It is worthwhile to dedicate a few hours to exploring the city of Safed, to visit the old city and roam its many alleyways, and to pray at the ancient cemetery and immerse in the mikve (ritual pool) of the Holy Ari.
Begin the tour in the old city. When you enter Safed, go past the central bus station on your right. Continue straight until you reach Ari Street and then turn right. Park your car down the street and tour the alleys on foot. Begin the tour at the Safed Candle Factory at 42 Ari Street. At the factory shop you can buy havdalah and other candles in different colors, shapes and sizes, as well as biblical figures made of wax, and other unique items.
Leave the shop and turn left until you come to the Ari Ashkenazi synagogue, where you will find a large orchard called "Field of Sacred Quinces". It was from here that the Holy Ari would go forth with his students every Friday to welcome the Sabbath. Many years after his death, an Ari Ashkenazi congregation was established in Safed. The synagogue is built in the style of classic Safed architecture, with a high ceiling and many arches. The holy ark is also constructed in this style.
There is a hole in the bimah and It is said that a fragment of a shell fell in the courtyard exactly at the moment when people praying there knelt to say, "Modim, We thank You". The shell penetrated the bima and the congregation were miraculously saved. In the synagogue there is also "Elijah the Prophet's chair", which was donated in honor of the "Shelach ha Kodesh", Rabbi Israel from Rozhin, by one of his sons who lived in Israel. Leave the synagogue and go down the steps to the left and turn into the alley called "Alkabetz".
From here you enter a narrow street with many art galleries featuring various styles of art. It is worthwhile to linger at the "Canaan Gallery", where you will find handmade tallitot and handwoven textiles. Continue down the alley until you come to the Rabbi Yosef Caro synagogue, which was the rabbinical court of Rabbi Yosef Caro. Go down the steps to the right to the "Abohav" alley, to the synagogue of Rabbi Yitzchak Abohav, who lived in Spain 500 years ago.
The synagogue's central dome has four wide columns decorated with symbolic murals. Though he never came to Israel, some of his disciples immigrated to Safed and brought with them a Torah scroll said to have been made by Rabbi Abohav. This scroll is reputed to have mystical powers and many believe that this protected the synagogue and its holy ark during the devastating earthquake in Safed in 1837, in which 2000 people died and most of the buildings were destroyed. The synagogue has recently undergone extensive restoration. Go back up the steps to Ari Street and return to the parking lot.
Walk down the road to the end of the Breslov neighborhood. Continue left up the steps until you arrive at the Sefardi Ari synagogue, where the Holy Ari used to pray. Go back in the direction of the parking lot and then down the hill to the mikve of the Ari and the old cemetery of Safed. Here are buried many of Safed's ancient rabbis, including the Holy Ari, the Beit Yosef, Rabbi Yosef Caro, the Alshich, Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz and many other tzaddikim. In the old city there are also two famous dairies which produce excellent goat cheese (Kosher Lemehadrin).
You can tour the dairies, taste the cheese and buy it at the factory store. HaMeiri Dairy was established in 1840 and claims to be the first dairy established in Israel.There are guided tours for families every Friday at 12:00. For large groups and for tours on other days, you must register in advance. The dairy is on HaAri Street above the Ari Sephardi synagogue. The second dairy, Kadosh Cheeses, is near the military cemetery north of the old cemetery.
The dairy tours have their own in-house guides. Register in advance for a tour of HaMeiri Dairy (972-4-692-1431). And for tours of Gvinot Kadosh (Kadosh Cheeses) call 972-4-692-0326.
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