Ben Chelo’s Journey to Palestine : The Roads from Jerusalem 733- 734 H / 1333 -1334 A.D.

Abstract

This is a study and translation from the English language of a journey

entitled « The Roads from Jerusalem « done by Isaac Ben Joseph Ben Chelo ,

a Jewish traveler , who immigrated from Andalusia in order to visit Palestine

in 733- 734 H / 1333 -1334 A.D and roamed in during the Mamluk period.

The significance of this journey lies on the fact that it shows precious

and unique information about some economical, agricultural, industrial

and commercial activities which added several geographical sites to the

Palestinian geographical list that have not been mentioned before.

Also, it shows that the majority of Jewish in Palestine were not native

and they came and immigrated from Europe and other places like France and

Andalusia to settle down in Palestine . During the journey, Ben Chelo shows

an obvious interests in visiting Jewish sites in which Jewish minorities have

inhabited Also, he referred that these minorities immigrated from Europe

and other places to settle down in Palestine .With some exaggeration , the

traveler talked a bout the Jewish shrines , names and histories of the saints .

Furthermore, the traveler praised the good treatment and justice that the

non- Moslems ( Jewish and Christians ) who lived during this period under

the Islamic rule have had at Palestine.