safed

In a region known as the Holy Land, four cities in Israel carry the designation of holy cities in Israel: Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias and Safed. Among them, Jerusalem is considered the holiest of the holy as it is revered by Christians, Jews and Muslims throughout the world.

Jerusalem, the capital of modern Israel, is the city where Jesus walked, lived and preached. It has been the spiritual center of the Jewish faith since the 10th century B.C., and over the years has come to be revered by Christians and Muslims alike. The city is home to many religious sites, including the Wailing Wall, a reminder of the Holy Temple built 3,000 years ago; the Rock of the Dome; the Mount of Olives; the Via Dolorosa, and the Garden of Gethsemane.

Hebron, which had its origins in the Hebrew word for “friend,” is considered the second of the holy cities in Israel because of Biblical figures buried there: Abraham, considered to be a friend of God; his wife Sarah, and Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah. King David was crowned in Hebron and made it is his first capital.

Safed, also known as Tz’fat, earned its status as one of the holy cities of Israel after the Jews who were expelled from Spain in the late 15th century during the Spanish Inquisition settled there. In the 17th century, Safed became the center for Kabbala pr Jewish mysticism. The highest city in Israel was founded in the first century A.D.

Tiberias, the lowest city in Israel, is located on Lake Kineret, where Jesus performed the miracle of walking on water. It was founded in the 1st century B.C. by Herod Antipas who named it after Tiberius, a Roman emperor. It was the largest Jewish city in Galilee for many centuries,and today is known as a tourist resort.

Today Safed is a cool summer getaway in the highlands of Upper Galilee. The beautiful pine-dotted hills and Mediterranean climate could make one forget the centuries of tumultuous history that have visited the mountain city.[...]

Safed, Israel is the home to many synagogues and some of the most notable synagogues in Safed date as far back as the sixteenth century. These synagogues have many stories to tell about the people who settled, worshiped and lived in the city and how the faith of the Jewish worshipers helped them overcome hardships. Many of the Safed synagogues were destroyed by earthquakes and later rebuilt.[...]

Safed is a small city in northern Israel, north of the Sea of Galilee and west of the Golan Heights. The town itself has ancient origins, but its primary claim to importance stems from the 1500s.[...]