Wednesday May 22, Day 5 = Golan and Upper Galilee

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1 Wednesday May 22, Day 5 = Golan and Upper Galilee Beit Saida Bental Mountain Overview Banias (Caesaria Philippi) Dan Nature Reserve / Biblical Dan Lag BaOmer Bethsaida Bethsaida, an ancient city on the north side of the Sea of Galilee, is a "tale of two cities" - an Iron age city of the land of Geshur, and a Roman city known as Julias. The area of Bethsaida was referred in the New Testament in conjunction with two of Jesus miracles: healing the blind man and the first feeding of the Multitude. It is also known as the birthplace of some of the Apostles (Andrew, Peter, Philip). The area of BethSaida is located at the fertile delta of the upper Jordan river, when it enters to the sea of Galilee. The site is located on a hill, several hundred meters to the east of the Jordan river, and 30M higher than the valley. It is 1.5KM north of the northern shores of the sea of Galilee, and 4KM northeast to Capernaum. The ruins cover about 20 acres on the hill. Biblical Period - capital city of Geshur = During the excavations at the site, there was an unexpected discovery of remains from a sizable Biblical city, which predated the events of the New Testament by a thousand years. The archaeologists reconstructed, on the east side of the hill, remains of a massive gate complex belonging to the Iron Age. The gate led to a paved square in front of a huge palace. This was part of the fortified city, which was founded in the 10th C BC. Its size (20 acres) and location suggest this was the capital city of Geshur, and was identified as the city of Zer (or Zed). The mound included an upper city and palace on the north eastern side, and a lower city which covered the other parts of the hill. The land of Geshur was the border of Joshua's territory, and some of its cities were incorporated in the Israelite area (Joshua ): "... and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites... Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day". Geshur was located during the time (10th C BC) on the eastern side of the Jordan river, around the area of this site. It was also the country of King David's third wife, Maacha, mother of Absalom (2 Samuel 3:3): "...and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur". Absalom found refuge in the Geshurite city after murdering his elder brother Amnon (2 Samuel ): "But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years". During the Hellenistic period, starting at the 3rd C BC, the ruined city was rebuilt. Josephus Flavius, the Roman historian and ex-jewish commander, writes about BethSaida during the early Roman period. According to the Josephus, Bethsaida was given (in 30 AD) to Herod Phillip, one of the sons of Herod the great. He fortified the city and renamed it to Julias, in honor of Caesar's daughter and Augustus's powerful third wife, so that implies that the city was important. Herod Phillip was also buried there (34 AD).

2 Josephus fought against the Romans during the great revolt, and during the preparations for the war (66AD) he was wounded near Bethsaida after falling from his horse: "... Julias, near to the river Jordan... for the horse on which I rode, and upon whose back I fought, fell into a quagmire, and threw me on the ground, and I was bruised on my wrist, and carried into a village named Cepharnome, or Capernaum". Jesus and Bethsaida = According to the New Testament, BethSaida was known as the birthplace of the Apostles Andrew, Peter, and Philip (John 1:44): "Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter". The area of Bethsaida was referred in the New Testament in conjunction with two of Jesus miracles: healing the blind man and the first feeding of the Multitude (a) Mark 8:22-26 This text describes the miracle of the healing of the blind man in BethSaida: "And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town". (b) Mark 6:44-45 This text talks about the miracle of feeding the multitude, afterwards Jesus left for the area of BethSaida: "...And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men. And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people". (c) Luke 9:16 This text also relates to BethSaida and the miracle of feeding the multitude: "And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place. But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company. And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude". Later, Jesus cursed Bethsaida since its Jewish residents did not follow his teachings (Matthew 11 21: "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes"). Indeed, the cursed city was destroyed during the 4th C AD. Bental Mountain Overview

