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ERETZ Magazine

STAYPUT HOME

JERUSALEM

TEL AVIV

YOUTH HOSTELS

UPPER GALILEE

GOLAN

SEFAD, ROSH PINA

LOWER GALILEE

WESTERN GALILEE

TIBERIAS

ACRE

HAIFA

CEASAREA

SHARON

ASHKELON

JUDEAN HILLS

BEERSHEVA

EILAT

KIBBUTZ HOTELS

 

Stayput Lower Galilee

A distinct line separates the Upper and Lower Galilee – it is the grand cliff of the Beit Hakerem Valley that lifts the terrain another 300 meters above sea level. The Lower Galilee is a land of open valleys, olive orchards, and rolling hills.

The Lower Galilee is a land of four valleys separated by five moutain ranges. The valleys, running from east to west, are very different from each other. The northern one, the Valley of Beit Hakerem, is a land of ancient olive groves, with hundreds of age-old trees dotting the valley. The Sakhnin Valley, south of it, is a valley of fertile fields and home to a large Arab population, which lives in villages and towns that have retained their names since Roman times. Next is the large expanse of the Valley of Beit Netofa. In rainy winters, the flat expanse turns into a lake, putting the fields under water for a few months. This land is famous for its watermelons; they like these conditions of waterlogged fields in winter and dryness in summer.
In the mountains between the Beit Netofa Valley and the Valley of Sakhnin lies Yodfat, the town where Josephus Flavius, the Jewish historian and commander of the Galilee in the first century, set up his headquarters. Beseiged by the Romans, Yodfat fell after a protracted siege. Josephus gave himself up to the Romans and served for the rest of his life as the historian of the Flavian family, the family of the emperors Vespasian and Titus.
South of the Beit Netofa Valley is the Valley of Turan. At the meeting point of the two valleys stands the town of Sephoris (Zippori), which was the capital of Herod’s Kingdom of Galilee before he built Tiberias. Sephoris was the home of Rabbi Yehuda Nasi, the redactor of the Mishne. The wealth of the city, which did not participate in the rebellion of the Jews against the Romans, can be seen in the opulence of its Roman mansions and the mosaics that decorated their floors.
In the hills above Sephoris is the small hamlet of Nazareth. It was an insignificant village in the days that Herod was rebuilding Sephoris. Joseph and Jesus, a carpenter and his son, might have even been among the many skilled professionals who worked on the great building project.
As you make your way up the hill from Sephoris to Nazareth, you pass by Cana of New Testament fame and Mashad – the biblical Gat Hefer – the town where the prophet Jonah was born. It was a long distance from Gat Hefer to Jaffa, where Jonah set out for Nineveh from – so long that an alternative site for Gat Hefer has been suggested on the Coastal Plain.
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Nazareth

Start tour at Mary’s Well:  The women of Nazareth are known for their beauty. However, when travelers of the past watched the women of Nazareth draw water from the well, it was obviously not only the Nazarenes’ reputed comeliness that fascinated the pilgrims, but also the thought that Mary herself might have drawn water from this very well. Today, a modern fountain stands on the spot. The spring that once fed it is located up the hill, northwest of the nearby Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Gabriel.

Saint Gabriel: The oldest part of the church is the arched section over the outlet of the spring. This is a remnant of a Crusader structure that may have been used as a wellhouse. The entrance to the church was constructed in 1767 over remains of a Crusader church. The paintings on the church walls are the work of artists from Romania. Leave the church and walk along the street leading to the city hall and the Moskubiyeh.

Moskubiyeh:
This large building, on which construction began in 1904, was a hostel for the numerous Russian pilgrims who came to the Holy Land prior to the Russian Revolution of 1917. The complex, which included a dining hall, clinic, pharmacy, and hospital, served the townspeople as well as visitors. At present, Nazareth’s municipal courthouse, post office, and police department are ensconced in the building. Continue to the Jarjura House, the first building on the lane ascending to the right from the large parking lot.

Jarjura House
: This typical Nazareth mansion is named for the Arab family which built it. The building boasts a typical enclosed courtyard and, even though the first floor is presently home to carpentry shops and storerooms, it still imparts some idea of the grandeur of houses constructed some 150 years ago in Nazareth. These buildings are the backbone of Nazareth’s Old City. Continue up this picturesque lane, turning right at the first turn, then right again. Look up to see a typical Turkish-style balcony.

