The Tombs of the Children of Israel

Every Jewish Israel tour should include a stop at Kubur Bani Yisra'il or the Tombs of the Children of Israel. A large, mysterious stone structure, it sits on a plateau 3.5 miles northeast of Jerusalem. It is unclear as to how they received the Arabic name that has been kept through Hebrew tradition, but Archaeologists believe that the tombs date all the way back to 2000 BCE. There is one theory about the Tombs of the Children of Israel that states that it might be "the tomb of Rachel, in the territory of Benjamin" (1 Sam. 10:2). There is a theory that the members of the tribe of Benjamin, Rachel's son, named these structures to honor her. Located between Pisgat Ze'ev and Adam, Kubur Bani Yisra'il can be found alongside highway 437. Though there are no large signs posted, you can find it 1.2 miles east of Pisgat Ze'ev near a small grove of olives and the opening of a valley. Though a little ways off the road, it is certainly an interesting stop to make when you travel to Israel.