Before anyone ever heard of the ‘Land of Israel’, our region was called ‘the land of Canaan’ – the land of the local population before the settlement of the Hebrew tribes. The Canaanite culture was rich in spirit and substance, and the Jewish people found themselves affected by it greatly. Many commandments in the Torah were written against it, many prophets protested but the reality was stronger than anything. Our ancestors continued to follow the Baalim and Ashtaroth. Why were they drawn to the Canaan culture? What’s so magical about it? Is it possible to meet the world of the Canaanites in a positive way that is not mediated by the Bible?

In Our journey we will deeply experience the world of the ancient Canaanites. We will learn about the beliefs, rituals and myths that were prevalent then and even practice an ancient- new Canaanite ritual. We shall learn about Ugaritic writing and poetry, the outer appearances of the Canaanites and their way of life , we will learn of the deep connection between biblical literature and Canaanite literature, and finally, we will take time to learn about the new Canaanites in the modern world who try to find their roots in an ancient culture, whether as part of the spiritual- Pagan currents ,or as a radical attempt by the early Zionists to redefine the Hebrew culture in Israel

?Where will we visit

Karmey Yosef and Tel Gezer
Tel Beit Shemesh stage
The Sculpture Garden at Beit Shemesh
The Ela river
Art Galleries inspired by ancient cultures