In the North: Galilee and Golan

A trip to Israeli’s north is a treat which we always look forward to experiencing. The north is, in our view, the region with the highest concentration of beautiful sites in Israel including the largest fresh water lake in the Middle-East, rivers, archeology, vistas far into foreign countries, farmland, cutting-edge high-tech and urban amenities. No matter how far afield you go, even up the winding road to the heights of Mt. Hermon, you aren’t more than three hours from the comforts of Tel Aviv’s beach front hotels.

For this tour we’ll use two different scenarios. The first scenario supposes that we use Haifa as our departure point and leave out any sites in Haifa itself. In this scenario our first stop will be Safed. The second scenario supposes that we are beginning the day in Tiberias or close to the Sea of Galilee. In this case our first stop will be at Mount Bental, on the eastern side of the Golan Heights, by the Syrian border.

Returning to our first scenario. We’ve had a hotel breakfast at a reasonable hour and we arrive at our first stop, the mountain town of Safed, no earlier than 9:30. We’ve arrived here relatively late because the synagogues and artists shops of Safed don’t open before this time of day. Here we will learn the basics of Jewish mysticism and visit one or two architecturally notable synagogues and take our time perusing Judaica art along the main street of the artist’s colony.

After a couple of hours in Safed we rejoin the highway and make for Israel’s Finger of the Galilee, the part of the map that juts out to the farthest north. Here we can visit national parks where water issues forth from the ground or where it crosses the border from Lebanon: the headwaters of the Jordan River. Tel Dan National Park will be our first stop here. We choose Dan because it’s got everything in one small 120.5 acre site: vigorous, flowing water, mature forests and shaded trails, important biblical (and prebiblical!) archeology, Russian earth-moving tractors (!) and vistas into Lebanon where we can review the events leading up to the Six Day War of 1967, when Israel took possession of its Biblical heartland.

Now we need to make an important decision.

We’re going to head up onto the Golan Heights. Do we stop at Baniyas/Cesarea Philippi National Park and the nearby Baniyas Water Falls/Suspended Trail (National Park) or do we simply continue up to lunch amongst the Golan Druze Villages of the northern Golan? Cesarea Philippi, where the disciple Peter distinguished himself by identifying Jesus as the Messiah holds significance for Christian pilgrims. It’s also the site of ancient Greek era temples (or, what’s left of them which today is some very impressive rock carving) and the beginnings of the Baniyas River which comes directly out of the ground and flows into the Jordan River. One can also do a relatively short hike along the river and see an intact 2,000 year old Roman bridge! For the more adventurous, the Water Falls/Suspended Trail involves hiking for 20 minutes down into a cool, breezy, small canyon along and above the fast moving Baniyas River. We come upon the Baniyas Waterfalls and after a nice break there, ascend for ten minutes, up a series of steps, back to the our waiting vehicle.

No matter what our decision we’ve by now worked up a tremendous appetite and so we head for the largest Druze village (or town, with 11,000 inhabitants) Majdal Shams. Here we’re going to visit our favorite restaurant. We’ve called ahead to let them know we’re coming and we’re greeted at the door by the couple who own the place. Prepare for a fresh, healthy dining experience.

We’re traveling again, heading south towards Mount Bental. Over the past couple of years if you’ve wanted a glimpse into the chaos surrounding Israel, Bental presents the opportunity and a study in contrasts. Up here, almost 4,000 feet above sea level we are surrounded by beautiful scenery, orderly green orchards and fields right up to the Syrian border 2.9 kilometers (less than two miles) from where we stand. Then you begin to notice the sounds of shooting or the concussive reverberations from shelling, and perhaps wafting smoke and dust where beleaguered Syrian civilians endure violence between pro and anti Syrian government forces.

Since the conflict in Syria began several years ago Bental has been closed to tourists only once and of course we constantly monitor the situation in the area.

We’re now ready to head over to Gamla National Park in the western side of the Golan Height, overlooking the Sea of Galilee to do some bird watching and perhaps hike down to the first century Jewish town which put up stiff resistance against the Roman siege during the Great Jewish Revolt against Imperial Rome in the year 67 CE. The ride south west from Bental to Gamla will take us a half hour and we get to know the landscape of Israel’s frontier along the way. Suddenly appearing Israeli armor coexists amongst kilometers of planted vineyards and grazing cattle, small farming communities and sudden dips in the terrain indicating beautiful water-filled canyons. Gamla, our destination sits at the junction of two such water filled canyons. After our time here it is late afternoon and time to head back to our hotel for dinner overlooking the Sea of Galilee.

As the sun sets, giving one last spot light of attention to the cliffs of Golan across the lake from us, we contemplate a long day of  discoveries and we conclude: “We will be back.”