Zippori

The ancient city of Zippori (aka Tzippori) was described by the first century Jewish historian, Josephus Flavius, as “the ornament of all Galilee.” This beautiful archaeological site is located on a hill in the Lower Galilee, midway between the Mediterranean Sea and Sea of Galilee. With abundant spring water and a fertile valley around it, it is a truly beautiful spot and includes what many have come to describe as the Mona Lisa of the Galilee.

An ancient city of great importance, Zippori was founded in the Hellenistic era and named the administrative capital of Galilee by Gabinius, the Roman governor, in the mid-first century BCE. Relatively uniquely, the city did not join the revolt against Rome in 66 CE instead opening its gates to the legions of the Roman Emperor Vespasian and thus being saved.




By the second century, Zippori had become the center of Jewish religious and spiritual life in the Land of Israel. The Sanhedrin (supreme Jewish religious and judicial body), headed by Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, was located in Zippori at the beginning of the third century, at which time Jews constituted the majority of the town’s population. Even after the seat of the Sanhedrin was moved to Tiberias, Zippori remained a center of Bible study and notable sages taught in its numerous academies.


The discovery of rich, figurative mosaics during excavations at Zippori provide evidence of the Roman character of the city’s pagan population, which coexisted in harmony with the Jews during the period of economic prosperity in the late Roman period. Zippori was destroyed in 363 by an earthquake, but was rebuilt soon thereafter, retaining its social and spiritual centrality in Jewish life in the Galilee, and the city had a growing Christian population during Byzantine times. Following the Arab conquest in the mid-seventh century, the city declined, however.


Since 1990 large areas of Zippori have been excavated, illuminating the written history of the city through incredible mosaics which line the floor. The remains of the ancient city are now a national park and attest to the uniquely pluralistic quality of Zippori over the centuries. The sites include a Roman theater, a Jewish residential quarter, ritual baths, churches and many, many mosaics including, notably the ‘Mona Lisa of the Galilee’

Zippori National Park is located off route 79, between Nazareth and HaMovil junction, 5 minutes from Nazareth, 45 minutes from Haifa, and 90 minutes from Tel Aviv. For archaeology fans, this is one not to miss.

Zikhron Ya’akov

Zikhron Ya’akov is a wonderful town for tourists, both local and foreign. This picturesque moshava semi-cooperative farming community built at the tip of the Carmel mountain range is the first moshava ever built in Israel and is a main tourism and vacation site in this region. 


Anyone who visits Zikhron Ya’akov goes straight to Ha-Nadiv Street, and Ha-Meyasdim Street in the town center, which has become a very popular pedestrian mall, thanks to the special atmosphere in this place. The streets are paved with stones and pass between the moshava’s original houses (some of which have been reconstructed), which are bustling with activity. 


There are many quaint and charming restaurants and coffee shops, interspersed between beautifully designed stores that sell local art works and lovely souvenirs. There are art galleries, unique artists' studios and workshops. New, modern buildings stand alongside old ones, such as the synagogue and the administration building, an old courtyard with a display of antique agricultural implements. 


Two of the moshava’s original buildings have been turned into history museums: Beit Aharonson - dedicated to the history of the pre-state NILI underground resistance organization - and the Museum of the First Aliya (wave of immigration to Israel). All these and more make the main street a vibrant and colorful celebration of history and life.


From its early days, Zikhron Ya’akov had two main characteristics: wine and tranquility. The moshava’s founding farmers cultivated vineyards and the large winery built here in 1889 became the area’s most important industry. The winery (now owned by Carmel Mizrahi wineries), has a visitors center with free guided tours. During the British Mandate period (1917-1948), the moshava became a holiday resort and rural vacations site, and to this day has hotels, spas and guesthouses.


Zikhron Ya’akov was founded in 1882 and was assisted greatly by Baron Edmond de Rothschild, a Jewish philanthropist who established and financially supported many of the early moshava communities. During World War I the moshava became the headquarters of the NILI underground organization, which provided the British with intelligence information in order to help the British conquer the Turks, who ruled the country at that time. Despite rapid urban development after Israel’s independence, and even though the local population has grown thanks to immigration absorption, the unique rustic character of the town has been preserved.




Zikhron Ya’akov is surrounded by many tourism sites. To the south are the Ramat ha-Nadiv Gardens, a special, well-tended garden planted around the tombs of Baron Rothschild and his wife Adelaide. Opposite the gardens is a lovely nature reserve with a beautiful view of the Mediterranean coastline. Near the entrance to these sites is Ha-Nokdim farm, which offers activities from the past, such as camel rides and Bedouin hospitality, for children and families. Further south is the beautiful Shuni fortress, from the Roman period, and to the north the Carmel mountains rise in all their glory.

