Attraction Archives | Page 11 of 33

Stella Maris Monastery

The Stella Maris Monastery or the Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel for monks is a 19th-century Discalced Carmelite monastery located on the slopes of Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. Another Carmelite monastery of the same name is reserved for nuns and is located higher up on Mount Carmel. The complex of buildings, including the lighthouse, is known as “Stella Maris”. The Carmelites form to serve and live the Gospel for their spirituality. Their knowledge of spirituality comes from the experiences of the “great prophets” of the Discalced Carmelite Family: Teresa of Jesus, John of the Cross, Therese of Lisieux, Edith Stein.

The monastery’s main church resembles the shape of a cross. Its dome is decorated by colorful paintings based on motifs from both the Old and New Testament: Elijah rising to heaven, David stringing his harp, the prophet Isaiah, the Holy Family and the Four Evangelists. Latin inscriptions of biblical verses are written around the dome.

The altar stands on an elevated platform situated above a small cave associated with Elijah. The cave can be reached from the nave by descending a few steps and holds a stone altar with a small statue of Prophet Elijah. The altar above the cave is dominated by a statue of the Virgin Mary carrying Jesus in her lap and holding the Scapular in her right hand, known as Our Lady of the Scapular. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the patroness of the Carmelites, and as such is known as “Our Lady of Mount Carmel”. New embossments dedicated to Carmelite figures are hoisted on all four corners of the central hall. On the western wall of the church is a large organ that is played during religious ceremonies and at special church music concerts.

Image contribution:
Shmuliko, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons;
Iliakriv, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Tomb of Maimonides

According to Jewish tradition, the Tomb of Maimonides is in central Tiberias, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel. Maimonides died in Fustat, Egypt on December 12th, 1204, where it is believed that he was briefly buried before being reinterred in Tiberias. The Tomb of Maimonides is one of the most important Jewish pilgrimage sites in Israel, and one of Tiberias’s most visited tourist attractions. The place of the tomb of Maimonides is also the burial place of Rabbis Yochanan ben Zakai and Isaiah Horowitz.

Tiberias Hot Springs National Park

The Tiberias Hot Springs National Park, aka Hamat Tiberias National Park, displays one of the most spectacular mosaics of ancient synagogues in Israel. On the site, where the Hot Springs of Tiberias flow, there is also a beautifully preserved 18th century structure of a Turkish Hamam.

The Hot Springs – within the national park, 17 thermo-mineral springs flow at a temperature of about 600C, with a saline concentration of 36.5 gr. per liter, the majority in the form of chlorides of sodium and calcium and some potassium, bromide and sulfate. The water flows in a system of underground channels to the Tiberias Hot Baths. The channels are built with chimneys to release steam pressure and visitors to the park can see the steam pouring out of them. Surplus water that does not flow into the Tiberias hot baths are collected in a pool located on-site.

The surplus water, and the water returning from the baths after use, is collected in a Mekorot facility located within the site, and is conveyed to the National Saline Water Carrier. The Severus’ Synagogue is located within the precincts of the ancient town of Hammat Tverya, close to the southern wall and the gate of the city. This synagogue underwent three stages.

The first synagogue was built about 230 CE, on the remains of an earlier public building. From this synagogue, which was apparently destroyed in the 3rd century, only a small piece of mosaic remains that is displayed at the southern edge of the central mosaic, on a slightly lower level.

The second synagogue existed in the 3rd and 4th centuries CE, and left behind a glorious mosaic floor, one of the earliest discovered in synagogues in Israel. The mosaic is divided into three panels. The northern section shows two lions, flanking nine inscriptions in Greek memorializing donors; in the middle – a spectacular Zodiac surrounding an image of Helios, the sun god; and in the southern section – the Ark of the Torah with Jewish symbols such as two seven-branched candelabras, a shofar and a lulav.

The synagogue underwent preservation, restoration and reconstruction, and it is surrounded by glass walls enabling eye contact with the scenery, remains of ancient residential buildings and the later synagogue.

