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Continuity of Jewish PresenceSafed

Safed, known in Hebrew as "Tsfat," is the highest city in Israel's Galilee, with sweeping views of the surrounding mountains. Though never mentioned in the Torah, Safed later became an important center of Jewish life in the Middle Ages, and is considered one of Israel's "Four Holy Cities" (along with Jerusalem, Hebron, and Tiberias.)

In the late 12th century, the Crusaders built a large citadel in Safed, but the Muslims took control of the citadel when they conquered the city. The Crusaders returned and rebuilt the fortress, but again, the Muslims gained control in the late 13th century, and the Christians were killed or sold into slavery.

Safed became an important refuge for the Spanish Jewish population starting in 1492, during the reconquista and Spanish Inquisition. Jews were expelled from Spain, and many fled to Safed, which quickly gained a reputation as the home of Kabbalists and Jewish mystics. The Zohar, the primary book on Jewish mysticism, was said to have been written in the area of Safed in the 2nd century by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, when he was hiding in a cave, fleeing Roman persecution. A 12th century rabbi, Moses de Leon, published the work. During the 15th and 16th centuries, scholars began expounding upon the Zohar, most notably Rabbi Isaac Luria, known as the "Ari" (lion). Rabbi Luria lived in Safed in the late 16th century and became the most prominent scholar of the Zohar.

Other rabbis who lived in Safed include Rabbi Joseph Caro, the author of the Shulkhan Arukh, a definitive work of halakha (Jewish law). The Caro synagogue in Safed, named after the scholar, houses a Torah scroll that is at least 400 years old.

The Jewish community in Safed thrived and prospered for 400 years. Sadly, during the violent riots of 1929, about twenty Jews were massacred by their Arab neighbors. During the 1948 War of Independence, the Jews fought back against the Arabs and secured Safed as part of the new State. The loss of Safed was a huge blow to Arab morale and Arabs fled the city in droves; today there is no significant Arab population living in Safed.

Safed has unfortunately been the subject of other attacks since the establishment of the state. In 1974, a bus of school children was taken hostage by The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and 22 children were killed. Safed has also been the victim of Katushya rockets fired by Hezbollah in recent years.

However, Jewish presence continues to thrive in Safed. Schools and houses of learning and worship flourish, and Safed's reputation as a center of mysticism and the arts holds strong.

In the 1950's and 1960's, Safed gained a reputation as an arts center. Artists flocked to the city from all over the country, and it became home to a diverse group of art museums and galleries. Today, the artist colony remains a highlight of any trip to Safed.