Walking around Tsfat

 

Tourist Information Center -- Livnot U’Lehibanot  

Hours:  8:30 – 16:00.  Expanded hours during holidays and during summer holidays. 

·        10-minute movie on the history of Tzfat

·        Free walk through a home built in the Middle Ages, destroyed by the earthquake.

·        Maps, guidebooks, information about Tzfat history

·        Information about attractions and events in the area

·        Contact:  (04)6924427 or laurie@livnot.com

 

         International Center for Tzfat Kabbalah -- learn, research and explore the magic of

              the Kabbalah of Tzfat, in a pluralistic way that suits all.  Located with the Tourist   

              Information  Center of Livnot U’Lehibanot.  Hours:  9:00 – 16:00.  04-6821771

 

HaAri Synagogue – synagogue which was built after the passing of the Ari, R’ Isaac Luria, on the field where he celebrated the Kabbalat Shabbat service with his students.   Hours:  9:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 18:00

        

Public Toilets

1. Next to the Ari Ashkanazi Synagogue Hours:  8:00 – 20:00  . Key is at the Z’knai Tzfat gallery, between the Ari Synagogue and the candle factory.  Bathrooms are below.

2.  In the Courtyard of the Abuhav synagogue Hours:  8:00 – afternoon 

 

Safed Candles for Shabbat and havdallah, sculptures, woven candles. 

Hours:  9:00 – 19:00.  NOT open on holidays (includes Chol HaMoed)     Phone:   (04) 6822068

        

Abuhav Synagogue  Old Sepharadi synagogue which is said to have been built by R’ Abuhav in the 16^th century.  Three Torah scrolls, which are still in use today, are several hundred years old – one is believed to have been written by R’ Abuhav.  Hours:  Throughout the day.  Entrance from the LOWER entrance, on Abuhav St.

 

Kadosh Dairy  generations of the Kadosh family producing  salty white Tzfat cheese from sheep’s milk.  Explanations and guided tour available throughout the day.  Hours:  9:00 – evening  Phone:  (04) 6920326

 

Canaan Weaver’s Workshop – opportunity to see the process of Hand weaving, an industry, which was a basis of the Tzfat economy of the middle Ages.     Hours:  10:00 – 18:00 (coffee shops is open later) Phone:  (04) 6974449

 

Yosef Caro Synagogue – synagogue built where R’ Yosef Caro wrote the Shulhan Aruch, Code of Jewish Law.    Hours:  Intermittently throughout the day.  To request that it be opened, guests are asked to  Contact  Mr. Ben Shimon at (04) 6923284 or (050) 560-8931      Ma’ariv nightly at 21:00 (in the summer)                    

      

Doll Museum – exhibition of dolls and costumes of many different countries and historical periods.  Hours:  10:00 – 18:00.  Entrance fee:   15 shekel for adults; 10 shekels for  children and senior citizens.  Phone:  (04)6972041

 

Yashfa Winery – Family winery in the style of wine-making of thousands of years ago. Located above the HaMeiri Dairy, past the Sha’ar HaRachamim Synagogue.  Hours: by appointment.   Phone:  (04) 6921696 

 

HaMeiri Dairy -- generations of the HaMeiri family producing  salty white Tzfat cheese from sheep’s milk. Hours:  8:00 – 15:00; guided tours on Fridays at 12:00 and   otherwise through coordination with Yaniv  Phone:  (052) 372-1609

 

HaMeiri Museum – Museum of the history of the Jewish  settlement in  Tzfat throughout the past 200 years.  Hours: Daily from 9:00 – 14:30.  Fridays from 9:00 – 12:00.  Entrance Fee:  14 shekels for adults; 9 shekels for students, soldiers, and children; 7 shekels for senior citizens (with  id)     Phone:  (04) 6921939; (04) 6971307

 

Ari Sepharadi synagogue – original synagogue of the Ari’s time, where the Ari prayed and studied Kabbalah in a small cave inside the synagogue with Elijah the prophet.   

     

Ari Mikve – Mikve which the Ari HaKadosh is said to have immersed in.  Hours:  throughout the day and night, only for men.  Next to the Old Cemetary

 

Old Cemetery – Cemetery where the great rabbis of Tzfat are buried, alongside Jews who resided in Tzfat over the past several hundred years.

