Sea of Galilee (The Kinneret)

The Sea of Galilee is Israel's largest fresh water lake and is the most important source of drinking water for Israel. It is also called "The Kinneret" and played an important role in the early years of Christianity. It has now become a pilgrimage site for many Christians because it was here that Jesus walked on water and where the miracles of the loaves and fishes happened (near Capernaum).

The sea is 13 miles long, 8 miles wide and comparatively speaking about the size of Utah Lake.

Much of Christ's ministry took place in the villages along the shores.

Photo: We took a boat ride across the sea and saw the remains of a fishing boat from the time of Jesus.

Photo: Upon departure from the shore, "The Star Spangled Banner" was broadcast and our American flag was raised. It felt good to be singing our national anthem about "the land of the free" in a country thousands of miles away.

Photo: There were about 40 students in our group lead by Dr.Frank Judd, one of the professors who teaches at the JC. We have come to love and respect these students and will miss them when they leave in less than one week.

Photo: As I looked across the Sea of Galilee to the other side, I could see the cliffs of Mount Arbel in the distance.

Photo: Mount Arbel in the distance.

Photo: Ella in thought. She will probably never again have the opportunity to have this experience. This is a very special place.

During the New Testament times, fishing was an important part of the Galilean economy. Boats were used for both fishing and for transportation from one side to the other. Jesus often used boats as a means of transportation from one port to another.

It took 45 minutes to cross to the other side and during that time, Dr. Judd explained some of the events that happened during Christ's ministry. Mark 8:10 and Luke 5:7 tell us that a boat was large enough to hold Jesus and His apostles.

As we disembarked from the boat, I took this photo and was expecting to see blue rather than green.

We headed to the museum where an ancient New Testament fishing boat was on display discovered in 1986.

In 1985, there was a severe drought which caused the Sea of Galilee to recede. Along the muddy shoreline, the boat was found by a man from a kibbutz in Ginosar, the village nearby.

Learning about the construction of the boat was fascinating because it was made of cedar and oak. It was obvious the boat had been repaired several times during its active sailing days. The remains of the boat was 27 feet long and 7.5 feet wide and about 3 feet in depth.

This was a typical fishing vessel used on the Sea of Galilee between the 1st century BC and the 1st century BC. Jesus sometimes used a boat from which to teach large crowds along the shoreline of the Kinneret.

Photo: Notice the lighted visual on the wall which shows how the boat may have looked in Christ’s time. From drawings or mosaics and textural descriptions of similar boats, archaeologists have concluded it was propelled by a sail-bearing mast and by two sets of oars. It was also determined that a crew of 5 could carry ten or more passengers.

Excavating the boat from the mud without damaging it was a difficult process and lasted 12 days and nights. Villagers worked frantically before the water rose again. Volunteers came from all around to watch or help those who were working to extract the very fragile boat from the very deep mud.

It was wrapped in fiberglass and insulating foam and this helped to keep it together and floating so it could be moved to a new location. It was then submerged in a chemical bath for 10 years and wax was infiltrated into the wood before it could be displayed in the Yival Allon Museum.
 

Having the opportunity to see this ancient boat up close, gave us a better appreciation of the type of fishing vessels used during Christ's ministry. I would consider this a "must see" for visitors coming to Israel.

Some other sites which Christians consider holy include the Mount of Beatitudes, the Church of the Loaves and Fishes and "Yardenit," a baptismal site.