. 25).
The remaining part of the trip is outlined at the end of
Route No. 10.
ROUTE No. 10 TOP
To the Negev capital along the ancient ``Via Maris'' (Sea Road)
Tel Aviv - Ashdod (31 km.) - Ashqelon (55 km.) - Yad Mordechai (64 km.) - Beer
Sheva (115 km). (Road Nos. 44, 4, 25, 250).
(Distances in brackets refer to start of route.)
There are several routes from Tel Aviv to Beer Sheva but this one is
recommended above all others because it covers some of the most glorious beach
resort areas along the Mediterranean, passes through an heroic kibbutz at Yad
Mordechai, and cuts through a typical example of a development township at
Netivot. There is also a detour from Yad Mordechai through Gaza to Netivot
(Road Nos. 44, 4).
Take the same road out of Tel Aviv that starts Route No. 6.
Instead of turning left to Rishon LeZion, continue straight along the motorway
(No. 4) to Ashdod.
If you want to visit Yavne, leave the motorway at sign post
26 (on Road No. 42, about 6 km. from the Meteorological Station). Yavne is a
new immigrant town on the site of the famous biblical Yavne. When the Second
Temple was destroyed in 70 CE, Rabbi Yohanan Ben Zakkai obtained permission
from Titus to set up a centre for religious studies here. A dome-topped
building to the west of Yavne is considered by some as the tomb of Rabbi
Gamliel, the great 1st-century CE sage who lived here. Walk from the tomb
across the main road and up the hill facing you. The remains of a mosque,
dating back to the Mameluke period, and of a Crusader castle, stand on the
summit.
Continue along the highway, turning right into Road No. 41
at the entrance to Ashdod.
ASHDOD
ASHQELON
YAD MORDECHAI
TOP
ROUTE No. 11 TOP
The Valley of Jezreel
Tel Aviv - Megiddo (78 km.) - Afula (90 km.) - Mt. Tabor (105 km.) - Nebi
Shu'eib (125 km.) - Tiberias (132 km.) (Road Nos. 2, 65, 7266, 77, 7717)
(Distances in brackets refer to start of route.)
Covering a few hours, this trip cuts across some of the most fertile areas of
Israel and includes the site where the New Testament claims that Armageddon,
the last great battle of the world, will be fought. It also includes biblical
Mt. Tabor and the Horns of Hittin - holy to the Druze community.
Take the northern highway (No. 2) out of Tel Aviv, following Route No. 12 until you turn right at the turn-off to Hadera, 40 km. from Tel Aviv, a malarial swamp before settlers arrived here in 1891. The museum is located in an old Khan.
Proceed along Rehov Herbert Samuel in Hadera. A signpost directs
you left to Afula. Then go first right, along Rehov Weizmann and continue until
another signpost points ahead to Afula (Road No. 65). (If you want to avoid
passing through Hadera, take the bypass by driving on the highway (No. 2) a few
kilometres and turn right into Road No. 65, which takes you direct to Afula.)
Drive past the orange groves of Kibbutz Gan Shmuel. The road
passes stately cypresses and rounds a corner into open fields and rolling
countryside.
The Irron Forest is on your left and double-storey houses of
a number of Arab villages cling to the slopes of hills. The road suddenly rises
and you should pull over to the shoulder for a beautiful view of the flat and
chequered fields of the Jezreel Valley below.
Its springs made it a habitable place from time immemorial,
and the Bible and archaeological discoveries this century point to the
prosperity of its former residents. But at the turn of the century it was a
forsaken swamp.
The Jezreel Valley was also the scene of countless battles
because it lay on the Via Maris - the Way of the Sea - and was the thoroughfare
for armies and caravans making their way between Assyria and Egypt.
Today it is abundant with fruit, vegetables and wheat. There
are many fine National Parks within its expansive boundaries and several
museums in the kibbutzim that display ancient finds together with modern art.
When you reach the crossroads for Haifa, left, Givat Oz and
Samaria, right, and Afula straight on, turn left into Road No. 66 and drive for
2 kms. to the hill of Megiddo.
MEGIDDO
AFULA
MT. TABOR
NEBI SHU'EIB
ROUTE No. 12 TOP
Along the sea road to Haifa
Tel Aviv - Netanya (25 km.) - Caesarea (51 km.) - Zikhron Yaaqov (65 km.) - En
Hod (85 km.) - Haifa (98 km.)(Road Nos. 2, 4, 652.)
(Distances in brackets refer to start of route.)
This is the main route to Haifa Highway No. 2 ranks among the best in the
country. However, towards the end of the trip the route follows the narrower
road that used to be the old road to Haifa, taking you to the wine-cellars at
Zikhron Yaaqov and the artists' village of En Hod.
Finding the way out of Tel Aviv to Haifa is simple. If you
are anywhere within 2 km. of the sea shore, drive east, away from the sea, and
you will soon come to Derekh Haifa. Turn left and from this point on it is easy
going.
The Haifa Road passes the bulbous Lasky Planetarium and the
Eretz Israel Museum complex on the right, and then forms the border between the
suburb of Ramat Aviv on the right and so-called ``L-Plan'' suburb on the left.
Pass the Country Club, opposite the turn-off to Jerusalem,
and soon come to another set of traffic lights. To the left is Herzliyya
Pituach (next to the sea) while the right fork leads to Herzliyya town proper.
At the next set of traffic lights the road turns right for
the plush quarter of Kfar Shemaryahu or left to more villas in Herzliyya
Pituach, overlooking the Mediterranean. These two areas boast some of the most
luxurious homes in the country.
Turn left for the site of Apollonia (Tel Arshaf), a port
dating back to Hellenistic times, where the remains of a Crusader castle may
still be seen. The shrine of Sidna Ali, a Moslem commander during the time of
the Crusades, is found nearby.
Thousands of emerald-green blobs of smooth glass, each the
size of a brussels sprout, can be seen on the beach below the Crusader ruins.
They are believed to be rejects from a glass factory in operation on top of the
cliffs between the 4th and 8th centuries CE. A large kiln and slabs of glass
were discovered above a 4th-century CE cemetery on the cliffs.
The ubiquitous orchards of the fertile Sharon Plain swamp
the roadside nearly all the way to Netanya, but as you get closer to this
resort city you can see sand dunes, the likes of which covered this whole
stretch some 60 years ago.
The outlying suburbs are anything but aesthetic. How ever,
once you have turned left at the traffic lights you will realize why this
resort city has become known as ``The Pearl of the Sharon.''
CAESAREA
ZIKHRON YAAQOV
EN HOD