 

Ascent Institute – classes in Kabbalah and Jewish studies,     library, computer center, hostel.

       Hours:  9:00 throughout the day and evening Phone:  (04) 6971407

 

Cave of Shem and Ever – Legend says that this is the site where Noah’s son and grandson

      Established a yeshiva.   From Jerusalem St, Tzfat’s main street, cross the street in front of

      Bank HaPoalim and  walk up the ramp next to “Photo Golan” shop. Shacharit:  6:00,  Mincha:  14:00

 

 Museum of Hungarian Speaking Jewry – museum highlighting the traditions and culture of Hungarian-speaking Jews.  Located in the Saraya building.  Hours: 9:00 – 13:00  Phone:  (04) 6923880

    

Metzuda/Citidal – highest point in Tzfat’s Old City.  Site of the largest Crusader Fortress built in the Middle East, which is presently being excavated. 

 

Artists Quarter --  galleries of artists of Tzfat. 

 

Model of Third Temple – Model Exhibit of the Third Temple  with Open Forum Q & A on the 

connection between Tsfat,  Jerusalem and the building of the Third Temple (approx. 18 minutes). Audio- Visual Presentation on the Third Temple in Theatre Room (approx. 18 minutes) in the Old
City of  Tsfat. The model, complete with  computer generated architectural diagrams, is based on the vision of the Future Temple as recorded in the biblical Book of Ezekiel Ridbaz St. 7 (near Ascent Hostel) Old City of Tsfat. Tel: 04-692-4556   info@tzaddikcenter.com  

 

 

 

Sites in the Old City

 

Beit Abu – The Abu home is the starting point for the traditional Lag B’Omer processional to Meron from Zfat.  The house is surrounded by blue walls.  R’ Shmuel Abu ‘was given a Torah scroll which had been held in the synagogue of Yossi Banai as appreciation for his deeds by residents of Zfat.  With this, the custom of marching from Zfat to Meron, which dates from the ARI’s 16^th century innovation, was reborn, with the addition of the Abu family Torah scroll leading the way.  The procession leaves the Abu house each year with song and dance, the Torah scroll leading, and in the 1950s this procession was noted by the Kenesset as the official opening of the Lag B’Omer festivities. 

 

 

Saraya – Built in the mid 1700s and used by the Turks as their administrative headquarters for the North. Saraya became the seat of British government during the Mandate period, and served as a shelter for Jews fleeing Arab riots in 1929.  Two Jews were killed by an Arab policeman at this time, who had been charged with guarding them from the Arab mob.

 

Yosef Caro Synagogue – The Yosef Caro Synagogue was named for R’ Yosef Caro, master of Kabbalah and Halacha, and writer of “Kit Yosef” and “Shulhan Aruch.  The synagogue was first built in the 16^th century as a large Beit Midrash (house of study), and was rebuilt after the 1759 earthquake, though in smaller dimensions.  Hassidim who arrived in Tzfat after 1777 were accustomed to praying there, and assisted in rebuilding after the earthquake of 1837.  Three men, lead by Yosef Guerta, were responsible for again rebuilding the synagogue, which took 10 years.  Until the beginning of the 20^th century, the synagogue was used as a Beit Midrash and served as the Sephardic Beit Din (Rabbinical Court).  In 1903, the synagogue was renovated and began to be used as a synagogue under the leadership of the Ben Shimon family, which is responsible for the building till today.  Under the synagogue, according to tradition, is the house where “The Maggid”, an angel, sat with R’ Yosef Caro and related to him the secrets of the Torah.  From these visions came R’ Caro’s book “Magid Mishrim”. 

 

Beit Ashtam – A concrete building which stands out among the stone buildings in the view of Tzfat.  It was built on the border of the Jewish quarter following the Arab riots of 1929 by “Keren Ezra” on the ruins of homes which were destroyed by the rioters. In 1948 Beit Ashtam became used as a weapon-cleaning area for the defenders of Tzfat, and it was one of the most important strongholds of the defenders’ defense of the Old Jewish Quarter.  The walls of the building show the pockmarks of the bullets fired in the Arab attempt to take the building.  On the side of the building is a memorial plaque to Yehoshua Faraj Ohana, a young man from Tzfat who was killed on his watch.

