Mount Arbel & the Mystical City of Tzfat | Shorashim - Israel with Israelis

Mount Arbel & the Mystical City of Tzfat

Naomi Pitkin

After a fun night out with the group, this morning we woke up to another delicious breakfast at Kibbutz Amiad. Afterwards, we hiked down the steep cliffs of Mount Arbel, looking out over the beautiful Sea of Galilee. The hike was quite a test of our coordination and trust-any one slip could've sent half the group off the edge.

In the afternoon, we explored Tzfat, one of the four holy cities in Israel. In the "old city," which is made entirely of stone, we saw art galleries, jewelry shops and ancient synagogues. One famous Kaballistic artist, Avraham Lowenthal, held a discussion for us in his studio about art and spirituality. Avraham is from Michigan, and moved to Israel upon discovering Kaballah. At that time, he began using his hebrew name, Avraham, instead of his english name, Robert, because in the Kaballah, one's Hebrew name is a representation of one's soul. He also explained how in the Kaballah, everything happens for a reason, leading us to a version of ourselves that is able to experience and give infinite goodness to others. This moving discussion prompted many to purchase Avraham's art, which represents the Kaballah in different ways.

After this wonderful and tiring day we are so excited for Tel Aviv tomorrow!