Rekhaniya

The charming Upper Galilee village of Rekhaniya is home to some 1,200 Israelis of Circassian descent. Their ancestors, like those of Israel’s other Circassian village, Kfar Kama in the Lower Galilee, came from the northern Caucasus Mountains, the region where Europe meets Asia. Following defeat in the 19th century in a long war against the Russian Empire, the Circassians, who converted from Christianity to Islam in the 17th century, were exiled to Ottoman Turkish areas, including the Mediterranean.

Rekhaniya, located in the rugged mountains north of Safed, was founded in around 1880. Its people proudly celebrate their traditional culture, crafts, martial arts and culinary skills by welcoming visitors to tour their village, enjoy a meal specializing in Circassian goat-cheese delicacies, and stay overnight at their country-style accommodations. After learning about Circassian customs and history at the museum, you can take a guided walking tour of the village to see traditional architecture, including the restored old village gate-arch. The museum sometimes puts on a special treat: a Circassian folklore show including music and dancing in traditional costumes.

Lohamei Ha'geta'ot

An impressive aqueduct greets visitors at the entrance to Kibbutz Lohamei Ha'geta'ot, located in the western Galilee between Acre (Akko) and Nahariya. The kibbutz was founded in 1949 by Holocaust survivors from Poland and Lithuania. Here the fighters from the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising joined together with partisans and prisoners who had evaded the Nazis, and named their new home in memory of the fighters in the ghettos, the forests and the armies, and put their efforts into living in the here and now.


The ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone of the kibbutz also marked the beginning of the museum for documenting the Holocaust. Today the Ghetto Fighters’ House, built on a hill in the southern part of the kibbutz, encompasses the aqueduct, an amphitheater and to museums. 


The aqueduct was built in the Ottoman period, in 1815, and is the most important engineering project undertaken by the Turks during their rule in this country. The aqueduct brings water from the Kabri springs (to the north) to the regional capital, Acre (to the south). This beautiful aqueduct was built with stone arches and in some places rests on pillars 10 meters high. Near the aqueduct is an amphitheater, where memorial ceremonies are held on Holocaust Remembrance Day. 


Beside the amphitheater are a research center and two museums: the Museum of the Holocaust and Resistance, named after Yitzhak Katzenelson, a poet and founder of the museum, which serves as a testimony to the stories of the survivors and an expression of the resurrection of the Jewish people in its land; and the Yad Layeled Children’s Museum, commemorating the one and a half million Jewish children murdered in the Holocaust. This museum houses the stories and testimonies of children and an exhibit on Dr. Yanush Korczak, a doctor, author and educator who devoted his life to children.


During its early years, the kibbutz’s economy was based on various branches of agriculture. Today the Tivol factory, which manufactures vegetarian meat substitute products, is the mainstay of the kibbutz’ economy. Near the factory is the Bayit ve-Kayit guesthouse compound that has beautiful guest rooms and a rustic restaurant that serves a special, rich breakfast to visitors from near and far. 


In addition to these attractions, there is also the exhibition gallery displaying the artworks of Moshe Kupferman, winner of the Israel Prize for outstanding visual art. Other nearby sites include the water site at Moshav Regba, which demonstrates how water was drawn in ancient times, the Baha’i Gardens in Acre (Akko), and the beach, where flocks of migrating birds can be seen in spring and fall.

Katzerin

A pleasant north wind greets visitors to Katsrin - the capital of the Golan Heights. Founded in 1977, it has become an urban, commercial and tourism center. Katsrin is built in the heart of the Golan Heights and is a young city known for its landscapes and its quality of life. Its special location affords easy access to many nature reserves, historic and archeological sites, river beds and attractive visitor centers.


The city is named after the ancient town of Katsrin, whose ruins are located in the nearby Katsrin antiquities park. The ancient town was inhabited on and off from the Middle Bronze Age (about 4,000 years ago) and archeological digs found evidence of a Jewish village from the Talmudic period, which existed until the Moslem conquest just over 1,300 years ago. The remains of the ancient village are fascinating with reconstructed homes, complete with their interiors and the farming implements used by the inhabitants. The central site is a magnificent synagogue from the 6th century, evidence of a prosperous community. The park is full of beautiful rest spots, surrounded by fig trees and grape vines, and there is also a museum of modern basalt sculptures.


