Mount of Beatitudes

Day 7 (Gate 1 tour day 2): On an optional Gate 1 tour to Galilee which included the Mount of Beatitudes, Safed, a kibbutz, the Golan Heights, and wine tasting. Photo: Walking through a garden on the Mount of Beatitudes, where it is believed that Jesus gave His Sermon on the Mount, which is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus which emphasized His moral teachings, found in the Gospel of Matthew.

The Beatitudes

The Beatitudes.

“Blessed Are the Meek”

The Beatitudes appear on plaques along the walkway. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.”

The Chapel

A Byzantine church was erected in the 4th century on the Mount of Beatitudes and was used until the 7th century. The current Roman Catholic Franciscan chapel was built in 1937–38.

“Sermon on the Mount”

A painting by Carl Block, “Sermon on the Mount,” 1877, adorns the top of a doorway into the chapel.

Chapel

Inside the chapel.

I have put my photos of the Mount of Beatitudes on a slideshow. Go to https://www.peggysphotos.com/mount–of–beatitudes/ (Slide Shows, Middle East, Israel, “Mount of Beatitudes”).

Safed

Our next stop was in Safed, one of the four holy cities in Israel, together with Jerusalem, Hebron, and Tiberas. According to mystics of the past, the Messiah will come to Safed on His way to Jerusalem. Safed is also the mystical center of Kabbalah, an ancient Jewish tradition of mystical interpretation of the Bible.

Safed Art Galleries

Safed has many art galleries, including the Judith Gallery that we visited. The statue is called “Hope” and is by sculpter Nicky Imger (1920–1996). “A woman is proudly raising her child to the sky, symbolizing heralding a new generation.”

“The Wandering Jew”

Another statue by Nicky Imber, “The Wandering Jew.”

Klezmer Festival

Every summer, Safed hosts a Klezmer music festival with musicans coming from Israel and other places around the world. Klezmer is Jewish music dating back to the Middle Ages. A music theme is present in many of Safed’s sculptures.

Judith Gallery Artwork

One of the many paintings offered at the Judith Gallery. “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Judith Gallery Artwork

One of the many sculptures offered at the Judith Gallery. I would call it “Mazel Tov.”

Safed Passageways

Safed has many narrow cobble–stoned passageways to walk through.

Safed Shops

There are many shops along the passageways. This store sold Klezmer music figures.

Safed Sights

There is much to do in Safed––art galleries, cobble–stoned walkways, old synagogues, and underground tunnels. An underground tunnels tour will take you to the 16th–century city underground where excavations have been done.

Safed

Photo: A very nice place to sit on the cobble–stoned walk. I think that Safed could be considered one of those “hidden gems” that travel sites tell you about. There are guest houses in the old town that you can stay at.

I have put my photos of Safed on a slide show. Go to https://www.peggysphotos.com/safed/ (Slide Shows, Middle East, Israel, “Safed”).

Kibbutz

Our next stop was at a kibbutz located on the River Jordan. A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel, one that was traditionally based on agriculture. The first kibbutz was established in 1909–10. Today, there are over 270 kibbutzes in Israel with a small number of them religious kibbutz.

Kibbutz

A house in the kibbutz. The first kibbutzes were mostly collective living with children raised in children’s houses. Today, families own individual homes, mostly raise their children by themselves, and eat their meals mostly in their homes. Some of the kibbutzes have been privatized, meaning that they have to be buyed into.

Lebanon and Syria

From the kibbutz, you can see Lebanon on the left and Syria on the right. Our kibbutz guide told me that when the United States announces something that neither Hezbollah in Lebanon or ISIS in Syria are pleased with, this kibbutz becomes a target for rocket attacks.

Bomb Shelters

One of 20 of the kibbutz’s bomb shelters.

Golan Heights

Next to the Golan Heights. We were going to go up Mount Bental for panoramic views of the Golan Heights and surrounds but the weather was so overcast that we didn’t. We drove around Golan Heights, which is a rocky plateau with many unexploded mines on it. There are also Jewish settlements on Golan Heights though we didn’t see any of them.
Golan Heights was seized from Syria during the 1967 Six–Day War and two–thirds of it has been occupied and administered by Israel. In 2019, Trump proclaimed that the Golan Heights are part of Israel, changing it from an occupied territory to an annexed one. In return, a new settlement, “Trumpville,” will be located here.

Golan Heights Winery

Next, with visited the Golan Heights Winer which was established in 1983 by four kibbutzism and four moshavim communities.

Golan Heights Winery

The winery makes Yarden, Gamla, Herman, and Golan wines. We had samples of some of them––not bad. You could buy some of the wine to take with you. We were also given wine bottle openers as gifts.

Old Tanks

Our last stop of the day was to see a collection of old tanks.

I have put my photos of the kibbutz, Golan Heights, and the winery on a slideshow. Go to https://www.peggysphotos.com/kibbutz–golan–heights–and–winery/ (Slide Shows, Middle East, Israel, “Kibbutz, Golan Heights, and Winery”).