Taking a look at first temple period ruins of Zippori to commemorate the siege of Jerusalem

Dionysus in the Roman villa

   Asara b'Tevet (the fast commemorating the first siege of Jerusalem) is a minor fast day in the Jewish calendar. My husband and I like observing holidays of this sort by visiting locations that were pertinent during that time period and/or event.

   This year we drove north to take a look at Zippori, a city which was built around the 7^th century BCE, and was the center of the northern region of Israel during the Assyrian, Babylonian, Hellenistic and Persian rule, when it was called Sepphoris. It was a location where many Jews escaped to after the siege of Jerusalem following the destruction of the Second Temple.  The Sanhedrin (supreme Jewish religious and judicial body), headed by Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, was located in Zippori at the beginning of the third century.

   There were a few highlights in the national park that we particularly enjoyed:

The view: There are some who say that the name was changed to Zippori because of the root- Tzipor, or bird, because of the bird’s eye view. From the top of the hill the view is indeed breath-taking.

   The Mona Lisa of the Galilee: In the floor of the ancient Roman villa which was destroyed by an earthquake, the remains of an ornate mosaic were uncovered during excavations. Researchers called it the "Mona Lisa of the Galilee," due to the intricate detail done with tiny tiles. The image is almost lifelike.

   The Crusader Tower: Overlooking the rest of the park, this is a great place to take in the view.

Also, don’t miss the excavated town! As he led the tour, our IsraelExperts guide pointed out the carvings in the street of an ancient game (kind of like tic-tac-toe) and a menorah. You can also see the ancient mikvot (ritual bath houses) and synagogue, as well as the Roman amphitheater. 

~~~~~~~~~~

IsraelExperts is a fully-licensed Israel tour operator; our head office is in Israel. Comprised of experienced Israel destination professionals, logistics experts, informal educators and accredited tour guides, IsraelExperts works with major organizations around the world in the field of Israel-Diaspora relations and Israel education, and offers you its ability to provide quality innovative programs. You can find us on line at www.israelexperts.com or contact us at education@israelexperts.com for more information.