Bereshit (בְּרֵאשִׁית – In the Beginning)
Genesis 1:1–6:8 • Isaiah 42:5–43:10
The Torah opens with the story of creation: light and darkness, heaven and earth, sea and life. Humanity is shaped in the divine image, yet violence and corruption soon take root. The haftara proclaims that God is the creator of all, calling Israel to be a light unto the nations.
Genesis 1:14
יְהִי מְאוֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם
Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens
In the heart of the Negev Desert, the Mitzpe Ramon Astronomical Observatory, founded in 1993, rises above the cliffs of the Ramon Crater (מכתש רמון – Makhtesh Ramon), a geological formation[1] unique in the world. Shielded from light pollution, this site offers an exceptional view of stars, planets, and nebulae. It is one of the few places in Israel where the Milky Way can be admired[2] with the naked eye.
[1] The Ramon Crater (Makhtesh Ramon) is a natural geological formation of the “makhtesh” type, unique to the Negev Desert. Unlike volcanic or meteoritic craters, a makhtesh is formed by the erosion of softer rock layers beneath a harder surface layer, creating a heart-shaped depression. Ramon Crater is the largest makhtesh in the world, measuring approximately 40 km in length and 2 to 10 km in width. It reveals geological strata over 200 million years old, offering a rare glimpse into Earth’s history.
[2] The Mitzpe Ramon Observatory is open to the public and offers guided night observations, especially during celestial events such as meteor showers and eclipses. It collaborates with international scientific institutions on research and educational projects. The site is also used for space simulations, notably by researchers from the D-Mars project, who study life-support conditions on Mars. These simulations include scientific protocols, stays in confined habitats, and extravehicular activities in spacesuits, all designed to prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.