Gofer in the Galilee (book review)

Jerusalem Post, Weekend Magazine; January 3, 2008

Following the destruction of the second Temple by the Romans, Galilee was a haven for the Amoraic and Tannaitic sages, the authors of the Mishna and the Talmud. The rabbinic sages have long since left for the next world, but Amnon Gofer has established himself as a sage of multicultural tourism in northern Israel, and his recently published book Galilean Secrets (Sodot Glili'im, Am Oved 2007, NIS 129) can serve as a "mishna" for Israelis tourists, guiding the reader through northern towns in a simple, neat and well-organized manner.

Gofer, a resident of Kfar Havradim and former senior IDF officer, discovered his love for navigating the northern part of the country while working as a general manager of a radio station headquartered in a hotel up north. One day the director of the hotel requested, as a favor, that he take a group of Israelis on an informal tour through Galilee. It was near the mystical town of Peki'in that he saw his new calling. He quit his job two weeks later and dedicated himself full-time to discovering and sharing the secrets of the Galilee.

In Galilean Secrets he provides do-it-yourself trails for nine cities and towns: Safed, Gush Halav, Peki'in, Kfar Havradim, Tarshiha, Mi'ilya, Acre, Klil and Nazareth. As a self-made tour guide who discovered his secrets by venturing out on his own, he writes with mindfulness for newcomers.

Each chapter starts with a general description of the essence of the town followed by a "tour by numbers" map and key. He guides the reader step-by-step through the roads, alleys, markets and forests to the mainstream and more esoteric historical and religious landmarks, parks, eateries, craftsmen, artists, and even homes of longtime residents.

Through the body of each chapter, each spot on the trail is the subject of its own subheading. For some attractions, his elaborations are straightforward, providing only essential details; for others he provides folklore, legend, curious facts and even gossip. He has a good knack for honing in on the more interesting sites.
The synagogues and burial sites of the Jewish sages are among religious attractions covered in the book, and Gofer does an admirable job in balancing Druse, Muslim, Christian and Jewish points of interest, including mosques, churches, archeological digs, and even profiles of clergymen. His lively descriptions of the diverse residents dissipate any tension that might exist between the different religions represented in Galilee.

Gofer never leaves his readers hungry. At the end of each chapter he provides recommendations for family or home-based eateries, as well as the more commercial, flamboyant restaurants. He introduces us to bakers, soapmakers, winemakers, cheesemakers and olive oil makers of all kinds. In addition, he offers hotel, hostel and tzimmer options.

The book may be a challenging read for people with intermediate Hebrew reading skills, but is well worth the patience for those seriously interested in touring the north on their own. The Hebrew is elegant yet down-to earth and printed in a large font. Unfortunately the high-quality pictures - which complement the colorful descriptions throughout the book - lack captions, leaving the reader guessing at times.