I was born in Israel (then Palestine) and grew up in a small town called Ramat Gan. Quite often during construction projects, archaeological sites would come to light, and as a youngster I always enjoyed visiting them. One of the town’s archaeological sites that did not need to be discovered was Tell Jerishe (Tel Gerisa)—known to us as Har Napoleon (Mt. Napoleon). Local legend had it that Napoleon had shelled Jaffa from the top of this mound. The site, which at the time was located on the outskirts of town and surrounded by orange groves and prickly-pear cactus hedges, […]