The Katsrin industrial zone houses a mineral water bottling plant and a large winery, among the most famous in Israel, and both have visitors’ centers that offer a glimpse of the water-bottling and wine-making processes. The Golan Antiquities Museum is located in the commercial center in Katsrin, with exhibits of archeological findings from the region as well as an impressive audiovisual presentation of the heroic defense of the town of Gamla against Roman forces in the 1st century. Also at the center is a doll museum depicting the history of the Jewish people up until the renewal of Jewish settlement of Israel and the Golan Heights in the late 19th century. Between the two museums are stores, pubs and restaurants, a few guest rooms and a field school that offers sleeping accommodations in hostel rooms as well as outdoor camping and guided tours. 


The nature and historical sites near Katsrin include Nahal Zavitan, the Meshushim Pool with its unusual hexagonal rocks, Gamla, Nakhal Yehuda and Seleukia Springs.

Ashdod

The best place to begin your visit to the vibrant port city of Ashdod is at Givat Yonah, the towering hill, the traditional site of the tomb of the sea-faring Jonah the prophet, who was swallowed by a whale. A wonderful overview of Ashdod awaits you here: You’ll see Israel’s busiest cargo port, where over 100,000 tourists also enter and leave the country. 


Givat Yonah is also an archaeological mound, which makes it the best place to appreciate how this city, which started out in the Bible as a Philistine town, has expanded––thanks to its port, industries and its energetic new immigrant community––to a showcase city of over 200,000. The wide boulevards that cross its new neighborhoods, with their gleaming white Mediterranean-style apartment houses and numerous parks, show the meticulous planning that has made Ashdod an inviting place to live and to visit.

As you tour the city, look for the Blue Route tourist signs, which explain various points of interest. In northwestern Ashdod you can take a relaxing walk along the Lachish Stream promenade where a free zoo features zebras, rare Berber sheep, deer, ostriches and other animals. Try to time your stroll to end with a romantic sunset where the stream meets the sea.



In the southeastern part of town is "Ad Halom" Park: The "Ad Halom" (“thus far”) Bridge, dating back to Turkish times, is the furthest point north the Egyptian army reached during the War of Independence. A war memorial and lookout tell the story, and following the 1977 Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty, Israel invited Egypt to build the obelisk-shaped memorial you’ll see here.

Ashdod has many bathing beaches, including the Marina Beach with gender-separate facilities for Orthodox bathers. At the Keshatot (arches) Beach, you’ll find a number of eateries popular with the locals. This is one place where you can get a feel for the varied local population––at each table you pass diners seem to be speaking a different language!

For art lovers, there’s the new glass-roofed “winged” Ashdod Art Museum. And don’t miss the Corinne Maman Museum, with its unique interior design echoing the city’s ancient history (the focus of the museum), along with changing exhibits of Israeli artists.

Spend part of a morning or afternoon at Ashdod while touring the region, whose attractions include Beit Govrin National Park, British Park, Tel Lachish, Tel Tzfit and Ashkelon National Park.

Zichron Yaakov

Zichron Ya’akov is one of the first ‘modern’ settlements in the Land of Israel. The town was founded in 1882 by 100 Jewish pioneers, returning to their Biblical homeland from Romania. However, the rocky soil of Mount Carmel upon which the town is built proved very difficult to farm, and combined with an outbreak of malaria, many of these pioneers left within the year. This could have been the end of Zichron Ya’akov before it was even established, however, the following year, a stroke of luck brought French Jewish philanthopist and winemaker Baron Edmond James de Rothschild to Zichron on a visit to Israel. Upon visiting, he discovered that the slopes of the Carmel offered superb wine-growing properties, and as such set about establishing Zichron as a winemaking town. He named the town in memory of his father Jacob (Ya’akov in Hebrew; Zichron means Memorial), and founded what is still one of Israel’s top wineries, the Carmel Winery.


Zichron Ya’akov is a small, tranquil town, offering breathtaking views across Israel’s Mediterreanean Coast and beyond. Zichron’s main street, known as Midrahov, is now a pedestrianised zone lined with cafes and boutique artistic stores. Being the original street of the settlement, many of the houses are of great historic value and plaques outside tell the story of many. At the end of the street is the First Aliyah Museum which tells the  fascinating story of the pioneers from Europe who established this town over a hundred years ago.



As a wine-making town, Zichron Ya’akov’s original winery, the Carmel Winery has a visitors center open to the public. Also near the town are the famous wineries of Tishbi and Binyamina who also have visitor centers. Wine is now a big industry across the country and wine tours in Israel make for an interesting and unusual way of seeing the country.




