HAIFA , ISRAEL

Israel , “The Holy Land” sacred to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, will provide many sites of religious significance. Its length is 248 miles, and its width varies from 8 to 68 miles. It is a new country as of 1948, but has a history going back 5000 years. Israel is a land of contrasts considering its past, present and future, populated by exiles from over 70 nations, with mystics and technocrats, believers and agnostics, holy sites and hatreds. Haifa, described as the “San Francisco of Israel” because of its luxurious suburbs on Mount Carmel, is a short distance across the bay from the ancient Arab city of Acre ( Akko) with its walled town, and Crusader remains, site of the order of the Knights Hospitaliers. Our hosts, the Carmel Yacht Club, have arranged a tour of Haifa on our arrival day and of Acre on the next day prior to our departure.

Haifa , Israel ’s third largest city is built on three levels. The downtown level city has quaint old stone houses, which alternate with modern glass walled towers. Red tiled roofs of the German Colony dating back to the Templar period of the mid 1800’s, and the bustling commerce and produce markets present the flavour of contrasts of the old new and historical. The Hadar district midway up Mount Carmel offers well-kept pedestrian malls and colourful shops. The Carmel district at the top features elegant tree lined streets and stately residential neighbourhoods. Walking down the steps of Haifa from the top to the bottom of the mountain gives a vista of the city taking you through the Bahai temple and gardens, the “Nuns of Nazareth” school. Other sites include the cave of the Prophet Elijah now a pilgrimage centre, The Carmelite Church and Monastery, and the Kababir, a Moslem community of inhabitants belonging to the Ahmadiya sect, integrated into the city. Museums include the Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum, and the National Maritime Museum, as well as museums of Japanese art, and other art, science, and archaeological museums.

The historical legacy of Acre (World Heritage Site 2001) on the north side of Haifa Bay, spans more than 4000 years, noted in the “curse scriptures” of an Egyptian Pharaoh in the 19th century BC, and occupied by the Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, Canaanites, Greeks, Romans, Muslims, Crusaders, Ottoman Turks, Austrians, British, and now Israelis (conquered by the Israeli army in 1948). Under the Romans it was the most important port in the Levant, and became the Crusader Kingdom of Israel during the 11th ad 12th centuries AD. It was under the Crusaders that the walls and fortifications were built. This ancient walled Arab town will provide a wide range of architecture from massive walls and fortifications to underground dungeons and narrow cobblestone streets.