Galilee
The Galilee extends from Mount Hermon in the north to the ridges of the Carmel and Gilboa on the south - from the Jordan Valley on the east across the plains of Jezreel and Akko to the shores of the Mediterranean on the west.
The Western Galilee, also called the "Northern Coastal Plan", stretches from north of Haifa up to Rosh Hanikra on the border between Israel and Lebanon.
The Lower Galilee stretches from Mount Carmel and the Gilboa Ridge in the south to the Beit HaKerem Valley in the north. Its eastern border is the Jordan River.
The Upper Galilee extends from the Beit HaKerem Valley northwards to the Lebanese border. Its eastern border is the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights. The "Finger of the Galilee" is a region of the Upper Galilee and contains the towns of Metula and Kiryat Shemona and the Dan and Banias Rivers.
Most of the Galilee is rocky landscape. There are several high mountains such as Mount Tabor and Mount Meron. The relatively low temperatures and the annual large amounts of rainfall make the Galilee a center of flora and wildlife. The streams and waterfalls, along with vast fields of greenery and colorful wildflowers, make it a popular tourist attraction.
The Galilee is of importance to the international bird world, not only as a bird migratory route but also as a resting place and for winter quarters. At least 70,000 white pelican rest here every year on their way to Sudan; some of the large beaked birds even spend the winter here. The Hula Valley is an ecological entrance funnel for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds. Most of them fly on towards East and South Africa.
The Galilee is a unique destination. It includes rural and urban communities; Jews, Christians, Moslems and Druze and different kind of settlements, from Kibbutzim to Arab villages and towns. Its tourism facilities have developed slowly and during the past years the growing worldwide interest in agro-tourism and eco-tourism has made the region increasingly popular. The Galilee's ancient sites have been preserved and restored.
History
According to legend, Solomon rewarded Hiram for services rendered with a gift of an upland plain among the mountains of Naphtali were given to him. During the Hasmonaean period the region was taken over by the Jews. In Roman times, the region was divided into Judea, Samaria and Galilee, which comprised of the northern section of the country, and was the largest of the three regions. Herod Antipas, Herod's son, ruled the Galilee during Jesus' ministry. The Galilee was the home of Jesus for at least thirty years of his life. The first three Gospels of the New Testament are mainly an account of Jesus' ministry in this area, particularly Nazareth and Capernaum. The Galilee is cited as the place where Jesus cured a blind man. During the Crusades, the Galilee was named the Principality of Galilee, one of the most important Crusader areas. In the early 20th century, the Galilee was inhabited by Arabs, Druze and Jews. The Jewish population significantly increased by European immigration. After the War of Independence, the Galilee came under Israel's control.
The Galilee Mountains were the birthplace of Jewish mysticism. Shimon Bar Yohai, regarded as the first Jewish mystic, lived in the Galilee in the second century CE. In the sixteenth century, the small town of Safed became the birth-place of Kabbalah.
Places to see:
Mt. Meron is situated directly next to the village of Meron. On the Mount there is a holy site, especially for Orthodox Jews, as it houses the Tomb of Rabbi Simeon Bar Yochai. On Lag B'Omer, many religious Jews comes to Mount Meron to celebrate the anniversary of his death. Nearby are also the traditional burial places of Rabbi Hillel and other sages Near the village of Meron are remains from the Second Temple period.
Mount Tabor is at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, 17 kms west of the Sea of Galilee. Its elevation at the summit is 1,843 feet high. The Israelite tribes gathered on Mount Tabor in the days of Deborah. It is believed by many to be the site of the Transfiguration of Christ. The date of the earliest churches on Mt. Tabor is unknown. There may have been three chapels joined together into one building, as in the present building. The current Church of Transfiguration was built in 1924 and belongs to the Franciscans.
Approach the ascent to Mt. Tabor from the Bedouin village of Shibli. The residents of this village are all members of a nomadic tribe which has settled permanently here at the foot of Mount Tabor. They have adapted their lifestyle to the twenty-first century, leaving behind many of the ancient Bedouin customs.
