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Discover Secrets of Nazareth with a Local

We will start by a short briefing on our beloved city and enter the St. Gabriel Church to discover this unique ancient shrine and will drink from the authentic Mary’s well.
Then proceed to towards the old city and make various stops in local bakeries, spices shops, carpentries, goldsmith shops, cultural corners, oriental sweets & café’s, art shops, souvenirs, antiques shops, ancient luxury houses, religious shrines, and most important …

Visit the House of Virgin Mary, where the story of Christianity began. We will stand before the archeological site where Nazareth of Jesus was located and also visit the house and workshop of St. Joseph.

You will have the opportunity to meet people and exchange life stories and get to know how they struggle with their living. And do not forget to get your camera ready to take shots in each and every corner. These pictures will become a “teaser” for your friends and complement your memory as you go back home.

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.

Mary’s Well

Mary’s Well is the place where, according to Catholic tradition, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary announcing that she would bear the Son of God. The spring and its water are considered holy by both Muslims and Christians, and earlier generations attributed unusual healing properties to it.

The spring begins in a cave thirty meters north of the Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. Originally, the public well was located next to the small pool that is now inside the Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. After the church was established, local people were barred from using the well and a replacement was built in the shape of a public water trough, to which the water was channeled from the church. The water was also used by farmers to irrigate their fields.

For many centuries the public water trough was a meeting place for the city’s residents and passers-by. Older residents recall it as being one of the most vibrant places in Nazareth. Mary’s Well is a site of religious, historical and cultural importance; the water trough and the large tree next to it have become the city’s symbol and are used as the City Council’s logo.

Synagogue Church

The Synagogue Church is a small Christian church in the heart of Nazareth known by this name due to a tradition claiming that this is the location where the village synagogue stood in Jesus’ time. Above its doorway is an embedded sign in Arabic and English: “Synagogue.” The structure is administered by the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.

In 570, an Italian visitor described Nazareth’s synagogue, and reported that the original Bible was still there, including the bench where Jesus used to sit. The floor of the Synagogue Church is sunken about 1.5 meters underground, possibly built atop a Crusader church dating from the 12th century. The church was under the control of the Franciscans until the 18th century, when the ruler Zahir al-Umar passed it to the Greek Catholics. In 1887, the Melkite Greek Catholic parish church of the Annunciation was built adjacent to the Synagogue Church.

According to Christian tradition, the church is built on the ruins of the ancient Nazareth synagogue where Jesus studied and prayed. In addition, it is where one Sabbath day Jesus went to preach. In two Gospels (Matthew 13:54-58, Mark 6:1-6), his fellow townspeople became angry with him. Because he was one of them, they did not trust him to have the authority to preach in that way and to perform miracles. He was amazed at their lack of faith and concluded that a prophet is not honoured in his own home town.

In Luke 4:14-30, the account differs: there, Jesus reads from Isaiah 61:1,2 and the worshippers are pleased. But he tells them that prophets are called to do their work in foreign places rather than at home, because they are not accepted in their own home town. In doing this, he also implicitly declares himself as the Messiah. This sermon infuriates the listeners, who drag him to a cliff to throw him over, but he simply walks through the crowd and leaves.

Little is known of the years Jesus spent in Nazareth, leading scholars to describe this time as “the hidden life” or “the silent years”. It is thus all the more significant for Christian visitors to find a lone place where such silence is broken – the Synagogue Church.

Image attribution:
Ori~, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons

Nazareth Village

Set on the outskirts of old Nazareth, the Nazareth Village is built on ancient agricultural land that boasts the area’s last remaining first-century wine press. The original farm has been restored with its ancient wine press, terraces, irrigation system and stone quarry, and exact replicas of first-century houses, a synagogue, a watchtower, mikveh and olive presses have been carefully constructed using the original building methods and materials.

Together, these elements form the Nazareth Village, an authentic first-century farm and archaeologically accurate re-creation of the hometown of Jesus with real ties to the life and time of His friends, family and fellow Nazarenes. Nazareth Village is an open-air museum in Nazareth, Israel, that reconstructs and reenacts village life in the Galilee in the time of Jesus.

The village features houses, terraced fields, wine and olive presses all built to resemble those that would have been in a Galilee village in the 1st century. Muslim and Christian living history enactors dress in period costume and show visitors how farm, domestic, and craft work was performed two thousand years ago.