 

Mikve HaAri – A small spring fills this mikve, in which many great rabbis have immersed, among them R’ Yitzhak Luria, the “Ari”.  Throughout the generations, Tzfat Kabbalists and other rabbis have adopted the custom of the Ari of immersing twice on Erev Shabbat (Shabbat eve).  The Ari’s students would relate that the Ari would not towel himself after immersion “because these are waters of Shabbat, and it is fitting that the body absorbs these waters”.  One of the Ari’s students, R’ Chaim Vital, related that the Ari arose and immersed himself in the mikve after his own death.  From that day onward, it has been traditional in Tzfat to immerse the bodies of the deceased in the mikve before burial. 

 

The Magrab Synagogue – Only the western wall remains at the site of the “Magrab” (Lvov, or Lemberg) synagogue  The synagogue was built by R’ Mordichai Zev from Lvov, evidently around 1840, and fell among the ruins of Tzfat after WWI.  On the remaining wall, one can see the imprint of lions etched in the stone, as well as hands outstretched in the manner of the traditional Cohen blessing.  On the left-hand side is written “Hekdesh Olam” and the name of Ephriam Fishel (Auerbach), one of the leaders of the Hassidim who came to Tzfat in the early 1800s who came from Uman in the Ukraine. 

 

Ma’a lot Oleh HaGardom – Stairway built by the British after the riots of 1936 to separate the Jewish and Arab quarters of Tzfat.  It was guarded by British snipers who guarded from the Post Office at the top of the stairs on Jerusalem St.  A guard tower on the top of the building lit up the stairs at night by projector lights.  During the fighting in 1948, this area was called “Stalingrad” by the Haganah because it was judged to be the most dangerous in the city. 

 

The name “Oleh HaGardom” comes from the memory of members of the Jewish pre-State underground who were hanged by the British and buried in the Tzfat cemetery.

 

Yossi Banai Synagogue/ HaTzadik HaLavan – The oldest standing Sepharadi synagogue in Tzfat, it was built by refugees from Argonia, Spain, in the late 1400s.  It was built on the upper border of the Mustaravim neighborhood before the Sepharadi neighborhood was expanded in the early 1500.  (The Mustaravim were Jews whose families had been in the Land of Israel since Roman times, preceding the return of those who came after the Spanish expulsion of 1492).  Next to the synagogue is a small room where R’ Yossi Banai, one of the 3^rd century Amorim, is buried.  R’ Banai was known for mapping out the burial places of the great sages who are buried throughout the North of Israel.  The Jews of Tzfat tell the legend of the “miracle of the chickens” that occurred because of the intervention of the Tzaddik HaLavan: after an edict was issued which would have expelled the Jews from Tzfat unless a certain number of white chickens was delivered to the Turkish ruler, Jews prayed to the Tzaddik HaLavan for intervention, and all the chickens of Tzfat turned white.  The building of the synagogue was only partially destroyed by the 1837 earthquake.  The restoration is mainly in the form of the low wood ceiling in the prayer area, but the women’s section and the burial room are the original construction.  There is an old Torah in the synagogue which was donated by the Sepharadi community in honor of R’ Abuhav in the 19^th century and accompanies the yearly processional to Meron on Lag B’Omer.

 

Shuk Mosque – General Exhibition --  This building houses the permanent exhibition hall for Tzfat artists.  Above the entrance to the building is an Arabic inscription which notes that this building was erected in 1901.  The mosque, whose foundations predate 1901, was the center for Arab incitement against the Jewish residents of Tzfat during Friday prayers, and it was from this mosque that the rioters set out to murder the Jews during the Arab uprisings of 1929 - 1948.  In the beginning of the 21^st century extensive restorations were undertaken on the building and an addition was added to the outside.  The General Exhibition is the center of the Artist Quarter, which was founded in the early 1950s by artists who felt that the atmosphere of Tzfat gave expression to their art.    

