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(A)
"Cana Wedding Church"

Village of Cana, Kafr Kanna

Galilee, North District of Israel

Thursday, ‎December ‎26, ‎2013

Sixth Day of my Holy Land Trip, Mount Zion, Jerusalem

My Holy Land Trip

"Cana Wedding Church"

Cana Wedding Church, where Jesus turned water into wine, village of Cana, in the Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, part of the North District of Israel:

The Arab village of Kafr Kana in the Lower Galilee is identified in Christian tradition as Cana of the Galilee. Here, according to tradition, Jesus performed the miracle of the wine, when he went to a wedding of a poor couple and turned water into wine. In the 17th century Kafr Kana was officially recognized by the Vatican, and the pope officially confirmed that Kafr Kana is indeed Cana of the Galilee. Following this recognition the village was added to the list of Christian holy places. Some researchers identify Kafr Kana with the Kana mentioned in the ancient Egyptian Amarna letters (from about 4,000 years ago). 

Cana Wedding Church, where Jesus turned water into wine, village of Cana, in the Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, part of the North District of Israel:

One way or the other, in the Roman-Byzantine period (1,000-2,000 years ago), there was a large Jewish community here, but apparently by the Mamluk period (about 800 years ago) most of the residents of Kafr Kana were Christian, although there was still a Jewish community here, too. Today most of the residents of Kafr Kana are Muslim.

Street to Cana Wedding Church, Village of Cana, Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, North District of Israel:

In the center of the village are a few remains of ancient buildings and burial caves. The villagers have built new houses to the southeast and northeast of the ancient village. The most important site in the village is the Catholic Church, built in 1879, on the traditional site of the miracle of the wine. Beside this church is the Greek Orthodox church of St. George, built in 1886, which house two stone jars that Greek Orthodox followers believe are the jars in which Jesus performed the miracle of the wine.

Cana Wedding Church, where Jesus turned water into wine, village of Cana, in the Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, part of the North District of Israel:

There is also a church named after St. Bartholomew, built, according to tradition, on the site of the home of Nathaniel of Cana (St. Bartholomew), one of Jesus’ disciples.

Cana Wedding Church, where the place Couples renewing marriage vows. village of Cana, in the Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, part of the North District of Israel:

There is also a church named after St. Bartholomew, built, according to tradition, on the site of the home of Nathaniel of Cana (St. Bartholomew), one of Jesus’ disciples.

Cana Wedding Church, where the place Couples renewing marriage vows. village of Cana, in the Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, part of the North District of Israel:

Some 200,000 tourists visit Kafr Kana annually. Inspired by the miracle of the wine, a tradition has developed of holding weddings here, as well as renewing wedding vows to strengthen a marriage, and visitors customarily buy wine here. The street of the churches, in the center of the village, has been renovated and a promenade has been built, connecting the religious centers. Small plazas have been built along the promenade, with rest spots, and the facades and courtyards of the buildings have been attractively refinished. Infrastructure has been laid alongside the promenade for commercial and hotel facilities, so that visitors will be able to combine the comforts of modern tourism with their religious experience

Cana Wedding Church, where the place Couples renewing marriage vows. village of Cana, in the Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, part of the North District of Israel:

In the Bible

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine.  "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 

Cana Wedding Church, where the place Couples renewing marriage vows. village of Cana, in the Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, part of the North District of Israel

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from 20 to 30 gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."

Inside the Cana Wedding Church, where Jesus turned water into wine, village of Cana, Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, North District of Israel:

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

Inside the Cana Wedding Church, where Jesus turned water into wine, village of Cana, Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, North District of Israel:

This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. (John 2:1-11)

Inside the Cana Wedding Church, where Jesus turned water into wine, village of Cana, Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, North District of Israel:

In Christianity, the transformation of water into wine at the Marriage at Cana or Wedding at Cana is the first miracle of Jesus in the Gospel of John. In the biblical account, Jesus and his mother are invited to a wedding, and when the wine runs out, Jesus performs a miracle by turning water into wine. The exact location of Cana has been subject to debate among biblical scholars and archeologists; several villages in Galilee are candidates.

