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Geography of Israel: Mount Meron

Mount Meron is the highest peak within Israel's pre-1967 borders, with a peak reaching 3,963 feet above sea level.  Many peaks within the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, as well as Mount Hermon, are higher than Mount Meron.  

A 32.4 square mile nature reserve was declared at Mount Meron and the surrounding areas in 1965, and was extended an additional .5 square mile in 2004.  The mountain and nature reserve are severely overgrown, and the area is very difficult to traverse if a designated path is not followed.  The most popular hiking trail on the mountain is the Summit Trail, which treats hikers to three lookout points and a beautiful vista once they reach the top.  From various points on the Summit Trail visitors can see Safed, Tiberias, the Galilean Hills, and small villages over the Lebanese border.  

In addition to nature's beauty, the main attraction at Mount Meron is the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, an important figure in Judaism and student of the famous Rabbi Akiva.  Every year leading up to the Lag B'Omer holiday thousands of Israelis make a pilgrimage to Meron, to celebrate the life and death of Rabbi bar Yochai.  The village of Meron, located on the mountain, had a population of 898 individuals in 2015.  


Sources: Wikipedia
ExploreIsrael.com