Just outside of Zichron Ya’akov is Ramat HaNadiv, the memorial gardens for the Baron Edmond de Rothschild. This large estate occupies a swathe of hillside on Mount Carmel, and the formal gardens at the center are absolutely breathtaking. With a cool breeze blowing in from the Mediterranean and great views, these superb gardens are some of Israel’s finest. A visitor center here is a architecturally pioneering structure which tells the story of Ramat HaNadiv and there is a great cafe on site. And best of all, perhaps, because it is an endownment of the Rothschild family, entry to the site is free of charge.

Arad

Arad and its surroundings have been blessed with beautiful landscapes, desert tranquility, and many walking trails nestled amongst untouched desert nooks, which are suitable for any age or style.


Arad of the new millennium is a town with young spirit and rich experience. The town, which was built according to international professional standards, is well planned. Even today, 40 years after its establishment, Arad is still clean, spacious, well organized and its residents’ hearts are always open to welcome any guest from anywhere in the world.


The ancient name "Arad" was preserved over thousands of years and is in fact known since the dawn of Eretz Israel – the ancient Bronze Era. Ancient Arad was built over 5,000 years ago next to the modern Arad. Being a big and important kingdom, Arad was an important trade center, while bridging between the Eastern side of the Jordan River, the Mediterranean Sea and ancient Egypt in the South, and the Euphrates and Tigris rivers (Mesopotamia) in the North.


The location of modern Arad has a wide range of advantages. 
In its East lies the Dead Sea, along with its many sites and possibilities. A beautiful scenic desert surrounds Arad. The Judea Desert lies on its North and on its South the spaces of the Eastern Negev – with their craters, impressive hills and wide Negev streams.


Within a few minutes from Arad you will find the Yatir Forest, Israel's largest forest, which offers a pleasant European climate all year long. Eight thousand acres of wide forest offer plenty of magical nature sites, remains of ancient settlements, a marvelous spring blossom, and clear mountain air all year long.


Arad is indeed the natural gate of the perfect desert vacation. It is the perfect starting point of any trip or holiday in the spaces of Israeli desert. Arad offers its guests a wide range of municipal services, tourism services, catering, lodging and plenty of tourism sites around the city and its near surroundings.

Kfar Tavor

On a hillside overlooking the main road between Afula and Tiberias sits the sleepy, pastoral and picturesque moshava (form of Israeli agricultural community) of Kfar Tavor. New neighborhoods and a hotel have been built between the olive groves and the proud stone houses of the early settlers, who founded the moshava in 1901. The older residents may still call this place Meskha, after the nearby Arab village, but when the 28 houses on Founder’s Street were completed, Menachem Ussishkin (an early Zionist leader and president of the Jewish National Fund) suggested the Hebrew name, Kfar Tavor, after Mt. Tavor, which rises to the west of the moshava.

Kfar Tavor, situated in the eastern lower Galilee, was founded by 20 farming families from other moshavot in the Galilee. It was the second Jewish settlement to have an organized Jewish guard unit, and following its establishment, the Hashomer organization was founded in 1909 to train Jewish guards and prepare a Jewish security force.


Over the years Kfar Tavor changed its character and became a rural community. The developing moshava built more houses and a small industrial zone, and also unique tourism sites, some of which are based on the local history. Kfar Tavor is just off the main road, offering easy access to the visitors in the area. 


Tourists are invited to come here and enjoy a wealth of fascinating experiences. Many of the original buildings in the founders’ neighborhood have been preserved and reconstructed, and some serve as public buildings. The first school, for example, is now the local library, while the second school is still used as such.


A museum has been built right beside two authentic farm houses, and offers a glimpse at farm life during the moshava’s early years, including a farm house with all its contents, an audio-visual presentation, multi-media programs for children and an art gallery. In the courtyard is a marzipan museum, with an amazing marzipan display and confection workshops for the whole family. Along the moshava’s streets are quaint restaurants, cafes and rustic guest rooms.

Kfar Tavor also offers many possibilities for enjoyable nature walks in the surrounding area. The Ein Meskha spring in the eastern part of the moshava provided water for the early settlers and is now part of a recreation park with many activities. You can climb Mt. Tavor and visit the monastery at its peak, which offers a breathtaking view from 588 meters above sea level. You can also enjoy the beauty of the Tavor River on foot, bicycle or all - terrain vehicle.

Safed

A visit to the city of Safed (Tsfat) - with its magnificent mountaintop setting and fresh, clean mountain air, is a heavenly experience.  


The ancient Galilean city is the highest city in Israel, and commands a breathtaking view of the Galilee in the winter with its green mountains and the white snow-capped peak of Mount Hermon.  


