North: Galilee and Golan
Tree Planting in the Galilee
“And when come into the land, and plant all kinds of trees…”
Leviticus, 19:23
Efforts to reclaim the Holy Land, which was a largely desolate landscape at the beginning of the 20th century were central to the lives of the early Zionists in the late 19th and early 20th century. Today, one of the most meaningful and simple things a visitor can do in Israel is to plant a tree. In fact 240,000,000 trees have been planted in the land since the Jewish National Fund began planting here in 1901. JNF still plants a million trees a year and one of the forests where visitors can plant is located close to the Golani Junction, just outside of Kibbutz Lavie about 15 minutes from Tiberias.
Mitzpe Golani (Tel Faher) Memorial
Credit: attractions-in-israel.com
The Israeli Army’s storied Golni Ifantry Brigade has often been tasked with exceedingly difficult missions. The Battle of Tel Faher stands out as one of the most difficult. After an initial plan to approach the Syrian emplacement from behind went awry, the Israeli force resorted to a frontal assault on the Syrians who were well dug in above them. Today visitors can gaze down from the old Syrian trenches at the route the Golani soldiers took on their way into the Syrian stonghold. We are also afforded a first-hand view of the strategic advantage the Syrians possessed over the Israeli farming communities below them in the Hula Valley and we can understand why those same farmers pushed the Israeli government to take the Syrian Heights to remove the constant harassment they had been subjected to in the 1960’s when Israeli children would often sleep beneath ground in bomb shelters.
Meshushim Stream, Yehudiya Nature Reserve
Thanks to Attractions-in-Israel.com
The Meshushim Pools afford diving off of the remarkable geologic formations surrounding the water. But if you want to get there be prepared for a hike down into the canyon and for a real workout on your way back up. That said, the trek is worth the sweat and you can wile away the hours isolated from the world’s cares here.
Katzrin Talmudic Village
Small stone homes abut the larger structure in the background, the community synagogue. Credit:www.goisrael.com
Tucked away from the Israeli capital of the Golan Katzrin, the Talmuic (Byzantine) era village takes us back to a typical mid–sized Jewish village of the time. The centerpiece of such a town would be the synagogue, in this case built with the local black, volcanic basalt stone.
Yehudiya Forest Nature Reserve
At over 16,000 acres the Yehudiya Forest Nature Reserve is one of the largest Reserves in Israel and itself is 6% of the Golan heights. It contains five different canyons with hiking trails: Meshushim, Yehudiya, Daliyot, Zavitan and Gamla. In short, one could spend several days exploring the nature and solitude in these Golan Canyons whose waters eventually make their way to the Sea of Galilee, one of Israel’s three natural sources utilized for its water needs.
Agamon Hula
A rainbow above the Golan Heights and Hula Valley during a Spring rainstorm, from the Agamon Hula.
It turns out that Israel is a fly-zone for migrating birds, twice a year. As Winter approaches hundreds of millions of birds leave Europe and head for Africa. They stop here in Israel’s Hula Valley. Then as Spring approaches they fly back home to Europe. Once again they stop in Israel’s Hula Valley., All of this means that if you’re an avid bird watcher, you can’t do better than Israel to see some remarkable species at the Agamon Hula Orinthology and Nature Park
Haifa, Megiddo, and Lower Galilee (Tzippori, Nazareth and Cana), Druze Carmel.
Throughout the Galilee biblical scenes such as this one will greet you.
Tour Duration: 8-10 hours
Using Haifa hotels or the port as our departure point and driving a total of only two hours over the course of the day we have the opportunity to see picturesque Galilean sites important to our understanding of both Old and New Testament history, as well as an appreciation of modern day Israel’s religious minority’s (Moslems, Christians, Druze and Bahai).
Itinerary
Haifa
Megiddo
Tzippori
Nazareth
Cana
Druze Carmel
Although it was last inhabited in the time of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC, Megiddo still held a powerful grip on the imaginations of people several hundred years later to whom the book of Revelations assertions about a final battle at Armageddon rang true.
The amphitheatre at Ziporri, a remnant from Roman times.
