Category: Golan Heights & Hermon

September 26, 2021

Going off the Beaten Path in Northern Israel

A couple of weeks ago I decided to take a couple of days to explore some more of northern Israel. One of the amazing things about this country is that despite the fact that it’s very small and despite the fact that I’ve travelled around it so much, there’s always something more to discover. It’s really quite remarkable.

Day One: The Galilee Panhandle

A spelt snack at the Pitputim Bakery in Rosh Pina

I left Tel Aviv early in the morning and after a brief stop at a delicious bakery in Rosh Pina (which specialises in only baking from spelt flour), arrived in the area of the Galilee Panhandle, the area of Israel which sticks up into the north and is surrounded by Lebanon on one side and the Golan Heights on the other. I began at the Yiftach Crevices, some small fissures in the ground which you can clamber through with the help of some metal handholds that have been helpfully left in the rocks for that very purpose. I was also able to catch sight of a whole bunch of rock hyraxes that were enjoying the peace and quiet until I showed up.

Clambering through the Yiftach Crevices in Israel’s Upper Galilee with the help of iron handholds

From there I ventured further north, hugging the border with Lebanon, until I arrived at the Hunin Fortress. Built around 800 years ago as part of a series of Crusader fortifications in the area, it’s largely unexcavated, but what is visible is still pretty impressive and you also have stunning views into the Hula Valley.

The Hunin Crusader Fortress

The next stop was in Metulla, Israel’s northernmost town which is almost entirely surrounded by Lebanon. I visited the area that was known as “The Good Fence”, a border crossing from when Israel occupied southern Lebanon. It was so called because Lebanese would cross over to work in Israel, and it was also a point at which Israelis could meet their friends and family who were serving in Lebanon. When Israel withdrew in 2000, the crossing was shut, leaving behind a set of now-ruined buildings, next to a beautiful and touching memorial to members of the South Lebanon Army who helped Israel fight the PLO and then Hezbollah.

Memorial to the South Lebanon Army on the Israel/Lebanon border

Then it was time for something of an adventure. A friend had advised that it was possible to find the entrance to one of the tunnels that Hezbollah had dug underneath the Israeli border, and was later sealed by the IDF. I followed his instructions, driving past numerous warning signs (“border ahead”, “no entry” etc), but was reassured by the fact that plenty of the local farmers were doing the same. I eventually found the tunnel entrance and it was quite remarkable to see it in person – and consider what the results would have been had the IDF not discovered it.

The blocked-up entrance to a tunnel that Hizbollah dug under the Israel-Lebanon border (the border is in the background) with the objective of conducting terror attacks within Israel.

It was time to head east towards the Golan heights. After a brief stop to cool off in the refreshing spring waters at Horshat Tal National Park, I went for a short walk to the ancient Roman ruins at Horvat Omrit. This was a really remarkable site, consisting of 3 partially excavated and very impressive temples from around 2000 years ago. It was a lovely way to cap off the day.

A stream flows through Hurshat Tal National Park in the Hula Valley

Ruins of three Roman temples at Hurvat Omrit in the Golan Heights

The sun was now setting. I headed further east into the Golan Heights and towards the Syrian border; I had booked accommodation in a kibbutz called Ein Zivan. But I couldn’t resist stopping off in Merom Golan for a pilgrimage to HaBokrim, one of my favourite steak houses, for a delicious dinner en route.

A sizzling steak at HaBokrim restaurant in Merom Golan

Day Two: The Golan Heights

Nachal Meshushim (the Hexagon stream) flows through the Golan Heights

It’s still pretty hot in September so I got up early to grab a hearty breakfast and then head off on my first hike of the day: Nachal Meshushim. This trail takes on a walk through beautiful scenery down into a valley where you can see the remarkable hexagonal formations in a large basalt rock pool. It’s normally a good opportunity to cool off in the waters but the Ministry of Health had reported the waters had been temporarily polluted (probably by cows upstream) and had warned against swimming – this did not seem to stop other locals from plunging into the water but as warm as it was, I didn’t want to risk it.

