After Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 C.E., the sages wandered north to Galilee. Following in their footsteps we embark on a journey into the foundations of the Jewish faith and the Rabbis who paved the way with wisdom and sacrifice.
Our travels north for our guests wanting to take a Jewish journey follows a path that was taken some 1800 years ago when the Jewish community of Judea began to migrate north to Galilee following the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in the year 70 C.E. Indeed, this theme of migration and a community needing to reestablish itself has been omnipresent in Jewish life over the past 2,000 years. This is one of our favorite routes to explore as the years following the destruction of Jerusalem are some of the most important as far as the codification of Jewish texts such as the Mishna and Talmud.
This trip takes in the wonderful Jewish sites of lower Galilee on day one, leaving Tel Aviv for the Beit Shearim National park, home to the necropolis and home to the great Rabbi, Judah the Prince. From here we jump up the hill to appreciate the lookout over the Jezreel valley and a monument honoring Alexander Zaid and the beginnings of the Jewish community in Galilee in the modern period.
After a lunch break, (at a winery!) we make our way to the Zippori national park where this exquisite site welcomes us and our Jewish journey to the ancient capital of Galilee. Home to an abundance of mosaics and the secrets revealed in the house of Dionysus, our day together weaves narratives and legends of Jewish life in ancient days and modern times alike. From here we continue our journey to the charming town of Rosh Pina and a scenic lookout before checking in to our lodging for the evening.
Day two starts out with a walking tour around Rosh Pina as the story of Jewish revival in the modern period is central to the character and resilience of this town and that of our tour in general. From here we jump over to the hilltop town of Safed for a guided tour of this wonderland of all things Kaballah, art, and mysticism. With an abundance of galleries to explore, rooftops to visit, and some of our favorite synagogues to enjoy, Safed is truly a spectacle of the glory of Jewish Galilee and the heart of the north. Included in your tour is an in depth visit with one of our favorite artists who welcomes us into their studios and provides an in-depth educational and mystical lesson that will surely leave our guests enamored with the more esoteric side of Jewish teachings. Some of our favorites are Sheva Chaya’s glassblowing workshop, Avraham Lowenthal’s trippy hippy experience, and David Friedman and the numerology of Kaballah. All three are simply wonderful and this meet-up allows our visit to delve into the subject of Jewish life and community in Galilee.
For our final stop of the day, we head over to the wonderful Druze village of Pekiin where we have the truly special chance to meet (when she’s available) with Margalit, the last Jewish resident of what has become a Druze village. This woman is truly a phenom and the Zenati house is a special visit with a newly renovated visitor center, the ancient synagogue across the street, and a unique opportunity to discover a special gem, off the beaten path, in our Jewish journey across Galilee.
