The Jordan

The Jordan River is only 250 kilometers and has a very modest volume of water. Yet its spiritual and symbolic significance has made it holy to billions. Most of them have never seen the river, but consider crossing the Jordan a journey brimming with meaning. It is the first step toward entering the Promised Land. Jacob was stricken with fear when he crossed the river from Haran to meet his older brother Esau. The people of Israel had to wander in the desert for 40 years before they were considered worthy of crossing the Jordan.Once the State of Israel came into being, the river became a border, a thunderous one until the peace agreement with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1994. The ERETZ Special issue on the Jordan River takes a trip down the river, from its billowing beginning in the shadow of Mount Hermon to its end in the receding and salty waters of the Dead Sea.