Rolling Through The Holy Land with Sam Beckett, Rune Glifberg, and Tom Schaar.

Israel is home to one of the world’s oldest cities, yet it has some of the most modern skate spots on Earth; and although Israel has become synonymous with unrest, the authorities are surprisingly lenient in regards to skateboarding (it’s pretty much encouraged). Having officially gained its independence in 1948, Israel is made up of magnificent contemporary architecture (which are abundant in Tel-Aviv) and ancient edifices that still seem virtually untouched.

The crew visited the country’s incredible mix of old and new spots, and Holon, Galit, Netanya, and Ashod skateparks. For each rider, it was their first time in the Holy Land. Glifberg has a video project in the works, and he brought his fellow travelers along for the ride. The trip spanned two weeks, and while Glifberg was already aware of the significance of Israel in the Bible he wasn’t prepared for how strong the skate scene is in the country. “There was a good amount of skateboarders at all the skateparks we went to,” adding that the experience was “cultural, welcoming, and completely awesome.”

Next time you get kicked out from a spot, just keep the faith—and book a ticket to the Holy Land.