Safed is a picturesque city of spiritual people and artists, wrapped in mysticism and mystery, and steeped in sacred atmosphere. Visitors to Safed sense the city’s warm embrace as they wander through its alleyways past charming stone houses with their artists’ studios and workshops.   


Safed is one of the four holy cities in Israel. It has been a spiritual center since the 1600s when it was the center of Kabbala (Jewish mysticism). The Kabbalist mystics lived, studied, taught, and wrote in the city and many of the graves are objects of veneration.  


The ancient picturesque alleyways of the Jewish quarter contain hidden niches and beautiful synagogues whose rich past emanates from the high ceilings, colorful decorations, and ancient Torah scrolls.  


The artists’ quarter is located in what was previously the Arab quarter of Safed.  Artists reside and work in their studios in the ancient and magnificent houses, and their paintings and artifacts fill the display windows and can be viewed while walking through the narrow alleyways.  



Safed also has exciting museums that relate the city’s history, luxurious hotels that preserve its antique character, and a huge Crusader fortress.  It also hosts numerous festivals that are rich in color and atmosphere.  


To visit Safed - with the grapevines growing up the arbors of its stone houses, the decorated iron gates, the beautiful panorama that is visible from the verandas, and the winding cobblestone alleyways, is like strolling through a    painting.  It is a city for vacationers and tourists, a city of artists and rabbis, history and tradition. 

Masada

Mitspe Ramon

On the edge of the Ramon crater, at a height of some 300 meters above it, sits the town of Mitspe Ramon. This pleasant, quiet town, built in the landscape of the largest of the Negev craters, between paths and cliffs, mountains and springs, has recently become a thriving tourism town. Mitspe Ramon was founded in 1951. A few decades ago, when desert tourism began to flourish, Mitspe Ramon developed along with it, offering visitors lodging in lovely guest rooms and many other tourism services.


Today Mitspe Ramon is an important stop for desert tourists. The southern part of town has a wide variety of hotels, hostels, campsites and a Bedouin inn. It is the starting point for jeep, bicycle or camel tours. Here one can rappel down the steep cliffs and get a real adrenaline rush.

The visitors center on the edge of the crater offers an amazing view of the crater’s beauty and its treasures. The zoological garden houses local desert animals, including snakes, lizards and mammals. In the eastern part of Mitspe Ramon there is a large sculpture park, and to the west is a one-of-a-kind alpaca farm and a desert archery center. The crater itself is full of fascinating geological phenomena, charming nature spots, ancient historical sites, easy and difficult hiking paths and endless expanses of breathtakingly beautiful desert.

Metula

Metula is Israel’s northernmost town, a quiet and pleasant place, built of a ridge of hills with a view of Mt. Hermon and the green Galilee landscapes.


This serene town, right next to the Lebanese border, attracts many tourists and vacationers who come to visit historical, nature and activity sites in the region. Metula was founded in 1896 by Baron Edmond de Rothschild as a moshava, a semi-cooperative agricultural community, and most of its founding families were agricultural workers from established comunities in Israel’s coastal region. After Israel’s War of Independence, a few more neighborhoods were added to the moshava, which grew into a rural town. Most of Metula’s early settlers earned their livelihood from agriculture. Along the winding road to this moshava visitors will see peach and plum orchards that are covered in pink and white blossoms in the spring. 


As Israel’s tourism industry developed, Metula’s residents developed tourism and vacation facilities, which are now the town’s main source of revenue. Metula has many hotels and guest houses, some of them in century-old buildings, and charming guest cottages have been built in the courtyards of many of the homes. The moshava’s original stone houses still line the Ha-Rishonim street in downtown Metula, and the Beit ha-Ikar Farmers House Museum depicts the history of he moshava. 


Metula also has a huge sports and cultural complex - Beit Canada - with Israel’s only skating rink, along with swimming pools, gymnasiums and fitness rooms. Mt. Tsfia (Look-out Mountain) rises to a height of 615 meters above sea level to the west of Metula, offering a magnificent view of the surrounding area, and the Nakhal Ayun nature reserve (ha-Tanur reserve) borders Metula to the east.

Acre

The waves from the Mediterranean Sea crash against the walls of Acre’s old city, washing the steep, thick sandstone walls that have survived the centuries. The walls, fortresses and strongholds of the city bear the marks of many nations that left impressive buildings behind them, beautifying Acre to this day. Thanks to these buildings, UNESCO declared Acre a World Heritage Site in 2001.