Remarkable geological formations at the Hexagon Pool in the Golan Heights

Some water did await though at the next stop, Ein Tina. This is a full-on water hike, wading through fast flowing water and clambering over stones in the river bed. It was very refreshing indeed and very popular with the locals (probably also because there is no entry fee!).

Hiking up the Ein Tina stream in the Golan Heights with the assistance of some helpful hand railings

Feeling refreshed, I checked out a very interesting spot for lunch called Bell Ofri. It’s hard to describe…part farm, part winery, part ceramics workshop and more. The couple who run the place are lovely and served up a delicious homemade lunch while recounting their quite fascinating life story.

The memorial at Tel Saki in the Golan Heights to Israeli soldiers who fell in the Yom Kippur War

As a final stop for the day, I headed to Tel Saki. It seemed appropriate in the lead up to Yom Kippur, given that it was the location of a particularly vicious battle at the beginning of the 1973 Yom Kippur war. The site contains a moving memorial and a good view into Syria as it’s right next to the border.

De Karina chocolatier in Ein Zivan, the Golan Heights

There was just time to stop at my old favourite, De Karina, for some chocolate to take home for the family. For dinner, I tried out a restaurant called Suzana. I was tempted to try their wagyu burger (kosher wagyu beef is something of a novelty) but when in the Golan…you need to go local, and their sirloin steak was truly excellent. A great way to end another great day.

Day Three: Reality Bites

I had another full day of adventure planned but woke up in the morning to a message from my daughter’s nursery that there had been a COVID case – Israeli law meant that the nursery had to close and all the kids had to isolate at home. The adventure had to be put on hold as I headed swiftly home to help out with the family…but I’ll be back – there’s still so much to explore and discover.

October 4, 2020

Hiking to the Top of Israel: Mt Hermon

Mt Hermon is the highest peak in Israel, reaching 2 040m (6690ft) above sea level. It’s a perfect location for a summer hike, providing you can plan a bit in advance.

A couple of months ago, in the middle of the summer, I suddenly found myself with a completely free day for myself at short notice. With all the Corona-chaos I hadn’t had an opportunity to do any guiding for some months, and was missing being in the field. I thought it would be a great opportunity to do a hike.

I really enjoy hiking, and although you might think I do a lot of it as a tour guide, it’s actually quite unusual with the type of visitors I normally work with. Most of my clients are coming for no more than a week and they want to pack in as much as possible – so taking a few hours from the schedule for a hike is not normally an option. It does happen here and there, but also tends to be the same trails that are close to other sites of interest or perhaps have some specific historical or religious context.

So, this was an opportunity to do a hike for me. Unfortunately, the Israeli summer is not best-designed for walking outdoors. Temperatures easily hit the mid-30s (that’s the mid-90s for our American friends) even in the cooler parts of the country. And certain areas can be extremely humid. I’d have to start quite early in the morning for a hike to even be feasible. There were other restrictions – I was on my own so would need to do a circular trail (it’s quite common to walk in one direction and then hitchhike back to where you parked your car – but in Corona times I didn’t think that was sensible). Additionally, on some trails there’s no guarantee your car will be there when you return. I needed to get some advice.

So I turned to Steve of Finjan. Steve and I did the tour guide course together, and became good friends. Although he guides general visitors like I do, together with another member of our course he’s also developed a successful business specialising on off the beaten track travel in Israel, with a particular focus on hiking. I told him my criteria and he suggested that I hike the Hermon – the highest mountain in Israel, on the Syrian and Lebanese border.

I hadn’t thought of travelling that far, but he really sold it to me – particularly because it would be a lot cooler than anywhere else in the country due to the elevation, which in the peak of the summer is a major incentive. I’d been up the Hermon a few times, but never on foot, and the challenge was appealing. It’s not simple to do – you need to get permission from the army because of its proximity to the border. But Steve talked me through the process, my permission came through, and all was set.