Salim a-Ras:
The house with the balcony originally belonged to prosperous Nazareth resident Salim a-Ras, the local agent for the wealthy Beirut landowner Sursuk (from whom early Zionists purchased lands in the Jezreel Valley). Today, it is the home of the widow of Saif a-Din Zuabi, a longtime mayor of Nazareth and member of Knesset. Return to the lane and continue to the steps. Descend along them to Writers’ House.

Writers’ House:
If the doors to this center for art and music education are open, take a look around inside. Across from the Writers’ House are the Greek Orthodox bishop’s residence and offices. In the courtyard near the residence is a charming church with beautiful icons. Continue along the alley to the left of the square. Make your way to Synagogue Church.
Synagogue Church: This complex belongs to Nazareth’s Greek Catholics. According to tradition, this is the location of a synagogue in which Jesus once prayed. From here make your way to the Basilica of the Annunciation.

Basilica of the Annunciation
: The huge Catholic basilica is built over a Crusader church built on the site that is the traditional house of Joseph and Mary. The ancient Crusader remains are above the remains of an early Christian chapel both of which are encorporated into the huge church whose upper level serves as the church of the local Catholic community.

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Kfar Tabor

The village of Kfar Tabor, at the foot of the famous Mount Tabor, was founded in 1901 by 20 Jewish families. Most of them were the children of farmers from Baron Rothschild’s settlements in the Land of Israel. The village initially was named Mesha – like the adjacent Arab village. In 1923, Zionist leader Menachem Ussishkin visited the village and suggested that its name be changed to Kfar Tabor, after the mountain that looms above it.
In 1908, guard work around the village was given to a Jewish organization of guardsmen called Bar Giora. The local Arab guardsmen were fired and Kfar Tabor become the second Jewish settlement to be guarded by organized Jewish guards. This was the beginning of the Jewish defense of the Land of Israel that would eventually lead to the establishment of the Haganah and the Israel Defense Forces.
One of the interesting sites in the village today is the Farmers’ Courtyard, a museum that illuminates the life of the Jewish farmers in the Galilee in the early twentieth century.
Other sites of interest in Kfar Tabor are the Marzipan museum and the little winery next to it.

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Nofit

Located atop a hill in the Lower Galilee that rises to some 150 meters above sea level, Nofit has a marvelous view of Nahal Zippori, the Galilee, and the Acre Valley to the south. A few residents turned a service path into a hiking trail and dedicated it to Ohad Zak, a Nofit native who was killed while serving in Lebanon.
A brown wooden sign reading “Ohad Trail – Around Nofit” marks the beginning of the path. Date, olive, pomegranate, and almond trees line the first section, which leads to the “Ladybug Lookout Point.” The children of Nofit painted the stones here black with red dots, inspiring the name. The lookout point provides a stunning view of Nahal Zippori. The next lookout point is directly opposite Alil Hill, which is almost completely encircled by Nahal Zippori. Its only connection to the outside world is the saddle joining it to the hill on which Nofit sits.
The final part of the path was chiseled into the rock by hand – a safety rail protects hikers. Mediterranean trees grow along the corridor to the left of the path. We rapidly reached steps leading to the Nofit sports center. We made our way around the right side of the basketball court and were back at the starting point.

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Owenallah Mansion

House number 14 on street 6089, adjacent to the Moslem cemetery, is a modern building. In the past, this was the location of one of the largest mansions of Nazareth, the home of the Owenallah family. The mansion sprawled over 1,000 square meters. It was rented out in 1905 and became a British hospital. In 1923, the hospital relocated and the family returned to its home. During the Arab Revolt (1936-1939), the British accused two family members of being ringleaders and blew up the house. Today, family members live in the new building on the site.
The Owenallahs arrived in Nazareth as mercenaries. The head of the family, Ali Aga, was in the service of Suleiman Pasha, the governor of Acre.  Ali and his sons participated in the Peasant Revolt. As a result, he and two of his sons were  executed. Once Ottoman rule was restored, the family acquired vast tracts of land in the Jezreel Valley. Three of the Owenallah family’s mansions are still standing today.