Inside the Cana Wedding Church, where Jesus turned water into wine, village of Cana, Kafr Kanna, an Arab town in Galilee, North District of Israel:

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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"Tiberias and Peter's Fish" 
Sea of Galilee
Tiberias, Israel

Thursday, ‎December ‎26, ‎2013

Sixth Day of my Holy Land Trip, Mount Zion, Jerusalem

My Holy Land Trip

"Tiberias and Peter's Fish"

An ancient Watchtower in  Tiberias:

Tiberias is one of the four Jewish Holy cities, and the capital of the Galilee. It has a long history since it was established in the early Roman period. It was a religious, administrative and culture center of the Jewish nation after the loss of Jerusalem for 500 years until the Persian and Arab conquest. Many of the most important post-bible books (Mishna, Talmud) have been composed in the city which was the home of many Jewish scholars.

A view from Gai Beach Hotel, Tiberias:

Tiberias was founded sometime around 20 CE in Herodian Tetrarchy of Galilee and Peraea by the Roman client king Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great. Herod Antipas made it the capital of his realm in the Galilee and named it for the Roman Emperor Tiberius. The city was built as a spa and developed around 17 natural mineral hot springs. It was populated mainly by Jews, with its growing spiritual and religious status exerting a strong influence on balneological practices. The Jewish oral tradition holds that Tiberias was built on the site of the Israelite and later Jewish village of Rakkat, first mentioned in the Book of Joshua. In Talmudic times, the Jews still referred to it by this name. Conversely, in The Antiquities of the Jews, the Roman-Jewish historian Josephus calls the village with hot springs Emmaus, located near Tiberias. This name also appears in The Wars of the Jews.

Leaning tower in Tiberias:

In the days of Herod Antipas, some of the most religious (as opposed to Hellenized, including Cohanic) Jews refused to settle there; the presence of a cemetery rendered the site ritually unclean for the priestly caste. Antipas settled many non-Jews there from rural Galilee and other parts of his domains in order to populate his new capital, in an early recorded case of forced gentrification, and built a palace on the acropolis. The prestige of Tiberias was so great that the Sea of Galilee soon came to be named the sea of Tiberias; however, the Jewish population continued to call it 'Yam Ha-Kinerett', its traditional name. The city was governed by a city council of 600 with a committee of 10 until 44 CE when a Roman Procurator was set over the city after the death of Herod Agrippa I.

Lion fountain in Tiberias:

Under the Roman Empire, the city was known by its Greek name Τιβεριάς (Tiberiás, Modern Greek), an adaptation of the taw-suffixed Semitic form that preserved its feminine grammatical gender. In 61 CE Herod Agrippa II annexed the city to his kingdom whose capital was Caesarea Phillippi. During the First Jewish–Roman War Josephus Flavius took control of the city and destroyed Herod's palace, but was able to stop the city from being pillaged by his (loyal to Rome) Jewish army. Where most other cities in the Provinces of Iudaea, Galilee and Iudemea were razed, Tiberias was spared because its inhabitants remained loyal to Rome, after Josephus Flavius had surrendered the city to the Roman emperor Vespasian. It became a mixed city after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE; with Judea subdued, the southern Jewish population migrated to the Galilee.

Decks, an Open air restaurant, Tiberias, west shore- Sea of Galilee, Israel:

There is no direct indication Tiberias, as well as the rest of Galilee, took part in the Bar Kokhba revolt of 132-136 CE, thus allowing it to exist, despite a heavy economic decline due to the war. Following the legal expulsion of all Jews from Jerusalem after 135 CE, Tiberias and its neighbor Sepphoris became the major Jewish cultural centres, competing for status with Babylon, Alexandria, Alleppo and the Persian Empire.

Decks, an Open air restaurant, Tiberias, west shore- Sea of Galilee, Israel:

In 145 CE, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai who was very familiar with the Galilee hiding there for over a decade, "cleansed the city of ritual impurity", allowing the leadership of the people to resettle there, from Judea Province where they were fugitives. The Sanhedrin, the Jewish court, also fled from Jerusalem during the Great Jewish Revolt against the Roman Empire, and after several attempted moves, in search of stability, eventually settled in Tiberias in about 150 CE. It was to be its final meeting place before its disbanding in the early Byzantine period. 