So, a couple of days later, at 6.30am I was driving out of Tel Aviv and heading north. It was a wonderful drive, against the traffic, and just under three hours later I was driving through the Druze town of Majdal Shams on the Israel/Syrian border, and on the slopes of the Hermon. At this point, my heart began to sink. The town was enveloped in thick fog. Had I come all this way to hike in the mist? But I was there now, and I was rewarded for pushing on as I continued to ascend towards the beginning of the trail, eventually bursting through the fog to enjoy a stunningly clear view over the Golan Heights, the Hula Valley and the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. I literally shouted for joy! It really was quite remarkable.

View west towards the Hula and Bekaa Valleys in Israel and Lebanon Respectively

I arrived at the beginning of the trail and the soldier at the gate let me through thanks to the approval I’d secured. I began to climb, pausing every now and again to enjoy the beautiful scenery, the solitude and also because it was quite a steep ascent – so I need to catch my breath! The trail was well marked and in about an hour I was at the top. It was glorious, and thanks to the relatively early time of day, almost completely empty. I had the views to myself and it was a very pleasant 24C (75F), so much nicer than the relentless humidity of Israel’s centre.

The Hermon is mentioned on multiple occasions in the Bible (sometimes by its other names: Mt Snir, Siryon or Sion). It stands out from a distance and clearly commanded respect and a sense of mysticism. Indeed some (minority) opinions identify it as the real Mt Sinai or even the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Whether or not this is the case, both on the approach and from the top, the mountain emanates a sense of awe. It felt very special to be there.

You don’t have to hike to enjoy the views from the top – there is also a chairlift and, more recently, a cable car – neither of which require army approval. The Hermon is the only place in Israel that you can ski (at the right time of year) and these mainly serve the skiers – there’s not a huge amount to do up there in the summer other than enjoy the views. Only 7% of the Hermon is in Israeli hands (taken from Syria in 1967) – the majority of it is in Syria and a small part is in Lebanon. So the areas you can explore up there are quite restricted.

A view from the top of the trail on Mt Hermon. Amazing to be above the clouds.

Steve had suggested that I hike up and take the cable car down, but there was some rather disturbing news awaiting me at the top of the mountain – the cable car was broken… They were trying to fix it and “hopefully” it would be working soon. Fortunately, I did have a way to pass the time – there is a further trail at the top of the mountain, requiring separate army approval, that allows you to wander a bit further.

I took this trail, exploring the area of a major battle in the Yom Kippur war, and reaching the symbolic start point for the Israel Trail – a renowned hiking route that all the way from Israel’s north to its south. When I originally ascended the Hermon, I had views into Israel and Lebanon, from this side I could see deep into Syria. I wandered as far as I was allowed (the army only approved me to go on part of this trail) before enjoying a picnic lunch and venturing back cable car with fingers firmly crossed. Fortunately, they had fixed it and I was able to avoid punishing my knees by attempting to descend the way I came.

Looking out over the border between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights from Mt Hermon. The town in the bottom right of the photo is Majdal Shams which sits right on the border. To its left is Syria.

This symbol marks the theoretical beginning of the Israel Trail on Mt Hermon.

By now it was around 12.30 – and it seemed a shame to already head home. I then remembered that it was berry season in the Golan, and so headed to the Bereishit orchards to do some fruit picking for the family. I left with boxes full of fresh blackberries, blueberries, plums and nectarines. Delicious.

Blackberry picking in the Bereishit orchards in the Golan Heights.

And there was still time, so I popped into an old favourite – the De Karina chocolate factory in Ein Zivan, for one of their famous milkshakes and to pick up some treats to take home.

A chocolate milkshake at the De Karina chocolate factory in the Golan Heights. It was as good as it looks!

I got back around 4.30pm, exhausted but exhilarated. When guiding, there’s so much to think about all the time – some logistical thing, some calls you need to make, answering questions – you don’t have that much time to enjoy the places you’re visiting as the tourists do. This was a day where I sort of guided myself, and was able to really appreciate the scenery, the sights, sounds and smells, in a much more personal way. It was wonderful!

