Peki’in

There are some places where time seems to have stopped still. Such is Peki’in, an intriguing picturesque village in the Upper Galilee where modern development has not changed much of the old homes and alleys.

Peki’in is a story of harmony, a village where Christian Arabs, Druze and one ancient Jewish family have lived peacefully together for centuries. Peki’in was a farming village since the time of the Second Temple 2,000 years ago. Since that time only one Jewish family has stayed in place. Arab settlement in Peki’in started in the 11th century CE with Arab Christians who were joined a century later by Crusaders. In the 18th century Druze families moved into the village and another 10 Jewish families have moved there during the past few years.

The heart of the village is a warren of narrow alleys that lead to the old center of Peki’in, the village spring. In the center there is a synagogue built in 1873 which has in its walls two stones reputedly taken from the walls of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The synagogue is locked but can be visited with prior coordination. 

To the south of the village one can find the Rabbi Simon Bar Yohai cave, where Bar Yohai, according to Jewish legend, hid from the Romans with his son Elazar. A carob tree grows at the entrance to the cave, which also has a spring. Legend has it that Bar Yohai and his son ate the carobs and drank the spring water during the 12 years in which they hid in the cave. A later tradition says that it was here that Bar Yohai wrote the Zohar, the foundation of Kabala, the Jewish mystic discipline.

The village is also home the second largest Greek Orthodox church in Israel, which was built in 1894 on the ruins of an older church and is open in Sundays and Christian holidays. 

Peki’in has accommodation in guesthouses, special restaurants, colorful shops, a factory that makes soap from olive oil and many friendly people. The countryside around the village is also interesting with beautiful nearby nature reserves such as  the Mt. Meron, Nakhal Meron, the Mitlol Tsurim reserves as well as tourist attractions such as the Monfort Lake, the Open Museum at Tefen and the rock park at Kisra-Samia.

The Jordan Valley

The Jordan Valley, extending from the outlet of the Jordan River at the Sea of Galilee to its inlet into the Dead Sea, a little over 100 kilometers to the south as the crow flies, reveals the variety of landscapes and sites for which Israel is famous, highlighted here from north to south. 

The Jordan emerges from an area of stately date groves near the first kibbutz, Degania, flows past the Pilgrim’s Baptismal Site and becomes the peaceful border between Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. In fact, you can cross into Jordan at the Sheikh Hussein Bridge, just opposite the city of Beit Shean.

But even before you get to Beit Shean, with its fabulous biblical, Roman and Byzantine remains, you can learn about the region’s rich prehistory at the Kibbutz Sha’ar Hagolan Museum, and then drive up to the Crusader fortress of Belvoir to get an overview of the magnificent landscape. At the Kfar Ruppin Birdwatching Center you’ll discover that the Jordan Valley, part of the Syrian-African Rift, is not only a famed ancient highway; it is one of the world’s major bird-migration routes.

From ancient to modern history means just a short drive in this valley: South of Belvoir is Naharayim, where the Yarmuk River flows from the east into the Jordan, the reason the Middle East’s first hydroelectric power plant was founded here in 1932. At nearby Old Gesher you’ll hear the story of that technical wonder of its day, along with the saga of the area’s historic bridges and of Kibbutz Gesher in 1948. The Jordan River Peace Park is an exciting, future cross-border project of this area.

As you continue south, you’ll enjoy the gradually changing landscape, becoming increasingly arid as it eventually dips to around 400 meters below sea level. Thanks to modern irrigation techniques, the region is dotted with orchards, date groves, vineyards, and flower and vegetable greenhouses, and you’ll also see shepherds with their flocks.

Further south, you’ll pass the area where the Israelites crossed the Jordan, and you’ll see their first destination, the rich oasis of Jericho, the oldest city in the world. The road detours the city and passes the entrance to another Jordan crossing, the Allenby Bridge. Next, near the T-junction where you’ll decide whether to continue southeast to the Dead Sea or northwest to Jerusalem, a sign directs you to the inviting Greek Orthodox monastery of Dir Hijleh.

The Coastal Plain

Warm, soft sand, seashells and snails, waves that lap the shore and wide open spaces - these are the features of Israel’s coastal plain, Israel’s western coastline which stretches along the Mediterranean Sea, from Rosh ha-Nikrain the north to the Gaza Strip in the south. 

Most of Israel’s population is concentrated in the coastal plain, in big, bustling cities such as Tel Aviv and Haifa, rebuilt ancient towns such as Acre (Ako) , Caesarea and Ashkelon and kibbutzim and rural communities, such as Ga’ash, Khavatselet ha-Sharon and Neve Yam. Between the cities and towns are national parks and nature reserves, including ha-Sharon and Apollonia National Parks. 

The coastal plain is divided into six geographical sections from north to south: In the north is the Galilee coastal plain, which starts at Rosh ha-Nikra, on the Lebanese border. This is fertile region that has one city - Nahariya - and many agricultural communities. Off the coast are many small islands and the coastline is dotted with ancient sites such as Tel Akhziv and nature sites such as the Rosh ha-Nikra cliff.

The next region is the Acre coastal plain, which is crowded with urban communities - Acre and Haifa’s northern Krayot suburbs, but also has wide agricultural areas. 

To the south of the Acre region is the Carmel coastal plain, which stretches from Rosh ha-Carmel in the north to Nakhal Taninim in the south. The soil here is rich, and many farming communities have been built around the region's major city, Haifa. This area has beautiful beaches and pre-historical sites such as Tel Shikmona and nature reserves, such as Dor ha-Bonim.

Continuing southward is the Sharon region bordered on the south by the Yarkon River. This is Israel’s busiest and most densely populated area, and also has a few nature reserves (Poleg and Nakhal Alexander) and important archaeological sites, such as Afek.

The next region is the central coastal plain, which stretches to Nakhal Shikma in the south. This region is also densely populated, with many cities such as Bat Yam and Rishon le-Tsiyon and agricultural communities. Among the archeological sites in this area are Tel Ashdod and Tel Ashkelon, and the nature reserves here include the Palmakhim Beach and Rekhes Gvar’am.

The southern coastal plain (the western Negev plain), is the last section of the coastal strip and extends into the northern Sinai Desert. This region is divided into to sub-sections: the Bsor region in the northeast and the Agur-Khalutsa beaches in the south. The Bsor region is a savannah-type area dotted with a relatively large number of communities, with flowers and lush greenery in the spring, while the Agur-Khalutsa beaches are a desert region with no towns or villages. The beaches are considered part of the Negev due to their climate, and attract particularly adventurous hikers.