Ganim Municipal beach Tiberias:

From the time when Yochanan bar Nafcha (d. 279) settled in Tiberias, the city became the focus of Jewish religious scholarship in the land. The Mishnah along with the Jerusalem Talmud, (the written discussions of generations of rabbis in the Land of Israel – primarily in the academies of Tiberias and Caesarea), was probably compiled in Tiberias by Rabbi Judah haNasi in around 200 CE. The 13 synagogues served the spiritual needs of a growing Jewish population.

A General view of Tiberias, with Sea of Galilee:

Chromis Niloticus (musht, St. Peter's fish, tilapia)

VISITING a restaurant alongside the Sea of Galilee in Israel, you may become curious upon seeing “St. Peter’s fish” on the menu. The waiter may tell you that it is one of the most popular dishes, especially among tourists. It is delicious when freshly fried. But why is it linked to the apostle Peter?

An event described in the Bible at Matthew 17:24-27 provides the answer. There we learn that Peter, while visiting the town of Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee, was asked if Jesus paid the temple tax. Later Jesus explained that he, as God’s Son, had no obligation to pay such tax. But in order to avoid stumbling others, he had Peter go to the sea, cast a fishhook, take the first fish coming up, and pay the tax with the coin found in its mouth.

The appellation “St. Peter’s fish” is drawn from this incident recorded in the Bible. But what sort of fish did Peter catch?

Lunch in Tiberias with Peter’s fish, west shore- Sea of Galilee, Israel:

It was from the ranks of fishermen that Jesus Christ called His first Apostles (Mark 1:16-20), including Peter and John. Fish and fishing were often associated with His ministry, and later were actually used as a symbol of it.

Jesus miraculously calmed the storm from a fishing boat (Matthew 8:23-26)

Jesus spoke many of His Parables to the crowds while He stood in a fishing boat (Matthew 13:1-58)

Jesus once miraculously paid His and Peter's taxes with a coin taken from inside a fish (Matthew 17:27)

Jesus miraculously had the disciples make a huge catch of fish, so great that their nets were filled to overflowing (John 21:1-14)

Jesus ate a piece of broiled fish with his disciples after His resurrection from The Tomb (Luke 24:42-43).

One of The Lord's most direct encouragements to those who accept and obey Him, and dire warnings to those who choose to reject His offer of eternal life, used fishing as an analogy:

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth" (Matthew 13:47-50 RSV)

Lunch in Tiberias with Peter’s fish, west shore- Sea of Galilee, Israel:

A Sea Rich in Fish

It is thought that of the nearly 20 species of fish in the Sea of Galilee, only about 10 could possibly be the sort that Peter caught. These ten are divided into three commercially important groups.

The largest group is called musht, which means “comb” in Arabic, because its five species display a comblike dorsal fin. One variety of musht reaches a length of about a foot and a half [45 cm] and weighs some four and a half pounds [2 kg].

The second group is the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) sardine, which resembles a small herring. At the height of the sardine season, many tons are caught every night, amounting to some one thousand tons a year. From ancient times this sardine has been preserved by pickling.

Lunch in Tiberias with Peter’s fish, west shore- Sea of Galilee, Israel:

The third group is the biny, also known as barbel. Its three species display barbs at the corners of the mouth, hence its Semitic name biny, meaning “hair.” It feeds on mollusks, snails, and small fish. The long-headed barbel reaches a length of some 30 inches [75 cm] and weighs over 15 pounds [7 kg]. Barbels are a well-fleshed fish, and they are a popular dish for Jewish Sabbaths and feasts.

Not included in the three commercially important groups is the catfish, the largest fish in the Sea of Galilee. It measures up to four feet [1.20 m] and weighs some 25 pounds [11 kg]. But the catfish has no scales, so it was unclean according to the Mosaic Law. (Leviticus 11:9-12) Therefore, it is not eaten by Jews, and it may not be the type of fish that Peter caught.

Lunch in Tiberias with Peter’s fish, west shore- Sea of Galilee, Israel:

What Fish Did Peter Catch?

Well, musht is the fish that is commonly accepted as “St. Peter’s fish,” and it is served as such in restaurants near the Sea of Galilee. Having relatively few small bones, it is rather easy to prepare and eat. But is it really the fish that Peter caught?

