Northern Israel

The Beautiful North
There are many places to tour in the north of Israel, each place with its own special beauty. The places the author visited on his tour of the north included the Kinneret, Tiberias, Hulah Valley, Har Arbel, Metullah, Tzfat, Nazareth, Hadera, Emek yizrael Hadera, Haifa, Metullah, Naharia and many kibbutzim including Kibbutz Lavi. The scenery in the north is a must see. (see links below to view details of each location)

Tiberias is an Israeli city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. The city has a history of being a holy city (the Rambam, Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess, the Ramchal are among Jewish sages who are buried there).

In the 2nd–10th centuries, Tiberias was the largest Jewish city in the Galilee, and the political and religious hub of the Jews in the Land of Israel. “Hammat Tiberias”, which is now part of modern Tiberias, is known for its hot springs, believed to cure skin and other ailments, for some two thousand years.

Metula is Israel’s is in the northeast right next to the Lebanese border. In 1957 it also bordered Syria as the Golan Heights was in Syrian hands. On a clear day you can see not only Lebanon, but current Syria as well.

Nahariya  is the northernmost coastal city in Israel approximately 5 miles south of the Lebanon Border.. Nahariya takes its name from the stream of Ga’aton (river is “nahar” in Hebrew), which bisects it. In 2019 it had a population of 58,096 During the Israel pre-state days, back in 1935, approximately 40 pioneers had settled in Nahariya. The first settlers lived in huts, but the settlement was rapidly developed and the residents engaged in agriculture. It became a development town in the 1950s after a ma’abara established nearby was integrated. The town hence became a home to many Jewish refugees from North Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

After economic and climatic problems the residents soon realized that agriculture was impractical and chose to focus on tourism and the food industry. Nahariya was then turned into a European-style resort town, taking advantage of the natural surroundings and beaches, as new inns were opened. Two prominent food manufacturers also set up shop: the “Strauss Company” and the prominent butcher shop “Soglowek”

One location in the north which wasn’t accessible in 1957 is the fascinating tourist attraction of Rosh Nanikra, which is located at the most north-western corner of Israel. It is the only point in the country where the sea meets the mountains, and boasts some amazing natural phenomena, such as the “grottos”, which are marine caves created from a series of subterranean tremors which cracked the rock. Rainwater flows through these cracks and the gushing sea waves created this unique natural phenomenon. The steepest cable cars in the world, built in 1968, serve tourists who wish to visit this site.