The Gallery Street

Gallery Street is a shopper's heaven. If you are looking to furnish your house with pictures or carpets, buy modern Judaica as a present for a friend, or just want a souvenir, Gallery Street is the place to be. Whether you just want to spend pocket change or prefer to max out your credit card, you are bound to find something you like, or even fall in love with, to take home as a memento of your time in Safed.

Location

If you look at the city map at the Ari synagogue, you will see nearby a street called Alkabetz, named after the composer of Lecha Dodi, the Friday night hymn. The main parking lot at the end of the street is called Beit Josef or Joseph Caro Street, after the Rabbi who wrote the Shulchan Arach (Code of Jewish Laws).

Getting There

Turn left after visiting the Ari synagogue and follow the path around. It takes you past the Livnot Center and into this wonderful street of shops and galleries. Continuing along the street will lead you straight back to the main parking lot.

The Galleries, Shops and Synagogues

As you walk down the shopping arcade, there are lots of small shops and stalls on both sides of the street, as well as much larger ones like the Fig Tree Courtyard. This is a whole set of shops in itself, set around a courtyard, which has a historic water cistern and a fig tree. These shops offer modern and classical Israeli art as well as Middle Eastern carpets, jewelry, leatherwork and wine.

Further down the street is the Abuhav Synagogue and it is well worth a stop as it is probably the most beautiful synagogue in the whole of Safed

On the left as you carry on are the remains of the Lemberg Synagogue which was built in the 1840's and which collapsed during the First World War. This ruin is in the process of being restored.

There are many more shops to visit and if you are looking for modern Judaica why not go into Sarah's Tent which has a good selection of menorahs and Seder plates. The Canaan Gallery, a weaving workshop making prayer shawls, also has beautiful modern Judaica. Their restaurant is a good place to stop if you need a bite to eat and has a wonderful view toward Mt. Meron.

Next door to the large Camus Gallery which offers jewelry, art and more traditional Judaica, you will find the Josef Caro Synagogue with its very old Torah Scrolls. If you want to see artists at work why not stop in at Josh Burde, a silversmith, who has original designs; Moshe Yair, a micro-calligrapher; or Yaacov Kaszemacher a mixed media artist

The Park

Just up a few steps above the street, about half way down, is a children's playground and small park, with a seating area for individuals and groups, where you can stop and have a rest.

The Mikva

Tucked away on the left, towards the end of the street as you continue down, is the simple Old City's women's mikva (ritual bath house). Opening hours are posted on the door, together with a contact no.

Shipping

The shops will ship your purchases home so you don't have to restrict yourself to something small that you can slip into your pocketbook. With so many wonderful things to choose from you may find yourself slipping back up the street to buy something that you realize you just can't live without.