Mendel Nun, a fisherman who has lived on the shore of the Sea of Galilee for over 50 years, is a highly respected authority on local fish. He points out: “Musht feeds on plankton and is not attracted by other food. It is therefore caught with nets, and not with hook and line.” So it is an unlikely candidate. An even less likely candidate is the sardine, since it is too small to qualify as St. Peter’s fish.

That narrows the field down to the barbel, which some consider the better choice for the “St. Peter’s fish” label. Nun noted: “Fishermen on the [Sea of Galilee] have, since time immemorial, used a hook baited with sardine to fish for barbels, which are predators and bottom feeders.” He concludes that “Peter almost surely caught a barbel.”

Why, then, is musht served as “St. Peter’s fish”? Nun answers: “There can be only one explanation for the confusing change of name. It was good for tourism! . . . As pilgrims began to come from distant regions, it no doubt seemed good for business to give the name ‘St. Peter’s fish’ to the musht being served by the early lakeside eating houses. The most popular and easily prepared fish acquired the most marketable name!”

While we cannot state with absolute certainty what fish it was that Peter caught, whatever fish you are served as “St. Peter’s fish” will most likely prove to be a very delicious dish.

Fish were a popular food item throughout The Bible. They were taken from the Sea of Galilee, the Nile River when the Israelites were living in the Goshen area of Egypt, the Jordan River, and the Mediterranean Sea. As its name indicates, the Dead Sea, also called the Salt Sea, did not provide a living habitat for fish.

Fish The photo shows 2 tilapia, also popularly known as "St. Peter's fish," taken from the Sea of Galilee. Along with them are 5 loaves of bread - similar to what Jesus Christ used to miraculously feed the 5,000 (Matthew 14:15-21). He later fed 4,000 from "a few small fish" and seven loaves of bread (Matthew 15:32-38) (see also The Miracles Of Jesus Christ)

Fishing became a major industry for Israel. Jerusalem apparently had a fish market from the time of the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 33:14, Nehemiah 3:3), with the Fish Gate the likely entrance to it.

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"The Sea of Galilee"
Tiberias, Israel

Thursday, ‎December ‎26, ‎2013

Sixth Day of my Holy Land Trip, Mount Zion, Jerusalem

My Holy Land Trip

"The Sea of Galilee"

The Sea of Galilee, also Kinneret, Lake of Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias is the largest freshwater lake in Israel, and it is approximately 53 km (33 mi) in circumference, about 21 km (13 mi) long, and 13 km (8.1 mi) wide. The lake has a total area of 166.7 Sq km (64.4 sq mi) at its fullest, and a maximum depth of approximately 43 m (141 feet). At levels between 215 meters (705 ft) and 209 meters (686 ft) below sea level, it is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second-lowest lake overall (after the Dead Sea, a saltwater lake). The lake is fed partly by underground springs although its main source is the Jordan River which flows through it from north to south.

The way to Tiberias, west shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel:

The Sea of Galilee is situated in northeast Israel, near the Golan Heights, in the Jordan Rift Valley, the valley caused by the separation of the African and Arabian Plates. Consequently the area is subject to earthquakes, and in the past, volcanic activity. This is evident by the abundant basalt and other igneous rocks that define the geology of the Galilee region.

The modern Hebrew name, Kinneret, comes from the Old Testament or Hebrew Tanakh "sea of Kinneret" in Numbers 34:11 and Joshua 13:27, and spelled (Hebrew) ("Kinnerot") in Joshua 11:2. This name was also found in the scripts of Ugarit, in the Aqhat Epic. Kinneret was listed among the "fenced cities" in Joshua 19:35. The name Kinneret may originate from the Hebrew word kinnor ("harp" or "lyre"), in view of the shape of the lake.

Boating across the Sea of Galilee, Tiberias, west shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel:

In the New Testament the term "sea of Galilee" is used in the gospel of Matthew 4:18; 15:29, the gospel of Mark 1:16; 7:31, and in the gospel of John 6:1 as "the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias", the late 1st century CE name. Sea of Tiberias is also the name mentioned in Roman texts and in the Jerusalem Talmud, and was adopted into Arabic as Buhairet Tabariyya.

All Bible writers use the term "sea" except the gospel of Luke, written to Theophilus of Macedonia, where it is called "the lake of Genneseret" in Luke 5:1, from the Greek, the "Grecized form of Chinnereth" according to Easton, who says Genneseret means "a garden of riches". The Babylonian Talmud, as well as Flavius Josephus mentions the sea by the name "Sea of Ginosar" after the small fertile plain of Ginosar that lies on its western side.