Initially opposed, Jesus acquiesces to his mother’s requests to save the wedding hosts in Cana from embarrassment when they run out of wine. Thus Jesus’ reputation as a miracle worker begins to spread across the Galilee.
A mid-19th century view of Nazareth reveals a tiny village surrounding the Church of the Ascension, not much larger than what existed 2,000 years ago in the time of Christ. Today’s Nazareth contains the largest concentration of Christians in the Holy Land.
Druze Carmel
Israelis flock to Druze eateries in the Carmel montains just outside of Haifa on weekends.
Donna Gracia Museum, Tiberias
An image of Dona Gracia appears on an Israeli stamp.
500 years ago Dona Gracia was a Jewish woman, born in Portugal to a Jewish family who had been forced to convert to Christianity. She remains a model of commitment to one’s heritage in the face of danger. She was able to utilize her family’s great personal wealth for the benefit of her community.
When her husband died in 1536 she inherited his family’s banking and business interests. She moved to Antwerp and was able to relocate many Jews from the dangers of Portugal and the Spanish Inquisition, to the Ottoman Empire. In Europe a time-honored Jewish tradition was the bankrolling of empires. Gracia was able to leverage her position and wealth to gain concessions on behalf of her community from the Ottoman Empire. Despite her wealth Gracia was arrested and spent two years in prison in Italy. Upon her escape she traveled to Istanbul to meet the Sultan, where she paid for property in the Holy Land, determined to redeem the land for Jewish settlement.
Grave of Maimonides and other Sages, Tiberias
The tomb of the great Jewish sage and physician Maimonides (Rambam) is the best known of Jewish tombs in the holy city of Tiberias but it is by no means the only one. Tiberias is also the site of the great second century sage Rabbi Akive, and his wife Rachel, and the miracle worker Rabbi Meir Baal Haness. It is customary among followers of Kaballah (Jewish Mysticism) to go to the sages graves at night and pray there.
Jordan River Rafting
Local Moslem girls, dressed modestly, enjoy their launch onto the Jordan River.
This part of the Jordan is the definition of a lazy river. You wont need to worry here about running the rapids. But this is the perfect break from a warm day touring the sites; a relaxing physical break with the family and friends and a photograph of you going over the only challenge to speak of when you exit the river.
Arbel National Park
Get away on a spectacular romantic hike on the Arbel cliff, overlooking the Sea of Galilee almost 400 meters below you. Here you’ll meet serious hikers doing the 1000 kilometer long Israel Trail. The views are excellent. Look north-east and see Mt. Hermon, Israel’s northern-most border. The Golan beckons you from across the Sea of Galilee and Egyptian-built pilgrim boats float serenely below on the lake. To the north the peaks of the Upper Galilee stand out, with the mystical city of Safed clearly visible amongst the hills.
Megiddo
Megiddo is the preeminent archaeological site in Israel by virtue of the sheer quantity of civilizations unearthed bere by excavators. Although the site was last inhabited during the period of Alexander the Great in the 4th century before the commone era it still bears witness to pivotal battles in ancient history due to its strategic location along the Via Maris, the ancient highway connecting Egypt and Mesopotamia, and running through the Land of Israel.
Megiddo is the original name, in Hebrew, for the Greek Armageddon, the place, according to Revelations 16;16 where the final battle between g0od and evil will occur, ushering in a thousand years of peace and the Messhiah. Highlights here include the Israelite gate, a cultic site used for thousands of years by successive civilizations and the outstanding water tunnel, a source of life for the town’s inhabitants during times of enemy siege.
Baniyas/Caesarea Philippi
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church.…“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven”.
Matthew Chapter 16
Caesarea Philippi later came to be known as Baniyas, an Arabic corruption of the Greek word Panias, a place named after the Greek God Pan who was worshiped here over 2,000 years ago. Today we celebrate the place for two reasons: it’s life giving waters, a source of the Jordan River, and the place where Saint Peter comes to prominence in the Gospels, declaring that Jesus was the Christ.
Nimrod Fortress
The Nimrod Fortress was a Muslim bulwark against potential Crusader incursions against Damascus in the 13th century. It contains the largest building stones anywhere in the Land of Israel with the exception of Herod’s temple in the Jerusalem.