Come touch the past; Kfar Kedem recreates the daily life of a Galilean
village 2000 years ago.
Thousands of years ago, the ancient Galilee was full of hundreds of
small villages where the simple people raised their crops, tended to their
flocks and lived according to their ancient customs. These villages served
as the backdrop for the historic events that spawned the Gospels and
inspire us to this day to follow in the footsteps of the ancient apostles
and to seek the landscapes that Jesus knew.
A multitude of pilgrims sojourn to the Holy Land and visit the holy
sites at Nazareth, Kana, the Sea of Galilee and many others. But what is
often missing from their itinerary is a hands-on experience of the daily
life in an ancient Galilean village.
Kfar Kedem was established 6 years ago on a scenic hillside facing
Nazareth and Sephoris National Park. The project was the brainstorm of
Menachem Goldberg, 36, an experienced tour guide and a resident of the
Galilean village of Hoshaya. After conferring with historians and
archeologists and studying the relevant Jewish and Christian texts, Kfar
Kedem was built with the highest standards of authenticity regarding the
agriculture and architecture of an ancient Galilean village. As part of
that authenticity, Kfar Kedem is run according to halacha, the ancient
Jewish law that proscribes that the village remains closed on the Sabbath as
well as all Jewish holidays and that all food served at Kfar Kedem is
strictly kosher.
A visit to Kfar Kedem is like passing through a time tunnel to the
Galilee of antiquity. Donkeys are tied to posts as the flock of sheep is
going off to pasture while hens are leading their chics down the lane.
Depending on the season, the olives, figs, grapes or pomagranates are
ripening on the trees.
But Kfar Kedem can't be mistaken for a stage show or museum exhibit. The
philosophy here is for a hands-on experience. Guests are encouraged to dress
in biblical clothes provided by the staff and are kept busy in various parts
of the village pressing oil, crushing grapes or baking the pita bread that
will be served with the afternoon feast at the Shepherd's tent.
At any time. a donkey caravan may be retuning from a short journey
along the ancient rode to Nazareth, or a day-long trek to the Sea of Galilee
or the demanding two-week journey to Jerusalem, following the same route the
pilgrims traveled in the days when the holy Temple stood in Jerusalem.
No Holy Land experience can be complete without a visit to Kfar Kedem
to touch and feel how the ancient people of the Galilee lived their daily
lives. The memories of the activities done in Kfar Kedem will live on far
after the numerous snapshots fade away.
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