If you’re ever looking for a great hike in the Israeli summer, I can’t recommend the Hermon enough. Here’s what you should think about when planning your trip:
– As with any hike: bring appropriate footwear, hat, water, a trail map and particularly sunscreen – the elevation on the Hermon means the sun’s rays are much stronger. Bring enough water to hike in both directions in case of another cable car malfunction.
– Even in the summer it can be cold at the top depending on the winds and cloud cover – so have a jumper/sweater in your bag.
– Make sure to get permission from the army enough in advance – this is a lot easier to do with a tour guide.

With thanks again to Steve of Finjan!

August 27, 2014

Hiking the Zavitan Stream

The Israeli tour guide course is long, intense and covers a huge amount of information. However, it can’t possibly cover everything, so there are still parts of the country for me to explore, and I take great pleasure in doing so!

A reasonably important one is the area of the Yehudiya Nature Reserve in the Golan Heights. There are many trails here and unusually for Israel all of them have water all year around, which is great when you are looking to cool off in the heat of the summer.

With a friend arriving who has a passion for hiking, it was a great excuse to get up north to the reserve. I picked him up from Ben Gurion Airport at 6.45am and just two hours later we were slapping on our sun cream as we prepared to hike around the upper part of the Zavitan stream, a particularly popular trail that I shall definitely need to know for the future.

Small creek near Nachal Zavitan

As we set off, we were somewhat unimpressed by the lack of shade (with the sun already beginning to reach high temperatures. However, we soon began to reach some pleasant little creeks which provided some respite.

Bathing in the Zavitan Hexagon Pools

Continuing further, we hit the real attraction, a series of pools surrounded by basalt columns that are in various stages of erosion. The columns, caused by physical forces at work in the cooling of lava when the basalt was formed, exist in quite a few parts of the Golan, most famously at the ‘Hexagon Pool’, a little north west of us in the Yehudiya Reserve.

Undisturbed pool along the Zavitan Stream

The site was crowded although we still found some space for a quick dip, and then continued down-stream where we found a smaller but undisturbed pool which was much more peaceful and to my mind rather more beautiful.

Zavitan Waterfall

Continuing down the trail led us to a lovely view of a waterfall, although no doubt it is much more impressive after the winter rains. It was possible to descend down to the waterfall and bathe in the pool into which it plunged (probably less appealing after the winter rains!) and there were plenty of people taking advantage of this opportunity to cool off.

All in all, a very pleasant option for a short hike in the Golan, while incorporating some opportunities to cool off in the stream. I am sure I will be back in Yehudiya before long to explore some of the other trails, including the water hike!

December 25, 2013

Southern Golan Heights

We ventured north for today’s tour, beginning with a long drive as we set out to explore the area of the southern Golan Heights. The weather forecast was not promising, with heavy storms (including thunder and lightning!) predicted, but the hardy folk of the tour guide course cannot be put off by such things, so we donned our waterproofs and thermals and mentally prepared ourselves for adverse conditions.

Our first stop of the day was at the hot springs at Hamat Gader. I had been here a couple of times previously, but had only bathed in the hot springs and visited the alligator park. Little did I know that there were antiquities to be found; indeed it seems that one of the reasons for this is that the owners of the site are in a dispute with the Antiquities Authority about responsibility for the ancient remains. As such they are currently closed off to visitors.

Roman Baths at Hamat Gader

Still, a gate is not enough to put off intrepid future tour guides. Having been first told that we should not bring tourists here while it is closed (our insurance will not cover it!) we popped over the gate, to explore the very impressive ruins. We learned that this was the site of the 2nd largest bathhouse in the Roman Empire, and the structures that remain are quite remarkable. We discussed life in the bathhouse and the ancient tourism trade to the area, which stopped after the site was destroyed in a large earthquake in the 8th century.

