Jacob's Well in Turkey: The beginning of the Bible's first love story reopens to tourists

Detailed summary

The well has survived through the centuries partly because Muslims also hold it sacred. Since the ground has been covered by centuries of soil, a structure stands above it.

Jacob's Well in Haran is not only a place of deep Torah meaning; it is also an important tourist destination for Jewish travelersThis week's Torah portion tells the story of Jacob and Rachel's meeting. It is written: “Then Jacob went on his journey and came into the land of the people of the east. And he looked and behold a well in the field” (Genesis 29:1).This biblical story may seem imaginary to us, but it can become very real and tangible, because we too can visit this very well today. At least I did. It lies in Haran, in southeastern Turkey, and the locals call it “Yakup Kuyusu” (Jacob's Well).I have traveled a good deal in my life, and I find that Haran is different.

Opening of the article, excerpted from The Jerusalem Post. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.