Via Maris


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Middle East » Israel » North District » Ma'agan
February 21st 2011
Published: February 21st 2011
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There are miles beautiful sandy beaches along the Israeli coastline. So we started off the morning with a trek to the beach. It was quite breezy this morning, and the sea was turbulent and frothy as it crashed against the shore. Then it was back to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, it was time to load up the bus and head out.

We drove from Tel Aviv into Jaffa. They are so close together that you don’t really realize you are leaving one and entering the other. We got out of the bus and wandered around a beautiful section of Jaffa. We visited Simon the Tanner’s House. This is where Kefa (Peter) received the vision from the L-rd just before being summoned to the house of Cornelius (see Acts 10:9-18). Jaffa is also where Napoleon landed to try to begin his conquest of the area. There are some rocks just offshore that the local people call the Andromeda rocks. According to local legend, Jaffa is the town where Cassiopea ruled as queen. She boasted that she was the most beautiful woman in the world, angering the gods. To appease them, Cassiopea and the people of the area were forced to sacrifice Andromeda to a sea monster by chaining her to these rocks in order to prevent the destruction of the city. Of course, those of you familiar with Greek mythology are aware that a hero rescues Andromeda and the city by slaying the monster. Local legend says that you can still see the chains attached to the rocks.

From Jaffa, we drove up the coast along the main road. In Roman times, it was called the Via Maris (the Way of the Sea). It was then, and still is today, the major road along the coast line for trade routes as well as travelers and armies. It runs all the way along the coast, through the Mount Carmel and into the Jezreel Valley. We followed the Via Maris to Caesarea (pronounced case-a-ria).

Caesarea was built by Herod the Great to be the secular capital of Israel during this period in juxtaposition to Jerusalem which was the religious capital. Herod was a vassal king, one of the few allowed to use the title “King” by Caesar and the Roman Empire. Herod was extremely wealthy and spent a great deal of money building, not just Caesaria but all over Israel.

At Caesarea, we toured the Roman ampitheatre built by Herod the Great. Here the Romans watched their entertainments, which were frequently violent and by today’s standards, barbaric and idolatrous. The arts were often linked with religious observance in the Roman culture. We also saw what little remains of Herod’s once magnificent palace. Time and tides have eroded much of the palace. All that is left are parts of the foundation stones and some mosaic tiling. We also saw the remains of the Roman Arena. Here is where they held gladiatorial combat and the Hippodrome (for chariot racing). While touring the Arena, the rain clouds which had been hovering over head all morning let loose with a deluge, and we had to run for the bus. We got a little damp, but it was hard to be upset. Israel so desperately needs the rain right now to relieve the drought.

We continued along the Via Maris to Mount Carmel where Eliyahu (Elijah) challenged and killed the prophets of Baal. We climbed up to a view point overlooking the Jezreel Valley. The valley is lush and beautiful. It is also a major cross roads for the Via Maris and the King’s Road which is the second major route coming up from Egypt. Many battles have been fought in this valley for control of these two vital routes, and there are the remains of fortified towns guarding the exits from the mountains. The intersection of the Via Maris and the King’s Road is guarded by Megiddo.

Megiddo is built on a tel. A tel is an artificial hill made in prehistoric times for the purpose of building fortified town. There are some thirty distinct layers of civilization at Megiddo as it has been built and rebuilt by one culture after another. Many battles have been fought over Megiddo and in the land around it. Control of Megiddo meant control of the major trade and travel routes. We ate lunch at Megiddo before going through the museum. Then we climbed up the tel and saw the ancient gate built during the time of the Caanan occupation of the fort. Further up the hill, we saw a second gate the archeologists speculate was built during the time of King Shlomo (Solomon). We climbed higher into the tel and looked out again over the Jezreel Valley. We saw the cut made by a team of archeologists from the University of Chicago in the thirties which revealed all the layers of civilization. Then we climbed down 183 steps and walked through the tunnel that they carved through under the city to access and protect the city’s water supply in times of siege.

From Megiddo, we continued through the Jezreel Valley. We drove through the city of Natzaret (Nazareth). It has grown from the small town it was in ancient times to a large and thriving city in the modern era. From there, we continued through Cana where Y-shua performed His first miracle by changing water into wine. Finally, we arrived at the Galillee.

We are staying the next several days at a Kibbutz on the Sea of Galillee, which is also called Lake Tiberias. A kibbutz is a communal village environment that has been part of Israeli life for many decades. There are many kibbutz all over Israel. We had a wonderful dinner here. In fact, all the food we have had so far has been amazing. It’s a good thing we are doing so much walking or I’d be afraid of gaining weight. The room is beautiful with a balcony, and we have a view down to the Sea of Galillee.



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21st February 2011

Shalom shalom to Everyone
It sounds like you are having a wonderful time; However, I am sure that it would be childish of me to be jealous. I assure you that I am not jealous…at all…no really, I just wish…honest… I am not jealous. No really...I promise you that I am not jealous. Oh for crying out loud, just have a wonderful time.

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