Bet Shean – A Magnificent City of the Decapolis

Bet Shean – A Magnificent City of the Decapolis

Beit Shean is one of the oldest cities in Israel. Over 20 layers of human civilization are tucked away inside its large ancient tell or mound. Spread out to the south below Tel Beit Shean are the extensive ruins of a magnificent Roman city. Beit Shean had all the necessary ingredients for … Read more

The Valley of Tears

The Valley of Tears

The Valley of Tears was the scene of one of the most important battles of the Yom Kippur War. In general terms Israel was taken by surprise at the outset of the 1973 Yom Kippur War (also known as the “Valley of Tears Battle”), having ignored or misinterpreted much of the intelligence … Read more

The Banias

The Banias

The Banias is the term referring to an ancient site that was built around a spring which was once associated with Pan, the Greek god of the wild, the shepherds and the flocks, nature and rustic music. The name “Banias” itself is associated with the pre-Hellenistic Greek god, who is also variously … Read more

Megiddo – A City at the Crossroads

Megiddo – A City at the Crossroads

The tell (or archaeological mound) of the ancient city of Megiddo hold in its slopes at least 25 layers of human civilization and its origins date back to the Neolithic period.  Situated on a hilltop, above an abundant spring, adjacent the fertile plains of the Jezreel Valley and at the crossroads of … Read more

Mount Hermon

Mount Hermon

Mount Hermon dominates the view in the northern Golan Heights as it is snow capped for many months of the year. Most of the Hermon lies in Syria and Lebanon. Since the Arab-Israeli war in June 1967, about 40 square miles (100 square kilometers) of Mount Hermon’s southern and western slopes have … Read more

Hof HaBonim Beach

Hof HaBonim Beach

Hof HaBonim Hof HaBonim is without a doubt one of Israel’s best kept secrets. Hof HaBonim is a beautiful beach, with many inlets, interesting rock forms, vegetation and wildlife. There is even a visible shipwreck. There are two short (two kilometers and 4.5 kilometers) family-friendly nature trails. Many people do come to … Read more

Ghengis Khan

Ghengis Khan

Givat Yoav is a moshav (an agricultural town or settlement) in Southern Golan Heights, a ten-minute drive from the Sea of Galilee. One of the more unusual and worthwhile places to stay in Givat Yoav is Genghis Khan. For those who want to experience a bit of Mongolia, this place might be … Read more

Madrasse

Madrasse

The Madrasse (or Majrasa or Majrase) is on the north eastern tip of the Kinneret and is the estuary of one of the streams (Daliyot) running from the Golan. It is also a nature reserve. You can’t get any more water hike than you do in Majrasa. The water is the hiking trail! … Read more

The Carmel Area

The Carmel Area

Mt. Carmel is Haifa’s huge green lung.  Today most of Haifa’s neighborhoods occupy the mountain’s northwestern slopes, but the majority of the Carmel range is park land. Mt. Carmel National Park is recognized as a UNESCO biosphere.  The Bible mentions its dense Mediterranean woodland several times, most notably in Joshua regarding the … Read more

Golan Winery

Golan Winery

For wine lovers, there is no perfect place to be than in the Golan Heights. The region’s high elevation, volcanic soils, and black basalt stone make the perfect factors for growing high-quality wine grapes. Viticulture industry in the Golan Heights began pretty recently, during the 1970s. Today, the Golan Heights is home … Read more