 

Among the artists in the Artist Quarter were some of Israel’s greatest artists who shaped the Israeli art world.  Among them were Yitzhak Frankel (Frenel), Simcha Holtzman, Aryeh Merzer, Moshe Kastel and Menachem Shemi.  During the height of the Artist Quarter more than 50 artists and sculptors worked and displayed their art in Tzfat.  Until today the special atmosphere of the art world can be felt in Tzfat.

 

Abuhav Synagogue – The synagogue, built in the 15^th century, was named after R’ Yitzhak Abuhav, a sage from the 15^th century Spain who wrote “Menorot HaMaor”.  Legend tells us that R’ Abuhav wrote a Torah scroll, “Sefer Abuhav” which is housed in the permanent ark of the Southern wall of the synagogue until today.  It is customary in the synagogue to read from the scroll on Yom Kippur, Shavouth and Rosh Hashana – K-S-R = Kosher.  It is related that the original Abuhav synagogue was in a different building, next to the Ari Sepharadi synagogue.  During the earthquake of 1759, the original Abuhav synagogue was destroyed, and “Sefer Abuhav” was moved to “The Great Synagogue”, whose name then became the new “Abuhav synagogue”.  This synagogue was also destroyed in the 1837 earthquake and only the Southern wall where the ark of the Torah scrolls was remained.  The renovated synagogue was built to be as big and beautiful as possible.  In the middle of the floor is a blue canopy which stands on 4 pillars and is covered with paintings and etchings.  The stone benches which surround the bima (center stand) are in the style of the old synagogues of Eretz Yisrael.  The outer walls of the synagogue disintegrated and were reconstructed in the early 20^th century on the basis of their original design.  In the courtyard, it was customary to hold wedding ceremonies, with the belief that this would lead to a long life and many children.     

 

 

Alsheich Synagogue --   The 15^th century Alsheich synagogue was named for R’ Moshe Alsheich, a great Sepharadi sage and public orator known as the “Holy Alsheich”.  The synagogue was built in the style of 16^th century Sepharadi synagogues.  The positioning of the women’s gallery is reminiscent of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.  The etchings and designs which surround the prayer hall are unique and can also be seen in the wide panels which circle the dome in the center of the synagogue.  The outer wall shows Hebrew inscriptions which testify to the restoration of the synagogue which took place before the great earthquake of 1837 according to the Jewish traditions of Tzfat.  It is for this reason; it is written on the wall, that the synagogue was spared destruction during the earthquake.  Three men are noted in this inscription, the builder Ya’akov Falaji, the donor Yehezkel Reuven Menashe and the spiritual leader R’ Ya’akov Entebi, the chief Rabbi of Damascus during the days of the blood libel there (1840).  The Alsheich synagogue is known by several names:  “The Istanbul congregation” refers to the close ties that many members of the synagogue had to the Jewish community in Turkey.  “The Returnees Congregation” pays tribute to the writings on the silver crown of the Torah scroll and preserved in the geniza and “Yehezkel Congregation in tribute to the donor, Yehezkel Reuven Menashe who undertook to finance the renovation of the synagogue. 

 

During the Second Lebanon War in 2006, a katyusha fell directly next to the Alsheich synagogue, but aside from some broken windows, the synagogue was not damaged. 

 

Ari Sepharadi Synagogue The oldest of all of Tzfat synagogues, it was named for the ARI – R’ Yitzhak Luria. Mentioned first in 1522 as a holy place of worship which was then called “The Eliyahu Ha’Navi Synagogue” for Jews from North Africa.  According to tradition, the ARI who lived in Tzfat from 1570 – 1572 used to pray mostly there, and by the 1600s, it was already known as the ARI synagogue.  Decorating the entrance to the synagogue are geographical illustrations of the World of Nature.  The huge western wall is known for its artwork. The synagogue is arranged in the fashion of old Sepharadi synagogues of the time, with benches placed surrounding the ark and bima.  A small cave-room sits in the eastern wall, where tradition tells us the ARI used to learn Torah with Eliyahu HaNavi.  In the 17^th century, a large stone was placed in the entranceway of the cave to protect its holy space. 

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