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CAESAREA
Once a Phoenician
fishing village, the Romans awarded it to Herod in the year 30BC.
Enter the walls crossing over the moat that surrounded the city
(built 900 years ago). View the remains of an 11th century Crusader
church. Most impressive is the Roman theater, still used to this
day.
HAIFA
Israel's largest
city in the north, it has the country's largest port, booming
industries, houses of higher learning and many museums. Nestled
on the Carmel Mountains, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
Sites include the
Technion City, Bahai Shrine with its exquisite Persian Gardens and
golden domed temple. The Stella Maris Church and Carmelite Monastery
houses frescoes of Elijah the Prophet ascending to Heaven in a
chariot of fire and King David playing his harp. Standing at the
observation deck of the cable car station, one can see the Haifa
Bay, the port, lower city, Kishon River, and on a clear day you can
see past Akko up to the Lebanese border. Haifa most prides itself
for the peaceful cooperation and interaction among its Jewish,
Muslim, Christian and Bahai inhabitants.
ACRE
One of Israel's oldest and most important coastal cities, Acre is
filled with 4000 years of history. The church steeples and minarets
are reminders of the various powers that rules here. To this day it
keeps the flavor of its origins as a fishing village. Destroyed in
1291 by the Crusaders, it was rebuilt by the Ottoman's in the
1600's. Visit the Crusader and Ottoman ruins, pedestrian mall, El
Jazzar Mosque and Crusader courtyard. Enter the Halls of the
Knights Hospitallers, one of the most interesting remnants of
Crusader rule. Descend into the crypt from the upper halls. Pass by
the old Turkish bath - once a social center of the city. Walk by
the port entrance, once one of the many khans (hostels) that were
open to pilgrims in the 1800's. Visit the Prisoners of Underground
Movements Museum, dedicated to underground fighters and battle for
independence against the British army.
ROSH HANIKRA
Located on the
Lebanese border, enjoy the spectacular view from this 70-meter cliff
overlooking the Mediterranean. Descend into the limestone grottoes
by cable car. Another cable car adventure from Rosh Hanikra to
Kibbutz Manara offers breathtaking views of the Upper Galilee and
into Lebanon.
DRUZE VILLAGES
A visit to villages
such as Osafia and Daliat El Carmel offers a peak into the Druze's
unusual and interesting life style. Established by the Egyptian
ruler El Hakem Bamer Allah almost 900 years ago, the rules and
beliefs of this religion remain a secret, known only by it's
followers. The Druze live in the Carmel, Galilee and Golan Heights.
SAFED
At 800 meters above
sea level, Safed, Israel's highest city is one of the four cities
holy to Judaism. Safed's offers picturesque alleyways, historical
sites, and mystical synagogues along amazing views of the Galilee.
BEIT SHEAN
Spectacular newly
excavated city - Roman-Byzantine town, bathhouse, theatre, temples,
and palaces. One of Israel's most ancient cities, which was a rich
center of culture. As the Talmud says, "If Israel is Paradise, then
Beit Shean is its threshold." This is your gateway into Jordan if
you plan to cross the border at this point.
NAZARETH
The Galilean town
where Jesus lived. Visit Mary's Well and the grottos where Joseph
is said to have worked as a carpenter.
MEGIDDO
The Biblical
Armageddon. At this ancient historical site visit Solomon’s
stables, the Tower and the famous secret passage.
MITZPEH RAMON – A
desert town sitting on the rim of the Ramon Crater, the Negev’s 400
meter deep, 9 kms wide and 40 kms long natural crater.
MASSADA -
A huge mountain
fortress built as a refuge around 150 BC. When the Romans captured
Jerusalem in 70 AD and destroyed the second temple, Masada was the
last holdout for the Jews. 967 men, women and children held off
thousands of Roman legionnaires for 5 months. Finally instead of
surrendering, these Jewish zealots committed suicide.
DEAD SEA
Lowest place on
earth, the Israel side has a large number of hotels, resorts, and
public spas. The Ein Gedi Spa, located near Masada is an ideal spot
to spend the day, enjoy the mud baths, sulfur pools, and also a
“swim” in the Dead Sea.
EILAT
Israel resort town
on the shores of the Red Sea. The home of many large deluxe hotels,
Eilat serves as a gateway for travel to Jordan and Egypt. Eilat is
very straight, very built up, and very commercial.
THE KIBBUTZ
The Kibbutz is Israel’s unique version of the
collective farm, and was the mechanism whereby the greater part of
the country’s territory was first cultivated and developed. This
strange type of living arrangement has its origins in the beginnings
of the 20th century when pioneers from Eastern Europe
envisioned the kibbutz (group) as the instrument of rebuilding the
Jewish homeland. It involved a socialist-Zionist dream of social
and economic equality, based on free choice and democratic
principles. The kibbutz of the 21st century barely resembles its
humble beginnings. Most of the kibbutzim survive not on agriculture
work, but on hi-tech factories built on their premises. Many have
opened small holiday villages/ motels. While traveling, you should
certainly make it a point to stay a few nights at a kibbutz. Many
young people who come to Israel for the first time get to know the
country by working for a month or so on a kibbutz. All you need is
a cooperative sprit and the willingness to work a hard 8 hour day in
any capacity that the kibbutz might need you - from apple orchards
to fish ponds to dish washing. In exchange, you get your bed, clean
sheets and three nice size meals per day. You’ll gain an insight to
a unique lifestyle; you’ll sweat a lot, and probably gain a few
muscles from the experience. Generally, kibbutzniks are quite open
minded and liberal – on the whole, G.L.B.T.’s are welcome just as
anyone else – just come with a smile and get to work.
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