Plan a trip to Safed

When the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, they dispersed to other countries, including to the Holy Land. Some settled in Safed, which is located in the Upper Galilee, and it became a holy city for Jews, in addition to Hebron, Tiberias, and Jerusalem, for a number of reasons.

Safed was less crowded than Jerusalem, and there was little friction with their Muslim and Christian neighbors for whom Safed was not religiously significant. Businesses such as weaving, spinning, and fabric dyeing thrived there, and the city's produce was sold throughout the Mediterranean basin, even competing with that of Venice. Safed tailors sewed clothes for the Ottoman army, and the dairy and vegetable markets were centered there.

The rabbis and religious scholars who were expelled from Spain were drawn to Safed due to its proximity to the grave of Shimon Bar Yochai, who, according to tradition, wrote the Zohar - the central book in Kabbalah. Most were engaged in the mystical Kabbalah even before they arrived in Israel, but many of the centers of learning in Jerusalem were opposed to it. The beautiful, more remote city of Safed was an ideal place to engage in the examination of the relationship between man and his Creator, the essence of good and evil in our world, and calculations for the coming of the Messiah. Rabbi Isaac Luria was one of the great Kabbalists of Safed, and his teachings are still relevant to Kabbalah today.

Safed is home to the graves of many famous scholars and rabbis, and it is also where Rabbi Josef Karo completed his famous legal code, the "Shulchan Aruch," (the Code of Jewish Law) in 1563. Most religious Jewish practice even today is based on this famous work.

A visit to Safed generally focuses on the Old City with its charming narrow alleys and blue painted houses. Mount Meron, the highest mountain in Israel, is visible from there. The three most famous synagogues in the Old City are the Ashkenazi one – that of Rabbi Isaac Luria - and the two Sephardic synagogues, the 15th century Abuhav Synagogue and the 16th century Synagogue of Rabbi Josef Karo.

The Old City is also home to a lovely Artists’ Quarter with many galleries displaying and selling Jewish art, religious objects such as Shabbat candlesticks, mezuzahs, prayer shawls, and menorahs, as well as studios which weave fabric and others that make colorful, unusual candles. The Beit Meiri Museum tells the story of the Jews in Safed Jews over the last two hundred years, and the General Exhibition, in the old Market Mosque, displays the creations of members of the Artists’ Quarter, past and current.

In the "Tunnels of Safed," you’ll see rooms, ritual baths, water cisterns, and a bakery from the 16th century, and climb up to the nearby Crusader fortress, which has a beautiful garden.

Safed's ancient cemetery is a must-see. The grave of Rabbi Josef Karo, known as the Holy Ari, draws many visitors who pray and ask for blessings.

As the capital of the Upper Galilee, Safed is a great base for day trips in the area. Popular sites to visit include the grave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai where the annual spring Lag B’Omer celebration takes place with hundreds of thousands of attendees; Mount Miron and the trail that surrounds the summit of the mountain overlooking a stunning view of the entire Galilee, the Golan, and Southern Lebanon; the Havat Bat Ya’ar ranch in the Biriya Forest; Zevcha, the burial place of Rabbi Jonathan Ben Uziel who is credited with matchmaking virtues; Rosh Pina, a quaint historic town with shopping, restaurants, and cafes; and Amirim, a unique vegan and vegetarian village with an impressive view of the Galilee and the Sea of Galilee, known in Hebrew as the “Kinneret” and great restaurants. You can also visit the nearby Sea of Galilee and enjoy all of its attractions.

There are many wineries in and around Safed, such as the well-known Dalton Winery and the Galil Winery, and there are remains of ancient synagogues, possibly from the Roman period, in the Baram National Park.

Safed is home to the renowned Klezmer festival of Jewish music which takes place at the end of the summer. The festival includes shows and performances by musicians from all over the world. Everyone is welcome with an open and, above all, happy heart!