3 The Mount Bental overlook is beautiful and provides stunning views of Mount Hermon and the Golan. Only about 40 minutes from Tiberias, this is an amazing place to visit if you are curious about the Arab-Israeli conflict and military battles, or just want to take in a stunning view! Mount Bental, like much of this area in the north of the Golan Heights, is strewn with its signature grey ballast stone, part of the remains of long extinct volcanoes. Mount Bental is actually one of two craters of an extinct volcano and stands an impressive 1,171 meters above sea level, offering some of the most spectacular views in the region. Atop the mount is a now disused Israeli army out-post, complete with old Israeli bunkers. Visitors can descend the steps into the underground living quarters, providing a stark insight into life on the Israeli front lines and a view out onto the Kunetra Valley (meaning Valley of Tears). This valley was the location of the bloodiest tank battle during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 where Israel, vastly outnumbered by Syrian tanks, succeeded against all odds in blocking the Syrian advances. But aside from the bunkers the main draw for ascending this mountain is the breathtaking views. To the north visitors will be treated to the sights of a snow-capped Mount Hermon (snow-capped in the winter only!) which rises a staggering 3,000 meters above sea level. To the south the view extends out towards the southern Golan and the Syrian approaches to the Heights with Damascus situated a mere 60 miles away. The outlook also offers a bird s eye view of many of the Druze villages which sit below and in the distance the crests of the mountain ranges in the Upper Galilee can be seen. Mount Bental is currently maintained by Kibbutz Merom Golan, which was the first Kibbutz to be established in the area following the 1967 Six Day war. On the route to the peak of the mount be sure to keep an eye out for the wonderful set of sculptures made out of steel by one of the members of Kibbutz Merom Golan. Thankfully, recent renovations to this amazing site have made it very accessible and a site to definitely add to your list. The path to the top has been repaved whilst the tourist facilities have also been rejuvenated. Once at the top of the mountain there is also no need to worry about satisfying any hunger pangs as the Kofi Anan cafe (a clever play on words meaning Cloud Coffee, while obviously tipping the hat in the direction of a certain former UN Secretary General) serves a delish range of cakes and coffee whilst also taking the title as the highest cafe in Israel. Also a great place to hide out if you re there in the winter, as the icy winds can burn your ears! Caesarea Philippi (Banyias) Near Caesarea Philippi, a city of Greek-Roman culture known for its worship of foreign gods, Jesus announced he would establish a church and gave authority over it to the apostle Simon whom he renamed Peter. When Christ asked, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? it was Simon Peter who was inspired to answer: You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. In reply, Christ declared: And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:13-20)

4 Situated 40km north of the Sea of Galilee, the region of Caesarea Philippi was the furthest north Jesus took his disciples. The city had been known as Banias, an Arabic pronunciation of Panias (there is no p in Arabic). This name honored the Greek god Pan a half-man, half-goat deity often depicted playing a flute who was worshipped here. When Jesus passed this way, the area was ruled by Herod the Great s son Philip, who had renamed the city Caesarea. To distinguish it from the coastal Caesarea Maritima, it became known as Caesarea Philippi. The city had been built near the Banias spring, which gushes from a massive rock face and flows into one of the streams that form the Jordan River. Here the cult of Pan flourished. East of a large cave are the remains of shrinesto Pan and inscriptions, from the 2nd century, bearing his name. Since Jesus liked to use local imagery for his metaphors and parables, it is easy to visualize him standing by the steep cliff of the Banias spring and telling Peter that he would become this rock. Six days after this event, the Transfiguration took place on a high mountain (Matthew 17:1). Christian tradition places the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, near Nazareth, but some scholars believe Mount Hermon (16km north of Caesarea Philippi) to be a more likely site. Mount Hermon = Mount Hermon is a mountain cluster constituting the southern end of the Anti- Lebanon mountain range. Its summit straddles the border between Syria and Lebanon and, at 2,814 m (9,232 ft) above sea level, is the highest point in Syria. On the top, in the United Nations buffer zone between Syria and Israeli-occupied territory is the highest permanently manned UN position in the world, known as "Hermon Hotel". The southern slopes of Mount Hermon extend to the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights, where the Mount Hermon ski resort is located. A peak in this area rising to 2,236 m (7,336 ft) is the highest elevation in Israeli-controlled territory. Dan Nature Reserve / Biblical Dan Tell (Tel) Dan is a nature reserve and the source of the Dan and Jordan rivers. It is an impressive archaeological site with unique remains of the Canaanite and Israelite cities and a Biblical High Place. This web page focuses on the nature reserve of Tell Dan, a water wonderland on the west side of the ancient site. The park has scores of brooks streaming into the Dan River, water ponds, walking trails among the trees and water, and a water-powered flour mill. The Dan River, originating from the springs at Tell Dan, is the largest of the three sources of the Jordan River. The Dan trail passes along streams, the river, and through a shady tangle of trees, mainly laurel, Italian buckthorn and Syrian ash. The ash, thanks to the good conditions here, grows as tall as 20 m. Farther along the trail is a flour mill that operated until 1948, and the ruins of the Canaanite city of Laish, which was captured by the tribe of Dan during the period of the Judges. Among the special finds here is the High Place, attributed to the time of King Jeroboam. The Israelite city gate has been restored, as has the Canaanite gate, with perhaps the earliest constructed arch ever discovered. LAG B OMER Lag Ba'Omer By Ariela Pelaia. Lag Ba'Omer is a minor Jewish holiday that falls between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot. "Lag" is a combination of two Hebrew letters: lamed and gimmel. According to

