Ancient Times through Middle Ages
It is unclear when the first Jews lived in Tzfat. Archaeologists have discovered
a 3500-year-old implement in the wadi near Zefat, so it is known that there was
some sort of settlement here at that time. However, documenting the first Jewish
settlement is less clear.
Archaeologists believe that the Tzfat citadel was one of the "stations" where fires were lit to announce the coming of the new Jewish month. When 2 witnesses to the New Moon testified at the Temple in Jerusalem to having seen a New Moon (new month), a fire would be lit there to notify surrounding Jewish communities of the month's commencement -- this insured that Jews throughout the area would be celebrating Jewish holidays in sync. Communities along the pipeline would light their own fires when they saw the fire in Jerusalem, and again, more communities would light their fires when they saw those of the nearby towns. Zefat's citadel is believed to be on of those stations.
Josephus wrote about stationing a battalion of Jewish soldiers in "Sepph" in the war against the Romans, and many historians believe that the area that he was speaking of was Tzfat, but again, there is no archaeologicalal evidence to support that.
early picture of hillside below Old City of Tzfat
It is unclear when the first Jews lived in Tzfat. Archaeologists have discovered a 3500-year-old implement in the wadi near Zefat, so it is known that there was some sort of settlement here at that time. However, documenting the first Jewish settlement is less clear.
Archaeologists believe that the Tzfat citadel was one of the "stations" where fires were lit to announce the coming of the new Jewish month. When 2 witnesses to the New Moon testified at the Temple in Jerusalem to having seen a New Moon (new month), a fire would be lit there to notify surrounding Jewish communities of the month's commencement -- this insured that Jews throughout the area would be celebrating Jewish holidays in sync. Communities along the pipeline would light their own fires when they saw the fire in Jerusalem, and again, more communities would light their fires when they saw those of the nearby towns. Zefat's citadel is believed to be on of those stations.
Josephus wrote about stationing a battalion of Jewish soldiers in "Sepph" in the war against the Romans, and many historians believe that the area that he was speaking of was Tzfat, but again, there is no archaeologicalal evidence to support that.
Archaeologists believe that the Tzfat citadel was one of the "stations" where fires were lit to announce the coming of the new Jewish month. When 2 witnesses to the New Moon testified at the Temple in Jerusalem to having seen a New Moon (new month), a fire would be lit there to notify surrounding Jewish communities of the month's commencement -- this insured that Jews throughout the area would be celebrating Jewish holidays in sync. Communities along the pipeline would light their own fires when they saw the fire in Jerusalem, and again, more communities would light their fires when they saw those of the nearby towns. Zefat's citadel is believed to be on of those stations.
Josephus wrote about stationing a battalion of Jewish soldiers in "Sepph" in the war against the Romans, and many historians believe that the area that he was speaking of was Tzfat, but again, there is no archaeologicalal evidence to support that.
early picture of hillside below Old City of Tzfat
It is unclear when the first Jews lived in Tzfat. Archaeologists have discovered a 3500-year-old implement in the wadi near Zefat, so it is known that there was some sort of settlement here at that time. However, documenting the first Jewish settlement is less clear.
Archaeologists believe that the Tzfat citadel was one of the "stations" where fires were lit to announce the coming of the new Jewish month. When 2 witnesses to the New Moon testified at the Temple in Jerusalem to having seen a New Moon (new month), a fire would be lit there to notify surrounding Jewish communities of the month's commencement -- this insured that Jews throughout the area would be celebrating Jewish holidays in sync. Communities along the pipeline would light their own fires when they saw the fire in Jerusalem, and again, more communities would light their fires when they saw those of the nearby towns. Zefat's citadel is believed to be on of those stations.
Josephus wrote about stationing a battalion of Jewish soldiers in "Sepph" in the war against the Romans, and many historians believe that the area that he was speaking of was Tzfat, but again, there is no archaeologicalal evidence to support that.