Ancient Katzrin

The Bedouin village of Katzrin was discovered in the Golan at the end of the Six Day War in 1967. Katzrin (which I immediately liked for the similarity of its name to my own) existed alongside twenty-five other Jewish villages during the Byzantine Period (400-700 CE).
At the entrance to the village is an “unfinished house” used to illustrate ancient building techniques. Domestic buildings were built of hewn stone, chiseled using hammers, chisels and hatchets and bound with mud plaster.
Another house in the village, identified as the house of Rabbi Abun, has been fully renovated and its replicas of its contents are on display to give visitors an idea of daily life in Katzrin.
The most significant building in Katzrin is the synagogue. Unlike other buildings in Katzrin, the synagogue was constructed of large, carefully worked stones and stood at a fair height. Such an elaborate building suggests that the community of Katzrin was quite wealthy and also implies the importance of the synagogue to the lives of the people of the community. From a distance was a plate of glass designed to show how the synagogue may have looked when it was complete.
While wandering through Katzrin, though, we were a little disturbed by the sounds around us – gunfire, shells and helicopters – though everyone assured us it was only the Israeli army practicing in the distance. Apparently it’s a common happening, but we couldn’t help but laugh at the contrast between the sights of the peaceful, historic village and the sounds around us.

Church of the Beatitudes

On one of the hills over the Sea of Galilee stands the Church of the Beatitudes, which commemorates the place where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. The church was built in 1936-1938 based on a design by an Italian architect. The inside of the church was small and relatively simple, but really beautiful. I loved the design and architecture of the church.
In the dome above the altar, the beatitudes are recorded in stained glass. The three in the first picture are: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God; blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.
The next three read: Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall have their fill; blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land; blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.And the last two (because the first in this photo is a repeat from above): Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy; blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.The gardens around the church were lovely.
My favorite part of the entire church and all of its grounds was, by far, the gates at the main entrance to the church. I love the design in the metal work including the Latin phrase 'Mount of Beatitudes'.
Just as we were leaving the church, I looked out over the Sea of Galilee and could not have imagined a more incredible view. The sky was clouded, as it had been since we arrived in Tiberius, but the clouds parted just enough to let a few rays of sunlight through. Absolutely stunning.

Shavit's Guest House

After arriving in Tiberius we drove just outside the city to a village called Arbel. Here we stayed at a small guesthouse run by the nicest couple, Israel and Sara Shavit. They were so very welcoming and more than willing to help us find our way around and decide what to do in the area. They made us feel so at home from the moment we arrived.
Plus, Mr. Shavit was an absolutely amazing cook! I absolutely fell in love with his Isreali breakfast - cheeses, spreads, homemade bread, eggs with mushrooms and peppers and tomatoes, tomatoes and cucumber, tuna salad, avocado, herbed tea. It was incredible! And he was so sweet - every day as we finished our breakfast, he would walk outside and pick fresh oranges for us to take as snacks for the day.

Golan Heights

After our two days at the Dead Sea, we drove to the Golan Heights area, the northernmost part of Israel. As we drove north, the sky grew cloudier and the air cooler. By the time we arrived in Tiberius on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, it was cold and rainy – and I loved it! Even after only a few months in Egypt, I’ve missed such changes in the weather (well, any change in the weather, really) and the chill in the air made it finally feel like it should be Christmastime.

Dead Sea Spa

The Dead Sea was also the perfect location for some relaxation and we spent most of a day at the Dead Sea Spa. After soaking in the sulfur baths for a while, we went down toward the shore of the Dead Sea, to cover ourselves in mud from the area.
After another rinse in sulfur water (I’m not sure what it does, but they were swearing it was good for the skin), we walked to the actual Dead Sea. It was quite a long walk and along the path were signs showing just how far the sea had receded in previous years.
Once at the sea, though, it was absolutely incredible. I had been afraid that the salts and minerals in the water would sting (someone had warned me it was painful), but I had no trouble at all! Instead, I walked into the warm water, laid down and immediately floated to the surface! It was such a strange sensation not to have to exert any energy at all to stay afloat.
And, of course, a picture with the Tiger Rag!