Bar’am

A 40-minute bus ride northwest of Tzfat will take you to the deserted village of Bar’am where the remains of a 3rd-century synagogue stand. While many of the ancient synagogue sites in Israel are little more than dusty foundation stones, this! one, though far from intact, retains larger fragments of facade, columns, and ornament in place, providing a clearer idea of the whole.

like all synagogues of the Galilee, the building facade is oriented south toward Jerusalem, but it bears an atypical six-columned portico with a well. The well-preserved stone carving of the main portal include wreaths, winged figures, and vines with clusters of grapes.

The town itself was once ajewish settlement during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. Maronite Christians lived here until 1948, when inhabitants were evacuated during the War of Independence, together with residents of the neighboring village of Ikrit. Years of struggle to be allowed back have all but died out in the last decade.

Infrequent service between Tzfat and Bar’am make this either a half-hour or six-hour visit. Bus #43 (NIS8.30) leaves Tzfat at 7am, 12:30pm and 5pm, returning 7:55am, 1:40pm and 6:10pm. Alternatively, one could visit Bar’am as part of a day trip to nearby Mt. Meron. Bar’am is 2.5km northeast of Kibbutz Sasa, the starting point of the Mt. Meron hike. In either case, ask the bus driver to let you off at the Bar’am antiquities. Remain vigilant and look for the orange sign on the left, since drivers don’t always remember.