• Full-day tour to a rarely visited corner of Israel where we will experience the eclectic communities and religious diversity of the lower middle Galilee.
• Visit a Sufi mosque in Sachnin to learn about the mystical tradition in Islam from members of the community.
• Meet with local Greek Orthodox Christians who are in the process of constructing a new church dedicated to St. Mary.
• Drive to Arrabe where we will see the ruins of Daher al Omar’s childhood home and learn about the independent Kingdom he carved out in the 18th century.
• Explore the Cave Museum to learn what life was like in Arrabe in the past.
• Visit the archaeological site of Yodfat, the site of a battle between Jews and Romans in 67 CE. Like in Masada, the defenders of Yodfat chose suicide over enslavement.  

This full-day tour takes us to a rarely visited corner of Israel known as the lower middle Galilee where we will encounter mystical traditions, utopian communities, bustling Arab villages, and some harrowing history. The tour begins in the Arab town of Sachnin, which is one of the larger towns in the Arab sector, and one with a great deal of religious diversity. 

Our first stop for the day will be to a local Sufi mosque, one of only a half-dozen or so in Israel. The Sufi tradition in Islam is a mystical tradition that differs from the Sunni and Shiite branches with an emphasis on purity, spirituality, ritualism and dhikr, or remembrance of God that involves the repetition of phrases. We will meet with members of the community who will answer questions about Sufism and its place in the broader Islamic context.

From here, we will head to St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church that is still under construction. A labor of love by the town’s Christians, we will meet with locals and get a sneak peek into the ongoing construction while learning about Greek Orthodoxy in Israel.

After a short drive, we will reach the Arab town of Arrabe, where we will see the remains of the home of the self-proclaimed 18th century Bedouin King, Daher el Omar, was born. Starting out as a tax collector for the Ottoman Empire, Daher el Omar declared independence and for almost a quarter of a century ruled the Galilee as an independent entity from Haifa to Tiberias.

Before lunch, we will visit the local Cave Museum that showcases village life in Arrabe before the advent of modernity. The exhibit, which was collected locally, was initiated so that the village youth will understand the cultural changes experienced by their community as it has shifted from agriculture to pursuing higher education and the professions. 

The cave, which was used in the past to keep livestock, also has an ancient olive press where we will learn about cold-pressed olive oil production. The restaurant where we will enjoy a traditional Arabic meal is located just above the cave.

After lunch, we will drive to the nearby Jewish town of Hararit. Originally founded in the 1980s by practitioners of transcendental meditation, today it is a leafy exurb of Haifa. We will park at the edge of town and walk fifteen minutes to Lavra Netofa, a beautiful hermitage established here in 1967 by two monks who dedicated their lives to serving as a bridge between Jews and Palestinians. Today, the hermitage is run by the Monks and Sisters of Bethlehem.

Our last stop of the day is the mountainous fortress of Yodfat where in 67 CE the Jews fought the Romans in the Great Revolt. Less famous than Masada, Yodfat was the site of the first major battle between the Romans and the Jews. Led by Josephus Flavius, who was captured during the battle, the town held out for 47 days until it fell into the hands of the Romans. Like in the later story of Masada, Josephus relates that many of the defenders chose suicide over capture and enslavement. From here we will drive back to your hotel or ship.