“And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?” (Judges, 4:6)
Mount Tabor, standing 575 meters above sea level at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, is the site of the battle fought by Deborah and Barak against the Canaanite king Sisera, according to the Bible. In Christian tradition, it is the site of the Transfiguration – which explains the presence of two monasteries on its peak; one Roman Catholic and the other Eastern Orthodox.
Today the Bedouin villages of Shibli – renowned for its delightful Bedouin Heritage Centre – and Umm al Ghanam (now merged to form one municipality), together with the village of Daburiya, nestle at the mountain’s base. The peak is shared by Christian pilgrims, hang-gliding enthusiasts and day-trippers wanting to enjoy the spectacular views.
And if you like a foodie aspect to your day-tripping, then a visit to the farm shop in nearby Kfar Kish to taste wonderful goats’ milk cheeses and local micro-brewery beer is a must.
