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Sea of Galilee

The Sea of Galilee, known as the Kinneret in Hebrew, is the freshwater lake at the heart of the Galilee and the setting for much of the Gospel narrative. Discussed here as part of a post on the Christian sites ringing its shores.

10 articles

10 articles
Kinneret Courtyard
North · Galilee

Settlement of the Jordan Valley

A day through the Jordan Valley and the southern Sea of Galilee: the Harod Spring, the Roman bridge and hydroelectric ruins at Old Gesher and Naharayim, the Kinneret Courtyard and Rachel the Poet, Degania, the Motor House and the Kinneret Cemetery.

The Harod Spring Roman / Mamluk bridge over the Jordan at Old Gesher (currently under restoration) Kinneret Courtyard The first building at Umm Juni The Motor House of Kinneret Grave of Naomi Shemer in the Kinneret Cemetery
Inside the Josef Caro Synagogue
North · Galilee

Safed / Tzefat

A return to Tzefat, where I spent three months on my gap year, this time as a guiding student. Akhbara, Mt Canaan, the kabbalists' synagogues of the Old City and a sunset over the Crusader citadel.

View from Akhbara Lookout View over Tzefat and Mt Meiron from Mt Canaan Inside the Ashkenazi Synagogue of the Ari Ruins of a 16th century communal building in Tzefat Inside the Josef Caro Synagogue Mamluk and Crusader ruins in the Tzefat Citadel
Nabi Shu'ayb (Tomb of Jethro)
North · Galilee

Eastern Lower Galilee

A field trip around the eastern lower Galilee, the basalt-cliff region between the Sea of Galilee and the central Galilee: Mount Arbel and its ancient synagogue, the Druze shrine of Nabi Shu'aib, ancient Korazim, Domus Galilaeae and Tel Mutilla.

View north from the Arbel cliff face Ancient synagogue of Arbel Nabi Shu'ayb (Tomb of Jethro) Ancient synagogue of Korazim Musical presentation at Domus Galilaeae View over the Sea of Galilee from Tel Mutilla
Roman Baths at Hamat Gader
North · Golan Heights & Hermon

Southern Golan Heights

A stormy field-trip day around the southern Golan Heights: Hamat Gader's Roman bathhouse, the Peace Vista over the Sea of Galilee, Gamla's last stand, and the reconstruction at Umm el Kanatir.

Roman Baths at Hamat Gader View over the Sea of Galilee from the Peace Vista (Mitzpe HaShalom). View over Gamla Reconstructing the Byzantine synagogue at Um el Kanatir
Al-Amari Mosque, Tiberias
North · Galilee

Tiberias

A day in Tiberias, one of Judaism's four holy cities: the Sapir Station of the national water carrier, Ottoman ruins from Daher el-Omar's era, Roman and Byzantine remains, and the ancient synagogues of Hammat Tiberias.

Ottoman period fortress, Tiberias Al-Amari Mosque, Tiberias Roman city gate, Tiberias Mosaic at Hammat Tiberias Synagogue
Convent of the Sisters of Bethlehem, Beit Jamal
Centre · Jerusalem

Christianity in the Judean Hills

The final of five field trips on Christian sites: Abu Ghosh, Ein Kerem and Beit Jamal. Crusader churches, the birthplace of John the Baptist and a Salesian monastery on the way home.

Olivier - the wonderful Benedictine monk in Abu Ghosh Church of the Visitation, Ein Kerem Mary's Spring, Ein Kerem Church of St John the Baptist, Ein Kerem Spring at St John in the Desert, Even Sapir Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant, Kiriat Yearim Convent of the Sisters of Bethlehem, Beit Jamal Church of St Stephen, Beit Jamal
The ancient shopping street (cardo) of Beit Shean (Scythopolis)
North · Galilee

Belvoir Fortress and Beit Shean

A north-bound field trip south of the Sea of Galilee, taking in the Crusader fortress of Belvoir above the Jordan Valley and the vast Roman and Byzantine ruins of Scythopolis at Beit Shean.

View over the Jordan Valley from Belvoir Crusader Fortress Crusader pointed arches at Belvoir Fortress View over the ruins of Beit Shean (ancient Scythopolis). The ancient shopping street (cardo) of Beit Shean (Scythopolis) View into a theatre at Beit Shean (Scythopolis)
Church of the Multiplication at Tabgha
North · Galilee

Christianity Around the Sea of Galilee

Day two of our Christian odyssey takes us around the shores of the Kinneret: the Jesus Boat at Ginosar, the Mount of Beatitudes, the two churches at Tabgha, Capernaum, Kursi and Yardenit. With a quick lunch of St Peter's Fish in the middle.

Jesus Boat at Ginosar / Gennesaret Church of the Beatitudes View over the Sea of Galilee at the Mount of Beatitudes Church of the Multiplication at Tabgha Church of the Primacy of St Peter at Tabgha Church of the Twelve Apostles at Capernaum View into St Peter's House, Capernaum Synagogue at Capernaum / Kfar Nachum Byzantine church ruins at Kursi Baptism ceremony in the Jordan River at Yardenit
Sculpture Garden at Kaukab Abu al-Hija
North · Galilee

The Lower Galil

A first overview of the Lower Galil: the ancient mound of Tel Chanaton, the Muslim Arab villages of Kaukab Abu al-Hija and Deir Hanna, the ruined city of Yodfat, the meditative village of Hararit and the communal settlement of Avtaliyon.

Remains of Crusader Fortress at Tel Hanaton Sculpture Garden at Kaukab Abu al-Hija View over Ancient Yodfat Chapel at Lavra Netofa Oil Press at Avtaliyon Traditional Arab Home in Deir Hanna
Migrating Birds Land at the Agamon
North

Hula Valley

A day in the Hula Valley: Rosh Pina's restored First Aliyah old town, the Mitzpe Nimrod lookout, the Crusader Castle of Chastellet, the Mishmar Hayarden memorial and the Hula and Agamon reserves at dusk when half a billion migrating birds land.

View over Rosh Pina from Mitzpe Nimrod Original Synagogue at Rosh Pina Evidence of the Afro-Syrian rift in action at the Castle of Chastellet Mishmar Hayarden Memorial Trivia Test at Oforia Catfish in the Hula Valley Reserve Migrating Birds Land at the Agamon
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