It took the British in the 20th century to see the potential of the area for tourism, and since then (with a bit of a break after the Israeli Independence War – it ended up in the demilitarised zone between Israel and Syria, and right on the Jordanian border) the trade is roaring once more. Sadly there was no time for us to indulge in the hot springs!

View over the Sea of Galilee from Mitzpe HaShalom / Peace Vista

From Hamat Gader, we ascended into the Golan Heights. Avid readers will recall that we explored the northern and central parts of the Golan during our campus in the summer, but there was still plenty to see. We began with a stunning viewpoint over the Sea of Galilee, called Mitzpe HaShalom (Peace Vista). We discussed the creation of the borders of Israel, and enjoyed the dramatic view with the storm clouds sweeping towards us (although fortunately, not yet reaching us).

We then travelled further north to the 2nd temple period settlement of Gamla. So named because of its similarity to a camel hump (gamal is the Hebrew for camel), it was the site of a major battle in the Jewish revolt against Roman rule. Gamla was lost to history until it was discovered in the late 60s, after Israel had taken the Golan Heights in the Six Day War.

View over Gamla

The story of Gamla is a brave last stand followed by a tragic massacre, not dissimilar to many other sites where Jews tried to rebel against the great Roman army. We didn’t make it down to the archaeological site which contains one of the oldest synagogues in the world, but had a good viewpoint over it as our guide read to us from the story of the battle from Josephus. The site also has a large population of large birds of prey, including the huge Griffon Vulture. We went to a look out over their nesting area and saw them soaring above us. Not too close, fortunately!

Reconstructing the Byzantine synagogue at Um el Kanatir

Our final stop of the day was at Umm el Kanatir, also now known as Rechavam’s Arches after Rechavam Zeevi, whose last act as Tourism Minister was to approve this project. Excavators discovered the remains of a Jewish settlement here from the Byzantine period, including a grand synagogue. Unusually, because of the site’s relatively remote location, all the stones of the original structure are still in situ. Using a computer programme and complex ultrasound techniques, the stones were all mapped into a virtual jigsaw and are now being painstakingly reconstructed. They hope to open the site in a couple of years and it already looks impressive. It is remarkable to see an original ark from 1500 years ago!

With the sun setting over the distant Sea of Galilee, and the serious rain clouds vast approaching, it was time to begin the long journey back to Tel Aviv. Next week we follow in the footsteps of those trying to break the siege of Jerusalem in 1948. Stay tuned!

July 9, 2013

Campus Golan Day 3: Mount Hermon

Read about day one and day two of the Golan Campus.

Our third and final day of our travels in the region of the Golan Heights was dedicated to the Hermon Mountain. A common misconception is that the Hermon actually is part of the Golan Heights; in fact it is a separate mountain range that is completely different geologically and geographically.

The part of the Hermon in Israeli territory amounts to just 7% of its area; it is the highest peak in Israel at 2236m above sea level, but the highest peak is in Syrian territory at 2814m. Between them is the highest permanently manned UN mission in the world.

View over the Golan Heights from Mount Hermon

These days, the Hermon has two main functions: an Israeli army base from which to keep an eye on Syria and Lebanon on the northern border; more importantly for most Israelis, the country’s only ski resort. When the snow hits the Hermon people drive all the way even from Eilat, Israel’s southernmost point, to try their hand at skiing.

At this time of year, there is no more snow in the Israeli area (there was still some on the Syrian peaks) so we ascended the chairlift in relative solitude. At the top, we looked over into the Golan Heights as our guide explained the strategic importance of the location for Israel in managing its security, and told us the tragic story of the battle for the base here in the Yom Kippur War of 1973, which sadly involved significant loss of life.

Nabi Hazuri

From the Hermon we descended to the tomb of Nabi Hazuri, a holy site for the Druze religion. We learned some of the stories associated with the holy man Hazuri, and also talked about the Druze people, their customs and their relationship with the state. Here is also the memorial for the Sayeret Egoz army unit; set up to infiltrate behind enemy lines and conduct guerrilla warfare. Many of the unit’s members come from the Druze community in Israel.

