Rajar

In the north, near the Libanese border, stands a small village, with an interesting history and overwhelming view: Rajar. It's located between K. Shmona and Dan, and the main road to the village diverges to the left from the road to Banias, before Tel-El-Faher. (The other road is the fence road...)

The village is located above the river Wazani, which starts in Hatzbaya and is called there Hatzbani, and after crossing the border is called Snir. The view above the river is astonishing. The sounds of the water in the small waterfalls, the birds crossing the canyon rapidly in the air, and the green woods across the river, make you feel you're in Italy or Zwitzerland. The most important thing has not yet been said: the inhabitants of this village are A'lawees, which is a sect in Islam, and are (now) the most important sect in Syria. By the way, that reminds me that Asad is Alawee (what a co-incidence...).

In the 6-day war this village fell in the hands of Israel, and this village had to decide what to do: to join to Lebanon, who was already in a decay process of a civil war, or to move to Syria, which was by now 40-50km away. The village decided to choose neither one, but asked to be added to Israel. Israel was very suspicious, and for a month this village starved for bread !! Finally Israel accepted this village, and they became citizens. Nevertheless, on the book "Kol Atar ve-Atar", one of the best sellers in years, this village's inhabitants appear as dealing with agriculture and (are you sitting?) Drug Smuggling !!! Of course all this stopped when the village became Israeli, but untill 1993 you had to give your I.D-card to the I.D.F-post at the entrance to the village, cross the border, and they give you the I.D-card when you leave... This is an implanted line: whoever gets here, please return a mail, and get a chocolate square.

How to get there:

What else to see:

Rajar & Dan Springs Map

Rajar View