In addition, Tsfat was also a spiritual center. In the mid 1500’s Tsfat was the home of Joseph Caro, author of the Shulhan Aruch. Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, also know as the Ari, explored Kabala in Tsfat. Lecha Dodi, a popular song for welcoming Shabbat was written in Tsfat by Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz. We visited several old and historic Synagogues in Tsfat that date back for centuries.
By the end of the 15th century, competition in the Textile industry caused an economic decline in Tsfat. As religious scholars died off, few came to take their place. Tsfat declined just as fast as it boomed. Now it is primarily a tourist attraction and an artist colony.
We left Tsfat and headed to the southern shore of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) by way of Tibereas. We stopped at the site of a moshav, Moshav Kinneret, which was founded in 1909 mostly by settlers from Eastern Europe. The pioneers who settled Moshav Kinneret were truly pioneers in every since of the word, even more so than those who established the community of Tel Aviv. Moshav Kinneret was established as a farming community, but most of the settlers there knew little about farming, and the settlement almost failed in the first year. With a little help, the moshav became successful and prospered for many years.
The Moshav Kinneret cemetery is a fascinating place to visit. The famous Israeli poet Rachel Bluwstein was a member of the moshav and is buried there.
Below are some pictures from Tsfat, Synagogues in Tsfat, and the Moshav Kinneret cemetery including Rachael’s gravesite.
