The Jewish tradition of visiting the tombs of righteous spiritual leaders and praying at their burial sites dates back to the times of the Tanakh. Visitors will have the opportunity to recite traditional prayers and ask for blessings and guidance from the righteous. It is customary among Jews to pray at the graves of the righteous during difficult periods of life and at important turning points when making significant decisions. This journey can be both an ethnographic experience and a pilgrimage tour.
The route begins in Haifa, where we will visit the synagogue located in the Cave of Elijah at the foot of Mount Carmel. We will then ascend Mount Carmel itself, within the modern city of Haifa, to enjoy breathtaking views of Haifa Bay.
Our next stop is the Arab town of Shefa-'Amr, where the highly revered Jewish sage and Torah teacher Rabbi Yose ben Baba is buried. He was one of the Ten Martyrs who were executed for their devotion to the Torah and its teaching. Thanks to sages like him, the Torah survived persecution and prohibition and was passed down through the generations.
Rabbi Yose ben Baba was also connected to Rabbi Akiva and his students, including the five disciples who survived the devastating plague that claimed the lives of 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva’s students.
From Shefa-‘Amr, passing the burial site of Rabbi Halaphta and his son, we continue to Mount Meron, where we visit the tombs of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son Elazar.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is traditionally regarded as the author of the Zohar, the foundational text of Kabbalah. According to tradition, he was one of Rabbi Akiva’s most devoted disciples and continued learning from him even while Rabbi Akiva was imprisoned by the Romans.
Today, the tomb of Rabbi Shimon on Mount Meron is one of the most visited Jewish pilgrimage sites in Israel after the Western Wall in Jerusalem. There is also a custom of performing the first haircut ceremony for three-year-old boys at this holy site.
From Mount Meron, we travel to Safed (Tzfat), stopping on the way at the burial site of Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai, where visitors traditionally circle the tomb seven times while praying for prosperity and well-being.
In Safed, our destination is the ancient Jewish cemetery, closely associated with Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah. Here we will see the ancient mikveh connected with Rabbi Isaac Luria Ashkenazi (the Ari), one of the greatest Kabbalistic teachers and founder of the Lurianic school of Kabbalah.
Male visitors who wish may immerse themselves in the mikveh. We will also visit the tombs of the Ari and Rabbi Joseph Caro, author of the Shulchan Aruch, one of the most influential codes of Jewish law and tradition.
From Safed we continue to Tiberias, the ancient city on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, with a history spanning over two thousand years and once a major center of Jewish spiritual life.
Along the way, we will visit the traditional burial site of the Prophet Habakkuk and hear the fascinating story behind its location.
In Tiberias, home to many revered burial sites, we will visit several important tombs, including those of Maimonides (Rambam) and Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes (Meir the Miracle Worker). The latter is a large spiritual complex featuring two synagogues and a colorful local market.