Boating across the Sea of Galilee, Tiberias, west shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel:

The Sea of Galilee lies on the ancient Via Maris, which linked Egypt with the northern empires. The Greeks, Hasmoneans, and Romans founded flourishing towns and settlements on the land-locked lake including Gadara, Hippos and Tiberias. The first-century historian Flavius Josephus was so impressed by the area that he wrote, "One may call this place the ambition of Nature." Josephus also reported a thriving fishing industry at this time, with 230 boats regularly working in the lake. Archaeologists discovered one such boat, nicknamed the Jesus Boat, in 1986.

Boating across the Sea of Galilee, Tiberias, west shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel:

Much of the ministry of Jesus occurred on the shores of Lake Galilee. In those days, there was a continuous ribbon development of settlements and villages around the lake and plenty of trade and ferrying by boat. The Synoptic gospels of Mark (1:14–20), Matthew (4:18–22), and Luke (5:1–11) describes how Jesus recruited four of his apostles from the shores of Lake Galilee: the fishermen Simon and his brother Andrew and the brothers John and James. One of Jesus' famous teaching episodes, the Sermon on the Mount, is supposed to have been given on a hill overlooking the lake. Many of his miracles are also said to have occurred here including his walking on water, calming the storm, the disciples and the boatload of fish, and his feeding five thousand people (in Tabgha).

Boating across the Sea of Galilee, Tiberias, west shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel:

In 135 CE bar Kokhba's revolt was put down. The Romans responded by banning all Jews from Jerusalem. The center of Jewish culture and learning shifted to the region of the Galilee and the Kinneret, particularly the city of Tiberias. It was in this region that the so-called "Jerusalem Talmud" was compiled.

The lake's importance declined when the Byzantines lost control and the area came under the control of the Umayyad Caliphate and subsequent Islamic empires. Apart from Tiberias, the major towns and cities in the area were gradually abandoned. The palace Khirbat al-Minya was built by the lake during the reign of the Umayyad caliph al-Walid (705–715 CE). In 1187, Saladin defeated the armies of the Crusades at the Battle of Hattin, largely because he was able to cut the Crusaders off from the valuable fresh water of the Sea of Galilee.

Guide Mr. Sayed explaining, boating across the Sea of Galilee. Tiberias, west shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel:

Throughout the early Ottoman era, the lake had little importance within the Ottoman Empire. Tiberias did see a significant revival of its Jewish community in the 16th century, but had gradually declined, until in 1660 the city was completely destroyed. In early 18th century, Tiberias was rebuilt by Daher al-Omar, becoming the center of his rule over Galilee, and seeing also a revival of its Jewish community.

In 1909, Jewish pioneers established the first cooperative farming village (kibbutz), Kvutzat Kinneret in the immediate vicinity of the lake. The settlement trained Jewish immigrants in farming and agriculture. Later, Kvutzat Kinneret pioneers established Kibbutz Degania Alef. The Kvutzat Kinneret is considered the cradle of the kibbutz culture of early Zionism and is the birthplace of Naomi Shemer and the burial site of Rachel—two of the most prominent Israeli poets.

Boating across the Sea of Galilee, Tiberias, west shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel:

In 1917, the British defeated Ottoman Turkish forces and took control of Palestine, while France took control of Syria. In the carve-up of the Ottoman territories between Britain and France, it was agreed that Britain would retain control of Palestine, while France would control Syria. However, the allies had to fix the border between the Mandatory Palestine and the French Mandate of Syria. The boundary was defined in broad terms by the Franco-British Boundary Agreement of December 1920, which drew it across the middle of the lake. However, the commission established by the 1920 treaty redrew the boundary. 

Boating across the Sea of Galilee, Tiberias, west shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel:

The Zionist movement pressured the French and British to assign as many water sources as possible to Mandatory Palestine during the demarcating negotiations. The High Commissioner of Palestine, Herbert Samuel, had sought full control of the Sea of Galilee. The negotiations led to the inclusion into the Palestine territory of the whole Sea of Galilee, both sides of the River Jordan, Lake Hula, Dan spring, and part of the Yarmouk. The final border approved in 1923 followed a 10-meter wide strip along the lake's northeastern shore, cutting the Mandatory Syria (State of Damascus) off from the lake.