5 Hebrew numerology, lamed stands for the number thirty and gimmel stands for the number three. These two numbers are significant for Lag Ba'Omer because it is celebrated on the 33rd day of Counting the Omer. The Omer = are forty-nine days between the holiday of Passover and the holiday of Shavuot. Also known as Sefirat HaOmer (Counting the Omer), these forty-nine days are counted aloud during evening services. First the service leader recites a special blessing that goes: "Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has commanded us to count theomer." Then the congregation responds by saying: "Today is the third day [or fifth or thirtieth] day in the Omer." Shavuot is celebrated at the end of this period, on the fiftieth day after the second day of Passover. An Ancient Custom = In Leviticus, the third book of the Torah, it says: "You shall count... from the day that you brought the omer as a wave offering" (23:15). "Omer" is a Hebrew word that means "sheaves of a harvested crop" and in ancient times Jews brought the omer to the Temple as an offering on the second day of Passover. The Torah tells us to count seven weeks from the bringing of the Omer until the evening of Shavuot, hence the custom of counting theomer. The Significance of Lag Ba'Omer = Lag Ba'Omer is a joyous holiday but no one is sure what it celebrates. The Talmud mentions a plague that is thought to have killed 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva's students during one Omer, and some have suggested that Lag Ba'Omer is celebratory because the plague abated on the 33rd day. Others have suggested that Lag Ba'Omer is connected to Rabbi Akiva's support of Simon Bar Kokhba, a Jewish rebel leader against Rome. The Romans responded to Bar Kokhba's revolt with incredible brutality, but perhaps Lag Ba'Omer was a day when either the Jews won a victory or there was a brief respite from the violence. (Ultimately, Bar Kokbha's rebellion failed.) The military connection is supported by the tradition of taking children to open fields to play with toy bows and arrows on Lag Ba'Omer. Observing Lag Ba'Omer = Lag Ba'Omer is a time during the Counting of the Omer when people can celebrate. While the Omer is a time of mourning, on Lag Ba'Omer marriages can be performed, children are taken to parks to play, and people often gather for large bonfires. The fires represent the light of the Torah. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the author of the Zohar (an important Kabbalistic text), also died on the 33rd day of the Omer. In Israel many people commemorate his death by visiting his grave in the northern town of Meron. The anniversary of his death is a day for celebration because it is believed he revealed the secrets of the Torah to his students before he died.

Day 1. Herods Summer Palace in Caesarea. Elijahs Cavein Mount Carmel. Tiberias on the North of Israel

Day 1. Herods Summer Palace in Caesarea. Elijahs Cavein Mount Carmel. Tiberias on the North of Israel Day 1 Arrival into Ben Gurion Airport in Israel Tel Aviv. Places that will be visited this day depending on time of the groups time of arrival: Herods Summer Palace in Caesarea. Elijahs Cavein Mount Carmel.