Page 99 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies - Textbook w videos short

The Dead Sea: The Lowest Sea in the World

Israel’s Calendar

January - Shebat. This is the coldest month, which brings with it darkness and heavy rainfalls.
February – Adar. This also is a rainy month alternating with sunny days. The almond trees begin to
blossom and the late barley seeds are sown.
March – Nissan. This is the beginning of the barley harvest. This month has a lot of sunshine but heavy
winds. This month is known in the Bible as the month of the “latter rains” which supplies the water
needed to make the wheat crops “white for harvest. The apricot and almond trees are beautiful.
April – Lyyar. The is the barley harvest month. During this month flowers are in full bloom and the grass
is the greenest in the year. It is considered the most beautiful month. During this month the harvesting
begins in the Jordan valley and on the coastal plain. The peach, pomegranate, and olive trees are in full
blossom and show their foliage.
May – Sivan. This is the month of the wheat harvest. The rain ceases and will not return for about five
months. The landscape changes. The grass withers. The flowers fade away. Spring fruits are ready for
picking including almonds, apricots, plums and vine fruits.
June – Tammuz. The land becomes barren, parched, and harvesting continues in the highlands.
July – Av. The grapes, figs and olives are ripe. Intense summer heat is cooled by westerly breezes and
farmers are busy on their threshing floors.
August – Elul. The is the hottest month of the year and most every day exceeds 90 degrees in the shade
and hotter inland. The grapes, figs, peaches, apples, and pears ripen and are ready for market.
September – Tishri. The summer heat can be intensified by the desert winds. The farmers dry their figs
for winder and make their grapes into raisins, syrup, and wine. The pomegranates and bananas ripen.
The first rains of the winter come toward the end of the month.
October. – Heshvan. Farmers would be finishing with their grape and fig harvests, olives would be
gathered, the fattened sheep would be slaughtered, and the sugarcane and dates would ripen, plowing
would begin and the rains would loosen up the hard ground.
November – Kislev. Temperature are very pleasant, around 60-70 F in most of the country. Some rain
falls but not hard.
December – Tevet. Temperatures are also very pleasant. Some rain and the weather fluctuate.

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