| During the second Temple period, the Galilee was a Jewish stronghold and Yodfat, then known as Yotvat, was chosen as the center of the uprising against the Romans.
The route begins at Yodfat, which was established in 1961, at the time the only jewish community in the heart of the Galilee. From the "Yodfat Garage" travel southwards on the dirt track following the signs. Turn left and travel for another 2 km on a slightly difficult dirt road until you arrive at the foot of Ancient Yodfat. It is also possible to get there on foot from Yodfat.
Walk up to the top of the hill, where there are open water cisterns. Be careful!!
During the period of the Great Revolt, Romans besieged the Jews of Yodfat for 47 days. Archeological digs revealed the houses of thousands of Jews from the area on the slops of the hill. In the wall that was built by the Jewish zealots, arrow-heads were found which attest to the bitter battles, which took place here. The names of various mountains in the area are memorial to individual heroic stories. Mount Hashaabi, for example, is a memorial to Elazar Ben Shemi from Shaab, who left the fort, captured the Roman coat of arms from their camp and returned with it to the Jewish camp.
From ancient Yodfat, travel south to the parking lot that is on the border of the nature reserve of Mount Atzmon. Here we will find a footpath marked in blue that winds through the forest to Mount Atzmon. The walk is about an hour and a half long. From the top there is a 360 degree panorama of the whole Misgav area, the national water carrier and Haifa bay. From the hill top, wew descend in a southerly direction to the road encircling the hilltop, and then back to the car from either the right or the left.
Return to Yodfat and turn right towards Hararit. Before Hararit and Yakhad, two communities where transcendental meditation is a way of life, located aside of Netofa Laura , a unique Christian Catholic Silesian community of monks who established a self maintained Laura with a nice church located in two Byzantine underground water cistern
On the way back , turn north to the road towards Arrabeh, in the Sakhnin Valley. Here we sill find the remains of an ancient Jewish town, as well as the grave of Hanina Ben Dossa under a huge Pistacio tree. Also recommended is a visit the house of Daher el OMAR, The Bedouin Governor in the 18th century, a stroll through the alleys, the old stone houses and the natural spring.
 
Mount Atzmon Yodfat |
