Biblical Museum of Natural History facts for kids
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| Established | 2014 |
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| Location | 103 Choshen Street, Hartuv, Israel |
| Type | Natural history |
The Biblical Museum of Natural History is a unique place in Hartuv, Israel. It was started in 2014 by Rabbi Dr. Natan Slifkin. People often call him the "Zoo Rabbi." This museum helps visitors learn about animals mentioned in the Bible and Jewish traditions.
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Discovering Biblical Animals
The museum is like a mix of a natural history museum and a zoo. Its main goal is to help people understand the Bible and Jewish traditions better. It does this by showing how animals fit into these stories.
You can learn about animals that lived in Israel long ago, during biblical times. Some of these animals, like bears and crocodiles, don't live there anymore. The museum helps you see how these creatures were part of ancient life.
What You See at the Museum
You can visit the museum by booking a special tour. On these tours, you'll see live animals, stuffed animals (called taxidermy), and even animal skeletons. There are also videos and presentations to make learning fun.
One interesting part of the tours is learning about animal names. Sometimes, old scholars made mistakes when identifying animals from the Bible. This happened because they didn't know about all the different animal families. Many of these scholars lived in Europe, where some biblical animals were not found.
Museum History and Events
The museum has hosted many special events since it opened. It helps people connect with nature and history in new ways.
A Feast of Unique Foods
In 2017, the museum held a special event called "Feast of Exotic Curiosities." At this feast, guests tried foods that are considered kosher in the Bible. These foods are rarely eaten today. Chef Moshe Basson prepared dishes like locusts, guineafowl, and water buffalo. He is known for making modern versions of biblical foods.
New Location and Growth
In 2020, the museum moved to a new, bigger building. It is now located on Route 38, across from the entrance to Beit Shemesh. This new facility allows the museum to have more exhibits and welcome more visitors.
Python Reproduction Event
During the summer of 2021, something exciting happened at the museum. The museum's male and female Burmese pythons had 38 eggs! The museum even held a special celebration, called a 'kiddush', for the new baby snakes.
Books About Animals and Judaism
Rabbi Natan Slifkin has also written books about animals and Jewish teachings. He is an expert in this field.
The Torah Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom
Slifkin is writing a big collection of information called The Torah Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom. This book explores how Judaism and zoology are connected. It aims to cover all the animals mentioned in Jewish scripture. The encyclopedia also shares interesting facts about how many animals lived in different places during biblical times.
Gallery
See also
In Spanish: Museo Bíblico de Historia Natural para niños