Boating across the Sea of Galilee, Tiberias, west shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel:

The British and French Agreement provided that existing rights over the use of the waters of the Jordan by the inhabitants of Syria would be maintained; the Government of Syria would have the right to erect a new pier at Semakh on Lake Tiberias or jointly use the existing pier; persons or goods passing between the landing-stage on the Lake of Tiberias and Semakh would not be subject to customs regulations, and the Syrian government would have access to the said landing-stage; the inhabitants of Syria and Lebanon would have the same fishing and navigation rights on Lakes Huleh, Tiberias and River Jordan, while the Government of Palestine would be responsible for policing of lakes.

On May 15, 1948, Syria invaded the newborn State of Israel, [16] capturing territory along the Sea of Galilee. Under the 1949 armistice agreement between Israel and Syria, Syria occupied the northeast shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. The agreement, though, stated that the armistice line was "not to be interpreted as having any relation whatsoever to ultimate territorial arrangements." Syria remained in possession of the lake's northeast shoreline until the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Other side of the Sea of Galilee, Hippos Township:

In the 1950s, Israel formulated a plan to link the Kinnereth with the rest of the country by National Water Carrier, in order to supply the water demand of the growing country. The carrier was completed in 1964. The Israeli plan, in line with the Headwater Diversion Plan (Jordan River) of the Arab League, sparked political and sometimes even armed confrontations over the Jordan River basin.

During a routine sonar scan in 2003 (finding published in 2013[18]), archaeologists discovered an enormous conical stone structure. The structure, which has a diameter of around 230 feet (70 m), is made of boulders and stones. The ruins are estimated to be between 2,000 and 12,000 years old, and are about 10 meters (33ft) underwater. The estimated weight of the monument is over 60,000 tons. Researchers explain that the site resembles early burial sites in Europe and were likely built in the early Bronze Age.

Other side of the Sea of Galilee, Hippos Township:

Water use

Israel's National Water Carrier, built in 1964, transports water from the lake to the population centers of Israel, and is the source of much of the country's drinking water.

In 1964, Syria attempted construction of a Headwater Diversion Plan that would have blocked the flow of water into the Sea of Galilee, sharply reducing the water flow into the lake.[20] This project and Israel's attempt to block these efforts in 1965 were factors which played into regional tensions culminating in the 1967 Six-Day War. During the war, Israel captured the Golan Heights, which contain some of the sources of water for the Sea of Galilee.

About 400,000,000 cubic meters (1.4×1010 cu ft) of water is pumped in the National Water Carrier each year. Under the terms of the Israel–Jordan peace treaty, Israel also supplies 50,000,000 cubic meters (1.8×109 cu ft) of water annually from the lake to Jordan.

Other side of the Sea of Galilee, Hippos Township:

Increasing water demand and dry winters have resulted in stress on the lake and a decreasing water line to dangerously low levels at times. The Sea of Galilee is at risk of becoming irreversibly salinized by the salt water springs under the lake, which are held in check by the weight of the freshwater on top of them.

The Israeli government monitors water levels and publishes the results daily at this web page. The level over the past eight years can be retrieved from that site. By early 2013, the Kinneret water level was at an 8 year high. The Water Authority partly attributes the improvement to the expansion of desalination technology as a water source.

Other side of the Sea of Galilee, Hippos Township:

Today, tourism is the Sea of Galilee's most important economic activity with the entire region being a popular holiday destination. The many historical and spiritual sites around the lake, especially its main town Tiberias, are visited by millions of local and foreign tourists annually. The Sea of Galilee attracts many Christian pilgrims, because, according to the New Testament, many of the miracles of Jesus occurred on its shores—including his walking on water, calming the storm, and feeding five thousand people in Tabgha.

In April 2011, Israel unveiled a 40-mile (64 km) hiking trail in the Galilee for Christian pilgrims, called the "Jesus Trail". It includes a network of footpaths, roads and bicycle paths linking sites central to the lives of Jesus and his disciples. It ends at Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus espoused his teachings.

