Page 32 - Holyland Magazine - 2019 Edition

hen God created the Western Galilee, The spellbinding
he drew a breathtaking view, for there wonders of the
is nothing more spectacular than the
Western
Wperfect combination of azure seas Galilee
and green mountains sweeping down
straight onto the beach, with history, archaeology Mountains, nature and beaches galore,
and a colorful human mosaic to boot. steeped in years of fascinating history

The Western Galilee offers a thousand gems - By Sarit Yishai Levi
wooded mountains, streams rushing into the
Mediterranean, romantic and secluded beaches Achziv Shore. Photo: Amir Yarchi.
interlaced with coves and small lagoons, and www.instagram.com/amiryarchi/
most of all, welcoming people, living within Right above: The Galilee's rich culinary scene.
reach of the mountains and the blue sea. The The ruins of Montfort Castle.
area holds cities and villages, small towns The spectacular shoreline of the Western
and kibbutzim (collective communities), and is Galilee, as seen from Rosh Hanikra
made up of a fascinating human fabric. Next
to the cities are small well-kept kibbutzim,
with houses sitting on the slopes overlooking
glorious mountain and sea views. And there
are hidden villages deep in the forests, with red
rooftops and beautiful backyards surrounded
by manicured lawns and trees, farmland and
crops. Arab villages cluster around a mosque or
a church, with a little fountain and a statue of the
Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus.

Nahariya was built in European style by Jewish
immigrants who fled from Nazi Germany and
settled on Israel’s northernmost beach, where
they built a thriving town. And let us not forget
the crown jewel: the city of Acre, capital of
the Western Galilee and an architectural and
historical gem, recognized as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site. Acre is the only still-lived-
in Crusader city in the world, and a visit to this
ancient port town is like traveling back in time.
You can discover its quaint alleys, take a walk
around the colorful bazaar and beautiful old
fishing port, and visit its many well-preserved
archeological sites, encapsulating its story -
from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic, Roman,
Crusader, Arabic and Ottoman times, through
the British mandate to our present time. Each
and every one of these invaders has left their
mark on this gorgeous and unique city.

Acre is also mentioned once in Bible: “Neither
did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho,
nor the inhabitants of Zidon” (Judges 1, 31), and
according to Jewish tradition, when the flood
reached the beaches of Acre, God ordered it
to cease. Acre switched hands many times
over the millennia, and was the capital of the
Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 13th century
and capital of the Galilee in the 18th century.
According to tradition, this is also the burial
place of Amnon, son of King David, and that
of the prophet Deborah. The city is mentioned
in the Talmud, and was inhabited by many
Talmudic scholars at the time. During the Middle
Ages, the city was awash with Crusaders, who
set up churches and religious orders, some of
which survive to this day.

The Western Galilee is also a prime example
of co-existence and mutual respect, with

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