Pilgrims to the Holy Land typically only see the dead stones of ancient ruins, but the geographical and cultural nuances of Jesus’ teaching are often crucial to understanding their full meaning. At Nazareth Village, bible scenes are brought to life by “villagers” who populate the farm and houses, living and working with the same type of clothing, pottery, tools and methods that Mary and Jesus would have used. Gifted and knowledgeable guides lead visitors through a living representation of the parables of Jesus within their original context before offering the opportunity to seal the experience with an authentic biblical meal.

As part of the Nazareth Trust, which runs the nearby Nazareth Hospital, Nazareth Village is a not-for-profit organisation that covers most operations through entrance fees and gift shop sales. However, it welcomes contributions to cover programmes for children, biblical and archaeology courses, and especially the ongoing preservation and development of the Nazareth Village site.

Arthur Koll

Arthur Koll is a resident of Ein Kerem and leads tours in the Ein Kerem and Jerusalem regions. He is the former Deputy Director-General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he concluded his service as the head of the Media and Public Affairs Division. He is also a former Ambassador of Israel to the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro and served as instructor of the National Defense College. Mr. Koll also served as Consul of the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta, USA and as Director of Projects for the Central Europe & Eurasia Division. He earned a BA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, an MA in Political Science from the University of Haifa with distinction and is a former Instructor at the Israel National Defense College.

Yosef Hummus

Yosef Hummus was born in Pardes Hanna as a tiny hummus shop at the entrance to Yosef’s family’s spice store; it had just three tables but lots of love! About a decade ago, the hummus restaurant moved to the new location where it is to this day. Our chickpeas are served hot and ground fresh in front of customers, served with a variety of toppings, special salads, and original home-made dishes born from crowd requests. Yosef’s menu also has vegans and gluten-free options.

Cooking has always been Yosef’s greatest pleasure, but his greatest love was making hummus. Cooking and entertaining accompanied him all his life and even as a young child, at his parents’ house, the door was always open to anyone who just wanted to come. In the kitchen, which was everyone’s meeting place, the smells were amazing, as special dishes were always prepared, and around the small table, friends and guests gathered daily, enjoying every bite and the special atmosphere.

After the army Yosef studied engineering, industry and management at the Ruppin Academic Center. He financed his studies from his job as a cook, but upon graduation he quit his job in the kitchen and began working as an employee in the sales field for several years. One day, when he returned from a routine visit to one of his clients, Yosef had a not-so-simple car accident, which sidelined him for six months. Yoseph fought and went through a long rehabilitation process, and at the end he felt it was time to do what he really loved. So he decided to leave the sales field and return to work as a full-time cook. Soon, thanks to the perseverance, determination and managerial authority he demonstrated, Yosef progressed to the managerial role as chef of several restaurants in Caesarea, while enriching his knowledge and culinary experience. After a few years a number of investors, who were very attached to Yosef’s tastes and creativity, approached him with an offer to open restaurants overseas.

After a short time abroad, Yosef returned to Israel, as the option to move with his family overseas was not possible. Therefore, upon his return, Yosef decided to take the opportunity and embark on an independent journey. He opened a small hummus shop in front of his family’s spice shop in Pardes Hanna. The concept of the little hummus spot was that all the food is made in front of the customer’s eyes, meaning what you see is what you eat, and the food is served hot and fresh. The rumor about the delicious chickpeas and homemade dishes spread by word of mouth, and many people, even from far areas, flocked to the place. With the success, came a demand to open more branches and additional shops were opened in cities such as Caesarea, Ramat Aviv, Givatayim, and Holon.

Port Cafe

Something special, pleasant and relaxing is created from the combination of the beach, impressive history and an up-to-date culinary institution. In Port Cafe you can find a rare combination of these figures in a good and young atmosphere, a rich and varied chef’s menu, an amazing view and of course a kind and warm attitude. The sea waves that are seen from the windows of the cafe as they shatter to the remains of the ancient port of Caesarea, simulate the delicate combination and balance that the place maintains – a bustling encounter between ancient culture and new culture, an encounter between Mediterranean cuisine and up-to-date dishes and fine coffee.