Mount Hermon is the highest mountain in Israel, 2814 meters above sea level, and is located on the border between Syria and Lebanon. The mountain has seasonal snow, which covers its top in the winter. The water that melts form the snow forms three rivers and merges into the Jordan River. The mountain is the only ski resort in Israel and has a wide range of ski trails for all level of skiers.
Hermon National Park/Banias Springs begins at the foot of Mount Hermon and its water rushes with force through a cavern like channel and forms the Banias Waterfall, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Israel. After nine kilometers, the Hermon River meets the Dan River and the two flow into the Jordan River.
A wide staircase connects the Banias Spring to the Banias Cave. The five grottos in the nearby cliff are remnants of a shrine to the God Pan. A short path leads from the cave to a white structure atop a step on the cliff, which is the graveside of the Druze Saint Nebe Hader. Outside the cave are the remains of a temple built by Herod.
There are two entrances to the Nahal Hermon Reserve, one near the spring and the other downstream near the waterfall (close to Kibbutz Snir). A special trail brings the visitor to the Roman-period ruins, including the shrine to Augustus
Tel Dan Nature Reserve - One of the three sources of the Jordan River, the Dan River is the largest and most important. It is fed by snow and rain which fall on Mount Hermon. Although the reserve is only 120 acres large, it offers four vastly different hiking trails.
Biriya Forest, north of Safed, a 12 kilometer road has been opened beginning at the Mahanayim Junction and ending at Dalton where the Biriya Fortress Museum is located. The Museum shows the story of the first settlement in the area. A trail takes the visitor to the grave of Rabbi Yonatan Ben Uziel, passing through the scenic areas near the Ein Naburia Spring. Other springs flowing into the Biriya River have also been developed and the ancient synagogue and limestone furnace of the Naburia settlement have been restored.
Mt. Gilboa - According to the Old Testament Mt. Gilboa (which is a ridge and not single mountain) is a place of tragedy and triumph. The ridge lends it name to the Battle of Gilboa fought in the valley below in which the Philistines defeated Saul and Isarel. Late winter and early spring are the best time to enjoy the area, especially between February to April where visitors can see the multitude of wildflowers and the famed purplish Gilboa Iris.
Hazor is the largest biblical period site in Israel, covering approximately 200 acres. In the second millennium BCE, the population of Hazor is estimated to have been about 20,000, making it one of the most important cities in the region. Hazor comprises of two distinct sections; The Upper City (acropolis) and the lower city (the fortified enclosure) lying close to the north. Hazor was approximately 10 times the size of Jerusalem in the days of David and Solomon. In 2005, Hazor was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Megiddo is regarded as one of the most important biblical period sites in Israel. Surrounded by fortifications, equipped with sophisticated water installations and impressive palaces and temples, Megiddo was the queen of cities of Canaan and Israel. Megiddo began to dominate the countryside in the 4th millennium BCE and today its monumental architecture provides evidence of the rise of the first cities in the region. Megiddo is the traditional site of Armageddon, the last battle between the forces of good and evil.
Zippori is located on a hill in the Lower Galilee. The city dates to the Maccabee era in the second century BCE and is the traditional birthplace of Mary. It is situated just four miles from Nazareth and during the Byzantine period the Christian community in Zippori grew considerably. Large areas have been excavated and discoveries include an amphitheater, residential area, public buildings and baths, water cisterns and a complex drainage system. Of particular interest is a mosaic inside a villa that shows a beautiful young woman that is referred to as the "Mona Lisa of the Galilee".
Metulla is a small town founded by Baron Edmond de Rothschild in 1896. Rothschild purchased the land from Druze owners and then helped immigrants from Russia to settle the land. East of Metulla there are four waterfalls; The Ayun, The Tachana (Flour Mill Falls), the Eshed (Cascade) and the Tannur (Oven). On the Westside of Metulla there is the "Dado" observation point from which the visitor can see the Hula Valley, Mt. Hermon, the mountains of the Upper Galilee Region, the Golan Heights and Lebanon. One of the main attractions in Metulla is the Canada Center, the largest sport center in the area, including an Olympic size ice skating rink.