Haifa - A Mountainside Haven By The Sea

Haifa, Israel’s third largest city, has always been regarded as the work place of Israel, where big industry and high-tech companies come to do business. It was always Tel-Aviv for partying and Jerusalem for spiritual fortification. Haifa was simply not on the tourist radar.

But then the Intifada started in 2000 and while tensions were as taut as stretched elastic elsewhere in this tiny, troubled land, Haifa remained a peaceful haven of co-existence between its Islamic-Christian-Jewish-Druz-Bahai populations and domestic tourists began to regard Haifa through a tourist lens.

Since then, this mountainside city by the sea has been busy tending her lush mountain-top landscape, renovating its beautiful limestone architecture, buffing her soft sandy beaches and showing off her crown jewels- the magnificent Baha’i gardens, considered the Eighth Wonder of the World.

When I visited the gardens recently I stood at the top of Mount Carmel and marvelled at the botanic vision stretching downward before me. I descended the six hundred cream-hued steps through nineteen monumental water-featured gardens that cascade over the north side of the mountain, each perfectly symmetrical, with clean flower bed lines, brightly coloured shrubs and green, green lawns to die for. The tenth garden, frames a colonnade and a golden domed shrine and beyond the shrine a further nine stunning gardens tumble neatly to street level. It’s a journey of supreme calm and I was eager to climb back up, but alas, only the followers of the Baha’i religion are allowed to ascend – it’s a symbol of rising to a higher plane. This is, after all, the seat of the Baha’i World Religious Centre and an extremely holy place.

According to New Zealand-born Murray Smith, Deputy Secretary General of the Baha’i World Centre, the gardens, shrine and the administrative building cost a staggering $250 million to create. Completed just five years ago, it was funded by the six million Baha’i followers world-wide. Yet the Baha’i do not seek citizenship in Israel, or even residency. Volunteers are drafted in from abroad to look after the shrine and do administrative work. Their aim: to create a peaceful global society.

Their short history can be traced to Persia in 1844, when a prophet called the B?’b heralded the coming of a greater prophet called Bah?’u’ll?h. Bah?’u’ll?h chose Mount Carmel to be both a shrine for the resting the B?’b and the home of the Baha’i HQ. Murray explained that “according to our beliefs, ancient prophecies predict that the prophet who will save the world will rise from Mount Carmel”.

Stretching from the foot of the gardens, the former German colony on Ben Gurion Boulevard, the last vestiges of the Templar lifestyle, leads right out to the harbour. The colony’s splendid bright limestone cottages glow in the summer light and most have been converted into trendy caf?s, bars and restaurants. At night the boulevard is the liveliest place in Haifa and the backdrop of the illuminated Baha’i gardens adds a touch of awe to the experience.

Ascending the mountain I stopped at the almost hidden cave of the prophet Elija, which serves as a synagogue. Within an inlet of the cavernous walls I melted at the touching scene of scarves hanging from the ceiling. They had been left by the hopeful in the hope that they would soak up the holy atmosphere.

In the higher reaches of Mount Carmel there are 30 or so View Points strategically located to show off Haifa’s fine panoramas over the port, the gardens, the bay and the town as it proliferates towards the sea. View Point number 21 is particularly awesome. It is also where Haifa’s panoramic cable car stops, and from where a short walk leads to the Stella Maris French Carmelite Roman Catholic church. The church is built on the site where Mary and Jesus are believed to have stayed on their way to Nazareth. The name Stella Maris translates as Star of the Sea and Christian ships still blow their horns as they pass.

At the apex are the Druz villages, an intensely tribal people, with their own secret monotheistic religion yet loyal to the State of Israel. They even fight in the Israeli army. The Druz are a prosperous people earning their income from tourists who visit their mountain-top villages, eat in their highly ethnic eateries and buy crafts and ethnic goodies from their markets. Some Saturdays, there is hardly room to skip.

Surrounding the Druz city is the Carmel National Park and zoo, a beautiful forested park ripe with wildlife and birds. A couple of bridges connect two mountain peaks over a dazzlingly verdant canopy of trees. Trekkers love it here and for many this is an oasis of foliage, quite rare in a country that rose out of a desert.

Kababir village is home to a community of Ahmadi Muslim Arab. Like Muslims elsewhere, they revere the prophet Mohammed. But unlike other Muslims, they believe that Mohammed was superseded around 100 years ago by prophet Mirza Ghulam Ahmad who hailed from Qadian in Punjab. His writings urge Muslims not to follow latter day interpretations that “Jihad” is a militant battle but that “Jihad” is a “spiritual” battle to capture hearts and minds.

In Haifa’s middle town, in a neighbourhood called Wadi Nisnas is Beit Hagefen Centre for Arab and Jewish affairs – the hub of co-existence. Concerts, shows and exhibitions are produced throughout the year and their efforts culminate in a swinging Edinburgh style arts festival every May.

However, the most poignant and special time of year to be in Haifa is during December when the month long Holiday of Holidays inter-faith street Festival celebrates Hanukah, Christmas and Ramadan. It’s a sensual feast, where the air is thick with smells of sufganyiot (Hanukkah donuts), knafeh (an Arab dessert), and chocolate santa figurines.

Hani Elfar, Deputy General Director of Bet Hagefen who describes himself as an Arab Christian Greek Orthodox and an Israeli citizen told me “We, as Arabs, are very, very lucky, though we are very complicated as our identities as Arabs, as Israelis, but we have freedom to progress and be part of the democratic state that is called Israel. We have full citizenship and I educate all our staff and participants to find a way to live together despite the troubles elsewhere. We are proud to be Haifans”.

Perhaps the spiritual garden is as rosy as the Bahai gardens that adorn the Carmel mountainside and I am willing to bet that Murray’s Messiah will indeed hail from Haifa.

Where to stay:

Meridan Haifa Hotel
10 David Elazar Street, Haifa
Tel 00 972 4850 8888
www.fattal-hotels-israel.com

Meridan Haifa is a well located beach side hotel offering very comfortable 4* accommodation and attentive and charming service. Comfy beds, spacious rooms and a great Israelli breakfast await.

8 May 2006