A visit to Acre is part of the Israeli experience. The city is a meeting place for East and West, new and old, beauty and ruins, all adding to its uniqueness. The variety of tourism sites make Acre a bustling city full of cultural events, and there is another interesting adventure or attraction around every corner.


Acre was one of this region’s important cities in ancient times. Various cultures made their home here, the Crusaders captured it and the Ottomans lived here for many centuries. Even Napoleon Bonaparte tried to lay his hands on Acre and conquer it, but after two months of siege and failed attempts to storm the city’s walls, he retreated in humiliation.


The fascinating history that has passed through the streets of Acre, the legacy left behind by its conquerors, the buildings that adorn the city and the places of worship built there are just part of the experience this city offers. Among the high-walled alleys and underground passages there is a huge mosque and a Christian monastery, an inn and Turkish baths, halls built by the Knights Templar, with an extraordinary Templar tunnel and fascinating archeological findings. These are joined by intriguing museums and many churches, a row of hotels near the inviting beaches, a marina, restaurants and a picaresque fishing port.



Every year Acre hosts colorful festivals that attract thousands of visitors and tourists from around the world. Between the ancient alleyways a lively open market hums with activity, especially on weekends. The market is also the home of one of Israel’s most famous hummus restaurants, where one sometimes has to wait in line for a table for two. Nearby, in the fishing port, there are excellent fish restaurants that serve the best of the previous night’s catches. Not far away from the city is a beautifully manicured Bahai Garden, build by members of the Bahai religion in Israel. It is a real pleasure to wander the garden’s paths and enjoy the meticulously designed flower beds.


Acre is interesting and charming, good for a glimpse of the past, a festival or just a romantic evening stroll along the city walls over the sea.

Tel Hai

Tel Hai is a historic site that commemorates the heroism of the Hula Valley pioneers who stubbornly defended their homes to the death. Nearby Kiryat Shmona is named after the eight (Shmona in Hebrew) pioneers who perished here.

Tel Hai was founded in 1916 by a group of Hashomer guards. Hashomer was an organization that believed that only Jews should guard Jewish settlements. After the First World War, Tel Hai and other Galilee settlements were transferred to French rule and suffered in the Arab revolt against the French. In January 1920 two Tel Hai members were killed in an Arab attack, and on the 11th of Adar, 5680 (March 1, 1920), six more died when hundreds of Arabs attacked the settlement. Among the fallen was Yosef Trumpeldor, the guards’ young commander.

Tel Hai was abandoned, but the battles did not end for another few months, after which the settlers returned to rebuild their homes. Since then, Tel Hai has been a symbol of heroism. Each year, on the 11th of Adar, an official memorial ceremony is held for Trumpledor and his comrades at the cemetery in nearby Kfar Gil’adi, where the young fighters were buried in a common grave. A statue of a roaring lion stands in the cemetery, sculpted by Avraham Melinkov in 1926, as an expression of their strength.

Tel Hai remains just as it was. The buildings are made of basalt stone, with red tiled roofs, preserving the settlement that thrived here in the early years of Jewish settlement in this region. The courtyard houses a museum that reconstructs the life of Tel Hai’s founders and an audiovisual program in seven languages portrays the battle and the heroism. Children can solve historic riddles and try on period costumes and all around the courtyard are sculptures and antique farming equipment.

Near the Tel Hai courtyard is Tel Hai College and a youth hostel that overlooks scenic Hula Valley. West of Tel Hai is a sculpture-lined path featuring stone and bronze sculptures, and to the east is Tel Hai Industrial Park, which houses an interesting photography museum and an amusing antique car museum.

Rosh Pina

One of the oldest moshavot in Israel, Rosh Pina has aged gracefully over the past 120 years. The small town of today is very different from the moshava founded in 1878 when a group of ultra orthodox Jews settled here and became farmers with the support of the Baron Edmund de Rothschild. Today it is a place of trendy cafés restaurants and guesthouses in a town whose main source of income is upscale tourism.

Rosh Pina is located on the north eastern slopes of Mt. Canaan overlooking the Hula Valley and the Golan. The old houses in the heart of the moshava have been beautifully preserved as have their cobblestone streets. In the center is the House of Officials which was built in 1885 as an administrative center for Rosh Pina during the time it was supported by Baron Rothschild. Now one can watch an audiovisual presentation about the history of Rosh Pina in the House and from there proceed to the nearby Baron’s Gardens, also built for the Baron’s staff, which were said to be modeled on the gardens at Versailles. Also in the center of old Rosh Pina is the synagogue, the second modern Hebrew school built in Israel, and the house of Dr. Mer, who researched Malaria in the Hula Valley during the 1930s. At the back of Rosh Pina there is the old cemetery with the graves of the moshava’s founders.