Arbel National Park

In the eastern Lower Galilee, on the way to Tiberias, a monumental cliff towers up, offering a breathtaking view of the Jordan Valley, the Sea of Galilee, the Golan Heights, Mt Hermon, and the Galilee. This is the Arbel Cliff, the heart of the Arbel Nature Reserve, declared in 1967, and the national park that surrounds it.

The main importance of the nature reserve and the reason for its declaration is preservation of the diversity of habitats it contains and the unique species that inhabit it, as well as the fact that it is part of a continuum of natural areas, allowing wildlife to pass between them. In addition, the site was declared a nature reserve in order to restore and conserve the fascinating heritage sites and antiquities found at Arbel. These sites include Arbel Fortress and the impressive cave village, where historic battles were fought in the days of Herod, Horvat Vradim (Hamam), and the ruins of the Jewish settlement of Arbel, in which the remains of a splendid ancient Galilean synagogue are still to be seen.

From the entrance to the national park there are marked hiking trails that pass through these sites. The combination of a visit to the historic and archaeological sites and the experience of nature and the breathtaking clifftop view is the uniquely magical secret of the Arbel.

Katzrin

Known as the “capital of the Golan Heights”, Katzrin is full of beautiful scenery and fascinating history. The original Katzrin, which dates back to the Byzantine era, was destroyed by an earthquake in 749 CE. Thousands of years later, you can still see some of the ruins that tell the story of the ancient town. Lovely hikes, great wineries, and fascinating archeological sites make Katzrin an essential stop in the Golan Heights. Here are our top picks for what to do there.

Some of the most exciting attractions in the Katzrin area are the ancient ruins throughout the area. Many of these sites trace Jewish settlement to the era of Herod the Great, from 39 BCE to 4 CE. Immerse yourself into the Talmudic era at the restored Jewish village at Ancient Katzrin Park. Explore a synagogue and private homes, and see demonstrations of ancient wine, olive oil, and pita production. You can find more relics of Byzantine-era synagogues and churches at The Golan Archeological Museum in Katzrin. An audiovisual presentation tells the story of the heroic revolt of the Jewish town of Gamla against the Romans. Roman arrowheads, clay oil lamps, and coins are also on display.

The Golan Heights is truly one of the most beautiful areas in Israel, and the areas around Katzrin are home to some standout natural gems. For an introduction to the beautiful surroundings, hit the Golan Magic complex for their award-multi-sensory presentation that immerses you in the sights, smells, and sensations of this beautiful region. Then take a nature walk at Eden Springs Park, which surrounds the spring supplying the Mey Eden water brand. You’ll see many plants, animals, panoramic views, and springwater pools, perfect for refreshing along the way. Gamla Nature Reserve and Majrase Nature Reserve offer two other hiking opportunities nearby. But if you’d like to take a more hands-on approach to the beautiful environment, the Bell Ofri farm is an animal refuge with a petting zoo. If you get hungry, the es also features a boutique winery and dairy restaurant.

Description from Tourist Israel

Tomb of Rabbi Akiva

Akiva ben Yosef, also known as Rabbi Akiva, was a leading Jewish scholar and sage, a tanna of the latter part of the first century and the beginning of the second century. Rabbi Akiva was a leading contributor to the Mishnah and to Midrash halakha. He is referred to in the Talmud as Rosh la-Hakhamim, “Chief of the Sages”.

As a leading Mishnaic sage (and teacher of Rabbi Meir Ba’al HaNess), Rabbi Akiva played a major role in establishing rabbinic (ie post–Second Temple) Judaism. He was tortured to death by the Romans because of his support for the Bar Kochba Revolt, his enthusiasm for resistance to the Romans was such that he declared Bar Kochba to be the Messiah.

A visit to Rabbi Akiva’s tomb in Tiberias is a chance to consider this great sage’s life and its significance for the Jewish people and all humanity.

Rabbi Akiva started out as a poor, illiterate shepherd. His wife Rachel married him against the wishes of her affluent father, who balked at Akiva’s lack of education.

