An ancient synagogue in a Galilee landscape.
by Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
The ancient synagogue of the village of Bar'am, nestled in the mountainous Upper Galilee northwest of Safed, is an opulent structure built of large and beautiful ashlars, attesting to the presence of a thriving Jewish community here in the fourth and fifth centuries CE. The very well-preserved facade has three beautifully carved doorways facing Jerusalem, the central of which is particularly grand. A second, smaller synagogue left practically no remains. Its lintel is on display in the Louvre in Paris.
The park also contains remains of the Maronite village of Bir'am, whose inhabitants were required to leave by the Israel Defense Forces in 1948 for security reasons. The village church is still the spiritual center of that community. Near the synagogue is the Bar'am oak forest, a reserve of impressively large Kermes oaks. Bar Mitzvahs and weddings are often celebrated here. Celebrate your special event at our site.
How to get there?
The park is located on the Sasa-Bar'am road (no. 899) about half a kilometer from the junction of the new northern road (about 3 km east of the Hiram junction).