Port Cafe is a kosher cafe, located on the beach at the restoration site of the ancient port of Caesarea, an intriguing meeting place for tourists, casual guests and lovers of fine and delicious food. This is a cafe where the highest quality coffee is served, from a mixture of five different varieties of the Arabic type, which have been carefully selected.

Jem’s Beer Factory

Jems is a story about a long journey, old love, the fulfillment of dreams and modern pioneering. It all started when Jeremy (“Jem”) decided to give up a comfortable job at the White House in Washington in favor of brewing beer in the Land of Israel. After beginning to research the art of brewing beer he discovered that despite the image of brewers, the profession requires high management and organizational skills. And so he enrolled in a program in hotel management and management at Florida International University in Florida. At the same time, he heated engines and built a tiny brewery in his home, where he improved and practiced his beer brewing skills for 5 years.

The next stop was a surprise, as he decded to complete a degree in microbiology and advanced science of brewing beer at Univeristy of California – Davis in California, certainly not what you would expect from a wild guy like Jeremy. “To make a perfect beer you have to understand the science of beer” he used to say to himself in boring chemistry classes or advanced sanitation. When he tried to be accepted into the old institution of higher education for beer, the Siebel Institute of Technology, founded in 1868 and considered the holy of holies of the beer industry, an institution to which everyone in the beer industry is attracted and from which the world’s greatest bromasters emerged, Jeremy was refused.

But Jeremy is not one to break easily, he gritted his teeth and went on with the show. Jeremy realized that in order to be accepted into the old institution he had to present hands-on experience at a leading brewery, so he turned to Oxford Brewing Co., a leading brewery in Baltimore, and was accepted for an internship. After a year and a half of hard work bore fruit and the positive answer came, Jeremy was accepted to the coveted Siebel Institute of Technology. There he actually completed his academic studies.

And so equipped with a host of diplomas and extensive and in-depth experience, Jeremy continued with determination in his program. He immigrated to Eretz Israel with a message and a vision of fresh and fine beer that is made exactly as he learned, brewed and dreamed every day, and he immediately began to look for how to carry it all out. This is where Daniel comes into the picture. It did not happen right away but we are not interested in boring you so we will be brief. Daniel, a lawyer and vigilant entrepreneur from New York, heard about the strange pioneer who walks around with shining eyes and a great love for beer and immediately realized that there is something interesting here. The two met over a glass of beer, a spark struck like lightning and the pur fell, the two will set up a factory for fresh beer in the Holy Land.

Not only does Jem’s have some of the best beer in the country, but theys serve a variety of delicous Israeli dishes such as schnitzel and beef kebabs!

Villa Rouge

Villa Rouge in Caesarea is the perfect place to stay while having a vacation in the holy land. A direct train will take you from the international BG (Ben Gurion) airport to Binyamina station located 5 minutes from Villa Rouge. In less than an hour drive you will get from the villa to holy places including lake Gallie, Bethlehem, Nazareth. To the famous mount Carmel, you can walk by foot. To Tel Aviv you can get by train (30 minutes) to Jerusalem it is recommended to go by car (90 minutes). Even if you will choose to visit the dead sea and Mount Masada you will still be able to come back on the same day.

Villa Rouge, a luxurious villa with a swimming pool located on the ancient sea route, at the foot of the ancient aqueduct built by Emperor Herod. In the fascinating historic location, where goods were moved from Antioch in Minor Asia (Anatolia) to Alexandria in Egypt. The caravans loaded with grain, gold and all merchandise, were looking for shelter from thieves and robbers. The caravans took an overnight sleep in a Khan-shaped buildings.

Sites surrounding the villa
Villa Rouge designed as a Khan building. The villa is located a few meters beneath the ancient Roman aqueduct which is standing there for over 2,000 years. You can stop and admire the beauty of the ancient Roman aqueduct which led the water from mount Carmel to ancient Caesarea and climb it.

A short drive from the villa, you will discover the most beautiful beaches of Israel – Arches Beach in Caesarea, the picturesque fishing village of Jisr a Zarqa, including Jasr a Zarqa Beach. A tour in Reserved Dor Beach is recommended throughout the year, including winter. Surfing is recommended at the surfing club at Sdot Yam Beach where you can share the waves with world Olympic surfing champions.

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