Lohamey-Ha'getaot

An impressive aqueduct greets visitors at the entrance to Kibbutz Lohamei Ha'geta'ot, located in the western Galileebetween Acre (Akko) and Nahariya. The kibbutz was founded in 1949 by Holocaust survivors from Poland and Lithuania. Here the fighters from the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising joined together with partisans and prisoners who had evaded the Nazis, and named their new home in memory of the fighters in the ghettos, the forests and the armies, and put their efforts into living in the here and now.

The ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone of the kibbutz also marked the beginning of the museum for documenting the Holocaust. Today the Ghetto Fighters’ House, built on a hill in the southern part of the kibbutz, encompasses the aqueduct, an amphitheater and to museums. 

The aqueduct was built in the Ottoman period, in 1815, and is the most important engineering project undertaken by the Turks during their rule in this country. The aqueduct brings water from the Kabri springs (to the north) to the regional capital, Acre (to the south). This beautiful aqueduct was built with stone arches and in some places rests on pillars 10 meters high. Near the aqueduct is an amphitheater, where memorial ceremonies are held on Holocaust Remembrance Day. 

Beside the amphitheater are a research center and two museums: the Museum of the Holocaust and Resistance, named after Yitzhak Katzenelson, a poet and founder of the museum, which serves as a testimony to the stories of the survivors and an expression of the resurrection of the Jewish people in its land; and the Yad Layeled Children’s Museum, commemorating the one and a half million Jewish children murdered in the Holocaust. This museum houses the stories and testimonies of children and an exhibit on Dr. Yanush Korczak, a doctor, author and educator who devoted his life to children.

During its early years, the kibbutz’s economy was based on various branches of agriculture. Today the Tivol factory, which manufactures vegetarian meat substitute products, is the mainstay of the kibbutz’ economy. Near the factory is the Bayit ve-Kayit guesthouse compound that has beautiful guest rooms and a rustic restaurant that serves a special, rich breakfast to visitors from near and far. 

In addition to these attractions, there is also the exhibition gallery displaying the artworks of Moshe Kupferman, winner of the Israel Prize for outstanding visual art. Other nearby sites include the water site at Moshav Regba, which demonstrates how water was drawn in ancient times, the Baha’i Gardens in Acre (Akko), and the beach, where flocks of migrating birds can be seen in spring and fall.

welcome to Acre

The waves from the Mediterranean Sea crash against the walls of Acre’s old city, washing the steep, thick sandstone walls that have survived the centuries. The walls, fortresses and strongholds of the city bear the marks of many nations that left impressive buildings behind them, beautifying Acre to this day. Thanks to these buildings, UNESCO declared Acre a World H​eritage Site in 2001.

A visit to Acre is part of the Israeli experience. The city is a meeting place for East and West, new and old, beauty and ruins, all adding to its uniqueness. The variety of tourism sites make Acre a bustling city full of cultural events, and there is another interesting adventure or attraction around every corner.

Acre was one of this region’s important cities in ancient times. Various cultures made their home here, the Crusaders captured it and the Ottomans lived here for many centuries. Even Napoleon Bonaparte tried to lay his hands on Acre and conquer it, but after two months of siege and failed attempts to storm the city’s walls, he retreated in humiliation.

The fascinating history that has passed through the streets of Acre, the legacy left behind by its conquerors, the buildings that adorn the city and the places of worship built there are just part of the experience this city offers. Among the high-walled alleys and underground passages there is a huge mosque and a Christian monastery, an inn and Turkish baths, halls built by the Knights Templar, with an extraordinary Templar tunnel and fascinating archeological findings. These are joined by intriguing museums and many churches, a row of hotels near the inviting beaches, a marina, restaurants and a picaresque fishing port.

Every year Acre hosts colorful festivals that attract thousands of visitors and tourists from around the world. Between the ancient alleyways a lively open market hums with activity, especially on weekends. The market is also the home of one of Israel’s most famous hummus restaurants, where one sometimes has to wait in line for a table for two. Nearby, in the fishing port, there are excellent fish restaurants that serve the best of the previous night’s catches. Not far away from the city is a beautifully manicured Bahai Garden, build by members of the Bahai religion in Israel. It is a real pleasure to wander the garden’s paths and enjoy the meticulously designed flower beds.

Caesarea (Keysarya)

Caesarea is a city of the past and the future, the new opposite the ancient. While new Caesarea is graced with magnificent modern homes, ancient Caesarea offers tourists the ruins of unique, impressive buildings. While golfers enjoy lush fairways, horse races are reenacted in the huge hippodrome in the national park. While modern Caesarea’s neighborhoods are quiet and serene in the glory of contemporary architecture, ancient Caesarea is bustling with tourists who come to see the wonders of the past that were built by one of the greatest builders of the ancient world - King Herod.

Caesarea’s antiquities park is one of Israel’s most impressive parks, housing unique buildings from various periods, bearing silent witness to the upheavals that have visited Caesarea over the past 2,300 years. Standing side by side over an area of 500 dunams (125 acres), there are architectural remains from the Hellenistic period (the 3rd century BCE) to the Crusader period (the 12th century), when Caesarea was a port city and spent many years as Israel’s capital. Caesarea was given to King Herod as a present by Augustus Caesar and is named after him. Herod built a massive port there alongside entertainment facilities, bathhouses and temples. In the Byzantine period, Caesarea was an important Christian center. The early fathers of Christianity (Origen and Eusebius) lived there and according to Christian tradition it was here that the first idol worshiper was converted - the Roman centurion Cornelius. In the Crusader period the city was fortified with walls and gates, which were eventually destroyed by the Mamluk Conquest in the 13th century.

A tour of the national park is like walking through a story, and wandering between the ancient buildings one can both sense how people lived here thousands of years ago and enjoy modern, contemporary experiences, such as the enthralling musical performances held in the beautiful Roman Theater. One can walk along the city walls and around the towers, wander through the ruins of the castle and the various temples, watch the horse races in the hippodrome, visit the ancient port and the tiny artists’ square and view the interactive 3-dimensional computer simulations of the city’s past. The port hosts cultural festivals year round and offers a wide range of activities: historic riddles, jeep tours, target practice with a variety of weapons, paintball, Tai Chi on the beach, toga workshops and treasure hunts. Caesarea’s beach offers the beauty of nature and diving enthusiast can explore the underwater ruins in the archeological park beside the port. 

Alongside all the ruins are modern cafes, quaint restaurants, romantic corners and a sandy beach, and not far away is the ancient aqueduct that brought water to the ancient city of Caesarea, 9 kilometers away. Next to the national park is the rural town of Caesarea, which took its name from the ancient city. The town is full of activities, including golf courses, a pampering spa, fancy hotels, the Ralli Art Museum and a historic site that houses the remains of a magnificent palace with a mosaic floor of amazing birds and a rare and unique table top inlaid with glass and gold.