9) Druze village on Mt Carmel and Tzipori

Kabbalah session in Jerusalem before we head to Mt Carmel.

     We take it in turns to hold the Torah.

People ask Orna: what is a Kabbalah tour? Orna says she's realised one of the answers is: Where else would you find a Mishkan (Ark) in the hotel meeting room?

Setting out for Druze village we stop at Dalyat El Carmel centre. It's warm, sunny and the town is shabby. The drive up has been green and lush.

Druze town where we're visiting Daliyat El Carmel community for a presentation of the Druze religion and receiving of their hospitality for lunch.

    Views on the walk up the Carmel hill.

       View from our dining room.

    Joelle tells us that Druze originated from Islam in Egypt.

Druze in Israel

Insiders and outsiders.

By Rachael Gelfman Schultz

   

The Druze in Israel speak Arabic and identify as Arabs, but they are a community distinct from other Arab Israelis, with their own religion and cultural norms. 

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The Druze see their religion, which broke off from Islam in the 10th century in Egypt, as an interpretation of the three large monotheistic religions--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam--and they regard Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed as prophets. The Druze religion has no set rituals and ceremonies, but eating pork, smoking, and drinking alcohol are forbidden. Druze have a strong belief in reincarnation. Druze religious literature is only accessible to a group of religious initiates called the uqqal. The Druze religion is closed to outsiders; they accept no converts. 

Communities in Israel

Today, approximately 800,000 Druze live in Syria, 450,000 in Lebanon, and 120,000 in northern Israel. The Druze people in Israel live in the Carmel region, the Galilee, and the Golan. The Druze in the Carmel and the Galilee are Israeli citizens. Most of the Druze in the Golan are Syrian citizens who hold permanent resident status in Israel.

                      TZIPORI

     

 goisrael.com.         TZIPORI

"Archaeologists turned up so many beautiful mosaics in Tzipori that people used to say it might have been a regional catalogue store for those the ornate floors the Romans loved!  As you’ll learn on a visit to Tzipori National Park west of Nazareth, its citizens could afford to indulge, because their city’s fate was very different from other Galilee towns in Roman times –during the Great Revolt (66–73 CE) it surrendered to the Romans without a fight. It was thus saved from destruction and went on to prosper. 

 

Byzantine and medieval lore mark Tzipori as the birthplace of Mary. In Jewish tradition, it is best known as the hometown of Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi who codified the Mishnah (the first book of the Talmud) here in the late second century CE. Visitors feel close to Jewish history and practice in Tzipori’s synagogue, with its magnificent fifth-century mosaic whose motifs symbolize longed-for redemption. 

 

Another highlight is the “Mona Lisa of Galilee” in Tzipori’s restored villa. With her enigmatic smile, created by with hundreds of small stones in dozens of natural shades, she peers out from the past, surrounded by scenes of the cavorting wine god, Dionysus and his minions. You can also stroll down main street to the Nile House, where another gorgeous mosaic depicts the Nile River festival, starring gods, goddesses and a menagerie of African animals. Visitors also love exploring the gigantic water tunnel that brought water to the city for hundreds of years from a nearby spring."

               NOF GINOSAR HOTEL

RUN BY KIBBUTZ GINOSAR

נוף גנוסר located on the Sea of Galilee or Lake Kinneret.

       

 Netanel Goldberg includes us in the most wonderful singing and invites us to dance.   

פתח לנו שער.

שער נפתח

Open us a gate

The gate is opening

        יהי שלום בחילך שלווה בארמונותיך

May Peace be within you

Serenity within your home

הודו להוויה כי טוב כי לעולם חסד

   מי כמוך באלים יה, מי כמוך נאדר בקודש

השיבנו הויה אליך ונשובה

חדש ימינו כקדם