From the Mysticism of the Kabbalah to the Magic of a Boat Ride

September 19 

Tiberias...Safed...Kibbutz Ein Gev...and a magical boat ride

We drove north this morning high up into the mountains to arrive in Safed, birthplace of the Kabbalah. Although Jewish mysticism has been popularized by Hollywood celebrities, this old and sacred teaching was traditionally allowed only to men over 40 who had already spent years studying Torah and Talmud. The end of the 15^th century and the deportation of the Jews from Spain brought many immigrants to Safed and, with them, many wise and very spiritual leaders, notably Rabbi Josef Karo, the writer of the “Shulkhan Arukh”-a most important teaching of Jewish rites and customs that enabled Jews all over the world to properly observe Jewish law. After visiting synagogues and walking through the artist quarter, we drove to Kibbutz Ein Gev, on the eastern side of Lake Kinneret, for a lunch of St. Peter's fish and a “train” tour of the grounds and history of the settlement.

The highlight of the day for me was the boat ride on the lake. The sun was shining, the waves were just enough to get me wet so I could cool off on this hot September day, and the Hebrew music filled my soul with joy.

After the 50 minute ride, we got back on the bus and visited Mt. Beatitudes, Capernaum, and Tagbha, three important sites in the life of Jesus and his teachings. In Capernaum, we also viewed the ruins of a large Jewish synagogue, built during the early Christian period. And then...back to the hotel for a dip in the lake and a swim in the pool.