View over the Hula Valley from the Nimrod Fortress

Close to the memorial was the Nimrod Fortress, our next stop. For many years considered to have been a Crusader fortress, it has more recently become apparent that it was built by the Ayyubid arab rulers of the region, although it seems to be an exact copy of typical crusader architecture. After the Mamluk conquest of Israel it was reinforced under the patronage of the ruler Baibars and it is possible to see a monumental inscription dedicated in his honour. We wandered through the ruins, into one of the huge cisterns that served the fortress, and exited through the secret passage, known as the poterna.

Waterfalls at Banias

From Nimrod we returned to the Banias national park. Having visited the archaeological excavations yesterday, today was dedicated to nature, as we enjoyed a hike along the stream to a beautiful area of waterfalls and whirlpools; the spray of the cool water was much appreciated in the heat and humidity of the afternoon! The park contains a series of suspended platforms which allow you to walk right over the torrents pouring down the hillside, and it is a most pleasant experience.

We concluded the day on a somewhat sombre note, at the Helicopters Memorial. This site marks the terrible accident when two helicopters collided in 1997 on their way into Lebanon. 73 soldiers were killed in one of the worst helicopter accidents in world history. Because Israel is such a small country, it really had a huge impact on the people here; it was said that everyone knew someone who knew one of the victims.

Helicopters Memorial

This memorial at the crash site, lovingly constructed by the families of those who passed away, really is very beautiful; apparently even more so at night when it is lit up. But sadly the beauty cannot overcome the tragic loss of life. A member of our group had taught one of the soldiers involved at high school, and he spoke briefly about him, making the visit that much more moving.

July 5, 2013

Campus Golan Day 2: the Lower Hermon and the Northern Golan Heights

The second of our three days in the Golan Heights was the most intense, and focused broadly on sites in the north of the Golan and the lower slopes of Mt Hermon. If you missed the post on the first day in the centre of the Golan, check it out here.

An early start meant that we arrived at the Tel Dan nature reserve before it was open! Once the wardens had arrived we entered and enjoyed the lush landscape and water flows from the Middle East’s largest karstic [formed by water flowing through and eroding porous sedimentary rock] spring. As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm; in our case we caught a salamander; a beautifully sleek little creature. Quite a lot of them live in the reserve but they are hard to spot as they tend to avoid the tourists. A nice treat!

The world’s oldest arch at Tel Dan

We hastened onwards to the archaeological remains around the ancient tel. At Tel Dan, they discovered what is thought to be the oldest arch in the world, made from mud bricks, almost 4000 years ago. Until its discovery it was thought that the Romans, or at the most the Greeks, invented the arch. But in fact it seems early forms existed many years previous in the Middle East.

Having heard how the tribe of Dan conquered the site, we whizzed forward in time to the remains of the Israelite city from the 9th century BCE. Particularly impressive was the huge gate structure; we also continued to the site of the temple which they found here; it is possible to see the base of the altar. This corroborates the story in the Bible (1 Kings 12) about the breaking up of the Solomon’s kingdom; with the temple in the Judean temple in Jerusalem the Israelite king Jeroboam constructed his own in Beth-el and here in Dan. We also hold the story of the steele found here; an ancient tablet containing an inscription referring to the two Jewish kingdoms and one of the kings coming from the House of David; a find of huge importance for those seeking archaeological evidence for the biblical narrative.

Tel Dan hike

From the archaeological site we enjoyed a lovely walk hopping on stepping stones across the brooks in the reserve; enjoying the refreshing feeling of the spray of the cool water and the general lush greenery; quite an unusual landscape for Israel. Israelis really do love being around flowing water and I am beginning to understand why; it is something that we take rather for granted in the less arid parts of the world.

Beit Ussishkin Museum

Afterwards, we traveled a short distance to the nearby Beit Ussishkin Museum which has a great little exhibition about local archaeological finds and expansive displays on local flora, fauna and geology.

