Coming to Meron for Lag B’omer? Prepare to be inspired. But don’t leave just yet. There are so many holy places in northern Israel, that you will need to come back many times to see and experience them all. Lag Ba'omer marks the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, also known as Rashbi. People converge on his grave on Meron (his son Reb Eleazar is also buried in the same tomb) to celebrate the light that Rashbi brought to the world with the Zohar. If you are coming to Meron for Lag Ba'omer you may want to visit other kevarim as well. Here are a collection of just a few of the most popular gravesites that Jews have been visiting and praying at for hundreds and even thousands of years.

In Tiberias

The Rambam: The Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon or Maimonides) died in Cairo in 1204. His remains were brought to Tiberias and buried in what is now a pilgrimage site. On the way up to the grave, there are seven pillars, each one inscribed with the name of one of the volumes of the Rambam’s Mishna Torah. Ironically, the Rambam himself was against people visiting graves of tzadikim. He said the the writings of sages served as their memorial. Nevertheless, people flock to his grave to pray to G-d and honor the holy Rambam.

The Ramchal: Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto is buried right next to the Rambam in the city of Tiberias. The Ramchal had a famously troubled life and died young, unappreciated and persecuted in his lifetime. His books on ethics are now some of the most studied in all of Judaism and include the Mesillas Yesharim and Derech Hashem. His grave is located right next to Rabbi Akiva’s.

Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva is perhaps the most famous of all the Tana’im (Mishna era sages). He only started learning Torah at the age of 40 at the urging of his wife Rachel. After 14 years, he had 24,000 students. He taught Torah during a time when the Romans decreed death to anyone teaching Torah. He was eventually found and put to death by the Romans who tortured and killed him. Rabbi Akiva smiled at the very end saying to his students that he now is able to say that he loved G-d with his whole life. His grave overlooks the Kineret. Since the middle ages, Jews have been coming to his grave to pray for rain, among other things.

Rabbi Meir Baal Ha-nes. People have been visiting the grave of Rabbi Meir Ba’al Ha-nes since the thirteenth century. He was known as Rabbi Meir the miracle worker because of the miracles he performed during his lifetime. People come to pray here when they need a salvation of some kind. It is still a tradition today to give charity in Rabbi Meir’s name and pray in times of happiness and sadness with the words: “G-d of Meir - answer me.”

Rachel, wife of Rabbi Akiva: The story of Rabbi Akiva and his wife Rachel is one of the most famous stories in Jewish history. Rabbi Akiva was uneducated and, seeing his potential, the wealthy Rachel married him and was promptly disowned by her father. After becoming the most famous Rabbi of his day, Rabbi Akiva gave all the credit to his wife Rachel. Her grave has become a place of pilgrimage, especially for women.

In Safed

The Arizal: The Mikveh and grave of the Ari Hakadosh are located in Safed. The mikveh is a natural (and very cold) spring that the Ari instructed he be immersed in on his deathbed. Today, as legend goes, anyone immersing himself in the mikveh will not die without the opportunity to do teshuva. A few steps from the mikveh is the Ari’s tomb and that of his son Rabbi Moshe Luria. A tree grows from the tomb and people have the tradition to place notes in plastic bags on the branches of the tree.

Rabbi Yosef Caro: Rabbi Yosef Caro is also known as the Mechaber - The Author. He wrote the Shulchan Aruch, the authoritative collection on which all subsequent Jewish law is based. He was born in Spain or Portugal in 1488 and arrived in Safed in 1536. He studied under Rav Beirav and upon his teacher’s death, he was appointed the spiritual head of the city.

Chana and her seven sons: Past the Ari’s mikveh is a path that will lead you straight to the grave of Chana and her seven sons. Chana’s sons are perhaps the most famous martyrs in all of Judaism. They refused to bow down to idols in front of the Greek King. The legend goes that the youngest son was offered to just pretend to bow by the King, who was desperately embarrassed by his failure to prevail over Chana’s faithful sons. Chana then leaned down and whispered to her youngest, and last remaining son; “Go to Avraham Avinu. Tell him that he sacrificed one son and I sacrificed seven.” All of her sons, as well as Chana, who jumped off a roof afterwards, are buried here at this holy spot.

In Meron

Hillel Hazaken: Hillel came to Israel at the age of 40 and lived approximately 100 years before the destruction of the Temple. He was known for his gentleness and leniency. He lead the Jewish people along with his friend Shammai, whose approach was much more strict. Hillel lived in extreme poverty. The famous story is that he was too poor to gain entry to the yeshiva and climbed up to the roof to be able to hear the lectures of his teachers Shmaya and Avtalyon.

Around the North

Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel: The grave of Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel is located in the village of Amuka. At one time, driving down to the grave was treacherous. But thousands of singles braved it anyway. Rabbi Yonatan never married and promised that anyone praying at his grave would find their match. Luckily, today the roads are newly paved and quite safe. Thousands of singles still go there every year to pray to find their zivug.

Reb Yehudah Bar Ilai: - Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai is a fourth generation Tanah and the most frequently mentioned sage in the Mishna. Rabbi Yehudah lived in tremendous poverty. As an example, he and his wife had one coat and could only leave the house at different times as they had to share the coat. People traditionally go the the grave of Rabbi Yehudah to pray for wealth.