To the North: A Magical, Mystical Mystery Tour

So we motored north to Tzfat, or Zefat, or Tsfat, or Safed. It’s actually interesting that this little northern city has so many names, because it has multiple personalities. Highly religious, somewhat bohemian, artsy fartsy, spiritual and mystical.

This old city is poised on the slope of a mountain, It’s surrounded by Jerusalem street, but the Old City is characterized by winding alleyways and narrow streets; crumbling 500 year-old buildings; small, historic synagogues monitored by long-bearded men who look much older than they are; art galleries and artist workshops; a tourist-trap shuk; and falafel joints.

The family in shadows of the Synagogue of  Kabbalah master Rabbi Isaac Luria (1500s) in Tzfat

We’re staying at the wonderful Ruckenstein B&B/Safed Inn, which is part hostel, part B&;B, and part Inn. During the afternoon and early evening, the hits of the 1960s play on the sound system in the Inn’s public areas – the garden with hammocks, chairs, and tables; and the terrace with table and chairs. In the morning, it’s classical. After dark, it’s straight jazz. The innkeepers, Dubie and Rikki Ruckenstein are extraordinarily friendly and helpful in every way. We didn’t know them before we came here but they seem to us sort of like newly found cousins. It’s a comfortable, warm, and friendly place on the mountain above Tsfat. The location is a little weird because it’s adjacent to a large military base, but frankly, once you’re on the Inn’s grounds, you don’t really notice the base.

I came to Tsfat hoping to be enchanted with the place but, for some reason, that hasn’t happened. Tomorrow night is Shabbat and we’ll spend it in the city so maybe that will make a difference, but as of now, it just hasn’t done anything for me. It doesn’t help that we’re visiting at a time when all of the country’s yeshivas are on break so there’s an influx of ultra orthodox right now in the city which makes things really unpleasant for those of us who are less observant. They are strange to us and we are strange to them. We are of the same People, but it’s as if we are not. I think it’s possible that if we were here at a normal time of year, we’d feel much more comfortable. I’ve been told, and I’ve already observed, that the ultra orthodox residents of Tsfat, by and large, are amiable people who are easy to get along with. So, I’m going to keep an open mind and, even if during this trip, I don’t warm up to the place, I’ll leave open the possibility that it could still happen. We met a lovely potter named Daniel from whom we bought a small ceramic bottle.

Maybe upstairs, maybe downstairs... I don't know (In Tsfat)

Also, by a strange and happy coincidence, we managed to connect with David and Miriam Friedman. David is a well-known visual artist here with a gallery in the Old City and we happened upon it the other day. It turns out that he’d spoken at our shul last April and Miriam is from Baltimore and knows one of our fellow congregants very well. The real coincidence, however, is that I’d been emailing Miriam already because she teaches yoga with our DC neighbor Aviva’s sister, Joy, who lives in Tsfat. Joy offered to hook us up with a family here for Shabbat so she’d put us in touch with Miriam (Joy and her family are out of town…in the USA…while we’re here). After meeting Miriam and getting back to the Inn, I put two and two together and figured out that she was the same Miriam I’d been emailing. Pretty weird.

So, we tooled around Tsfat on Tuesday, touring a few of the old synagogues that make up the heart of the Old City.  They are small and beautiful and different: Akshekazi and Sefardic, with the bima in the middle. We found an excellent hummus and falafel joint operated by some happy Hasids. It has remained really hot -- unusual even for Israel -- so the cold beers tasted great. I've never seen Jen -- not a beer drinker normally -- drink one so fast!

For God, please go straight.  For "cheeze," please go downstairs....

Jewish grafitti (for real)

On Wednesday, we headed south to the ancient port city of Akko (Acre), just above Haifa, on the Mediterranean. We toured the ancient citadel, under which are extensive excavations of a Crusader Hospitaller fortress and the Church of St. John.  Akko wa a major Crusader port. In more recent times, under the British Mandate, the citadel served as a prison for Jewish fighters in the lead-up to the 1948 war.At the end of the day, we traveled a couple of miles north to the beach just below Nahariya so the kids could swim once again in the Med. We remained until sundown then headed back to Tsfat and its winding mountainous roads (I won't miss them).

Continuing with the Crusader theme, on Thursday, we traveled north to the Golan Heights to visit the massive and captivating Nimrod's Fortress. (More winding, mountainous roads that I won't miss.) Built in 1230 by the Muslim Sultan Othman, the Fortress was used to protect the road to Damascus which led west to the ports of Akko and Ceasarea, and east to the Silk Road. The fortress, built to protect the route from the Sixth Crusade, was even conquered briefly  by the Mongols at one point and, more recently, was occupied by French troops after the defeat of the Ottomans in World War I.  It's a brilliant structure, full of history and a great excavation. Highly recommended!

A creepy crusader tombstone at the Crusader Hospital in Akko

Ella atop the keep at Nimrod's Fortress on the road to Damascus, Golan Heights

After the Crusader crusade, we drove southeast to Mt. Bental in the Golan Heights. The Heights were taken by Israel from Syria in 1967 and have pretty much been fully annexed into the country. Bental was  a Syrian bunker and the old gun mounts are still there for tourists to gawk at.  From the top of Bental you can see Quinetra, Syria.  Israelis like tourists to see this because they want visitors to have a better understanding that the enemy is very close.  Of course, all one has to do is look at a map to understand that.  Even so, the attitude underscores Israelis' historical preoccupation with security. Still, the last time there was significant engagement with Syrian forces in a significant way was, as I recall, 1973.  So, I'm not sure the security worries are still so justified.  Frankly, to me, it seems like the bigger enemy is within.

"I can see Syria from my house!" Jen at Mt. Bental, Golan Heights

On Friday, we spent the day on the Jesus tour in the Arab city of Nazareth spending our limited time at the synagogue-church, where Jesus is said to have preached.  Sitting in this wonderful, sacred space, we listened to the Muslim call to mid-day prayer and, for a moment, we felt like we were at the center of the monotheistic world.  It was extraordinary. Then, we partook of some delicious Nazareth baklava before heading to Tiberias to meditate for ta few minutes at the tombs of Rabbi Akiva and the Rambam -- Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, or Maimondes.  It was pretty cool to visit these sites at the beginning of Shabbat.

We were tired of touring by that point, so we headed to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee for a dip in the wonderful, calm, cool waters.

The synagogue-church in Nazareth

Then, it was back into the car and off to Tsfat for a quick change before heading into the Old City to light Shabbat candles with the Friedmans and to watch all of the ultra orthodox and other Jews make their way to the various shuls.  We were hungry by that point, and decided to catch some dinner at a fantastic Lebanese place in Jish, an Arab town just up the road.  The day was topped off by fireworks marking the end of the Muslim sabbath day.

So many experiences.....