A BIBLICAL GARDEN IN PENNSYLVANIA:

Biblical garden features plants used centuries ago

By Candy Williams
FOR THE [PITTSBURG] TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, June 25, 2005

The sweet smells of summer are a little sweeter this season at the Rodef Shalom Biblical Botanical Garden in Oakland.

From intense jasmine to the delicate scent of a rose, from the pungent leaves of oregano to the welcome aroma of the cinnamon tree's bark, spices and fragrances from biblical times to the present are the focus of an exhibit created by Irene Jacob, of Point Breeze, founding director and caretaker of the garden for 19 years.

Through plantings, programs and tours, her display welcomes visitors to a virtual journey through thousands of years of taste and smell. The exhibit opened June 1 and runs through Sept. 15.

Jacob has taken special care to identify plants, the country of origin and Bible verses in which they are mentioned on markers staked in the ground next to different species. ...