Religion: A Pillar of Potash

At Sodom (current population: about 1,000), where the Lord saved Lot and his naughty daughters, then rained fire and brimstone on the sinful city, a 6 ft. sign went up this month. Written in Hebrew and English, it noted that "Sodom is the lowest point of habitation in the world, 1,286 ft. below sea level." Then, after telling the Biblical story of Sodom's destruction, it added: "Today, Sodom is the center of Israel's potash production."

This marker was the first of 300 such guideposts to be erected in Israel, linking the busy present to the Old Testament past. Thus they will give...