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Safed – Neighborhoods and Quarters

Safed travel guide

Walking through the lovely stone alleys and the ancient Jewish quarter in Safed grants visitors a unique experience that combines enchanting beauty and a spiritual vibe, alongside stories of the Jewish settlement prior to the establishment of the State of Israel. The ancient Jewish quarter is divided into two neighborhoods – Ashkenazi and Sephardic. The Sephardic neighborhood developed around The Ari mikveh, by Jews born in the country and those who immigrated from northern Africa.

At the end of the fifteenth century Jews who had been expelled from Spain first arrived in Safed, establishing synagogues. The Ashkenazi neighborhood was established after the Sephardic neighborhood, in the direction of the city’s fortress, by 300 Hasids who arrived in Safed in 1777, and by students of the Vilna Gaon, who arrived in the city at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

Messiah Alley: This alley with a steep stairway is the narrowest in Safed. The alley is famous mainly due to “Grandmother Jochebed,” who sat at the entrance to the alley every day, waiting for the Messiah. According to legend, each person who passes through alley will witness the coming of the Messiah.

Olei Hagardom Slope: A street on an incline, with stairs, dating back to the British Mandate. The British paved the street as a passageway between the Jewish and Arab quarters. The original streetlamp, which lit up the street, is still intact and visible.

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Bashert Restaurant Safed

The food at Bashert Restaurant is some of the most innovative and magical that I have ever tasted. The chef's menu combines advanced cooking methods with a twist of fine cuts of meat from the smokehouse, and the result is a variety of dishes that are simply incredible. The chicken soup with dumpling is Jewish gnocchi with shredded meat, blinches with smoked liver, and the title gem, juicy slow-smoked asado from the smokehouse and Bashert's 8-hour smoked brisket, are all must-tries. The restaurant is strictly kosher, and kosher by the Orthodox Jewish community. If you're ever in Safed, don't miss out on this dining experience of a lifetime. Address Jerusalem 35 Safed, Israel 073-231-1331

Safed's History

Safed's history is filled with fascinating events, uprisings, epidemics and calamities. Many historical sites were preserved and now serve as a testament to the city's history. Safed was already mentioned during the first century, when Yosef Ben Matityahu, mentioned the Safaf Fortress (a reference to Safed) in his writings. In the second and third centuries, during the Bar Kochba Revolt, Safed was noted as a city in which Cohens settled and where torches were lit. The Crusaders who settled in Safed in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries built a large fortress there, which was destroyed; these days archaeological digs are conducted at the site of the fortress. The Jewish settlement in Safed was renewed in the thirteenth century. At the time, the large fortress was conquered by the Mamluk Sultan and its knights were slaughtered. In the following centuries, churches in the city were destroyed and many mosques were built. The Jewish settlement in the city continued to grow. Rabbi Yosef Saragossi settled in Safed toward the end of the fifteenth century. Safed was conquered by the Ottomans in the sixteenth century, and during that period it became one of the largest Jewish spiritual centers, mainly because of its proximity to the burial site of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. With the conquest of Safed in the seventeenth century by the Druze Amir Faher a-Din, who slaughtered many Jews, the community dwindled; plagues struck and disease and hunger afflicted the city's residents for an extended period of time. In the eighteenth century, despite the fact that an earthquake struck the city, the Jews' situation in Safed improved. Hasids from Lithuania came to the city and the Jewish settlement recovered and grew. During the nineteenth century, a harsh plague and one of the region's most powerful earthquakes struck the city. The Jewish quarter was destroyed and only began to recuperate during the second half of the nineteenth century. The city, which had already begun to recover at the onset of the twentieth century, was hit hard with a typhus outbreak, famine and hardship during World War I. Prior to the establishment of the State of Israel, there was a massacre and uprisings in Safed. During the War of Independence, the city's Jewish quarter was under siege. Units from the Palmach force launched a campaign to free Safed, and after many fierce battles, the Jewish quarter was freed and troops gained control of the city. After the establishment of the State of Israel and the conclusion of the war, Safed became the capital of the Galilee, and many new immigrants settled there, among them members of the religious community. An artists' colony was established, with galleries and cafes, restaurants and hotels. Safed became a spiritual tourist center, attracting visitors and travelers from around the world.

International Klezmer Festival

Every summer the city of Safed hosts the International Klezmer Festival. The festival has been held for 34 years and serves as a splendid musical celebration with the best Klezmer artists and leading musicians from Israel and around the world performing across the city. In 1988, the International Klezmer Festival of Safed was held for the first time and since then, it has followed its tradition every August, renewing and surprising the audience of Jewish music lovers. One of the year's most beautiful and exciting music festivals takes place in the streets of Safed. A festival of this nature attracts thousands of tourists and locals, of all ages, who are drawn by the Jewish soul music played during it. As accommodation arrangements are in high demand during the festival, it is recommended to check prices and book a room in advance. Aside from the performances, workshops and classes are conducted, led by the greats of Jewish soul music. Among the various events: Performances for the entire family, with audience participation, letting kids to experience playing the different musical instruments; magic shows; storytelling and tours in the old city; tours to Rabbis' graves, meditation workshops and more.

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