September 6th 2016
Tzfat is one of the four holy cities in Israel, but after just a moment or two in this mystical place, you will already feel the spirituality that pulses through its very air. From ancient burial sites to some invigorating nature spots, here’s the low down on what’s what up in Tzfat. The Artists’ Quarter […]
December 30th 2014
The site known as Keshet Cave is located in the Upper Galilee, just a few miles from Israel’s border with Lebanon. Long ago, there was an actual cave here, but it collapsed, leaving and just part of the arched limestone ceiling intact. Pottery artifacts found by archeologists at the site date back more than 3,000 […]
October 21st 2014
When visiting the tomb of Honi Hame’agel, Honi the circle drawer, you’ll be captivated by the story of a great sage in Israel to whom God listened and granted his multiple requests. Honi Hame’agel lived 2,100 years. One year, the Land of Israel experienced a terrible drought. Messengers were dispatched to Honi Hame’agel, requesting that […]
September 2nd 2014
More than 2,100 years ago, during the time of the First Holy Temple, a father and his five sons rose up against the ruling Syrian-Greeks who had outlawed the observance of Judaism throughout the Land of Israel. This family, along with the 6,000 followers who participated with them in guerilla warfare against the enemy, took […]
August 19th 2014
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 […]
June 20th 2014
Benjamin was the youngest son of the Biblical patriarch Jacob and the Biblical matriarch Rachel. His tomb, called Kever Binyamin in Hebrew, is covered by a small building with a domed roof. Today, its location, on a small plot of land between two highways, is incongruous with its urban surroundings. Although many consider Binyamin’s burial […]
March 22nd 2011
Located in Hebron, the Cave of Machpelah, or the Cave of the Patriarchs, is one of the holiest locations in Israel. When you visit the Cave of Machpelah, you will learn all about the three patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is also the home of the matriarchs, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah (all except […]
March 22nd 2011
The Ari’s tomb and mikvah memorialize Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572), who is known as the Ari (means “lion” in Hebrew). The Ari greatly influenced Kabbalah in Safed, when he lived there for the years prior to his death. The Ari’s mikvah, where the Ari was washed before burial, is situated around a natural spring near […]
March 22nd 2011
The tombs of the Sanhedrin are located in the ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem neighborhood of Sanhedria, in a small shady park. Many refer to this landmark as “the Tombs of the Judges.” These tombs are first mentioned by Rabbi Jacob the Emissary in 1235, who calls them the “Tombs of the Righteous,” where many wise and righteous […]
March 22nd 2011
While exploring the rocky plateau of northeast Jerusalem, you will encounter a huge, mysterious structure, known as Kubur Bani Yisra’il (Arabic for the tombs of the Children of Israel). Archaeologists found that the tombs date as far back as to around 2000 BCE. Some say it is the territory that was once allocated to the […]
March 22nd 2011
At the foot of the Mount of Olives lies the sacred tomb of Zechariah. Zechariah’s tomb is considered to be a great symbol of the Holy City for two reasons. The first is that the Mount of Olives is the place where the Messiah will take his first steps; and the second is the fact […]
March 22nd 2011
Discover the restored tomb of the Biblical matriarch, Rachel, wife of Jacob, mother of Joseph and Benjamin. According to the Bible, Rachel was buried on the Bethlehem road located at the entrance of Bethlehem in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo. Sir Montefiore received permission from the Turkish Sultan, and refurbished and expanded the tomb to […]
March 22nd 2011
At the Tomb of Rachel you’ll learn all about Rabbi Akiva’s wife, Rachel. This century-old domed tomb is located in Tiberias, and has since been a place of pilgrimage where many light candles and pray. The great love story of Rachel and Rabbi Akiva started when Rabbi Akiva was working as a shepherd for Rachel’s […]
March 22nd 2011
When visiting Safed, it is customary to visit the tomb of Rabbi Pinhas ben Yair. The great sage was the son-in-law of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a sage in the second century. Rabbi Pinhas was well known for his humble disposition and did not want anything on his tomb since he believed that people should […]
March 22nd 2011
The great Rabbi Yehuda Nesiah, who is the grandson of the famous Rabbi Judah the Prince (R. Yehuda HaNasi), was head of the Sanhedrin in Tiberias and lived from 230 to 270. Yehuda Nesiah was famous for reconciling opinionated sages to stress the importance of Torah education. The tomb was built during the Roman period […]
March 22nd 2011
Where is King David buried? Archaeologists may never find the answer to that question, but that has not stopped thousands of pilgrims, worshipers and tourists from visiting the sarcophagus on Mount Zion traditionally thought to hold the famous king’s remains. The tomb is located in a thousand-year old building and is always surrounded by Jews […]
October 10th 2010
Tzidikiyahu’s Cave, a limestone quarry also known as Solomon’s Quarries and Tzidikiyahu’s Grotto, is located underneath the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City. The cave runs the length of five city blocks and was created over several thousand years. It is considered the largest quarry in Jerusalem, as it once went from Jeremiah’s Grotto and […]
September 13th 2010
Rachel’s Tomb, or Kever Rahel, is located near the northern entrance to Bethlehem, on the Israeli side of the West Bank barrier. It is the burial place of Rachel, one of the four matriarchs mentioned in the Bible. Rachel is known as the eternal mother who cares for all her children during times of distress. […]
