No one knows exactly how many synagogues exist in Israel. There are certainly thousands. Even tens of thousands. And if you visited every one of them, you would never find another like the Tunisian Synagogue, located in the coastal city of Akko (also spelled Acco and Acre) in northern Israel. In 1954, just a few […]
There is a tradition in Judaism to refer to Torah scholars with a Hebrew acronym. Thus, Rabbi Moshe Haim Luzatto is more popularly known as The Ramhal. The Ramhal is best known for writing Mesillat Yesharim, an ethical and mystical work that remains in print and is studied until today. Although there are some scholars […]
When certain species living on Mount Carmel in Haifa became extinct as a result of hunting, deforestation, war and other hazardous conditions, two men established Hai Bar in the 1960s. Their goal was to restore previously existing wildlife to Mount Carmel. Today, visitors can enjoy the fruits of their efforts. The Carmel Hai-Bar Nature Reserve […]
Israel has a number of pristine and beautiful national parks. The Sharon National Park, also known as Hof HaSharon, offers 1500 acres of uninterrupted natural beauty. If you’re a photographer, or just have a discerning eye, you’ll certainly delight in the array of flowering plants, animals and waterways. The trails, including the Cliff Trail and […]
Elijah, known in Hebrew as Eliyahu haNavi, is arguably the most famous of the Biblical prophets. The Cave of Elijah is located on Mount Carmel in Haifa, just beneath the Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery. Access to the cave is from a stairway that begins off of Allenby Street in the lower section of Haifa. Mount […]
Also known as the Wadi el-Mughara Caves, The Nahal Me’arot Nature Reserve consists of four caverns believed to have been inhabited by humans for over one million years. The four caves on the nature reserve are known as Me’arat HaTanur (the Oven Cave), Me’arat HaGamal (the Camel Cave), Me’arat HaNahal (the Stream Cave) and Me’arat […]
Three Zionist siblings – Aharon, Sarah and Rebecca Aharonson – served as the secret leaders of a major underground civilian organization that operated in Israel during World War I. They called their organization N.I.L.I., which is a Hebrew acronym for the phrase “netzach Yisrael lo yishaker,” words that come from the Book of Samuel and […]
If you’re looking for some natural charm and a glimpse at a wetlands wonder, take a drive up to the En Efek Nature Reserve near Haifa. This nature reserve is home to a wide variety of seldom-seen waterfowl such as pelicans, cranes, grey herons and pygmy cormorants. The birds make their appearances mostly during the […]
The coastal waterscape known as the Taninim Nature Reserve is named for the crocodiles that used to populate the area. Many generations ago, the nearby Kebara swamps were apparently crawling with these notoriously dangerous reptiles. Don’t worry, though. The last time a crocodile was sighted in the area was 1912. The two highlights of the […]
A visit to the Carmel Winery in Zichron Yaakov combines extremes in history with extremes in scale, as the Carmel Winery is both the oldest and the largest winery in Israel. This facility produces an astounding 15 million bottles of wine each year. Among these 15 million bottles are wines sold under the Selected label, […]
Golf, anyone? If your idea of a great vacation in Israel includes 18 holes of golf on a professional-grade golf course, you’ll want to visit the Caesarea Golf Club. The only 18-hole golf course in Israel, the Caesarea Golf Club is located about 45 minutes north of Tel Aviv. The Caesarea Golf Club plays a […]
If you’ve been to Israel before and you’re looking for something a little different that will have you appreciating the wonders of Mother Nature, consider a visit to Utopia Orchid Park. The park, located in the heart of the Sharon region on Kibbutz Bahan, just east of the coastal city of Netanya, spans nearly 10 […]
If you’re interested in seeing how a community began as a farming settlement in the late 19th century and flourished into a thriving city in the modern State of Israel, the Khan Museum in Hadera has a story to tell you. When the city of Hadera was founded in 1891, the Ottoman Empire ruled the […]
There are five Ralli Museums in the world, each dedicated to the mission of promoting the work of Latin American artists. Two of these venues are located in the coastal city of Caesarea, halfway between Tel Aviv to the south and Haifa to the north. Why would such an institution build not one, but two […]
Established in 1953, the Ein Hod Artist Colony is a quaint village that sits among the lower slopes of Mt. Carmel in the Haifa region. Working together with the well-known, Romanian-born artist Marcel Janco, a group of artists developed the idea of organizing a creative habitat at Ein Hod. Their vision was to live together, […]
Although the Baha’i Gardens in Haifa are the more well-known among world travelers, the Baha’i Gardens in Akko are ironically considered more sacred in the Baha’i tradition. The Baha’i Gardens in Akko are known to members of the Baha’i faith as The Most Holy Sanctuary and serve as a popular pilgrimage site. Collectively, the Baha’i […]
In 1994, an underground tunnel more than 1000 feet in length was discovered in the northern port city of Acco. Archeologists posit that the tunnel was built during the Crusader era (1095-1291) by the Templar Order, a group of knights who took that name because they first settled on the Temple Mount in the Old […]
A tribute to the region’s earliest Zionist settler, the First Aliyah Museum is dedicated to the story of approximately 25,000 immigrants, mostly traditional Orthodox families, who came to Ottoman-era Palestine between 1882 and 1903, in order to escape pogroms and anti-Semitism. The museum, which opened in 1999, is housed in a historic 120-year-old building that […]
If it’s quaint charm you’re looking for, Zichron Yaakov is the place to visit. Here, on a historic slope overlooking the Mediterranean coast, you can walk along the stone-lined pedestrian mall and explore the many boutiques and local shops, nestled among restaurants and coffee shops, wineries, art galleries and artists’ workshops. There’s much more to […]
For lovers of mainstream Israeli fashion and jewelry design, the Michal Negrin Visitors Center is a flower, lace and glitter extravaganza with a romantic, Victorian-era vibe. The Visitors Center is located just south of Tel Aviv in Bat Yam, the hometown of chief designer Michal Negrin. Negrin began designing jewelry on an Israeli kibbutz in […]
