• Join us for a full-day tour of two “Greek Catholic” or Melkite communities in the Galilee to learn about this unique blend of Orthodox and Catholic traditions.
• Interact with locals to hear about the cultural changes that have washed over these communities in the course of a lifetime.
• See the beautiful Byzantine church mosaics uncovered under the living room of one the town residents.
• Visit Beit Rima, the women’s empowerment center, where we will learn about the challenges currently facing Arab women. 
• Option of Lunch in the gourmet restaurant Chateau de Roi that is built into a renovated corner of a Crusader castle (depending on day) or a traditional homecooked meal.

On this tour we will visit two Galilean Christian Arab villages where we will meet the unique “Orthodox Catholic” or Greek Catholic community known as the Melkites. The Melkites consider themselves to be the descendants of the world’s first Christian communities and continue to worship in the Byzantine rite. Since 1729, a branch of the Melkite community became a “hybrid church” by accepting the Pope in Rome while continuing to practice their ancient Orthodox traditions. Together we will sit down with locals and learn about their lives and their adherence to a fascinating mash-up of a religious faith. 

Our tour begins in Meilya, a town that prides itself on having one of the highest percentages of university graduates in all of Israel. We begin at the small family-run Arak and Tabak distillery where Basel will host us and demonstrate how this potent alcoholic drink is made.  Here we will discuss the many profound cultural changes that Meilya has experienced as it shifted from an agriculture-based society based primarily on tobacco production to one made up of white-collar professionals today.

From the Arak and Tabak distillery, we will take a short walk to the house of Ilya, a retired school principal and former mayor who was born and raised in Meilya. A few years ago, Ilya undertook some renovations to his home only to discover that, unbeknownst to him, he had spent his whole life living directly above a 5th century Byzantine church. After an extensive archaeological excavation, his former living room has been turned into a one-room museum where you can see the beautiful and ancient mosaic floor. In addition, he has renovated the one-room home built by his grandfather where, over a cup of sweet tea and local sweets, Ilya shares his life story with us. 

From Ilya’s house, we will continue to the village church, which is built in the heart of what were once Crusader fortifications. Here, we will first delve into the history of the Galilee during the Crusader period before meeting with the village priest. Father Nadeem will explain how Melkites practice Byzantine traditions such as icons, priest marriage, and a Patriarch based in Damascus while being Catholic with respect to the Liturgy and the Gregorian Calendar. This is a great opportunity to ask questions about the unique practices and traditions of the Melkite Church. 

Depending on the day of the week, we have the option to dine either in Chateau de Roi, a fine dining restaurant that is built directly into a renovated portion of the Crusader-era walls or a homecooked meal. After lunch, we will take a short drive to the nearby Melkite village of Fassuta, where we will briefly stop at the house where Israeli master spy Eli Cohen lived before being sent on his mission to Damascus. Last, but not least, we will visit Beit Rima, a women’s empowerment center established by local fashion designer Rima Khory where we will hear about the many workshops and trainings for women as well as the challenges women face in the Christian Arab community.