“Come with me from Lebanon, my bride…. Descend from the crest of Amana, from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon, from the lions’ dens and the mountain haunts of the leopards.” (Song of Songs 4:8.)
Heavy cloud cover over the lower slopes of Mt. Hermon with the Nimrod fortress, a medieval Islamic structure, seen in the distance.
In ancient times locals ascended the forbidding heights of Mt. Hermon to worship their deities. Explorers have subsequently discovered dozens of temples and holy places in the mountains inaccessible high places. This was the place where God spoke to the Patriarch Abraham at Brit Ben HaBtarim, promising him the Holy Land. Scholars also recognize it as the true site of the Mt. of Transfiguration in the New Testament.
High above Israel’s North Country towers snow covered Mt. Hermon, a point of reference as we make our way about the countryside. But the Hermon is an extraordinary site itself. For nature lovers the Hermon is worth the extra time required to experience its windy slopes. Hikers interested in covering the Golan Trail may begin or end their trek here in the nation’s highest place.