Tiberias, named for the emperor Tiberius, is one of four holy cities in Judaism.
History
The series of hot springs in the region first attracted Roman notice in the 1st century and led Herod Antipas to build a city replete with a grand cardo, stadium, gold-roofed palace, and great synagogue. Following the Bar Kochba Revolt in the 2nd century when Jews were exiled from Jerusalem, Tiberias became the center of Jewish life in Israel. Rabbinical academies were established and Jewish scholars and sages were drawn to Tiberias. Today you can visit many tombs of great Jewish tzadiks (scholars) including Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon and Rabbi Meir Ba’al Hanes who helped to compile the Mishnah.
Modern Day Tiberias
Modern Tiberias is a relatively large, but quiet city, with many hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, and a beautiful lakeside walking promenade. It’s also the biggest transportation hub in the Galilee, buses departing from its central station to all major destinations in the country.