The old part of Rosh Pina is full of cafes, restaurants, guesthouses and art galleries. There are also many guesthouses in the newer parts of Rosh Pina as well as boutique hotels and a busy shopping center.

Rosh Pina is a convenient base for touring many attractions in the area such as Nahal Rosh Pina the Korazim National Park, Safed (Tsfat) and Tel Hatsor. It is also a good base for guided hiking tours, horseback riding, bike tours and jeep excursions.

Abu Gosh

On the way up from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, among turns and bends of the hilly scenery, lies the village of Abu Gosh. It is a Christian-Arab village built on a mountainside. Looking up from its lowest point, you will see a charming and picturesque village.

The village of Abu Gosh was first settled over 6,000 years ago. In the biblical period, it was known as Kiryat Ye'arim, and was a ceremonial center where the Ark of the Covenant was placed. In the Byzantine era (some 1,500 years ago), Kiryat Ye’arim became a holy place and a church was built in the village. During the Crusader Period (about 1,000 years ago), the village was ascribed as the place where Jesus revealed himself after his resurrection – that is, Emmaus – and the Benedictine Monastery was built. The monastery is one of the most beautiful buildings preserved from the Crusader Period, and can still be visited. It is located in the heart of a well-tended garden with ancient trees. Impressive frescoes are painted on the inner walls, and a fountain flows from the crypt at the base of the monastery.

The Church of Notre Dame de l’Arche d’Alliance (Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant) is located at the highest point in the village, facing the impressive scenery of the Jerusalem Hills. This church was built in 1924 on the remains of an ancient Byzantine church. A large statue of the Virgin Mary was placed in the courtyard of the church, and is visible from every direction in the complex. Nuns live in the church, which also has several guest rooms.

The present village was built in the Ottoman period by the Abu Gosh family, whose descendents represent the majority of the residents of the place (some 5,500 people).

Twice a year – on Shavuot (the Festival of the First Fruits) and on Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) – both churches hold festivals for vocal music, which are attended by groups and choirs from round the world, and the place teems with people.

But in Israel, Abu Gosh is synonymous with hummus. And not the simple hummus you get in the city, but a wonderful, delightful mixture served in a variety of ways and with spicy garnishing. In fact, in recent years Abu Gosh has turned into the country’s “hummus center.” In addition to the “authentic” Abu Shukri restaurant and to the “original” Abu Shukri restaurant, there are many other restaurants throughout the village, focused around hummus and authentic Arabic food. Besides tasty and even cheap food, Abu Gosh offers additional tourist attractions.

The village has a few guesthouses, colorful shops selling glass products, a candle shop, and, of course, places to buy Baklava and different types of sweet foods. Near the village there are several sites worth visiting, such as the Ein Khemed National Park, Har ha-Ru’akh (literally, the Mountain of the Wind), and more.

Peki’in

There are some places where time seems to have stopped still. Such is Peki’in, an intriguing picturesque village in the Upper Galilee where modern development has not changed much of the old homes and alleys.

Peki’in is a story of harmony, a village where Christian Arabs, Druze and one ancient Jewish family have lived peacefully together for centuries. Peki’in was a farming village since the time of the Second Temple 2,000 years ago. Since that time only one Jewish family has stayed in place. Arab settlement in Peki’in started in the 11th century CE with Arab Christians who were joined a century later by Crusaders. In the 18th century Druze families moved into the village and another 10 Jewish families have moved there during the past few years.

The heart of the village is a warren of narrow alleys that lead to the old center of Peki’in, the village spring. In the center there is a synagogue built in 1873 which has in its walls two stones reputedly taken from the walls of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The synagogue is locked but can be visited with prior coordination. 

To the south of the village one can find the Rabbi Simon Bar Yohai cave, where Bar Yohai, according to Jewish legend, hid from the Romans with his son Elazar. A carob tree grows at the entrance to the cave, which also has a spring. Legend has it that Bar Yohai and his son ate the carobs and drank the spring water during the 12 years in which they hid in the cave. A later tradition says that it was here that Bar Yohai wrote the Zohar, the foundation of Kabala, the Jewish mystic discipline.

The village is also home the second largest Greek Orthodox church in Israel, which was built in 1894 on the ruins of an older church and is open in Sundays and Christian holidays. 

Peki’in has accommodation in guesthouses, special restaurants, colorful shops, a factory that makes soap from olive oil and many friendly people. The countryside around the village is also interesting with beautiful nearby nature reserves such as  the Mt. Meron, Nakhal Meron, the Mitlol Tsurim reserves as well as tourist attractions such as the Monfort Lake, the Open Museum at Tefen and the rock park at Kisra-Samia.