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Itinerary

Day 1: Mount Meron

Drive down Route 866 to the Hananiya Junction. Take Route 85 west through the ancient olive trees of the Beit Hakerem valley to Rama. Turn right at the Rama Junction and take Route 864 up the cliff to Beit Jann. Ask for directions to the Makam of Nebi Heidar at the summit of Har Ha’ari. Drive along the dirt path to the east of the Makam (a Druze sanctuary) to reach the summit of Har Ha’ari, which offers a magnificent view of the Lower Galilee. Drive back to Route 864 and continue to Peki’in. Walk through the alleys around the spring of this ancient village. Continue on Route 864 to 89. Take Route 89 to Mount Meron. Drive to the summit and take the 40-minute walk along the summit trail for views of the Galilee, Golan, and Lebanon. Continue on Route 89 to Jish and stop off at Jiscala for a taste of natural Galilean foods. Continue on Route 89 to 866. Pass by Meron and the tomb of Shimeon Bar Yohai  and return to hotel.

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Day 2: Kabbalah

Begin in Safed with a seminar on Jewish mysticism. Visit the medieval synagogues and tour  the Hassidic yeshivas and the ancient cemetery. Take the road to Biriya forest. Follow the signs to the grave of Raban Yonatan ben Uziel, a famous second-century mystic whose grave, is a magnet for shiduch seekers. Drive to Bat Ya’ar for dinner.

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Day 3: Sea of Galilee

Take Route 90 to Tiberias. Drive through the town and stop at the Hamat synagogue just south of the town. Continue south on Route 90 to Kibbutz Deganiya and tour the Deganiya Courtyard, where the first kibbutz was founded. Drive to Kibbutz Sha’ar Hagolan to visit the small museum on prehistory. Drive to Ein Gev for lunch. Continue north on Route 92 past the important Christian site of Kursi commemorating the healing of the Gerasene demoniac. Continue north to the junction with Route 87. Take Route 87 west. Cross the Jordan River. On the other side are the important Christian sites of Capernaum, Tabgha, and the Mount of Beatitudes. Stop off at Capernaum to view the ancient synagogue and at Tabgha to see the amazing mosaic. Take Route 90 to the north. Drive to the Vered Hagalil ranch for pancakes.

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Day 4: The Galilean Coast

Take Route 85 to Acre and explore the old Crusader town. Drive north on Route 4 to Kibbutz Lohamei Hagetaot and visit the ghetto fighters museum. Continue north to Rosh Hanikra for a visit to the grottos. Return south on 4 to Achziv for a swim in the Mediterranean (May to November). Return via Route 85.

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Day 5: Jerusalem

Drive to Jerusalem by taking Route 85 to Route 65 and from there take Route 6 to Route 1. Enter the Old City via the Jaffa Gate and visit the Tower of David Museum, whose main exhibit focuses on the history of Jerusalem. Then walk down David Street, the main souvenir market. Turn left onto Christian Quarter Street and walk to the alley of Saint Helena that leads down to the Holy Sepulcher. Exit by the small entrance to the courtyard that leads to the Muristan Market. Walk straight ahead until you reach the busy market street of Khan e-Zeit. Turn right and walk down the Crusader markets. Once out of the market, turn left on David Street and make your way to Sisileh Street. Walk down the street to the Kotel. Take the Rabbi Yehudah Halevi steps to the Jewish Quarter. Walk to Zion Gate, walk out the gate, turn right, back to the Jaffa Gate.

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Day 6: Tel Aviv

Take Route 85 to Routes 65, 77, 70, and  then 2 to Tel Aviv. Start by exploring Jaffa. Then take a taste of historic Tel Aviv by strolling through Neve Tzedek, Rothschild Boulevard, and the surrounding streets. Take a lunch break at one of the many cafes on Sheinkin Street and then check out the shops along Dizengoff Street. End the day with dinner on Ibn Gabirol Street.

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Amirey Hagalil

The Amirey Hagalil Spa Hotel is located in the heart of nature along the scenic winding road that connects Acre and Safed. It is designed to allow visitors to relax in a luxurious yet cozy atmosphere. The design makes the most of natural elements, from the olive tree in the lobby to panoramic windows that allow the sunlight to enter and provide a view of one of the most gorgeous landscapes in Israel. Amirey Hagalil has only 17 guestrooms, mini-suites, and suites, which means that every guest receives personalized attention from the hotel’s professional and accommodating staff. All of the guestrooms have a private jacuzzi and porch. The spa also has a jacuzzi, along with a sauna, resting areas, and six treatment rooms, where guests can receive massages and beauty treatments. The house specialty is the olive tree treatment in which olive oil is used to purify, relax, and reenergize guests. Guests also will enjoy the lovely gardens surrounding the hotel, where they can relax in the shade of grapevines while sipping herbal tea.

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Copyright ERETZ Magazine 2008