Hula Valley
Hula ValleyIsrael news photo

Want to see a sensational archaeological find in the middle of one of the most beautiful places in Israel? Make the trip to Israel’s northeast corner where the Jordan River spills into the always lush Hula Valley, the foot of majestic and sometimes snow-capped Mount Hermon.

Snow-capped Mt. Hermon

Ministry of Tourism

In 1939, Kibbutz Dan was established, despite the fact that its creation was against British law. The British occupying administration at the time had issued the infamous “White Paper” severely curtailing Jewish immigration to Israel, just as the Jews were fleeing Hitler’s grasp. The British placed a “settlement freeze” on the Jews, one that was ignored by young idealistic pioneers, who resisted the draconian anti-Jewish decrees to establish new Jewish villages throughout the land.  

During the 1948 War of Independence when Arabs attacked from the Golan, the Dan kibbutz evacuated women and children and stood fast against the Syrians that advanced towards them from Syria’s high vantage point. The Jewish residents lived for 19 years under the shadow of the Syrian guns.

In 1967, all that changed. With the Syrians swept from the Golan, Kibbutz Dan could breath easy and enjoy the exquisite beauty of their home.

When visiting the nature reserve today, one can enjoy the calming effects of the sounds of rushing water, the chirping of exotic birds and the sights and smells of a collage of ferns, plants and trees. At the crossroads of three continents and sitting on the great Syrian-African rift, Tel Dan hosts a wide variety of species within its 120 acres.

Shalom Pollack is a veteran Israel tour guide, who guides and plans tours for families and groups. He also writes and lectures on Israel and will be on a lecture tour in the U.S. in October-November. For more information, click here!