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Tiberias
Named after the Roman emperor Tiberius, the city of Tiberias was built around 20 AD by Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, as the capital of the Galilee region of Palestine.
Tiberias' status as one of Israel's four holy cities (the other three being Jerusalem, Hebron and Safed) renders it a must-see destination for anyone on a Bar Mitzvah tour, a Bat Mitzvah tour or Jewish heritage tour to Israel.
Located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, modern day Tiberias is also one of Israel's most prominent holiday destinations. The city's unique blend of historic sites and beachfront attractions makes it a coveted holiday resort for Israelis and tourists alike.
Tiberias - From the Roman Empire to the Sephardic Settlement
Due to an old cemetery located at the gates of the ancient city, Jews residing of the Galilee region have historically been reluctant to settle in the city, believing that the ghosts of the dead "contaminated" the city, making it unfit for the living.
Unable to attract Jewish settlers to the city and eager to populate his new capital, Herod Antipas resorted to settling Tiberias by force. In an effort to create a Jewish community in the city, Antipas relocated the famous Sanhedrin—the legislative body of ancient Israel —to the area.
Following the great expulsion of the Jews from the city of Jerusalem circa the year 100 AD, Tiberias became the primary center of Jewish life in and around the Roman Empire. Indeed, it is commonly held by historians that the Mishnah—the oral Torah given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai—was first put into writing by a faction of rabbis residing in Tiberias.
In the 16 th century Tiberias became a Jewish hub once again, when Sephardi Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition settled in the city. The tomb of the renowned Jewish scholar Moses Maimonides, who fled the Spanish city of Cordoba during the Inquisition, is located in Tiberias, paying homage to the Jewish community that flourished here in the 16 th and 17 th centuries.
Tiberias - City of Rabbis
Tiberias entered into the pantheon of holy cities in the 18 th century when a group of rabbis settled in it. While Jerusalem, Safed and Hebron have long since been considered sacred cities, Tiberias did not receive this official title until the influx of laymen into it the 18 th century.
The large rabbinical community in the city made Tiberias Palestine's primary Jewish learning center. To this day, Tiberias is regarded as a prominent spiritual hub.
Tiberias - A Resort Destination
No Israel tour will be complete without a taste of the Sea of Galille, and what better way to visit Israel's biggest body of water than by visiting the city that rests on its shores?
Whether you are on a family tour to Israel, a private tour or on a group travel to Israel , be sure to visit one of Tiberias' many seafood restaurants. Here you will find a variety of fresh fish straight from Lake Kinneret ( a.k.a Sea of Galille) cooked to perfection in a truly Israeli fashion. Bon Appetite!
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