Rachel encouraged and supported her husband’s utter devotion to Torah study and lived in abject poverty for twenty-four years. Akiva’s formal study of Torah did not begin until age forty, but his diligence, combined with his keen intellect, enabled him to become one of the foremost sages of the Mishnah with 24,000 students.

He supported the 2nd-century rebel leader Bar Kochba. He was arrested by the Romans and subjected to a horrifyingly painful death; he lovingly recited the words of the “Shema” at the end.

According to tradition, his body was miraculously transported to Tiberias for burial alongside his students who had died in a plague.

His tomb, on the mountainside behind the Kiryat Moshe neighborhood, overlooks Tiberias and the Kinneret, and has been a pilgrimage site since the early Middle Ages.

It became a special tradition to pray for rain at Rabbi Akiva’s tomb during drought years.

Among those who visited Rabbi Akiva’s Tomb was the famed kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, the Ari Zal, making the site even more sacred.

Tomb of Rabbi Meir

About two thousand years ago, the divine Tanna Rabbi Meir Baal Hanes revealed the way to work salvation above the way of nature. He ordered the housekeeper of the prisoners to release his sister-in-law and if the guardians of the kingdom caught him he would say “Alka Damair Anani” and be saved, thus assuring him of the miracle of his rescue.

In all generations, the people of Israel have relied on the power of the righteous, holy and sublime Tanna – and have won many wonderful salvations in all areas: livelihood, mating, children, health, success and more.

The site of the holy Tanna Rabbi Meir Baal Hanes is in the city of Tiberias and has been an inexhaustible spring of blessings and salvation for every one of the children of Israel who came to beg God to win salvation and mercy, thanks to the Tanna in this holy place.

Berko Archaeological Park

The Berko Archaeological Park in Tiberias contains the ancient remnants of the city of Tiberias from the time the city was established by Herod Antipas in the first century CE, until the Fatimid Dynasty in the eleventh century CE. The park is extremely impressive and presents in a fabulous manner the past of the city of Tiberias. The park also contains a green corner with paths, gardens and archaeological finds, including an ancient Roman gate, a theater which had seating capacity of seven-thousand people and a drainage system that is a thousand years old. The park also hosts various music and theater public events. The Berko Archaeological Museum provides a fascinating glimpse into Tiberias of the first century.

Bet Yerah (Khirbet Kerak)

The archaeological site of Bet Yerah (“house of the moon”), also known as Khirbet Kerak, is not mentioned in either Biblical or Egyptian records, but excavations here have uncovered evidence of a settlement dating from the Bronze Age right through to the period of Arab rule.

The site, 10 kilometers south of the Hamat-Tiberias hot springs, includes a jumble of remains dating from various eras. The best preserved remnants include a bath complex dating from the 4th or 5th century and a 3rd century Roman fort. There is also a Byzantine church and a three-aisled synagogue dating from the 5th century. The tell of Khirbet Kerak lies where the Sea of Galilee empties into the Jordan river and the terrain rises 15 meters above the level of the lake. It is triangular in shape and approximately 1.2 km by 380 m (at its widest point), covering 60-75 acres. The Jordan river runs to the south, although it previously (until at least the medieval period) ran north and west of it.

The tell of Khirbet Kerak was at certain times the site of two twin towns, Bet Yerah and Sinnabris.

Church of the Annunciation

The Church of the Annunciation, sometimes referred to as the Basilica of the Annunciation, is a Catholic church in Nazareth, in northern Israel. It was established over what Catholic tradition holds to be the site of the house of the Virgin Mary, and where the angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced that she would conceive and bear the Son of God, Jesus – an event known as the Annunciation.

Another tradition, based on the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James, holds that this event commenced while Mary was drawing water from a local spring in Nazareth, and the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation was erected at that alternate site.

Under Canon Law, the church enjoys the status of a minor basilica. A historically significant site, considered sacred within some circles of Christianity, particularly Catholicism, the basilica attracts many Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox Christian visitors every year.

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