then descended the Arbel Cliff. (Don't worry; the path is fairly easy,
with handrails and metal steps to help novice hikers.)
Arbel was a vibrant Jewish community in the days of the Mishna
(roughly until 200 C.E.). Pirkei Avot (1:7) mentions the Rabbi
Nittai, who was from this community. In fact, the cliff across from
the Arbel is called Nittai after this sage and near the
modern moshav Arbel are the remains of this ancient
community's synagogue.
Halfway down the cliff are caves that were used as
hideouts by Jews who refused to submit to the
imposition of Herod's rule by the Romans (around 36
B.C.E.). The historian Josephus tells us the whole story
and an excerpt appears in the Seminar Sourcebook. (You
can find it in Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews, Book 14.)
In the 13th-14th centuries these caves were converted
into a powerful fortress under the Muslim Mamlukes.
The buses met the groups at the bottom of the mountain
and took them to relax and swim in the Kinneret. Later
we stopped to buy snacks for Shabbat. Everyone is now
back in Hodayot resting and getting ready to prepare for
their first Shabbat in Israel.
July 5
And seminar Shabbat was awesome. I led an oneg which was literally yet greatest thing
ever in my life. We had California mincha. I've already formed a barbershop quartet
singing the longest time. Ramahcapella (currently called hodaynotes) was a huge hit this
week. We had a wild pool party and some Israeli dancing. Israel is beautiful. And to top it
off, the old friends are grand and the new friends are mighty.
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