Another key attraction is the site where the Sea of Galilee's water flows into the Jordan River, to which thousands of pilgrims from all over the world come to be baptized every year. Israel's most well-known open water swim race, the Kinneret Crossing, is held every year in September, drawing thousands of open water swimmers to participate in competitive and noncompetitive events.

Tourists also partake in the building of rafts on Lavnun Beach, called Rafsodia. Here many different age groups work together to build a raft with their bare hands and then sail that rafts across the sea.

Other economic activities include fishing in the lake and agriculture, particularly bananas, in the fertile belt of land surrounding it.

The warm waters of the Sea of Galilee support various flora and fauna, which have supported a significant commercial fishery for more than two millennia. Local flora includes various reeds along most of the shoreline as well as phytoplankton. Fauna include zooplankton, benthos and a number of fish species such as Acanthobrama terraesanctae. Fish caught commercially include Tristramella simonis and notably Tilapia, locally called "St. Peter’s Fish". In 2005, 300 short tons (270 t) of tilapia were caught by local fishermen. This dropped to 8 short tons (7.3 t) in 2009 due to overfishing.

The water level surveyor in the Sea of Galilee:

However, low water levels in drought years have stressed the lake's ecology. This may have been aggravated by over-extraction of water for either the National Water Carrier to supply other parts of Israel or, since 1994, for the supply of water to Jordan (see "Water use" section above). Droughts of the early and mid-1990s dried out the marshy northern margin of the lake. A fish species that is unique to the lake, Tristramella sacra, used to spawn in the marsh and has not been seen since the 1990s droughts. Conservationists fear this species may have become extinct.

Researchers stumbled upon a cone-shaped monument, approximately 230 feet in diameter, 39 feet high, and weighing an estimated 60,000 tons, while conducting a geophysical survey on the southern Sea of Galilee, reports Prof. Shmulik Marco of TAU's Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences. The team also included TAU Profs. Zvi Ben-Avraham and Moshe Reshef, and TAU alumni Dr. Gideon Tibor of the Oceanographic and Immunological Research Institute.

Sunset over Sea of Galilee:

Initial findings indicate that the structure was built on dry land approximately 6,000 years ago, and later submerged under the water. Prof. Marco calls it an impressive feat, noting that the stones, which comprise the structure, were probably brought from more than a mile away and arranged according to a specific construction plan.

Dr. Yitzhak Paz of the Antiquities Authority and Ben-Gurion University says that the site, which was recently detailed in the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, resembles early burial sites in Europe and was likely built in the early Bronze Age. He believes that there may be a connection to the nearby ancient city of Beit Yerah, the largest and most fortified city in the area.

Ancient structure revealed by sonar

The team of researchers initially set out to uncover the origins of alluvium pebbles found in this area of the Sea of Galilee, which they believe were deposited by the ancient Yavniel Creek, a precursor to the Jordan River south of the Sea of Galilee. While using sonar technology to survey the bottom of the lake, they observed a massive pile of stones in the midst of the otherwise smooth basin.

Curious about the unusual blip on their sonar, Prof. Marco went diving to learn more. A closer look revealed that the pile was not a random accumulation of stones, but a purposefully-built structure composed of three-foot-long volcanic stones called basalt. Because the closest deposit of the stone is more than a mile away, he believes that they were brought to the site specifically for this structure.

To estimate the age of the structure, researchers turned to the accumulation of sand around its base. Due to a natural build-up of sand throughout the years, the base is now six to ten feet below the bottom of the Sea of Galilee. Taking into account the height of the sand and the rate of accumulation, researchers deduced that the monument is several thousand years old.

Looking deeper

Next, the researchers plan to organize a specialized underwater excavations team to learn more about the origins of the structure, including an investigation of the surface the structure was built on. A hunt for arte facts will help to more accurately date the monument and give clues as to its purpose and builders. And while it is sure to interest archaeologists, Prof. Marco says that the findings could also illuminate the geological history of the region.

"The base of the structure -- which was once on dry land -- is lower than any water level that we know of in the ancient Sea of Galilee. But this doesn't necessarily mean that water levels have been steadily rising," he says. Because the Sea of Galilee is a tectonically active region, the bottom of the lake, and therefore the structure, may have shifted over time. Further investigation is planned to increase the understanding of past tectonic movements, the accumulation of sediment, and the changing water levels throughout history.