From Tel Dan, we ascended to Banias. When the Hellenists arrived in this area over 2000 years ago, they identified it with being the home of the god Pan and named it Panias in his honour. We visited the area of their temple to Pan which was later expanded by the Romans; many remains are still visible. Later it was expanded into a large capital by Herod’s son Philippus, called Caesaria-Philippi. The area is important in Christian theology as here Peter recognised Jesus as the messiah (Mark 8 27).

Agrippa’s Palace at Banias

We walked a short way along the stream flowing from the springs to the ruins of the palace of King Agrippa, dating to the 1st century. We wandered through the impressive remains to reach the former city walls (and indeed the remains of a later Crusader fortress), to conclude our time at the site.

From Banias we travelled deep into the centre of the Golan Heights and ascended to the peak of Mt Bental. The whole region of the Golan was formed from volcanic activity and lava flows over millions of years; the peaks standing out in the landscape tend to be extinct (or perhaps dormant) volcanoes; Mt Bental is one of these. Apart from the rather cheesily named Coffee Anan café (they claim to have existed before the previous UN Secretary General rose to fame; anan in Hebrew means ‘cloud’); there is a wonderful view over the Golan Heights, and deep into Syria.

View towards the Syrian border with Israel from Mt Bental

Our guide told us some of the background to the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and described the sad and bloody battle that happened in the fields in front of us. Remarkably, one of my classmates had actually participated in the battle, and gave us more details. It is a very sad but also moving part of being in this country that the wars are so much more recent and personal; it makes you realise that it is much more than just words in a text book and also helps contextualise other wars in history.

Valley of Tears Memorial

From the viewpoint, we descended to Kibbutz El Rom (which boasts that it is the highest kibbutz not only in Israel, but in the world…!) to watch a film about the Yom Kippur War, and then travelled a short distance to the memorial for the Valley of Tears. The Valley of Tears, which lay before us, was the site of the most difficult and lengthy battles of the war, a tank battle pitting the Israelis against a Syrian army which was both more numerous and more technologically advanced. We heard some stories of the personal heroism and sacrifice which eventually led to an Israeli victory.

We ended the day with a bit of geology. We stopped briefly at a site of paleomagnetism; a common phenomenon in the Golan Heights where the volcanic rock has locked in ancient magnetism from when the magnetism of the globe did not come from the north. You can put a compass on the rock and watch it spin.

Jubat el-Kabiera (the Big Juba)

From here we visited Jubat el-Kabeira (the Big Juba). This is a sort of crater in the ground, formed by volcanic activity (although there is some dispute as to exactly how). Because water flows into the juba, it is very lush and green, although sadly there was no time to enter and explore.

Birket Ram

Our final stop was at Birket Ram in the Druze village of Masade. This large pool was also formed as a result of volcanic activity, although again geologists dispute the actual details. It is also an important archaeological site; here were found tools of prehistoric man dating back hundreds of thousands of years, including the Venus of the Galil.

Campfire songs at our kumzitz

We concluded the day at the youth hostel, and enjoyed a traditional kumzitz; a bonfire with a good sing song and plenty of liquid refreshment to encourage proceedings. It turns out that we have some very talented guitarists and singers in our group! It certainly helped the group bond and I was even persuaded to do a little rapping, which fortunately was well received…!

Coming soon: Day 3 and our travels around Mt Hermon….

July 2, 2013

Campus Golan Day 1: Central Golan Heights

As part of the course, we have four ‘campuses’ – trips of 2-3 nights to more far-flung parts of the country to enable us to make the most of our time. Last week we spent three days in the area of the Golan Heights and Mt Hermon, in the north east of Israel; as each day was effectively its own field trip I’ll be dedicating three blog posts to the campus over the next couple of weeks.

