It means "head of the grottos/caves" in Hebrew. Rosh-ha-Niqra is situated at the northern-western end of Israel-Lebanon border, 8 km. north of Naharia (Israel's northernmost coastal city). These are white tunnels/caves formed by action of sea on the soft chalk rocks through a geological process over thousands of years. In Rosh-Hanikra there is a 200 meters man made tunnel that connects all the grottos. Today a cable car takes visitors down to see the grottos. Legends say that it was here Abraham was given the promise by Lord "To your seed will I give this land." In Bible, the Book of Joshua mentions "Misraphot Mayim" as a place south of Rosh HaNikra that was the border of the Israelite tribes of the time (13:6). Jewish traditions also name the place as "The Ladder of Tire" because of the steep ascent of the road when it climbed the cliff (Maccabees I, 11:19). The British even made a railway track connecting Haifa (Israel) and Beirut (Lebanon) through Rosh Hanikra. But today, because of the tension there's no train between the countries and the tunnel is blocked. Armies of Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and the Crusaders have marched through these paths. When Alexander the Great entered the Land of Israel from the city of Tyre, he dug tunnels in the rock Rosh ha-Niqra (332 BC).
Monday, April 28, 2008
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