On a recent guiding trip we visited Gamla (from the Hebrew for camel/gamal), city in the Golan where there was fierce fighting between the Jews and Romans under Vespasian during the Great Revolt in 66CE, during which the city was destroyed and 9,000 people lost their lives. Today Griffin vultures make their home in the canyon and soar overhead. The flowers in the foreground are cyclamen (Hebrew rakefet).
I guided for an extended family of 8 (both sets of grandparents, parents and children, 11 and 13) for 5 days.
“A million thanks for being a great guide. Your high energy but mellow demeanor was perfect for our group and your deep historical knowledge kept it all interesting and in context for us.”
Here’s a copy of our itinerary:
Tuesday – Galil
- aquaduct at Caesarea
- Tsippori, Jewish village, mosaics, did not participate in Roman Revolt
- Hamat Tiberia, hot springs and mosaic floor of 4th C synagogue
Wednesday – Golan
- Gamla, Jewish town that fought and was destroyed by Vespasian
- wind turbines providing alternative energy to Golan
- Mount Bental, Israeli bunkers, 1973
- lunch at Witch and Milkman mountaintop restaurant at Nimrod
- Birkat Ram, crater lake, extinct volcano
Thursday – Rift valley to Jerusalem
- Island of Peace, Rutenberg hydroelectric plant (1927-1948 )
- Old Gesher
- Belvoir Crusader castle “nest of eagles and dwelling place of the moon”
- Judean desert, Wadi Qelt
- Western Wall tunnel
Friday – Old City
- American Colony (hotel where they were staying)
- Hurva synagogue
- Cardo and Madaba map
- Herodion Quarter
Sunday – Around Jerusalem
- Jerusalem envelope – the separation wall
- water system, Armon HaNatziv
- Peace Forest, Ramat Rahel
- Herodium
- Yad Vashem
- Mahane Yehuda
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