The region is not without controversy; the vast majority was given to the new state of Syria in 1946. In 1967 Israel took a significant portion of the Golan Heights, and a small amount of the Hermon range in the Six Day War, with the argument that it would help protect its citizens from the constant Syrian sniping in the intervening years. In 1981 Israel effectively annexed the area and awarded citizenship to those citizens who had not been given it since 1967. Unlike the West Bank and Gaza however, the area is calm (apart from the occasional stray shell from the Syrian conflict across the border) and the largely Druze population cooperate with the state although not to the extent of their kin in the Galil, as those living in the Golan still maintain loyalty to Syria. The reasons for this are far too complex to go into in this blog post, but in summary, there are no problems of note between the different peoples living in the Golan Heights and all have full rights as Israeli citizens.

Waterfall in Nachal Jilabun / Gilabon

Our day began with a hike down the Jilabun stream, a great way to stretch the legs after a lengthy bus ride. To my slight disappointment we have not done a great deal of hiking on the course so it was nice to get into nature; to enjoy the green surroundings and the sound of the water; to hop along stepping stones as we crisscrossed the stream as we descended towards the valley below. The hike afforded some lovely views of the Hula Valley and also of a couple of waterfalls; in a country so devoid of water all very much appreciated the opportunity to revel in the wonders of nature.

Wine tasting at the Golan Heights Winery

After a welcome rest in the air-conditioned bus (37 degrees is not ideal hiking weather!) we travelled to the city of Katzrin, the capital of the Golan and its largest city, with an almighty 7000 residents! Our first stop was at the Golan Heights Winery for a brief tour and then a more lengthy tasting session. The winery has won many international prizes under their Yarden brand and the muscat particularly appealed to my sweet tooth; I picked up a bottle of their new 2T ‘port-style’ wine which I am looking forward to trying. The downside was that concentrating during the afternoon was slightly harder…

Byzantine period Synagogue at Ancient Katzrin

Having treated our taste buds we visited the Talmudic Village of Katzrin. Based around ruins of a village from the Byzantine period, the idea is to give visitors the chance to experience ancient life; it is possible to have workshops in pressing olive oil; grinding flour or treading wine using ancient methods. We made do with verbal explanations and also enjoyed the ruins, particularly the ancient synagogue.

‘Venus of the Galil’ at the Archaeological Museum of the Golan Heights in Katzrin

From there it was a case of popping over the street to the Antiques Museum of the Golan Heights. Human settlement in the area goes back up to 800 000 years and one of the most ancient artefacts is the ‘Venus of the Galil’, a small rock found with tools belonging to prehistoric man which is said to resemble a female figure. The museum also contains an interesting presentation on the strange stone circles at Rujm el-Hiri and many remains from the Roman & Byzantine period; there is a good film about the siege of Gamla by the Roman forces during the Great Revolt.

Memorial at Mitzpe Gadot

We whizzed forwards through thousands of years in time for the final sites of the day. We drove from Katzrin to Mitzpe Gadot; a former Syrian bunker. We learned a little about the famous Israeli spy Eli Cohen and about the reasons why it was in Israeli interests to control the Golan Heights – we could easily see from our position how easy it was to fire into the Israeli villages and kibbutzim below. Our guide told us some of the tragic stories from the years 1948-67 when the area was far from peaceful.

Memorial at Tel Faher (Mitzpe Golani)

We then descended into the Hula Valley and went up to the northern part of the Golan for our final stop at Tel Faher. This was another Syrian base; we heard the story of the battle to control it and the two bases below it in the 1967 war. It was a battle of immense heroism and tragic losses, but in the end the Israelis managed to take control of the hilltop and it was a very important step in the war. We paused at the memorial as our guide told us some of the stories of the soldiers who had died here. Our guide was a great story teller and really managed to conjure up the images of the battle; unfortunately this made the atmosphere rather sombre.

From the Tel, we continued up into the Golan to our accommodation in the Hermon Field School. After dinner, the course steering committee (aka the vaad) had organised a showing of the Life of Brian; the historical period is relevant to our studies! It was a bit surreal to watch it with Hebrew subtitles but it remains a great film; unfortunately after a 5.30am start my eyelids were drooping so I turned in, looking forward to a packed day on the morrow.