The History of Safed in a Nutshell
Safed is situated at an elevation of 900 meters, with Mount Canaan reaching nearly 1000 meters, thus it is blessed with a cool climate and the highest rainfall in the country (close to 1000 mm on average per year). In winter, it also experiences snowfall. In summer, Safed transforms into a city of summer camps and convalescent homes. Its cool summer, beautiful mountainous landscape, and picturesque alleys built up the mountain attract a large number of campers and visitors. Painters, in particular, are drawn to it, establishing one of their centers in the country here. Today, Safed has approximately 33,000 residents. Safed is located on the eastern ridge of the Upper Galilee mountains, on the main road between Meron and Rosh Pina. Nearby, paths and roads ascending from the Jordan Valley meet those leading to the sea in the west. This location contributed to its military importance. Safed is not mentioned in the Bible, but its military topographical advantages and control over mountain passes did not escape the attention of the Jews of the Galilee as the war with the Romans approached. Josephus fortified it before the battles began. It is also known from the Talmud that torches were lit in Safed to announce new months and holidays. Safed gained importance during the Crusader period; they fortified it in 1140, built a fortress, and made it the provincial capital. At that time, there were no Jews in Safed. The re-emergence of Jews only occurred after the Crusaders were expelled by Saladin’s armies. The Jewish community grew and flourished, especially in the 15th and 16th centuries, after the expulsion from Spain.
During this period, Safed absorbed many immigrants and became a spiritual center for Kabbalists. The Kabbalists chose it due to its proximity to Meron, the traditional burial place of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, to whom popular and Kabbalistic tradition attributes the authorship of the Zohar, the sacred book for Kabbalists. The head of the Kabbalists in Safed was the Arizal, and Rabbi Yosef Karo, author of the “Shulchan Aruch,” also lived there. In 1577, the first book in the Land of Israel was printed there.
The livelihood of Safed’s Jews was primarily in the textile industry, including dyeing and trade. In the previous century, Safed declined in prominence, and the Jewish community also dwindled. The residents of Safed increasingly began to rely on “Halukka” funds collected in the Diaspora. A further decline came to the city after the Druze attack in 1834 and a strong earthquake in 1837, which destroyed most of Safed and killed approximately 2,000 Jews. On the eve of the War of Independence, Safed’s population numbered 10,000, including about 2,000 Jews in total. The two Jewish settlements in the vicinity were Birya and Ein Zeitim.
In Safed, the Arabs concentrated significant forces and were confident of an easy victory. Safed is built around a mountain called “The Citadel,” named after the ancient fortress ruins found on it. The Jewish Quarter was west of the Citadel, while Arabs resided in other areas. During the first months of the disturbances, the Jewish Quarter was subjected to numerous attacks and constant sniping from Citadel Hill. The road was also under Arab control, and the city of Safed was almost cut off. In late April 1948, two police stations were handed over to the Arabs: one within the city, on the border of the Jewish Quarter, and the other on Mount Canaan. Three thousand Arab fighters, including Lebanese and Iraqi soldiers, were concentrated in the city, compared to 200 Jewish fighters, some from Safed and some Palmach members who came to their aid. The weaponry and equipment of the Arab forces also far surpassed our meager arms.
Despite these power disparities, the initiative was ours. On May 1st, Palmach forces, advancing from Mount Canaan, captured the two Arab villages of Birya and Ein Zeitim, north of Safed, thereby cutting off Arab Safed. Ein Zeitim was captured after a fierce battle in which about 100 Arabs were killed. The capture of Birya largely occurred by chance: a squad assigned to the ridge between Birya and Ein Zeitim, intending to cut off the road, found itself in an area covered by machine-gun fire from the Mount Canaan police station. The trapped squad had two options: retreat, thereby allowing Arab reinforcements from Birya to Ein Zeitim, or capture at least the first houses of Birya. The squad commander chose the second option and began an assault on the Arab village. Initially, they encountered heavy fire, but as they continued their assault, they misled the enemy, who believed they faced a stronger force. The enemy began to retreat, and the Arabs of Birya started fleeing for their lives. Thus, Birya was completely captured by a squad of seven men.
On May 6th, the first attack on Citadel Hill took place, but it failed. Three days later, on the night of May 9th, a second assault was launched, this time from three directions: on the “Shalvah” convalescent home in the east, on Citadel Hill, and on the municipal police station. First, “Shalvah” House was captured in a difficult battle. The Citadel was then captured, and finally, after room-to-room fighting, the police station was also taken. The residents of Safed, who had awaited the results of the struggle of the few against the many all night, were informed of the victory at dawn. A deathly silence fell over the city; Arabs were seen fleeing in droves along the paths. The next day, our forces advanced into the Arab city and found it abandoned and empty of people.
In the government building, the Turkish Seraya fortress, a large amount of food and ammunition was found. In the afternoon, our forces advanced towards the mountain police station, which was also abandoned. When the flag was raised over the Mount Canaan police station on May 11, 1948, the people of Safed, who had anxiously awaited the outcome of the struggle, knew that the liberation of the city was complete.
Safed is now a Jewish city. A municipal park has been established on Citadel Hill, and a monument commemorating its liberators and fighters has been erected at its summit.
Taken with thanks from the Upper Galilee booklet / Yehoshua Levinsohn.