Page 18 - Discover Israel Magazine - Philippines Edition 2019

The Peace Room:
A Historical and Cultural
Gem
One of the sites in the Jordan Valley that
has earned a spot in the annals of history
is the Peace Room at Bet Gabriel Cultural
Center. The room, which offers spectacular
views of the Sea of Galilee, Golan Heights
and Mt. Hermon, has become a powerful
symbol of peace. It is where, on November
10, 1994, then Prime Minister of Israel,
Yitzhak Rabin, alongside King Hussein of
Jordan, signed the peace treaty between the
two countries.
When visiting the room, you can see photos
from the moving ceremony, mementos of
the occasion, and most importantly, King
Hussein of Jordan left behind the keffiyeh he
wore when signing the treaty.
Bet Gabriel was established in 1993 by
Mrs. Gitta Sherover, with the assistance of
the Gabriel Sherover Foundation, named
after her late son.
here (Mark 2:1-12), tradition has it that a very Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves
large crowd gathered at Peter’s home. There
were so many people that in order to bring
the paralyzed man to Jesus, who was inside
the home, they had to make an opening in
the roof and lower the man into the house.
Mount of Beatitudes, Peter and
the miracle of the loaves and
fishes
The Sermon on the Mount, which Jesus
delivered at a site north of the Sea of
Galilee called Mount of Beatitudes, begins:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:1-12).
According to tradition, this is where Jesus
chose the Apostles (Luke 6:12-16). In 1936-
1938, the Church of the Beatitudes was
built on the traditional site of Jesus’ delivery Jesus
of the Sermon on the Mount. It was built
D I S C O V E R I S R A E L 18
with an octagonal floor plan, with each side
representing one of the eight Beatitudes.
Many tourists and pilgrims visit the site every Minister of Education. For a short, 19-day
year. Next to the church is a monastery,
a well-kept garden, a hostel that offers
accommodation and a farm belonging to
the Italian Mission. The site is managed and
overseen by Franciscan nuns.
From the Mount of Beatitudes site, you can
reach two important churches that are within
walking distance. Using a staircase that was
built by the Jordan Valley Regional Council,
you can descend to the Tabgha site, best
known as the place of the miracle of the
loaves and fishes. The easternmost of the
two churches is the Church of the Primacy of
St. Peter. The site is traditionally considered Jordan River.
to be the place where Jesus appeared after
being crucified, at which time he conferred
primacy on Peter. The church is built on
ancient Byzantine ruins and contains a large
rock known as Mensa Christi, the table of
Christ. According to tradition, this is where
Jesus ate with his disciples.
The church to the west is called the
and Fishes. It was built to commemorate
the great miracle (described in the Four
Gospels), in which Jesus took five loaves of
bread and two fish and used them to feed
and satisfy 5,000 people (Matthew 14:15-
20). In the fourth century, a church was built, Regional Council. The term "Jordan Valley"
but it was destroyed in the conquest of the
Persians. Excavations at the site uncovered
spectacular mosaic floors, the best known
of which is a mosaic of two fish flanking a
basket of loaves, while others depict nature:
plants, birds and mammals.
The Gospel Promenade begins at Tabgha,
making it possible to walk about 1.25 miles
to Capernaum, parallel with the shoreline.
Ancient boat from the time of
About 30 years ago, when the waters of the
Sea of Galilee receded during a drought,
the remains of a boat appeared and were
discovered by two fishermen from Kibbutz
Ginosar. The boat - 27 feet long, 7.5 feet
wide - was excavated from the sea after
radiocarbon dating showed that it was
evidently from 50 BC. Naturally, the boat
generated a great deal of interest among
Christian pilgrims, as it was clear that it was holy to all religions; archaeological sites from
used by fisherman during the period in which
Jesus performed the great miracles in the
presence of Peter and other fishermen.
The boat is currently on display at the
Yigal Allon Galilee Boat Museum in Kibbutz
Ginosar. The museum was named after Yigal
Allon, who served as Foreign Minister and
period, he even served as Prime Minister of
Israel. Allon lived and was buried on Kibbutz
Ginosar. Next to the museum is Nof Ginosar
Hotel, from where you can take fascinating
sailing excursions and hear the story of the
boat from the time of Jesus.
Baptism at Yardenit
One of the most popular sites visited by
thousands upon thousands of Christian
faithful each year is the Yardenit Baptismal
Site. This is the closest spot to where the
waters of the Sea of Galilee flow into the
The many pilgrims who visit Yardenit rent
white robes purchased on site and immerse
themselves in the water, just as Jesus did, at
a more southern point on the Jordan River
(Jericho). On the wall next to the baptismal
site are stone panels written in all of the
languages in which Christians pray around
the world.
Communities in the Jordan
Valley
The area that is home to all of these
important sites is part of the Jordan Valley
is well known to all Israelis as the birthplace
of one of the founding concepts of Zionism:
the kibbutz and communal life.
Degania, close to Yardenit, was the first, and
the communal lifestyle known as kibbutz
began there in 1910. Ten years later another
kibbutz, Degania Bet, was established nearby.
The Jordan Valley Regional Council includes
17 kibbutzim, one moshav and four
communal towns. The population in the
regional council is 14,500, and the residents
are engaged in agriculture, trade, tourism
and numerous free trades that allow them to
work from home.
The Jordan Valley was blessed with
breathtaking views, and is known for the
many leisure activities it offers: extreme
sports; mass participation sporting events
(the Sea of Galilee Swim, Sea of Galilee Bike
Ride, marathon and more); sites that are
various periods; various museums, including
the Museum of Yarmukian Culture at Kibbutz
Shaar Hagolan, Pioneers’ Courtyard Museum
on Degania Alef, and much, much more.
The Jordan Valley Regional Council operates
a Tourist Information Center.