descending to the grave of Jethro - the father-in-law of Moses and a major prophet for the Druze nation. (This site - Nebi Shueb - is the holiest Druze site in Israel). The path then leads to the archeological ruins of the Jewish synagogue Kfar Hittin. Descend along a steep cliff and pass through the mammoth caves in which rebels against King Herod dwelled. Herod, who was half-Jewish, died in the year 40 BC; nevertheless, his influence colored the society in which Jesus lived and taught. Look down for amazing
sites such as Sepphoris, Cana, the Horns of Hittim, the Arbel Cliffs, Tabgha, and Capernaum, culminating at the Mount of the Beatitudes. An optional return trail of equal distance is also a part of the Jesus Trail project - a route that passes by Tiberias, the Jordan River, Mount Tabor, Mount Precipice and returns to Nazareth. The trail offers an accessible way for pilgrims to navigate an ancient route in a modern location and offers the experience of walking in the steps of Jesus in a way that is authentic, adventurous and educational. Recently, the
developers of the Jesus Trail launched self-guided tour packages, based on orientation, luggage transport from one day to the next and accommodations along the way. Yet another trail connecting Nazareth with the Sea of Galilee is the Israel Ministry of Tourism’s Gospel Trail, which dovetails about 90 percent with the Jesus Trail but was designed to make the terrain accessible for ordinary visitors, not just backpackers and trekkers, according to the Ministry. The trails have also started to serve as centers around which tourism businesses are being developed. One modern pilgrimage site deserving of mention, which adds greatly to the pilgrimage experience in the Galilee, is the Yardenit Baptism Site, where the Jordan River meets the Sea of Galilee. Yardenit, which features a visitor’s center, together with a new riverside promenade and a parking lot for 50 buses at a time, is an officially recognized Jordan River baptism site and access to it and its facilities is free of charge. It has been enlarged and improved
views of the Sea of Galilee and of Migdal, where Mary Magdalene was born. Descend via the path cutting down the cliff, to the Valley of Ginosar and the Sea of Galilee, to Kibbutz Ginosar, home of the boat from the time of Jesus. This one-day walking tour creates an active encounter with the topography and the land, and at the same time, takes pilgrims from the Crusader period, back in history to the era just prior to Jesus. Another example of a route that traverses time, religion and topography, is a walk from the Mount of the Beatitudes, through the ruins of an ancient Jewish synagogue dating 400-500 years after the life of Jesus, and then back again to Capernaum, a site replete with actual and symbolic meaning in Christian teaching. A third, is the Jesus Trail, a 65-kilometer trail route complete with maps and coordinates that can be accessed online. It begins in Nazareth and passes through
over the years, and features separate baptismal pools, enabling different groups to conduct private worship ceremonies. Baptismal robes can be rented or purchased, and hot showers are available on site. The “Wall of New Life” running from the entrance to the baptismal pools, features translations into more than 90 languages and dialects, of the verses from the New Testament (Mark 1:9-11) that relates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, inscribed on ceramic panels. The riverside promenade, landscaped with indigenous flora, offers spots for small gatherings and contemplation, while to complement the experience, the on-site Manna Restaurant, located on the Jordan River, serves a traditional meal featuring St. Peter’s Fish. Located in Tiberias, the “Galilee Experience” is one more modern attraction of possible interest to the Christian pilgrim. A multimedia presentation, it offers a good
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