The Galilee Region - Holy Waters
Israel was well on its way to meeting its goal
of three million visitors in the year 2000 when
the Intifada started in October of that year. Then,
with September 11 and the conflict in the West Bank
and Lebanon, tourism to the country suffered greatly.
Today, Israel is determined to bring back tourists,
particularly Americans, who make up the largest
number of travelers to this country.
Israel has long been a destination for religious
exploration, with the Galilee region being the center
for many pilgrims…Catholics, Jews and Muslims all
have ties here. Most American tourists spend a great
deal of time in Galilee, making trips to Jerusalem,
the Dead Sea and Tel Aviv.
While there is no denying that many tourists make
the trek to the Holy Land to visit religious sights,
Galilee offers more than just spiritual exploration.
There are also amazing hot springs, historical towns
and artisan centers. The mind, body and spirit can
all be nourished by the many experiences the region
offers.
Outside of religious sites, one of the more interesting
towns worth visiting in the Galilee region is Safed
(also spelled Tzfat), the center of Kabbalah, a
mystical form of Judaism that dates back to ancient
times and was popular in the 12th century. Small
galleries, cobblestone streets and old synagogues
line this small, pleasant town. This is a great
place to buy local art and spend the afternoon in
a café people-watching.
For wine enthusiasts a visit to the Golan Heights
Winery is an excellent day trip. Israel is quickly
becoming a major player in the wine scene, with
this particular winery one of the top producers.
You can tour the facilities and enjoy tasting some
of their best sellers.
For visitors to Galilee, Tiberias provides a good
base camp, with day trips available throughout the
region. One hotel option is Rimonim Galei Kinnereth.
Its location right on the Sea of Galilee is unbeatable
and the service is also excellent.
The Sea of Galilee, which is actually a lake, is
surrounded by cliffs and steep hills, which make
it beautiful to view from any side. The Jordan River
comes down from the north and feeds the Sea of Galilee
before meandering south to the Dead Sea. The Jordan
River, contrary to the song, is not "deep and
wide" but instead is small and narrow, yet
quite beautiful.
There are many Christian and Jewish religious sites
in the region, including Mount Beatitudes, where
Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount, Capernaum, where
Jesus established his ministry, Tabgha, where Jesus
multiplied bread and fish and Yardenit, which sits
on the Jordan River and where many come to be baptized.
The white limestone synagogue of Capernaum is not
only testimony to Galilean Jewish life; but also
allows the visitor to consider how Jews and Christians
might have coexisted in this region in the Talmudic
times when both synagogues and churches were built.
When you visit the variety of ancient synagogues
in Galilee, you’ll realize that far from being ruins
of a long-gone civilization, these beautiful structures
symbolize the flowering of Jewish ritual and community
life in ways relevant to this very day. You’ll discover
how these monuments, dating between the third and
seventh centuries, when many Jews had to move from
Jerusalem to Galilee, reflected their builders’
faith and commitment to each other, as well as a
fascinating infusion of the surrounding culture.
In the high mountains of Galilee, you’ll find the
synagogue of Bar Am, the centerpiece of a forested
national park. Its intricately carved façade has
survived almost intact since it was built some 1,700
years ago. You’ll discover similar synagogue façades
elsewhere in Galilee, and notice that most faced
south, toward Jerusalem, an architectural way of
demonstrating that though the Holy City at that
time was inaccessible, it was never forgotten.
History buffs should visit Rosh Pina. It is one
of the first Jewish settlements in the Galilee region.
Rosh Pina—meaning "cornerstone" —gets
its name from Psalm 118.22: "The stone that
the builders rejected has become their chief cornerstone."
This inspired Galilee’s first Zionist pioneers who
came from Romania in search of their own homeland.
Hammat Gader is a must for spa lovers. One of the
largest spas dating back to the Roman Empire, this
spa is built around three hot springs high up the
southern bank of the Yarmuk River.
From Galilee, it is a short trip to the Dead Sea,
where most hotels have spas boasting Dead Sea mud
in their treatments. Spend the day here and make
sure to apply some Dead Sea mud (free on the beach)…it
is said to have wonderful rejuvenating effects