Neveh Shalom

Try to imagine a world of peace, harmony, mixed communities, and national co-existence, with open communication, constant dialogue, and pursuit of an egalitarian reality. The first courageous steps towards such a world were taken by the Israeli settlement Neveh Shalom, or Wahat al Salaam, the first Jewish–Arab settlement in Israel.

Neveh Shalom is a rural settlement located on a hilltop in the heart of the coastal plain overlooking the Ayalon valley and the Trappist Monastery. The settlement was established in 1969 by a group of Jewish and Arab citizens following the initiative of the Dominican monk Bruno Hussar. Today there are approximately 50 families and 1800 residents in Neveh Shalom.

The residents of Neveh Shalom work to promote peace and understanding between Arabs and Jews, and the community allows two-way expression of the full identity of both peoples. Educational activities in the settlement are held in both Arabic and Hebrew and are conducted in an atmosphere of tolerance and openness. The managing body of the settlement is chosen annually by the residents and the management positions are rotated between Arabs and Jews.

Neveh Shalom is surrounded by nature spots and a panoramic view. The surrounding area is filled with forests where visitors can enjoy hiking, walking, cycling, and driving excursions. The area has many high-quality wineries that were established during the past decade. Tourists seeking a religious or spiritual experience can visit the many monasteries in the area. The Mini Israel Exhibition is also located nearby, and concerts that take place in the area throughout the year.

The settlement of Neveh Shalom has a guesthouse for visitors and tourists as well as a visitors' center and conference area that hosts Jewish-Arab meetings and seminars. Members of the settlement meet with visitors and talk about their unique way of life. During the summer visitors can enjoy swimming in the guesthouse pool, and those wishing for a few moments of solitude can visit the House of Silence - a dome-shaped white building built into the side of a hill in an isolated quiet place overlooking a picturesque view. The building has places to sit and is open to the visitors all year round. It is an ideal place for rest, relaxation, solitude and contemplation.

Quotes from recent article titled “Israel Sales Experts Share Strategies, Insights”, dated March 10th, 2011 by Claudette Covey appearing on Travel Market Report.

Raise the bar on Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah travel

Susan Weissberg

“We arrange for Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs for various family members to Israel from all parts of the world. We arrange from the rabbi for the ceremony itself and have either the Bat Mitzvah or Bar Mitzvah person communicate directly with the rabbi, who resides in Israel, first hand. Sometimes it’s a family of four or a group of up to 100. People are just overwhelmed with the arrangements: the air, hotels, guides and arranging for the rabbi to conduct the ceremony. They’re relieved to put it all in my hands. All they have to give me is their dates and their budgets. This is a niche that’s been built by word of mouth, and we have 100% satisfaction rate.” – Susan Weissberg, president, Wylly’s Professional Travel, Coral Gables, Fla.


Know and go
“You cannot be an Israel expert after one fam trip. You have to know the culture and the sites, the guides and the hoteliers. I lived in Israel for 10 years and have built contacts over many, many decades. Agents have to get there as much as they possibly can. They have to keep in touch with the latest news and archeological sites. You have to visit new and existing hotels every two or three years.” – Susan Weissberg, Wylly’s Professional Travel

Carefully qualify the client
“I will not book a trip to Israel unless I spent at least 25 minutes on the phone with the client to listen, provide advice, and zone in on what they want. I cannot do that by email. The personal touch is extremely, extremely important when selling Israel. Be a good listener and work with the client’s budget. The worst turnout is selling someone something they literally can’t afford. Do not be pushy. That’s a no-no.” – Susan Weissberg, Wylly’s Professional Travel


Seek out new products to sell
“There is a new trend for having reunions, marriages and anniversaries in Jerusalem – people who are celebrating 25- or 40-year anniversaries. This is something I just love doing. It’s such a happy experience and it’s fairly new. Also, active tours – zip lining, horseback riding and cycling – are becoming increasingly more popular. These types of tours are particularly popular for second or third timers going back to Israel. They want action and I give it to them.” – Susan Weissberg, Wylly’s Professional Travel

Know your guides and suppliers
Before travelers arrive in Israel I provide guides with client preferences: those who like to start touring at dawn, those who like to start at 9:30 a.m. I provide guides with any client food allergies and food preferences. I also call the hotels beforehand to tell them to take very good care of my clients. These types of extra steps make the difference.” – Susan Weissberg, Wylly’s Professional Travel