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Meet people who bring Shilo, Betar, Yavne to life on Av 15 in Israel!

It never ceases to amaze how Foundation Stone brings history to life through the land of Israel.

The events of the fifteenth of Av include a biblical story and a Talmudic story.

The Book of Judges tells how the remaining men of Benjamin found their wives when the annual dance took place in Shilo. The Sages say that was the Fifteenth of Av.

The Talmud recounts the horrific story of Beitar's fall on the 9th of Av, Hadrian's cruel decree that the dead could not be buried, and their miraculous preservation until years later on the Fifteenth of Av they were buried. The Sages of Yavne instituted the blessing of hatov vehameitiv, which changed the perspective of the Jewish People to the path of life and history.

Foundation Stone's CoDirectors David Wlllner and Barnea Levi Selavan weave a web between these cities of the day, and the people who are making their respective legacies live.

Mr Hart Hasten of Indianapolis lives and breathes Beitar and its messages. Hart dreams of Bar Cochba, and was a staunch friend and supporter of Menachem Begin. He spearheaded an excavation of Bar Cochba's Fortress in Beitar with the help of Yigal Yadin. Hearing this little known story from the source with personal anecdotes will delight you, while Hart's fierce Jewish passion will charge you to do something for Israel!

Foundation Stone has been persistently working to develop ancient Yavne. Excavations and hi-tech geophysical studies with the Maurice Greenberg Center of the University of Hartford have dramatically impacted this enterprise. Dr. Richard Freund, Director, and Maha Darwarsha, Professor of Archaeology and of Arabic Culture and Language, share why they are excavating Yavne and its importance to them and their students. Dr Freund shares publicly for the first time , the latest finds from this year's work.

Tel Shilo is oft visited by Christian visitors to Israel and inspires all who come there. Yisrael Medad, longtime Shilo resident and famous spokesperson, takes time out from his busy day to share Shilo's history, archaeology, and contemporary life with you.

Dr. Ari Greenspan just returned from another exotic adventure that revives the 613 commandments and the roots of Jewish history, and shares his experience with David and Barnea.

Two international volunteers come straight off the Elah Fortress dig on its last day to share their experience and report.  An ancient 3000 year old city was discovered overlooking David and Goliath's  fought, and is being developed for education and tourism by Foundation Stone, excavated by Prof Yosef Garfinkel of the Hebrew University and Saar Ganor of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Listening to Bracha Strauss, a CAMERA activist and university student from Evanston, Illinois, Jewish, and Adam Frazer, an archaeological student from Ottowa, Canada, will enrich your appreciation of what the land of Israel does for people.

David and Barnea's insights top off this confluence of the cities of the  Fifteenth of Av, and the story of Israel's continuity through the lens of Foundation Stone.

For more information see www.foundationstone.org, www.elahfortress.com, and www.telyavne.com.