The Tiberias Tourist Industry: "Tourism instead of local"s

B"H

Too many Israeli mayors only look at the money tourism ships in, instead of taking the locals and their needs seriously. Thousands of tourists are an extremely import industry for cities like Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or Eilat. But also smaller towns love to earn millions and do anything in order to get the tourists into their hotels. Example: The small town of Tiberias at the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) in northern Israel.

After a year and a couple of months I was visiting Tiberias last week, and there were two things I noticed: 1. The small old city right down at the lake includes many old houses. A lot of them have just turned into ruins no one is taking care of. Tiberias has never been a place for great investors and the town's present mayor apparently prefers building more tourists sites instead of preserving old houses from a past which seems to be forgotten. Today, everyone just sees the money. The main road downtown, Hagalil Street, got a new outdoor shopping mall including pillars, a roof and benches. I admit that this looks great but how about investing in housing for the local population ?

2. The unemployment rate is extremely high and there is no light at the tunnel at sight. In the past, former mayor Moshe Zahar took care of the Tverianim (inhabitants of Tiberias) for many centuries. However, the town's present mayor Zohar Oved has more become a symbol of corruption than taking care of the local's needs. Tiberias depends on tourism and needs money. It doesn't seem to bother the mayor that the town's market is filthy and looks like a garbage dump. No one is creating jobs and various hotels are not able to provide sufficient employment. On the contrary, as many hotels employ Druze cleaning staff. 
 

Old houses have turned into ruins

The old city is located around the lake whereas the new city is built upon the hills nearby. You either climb up to every single street or you take the bus.

The Sea of Galilee (Kinneret).

The brandnew shopping shopping street design in Hagalil Street.

Downtown Tiberias - Hagalil Street

Copyright / Photos: Miriam Woelke

The dark history of the "Hotel Tiberias" in Tiberias

The former "Hotel Tiberias" today.

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B"H

“Hotel Tiberias” was one of the first hotels in Tiberias. Located very close to the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) and founded by Richard Grossmann in 1896. 

During my research about a related subject I heard different opinions about the origin of the Grossmann family. Generally, people claim that the Grossmanns came from Germany. A former, well - known, mayor of Tiberias, Moshe Zachar, however, wrote in his biography, that the Grossmanns were Swiss. 

The family ran the hotel in a very German style, as you can see on the picture below. There is no doubt that they were quite successful and even added the "Lido Beach" nearby. The hotel was a kind of unique because it had warm water. In 1938, Richard's son Fritz took over the management of "Hotel Tiberias" but he later committed suicide when he found out that his wife betrayed him.

With the beginning of the Second World War, the Grossmanns including their German staff, escaped at night. No one knew where they had disappeared to. Some sources state that the Grossmanns moved to Australia. The reason for their escape was their political ideology. First of all, the family was Christian but not only that. They were also missionaries. Secondly, as I was told from the Tiberias Archives, the Grossmanns supported Hitler and thus, turned into the enemy of the British as soon as the war broke out. Before being deported by the British, the Grossmanns ran away one night. 


The family was not alone because there were a few similar cases in Tiberias. Not only there, but also in Jerusalem where some Christian German families lived in today's German colony and were publically showing the Nazi flag. After a while, those Christians got thrown out by the British. 


After the Grossmanns had escaped, the British Army took over the building. Today hardly anyone in Tiberias still knows about the history of the former "Hotel Tiberias" and its weird owners.

 

The dining room of the former "Hotel Tiberias".

Archive Picture

Thursday night in Tiberias (Tverya)

B"H

Not a drop of rain in Israel but only a burning sun. Today, Tiberias (at the Sea of Galilee / Kinneret) was suffering from humidity and 31 degrees Celsius. No rain at sight and Israel is suffering from a water shortage. The only water supply is the Sea of Galilee in the north and the lake is drying out. The above photo shows the shape of the Kinneret at the promenade and the photo below shows the main purpose of the statue: Showing the water level which is now more than 2 meters. As far as I see, the lake needs to rise at least 5 meters and not only 2. Facing the lake drying out and witnessing on a daily basis how the beaches become wider and wider, is sad and a main nature desaster. The boats nearby almost swim on the ground of the lake because some tiny harbours have hardly any water at the shore.

Rabbis ask to pray for rain in Israel but tonight, Tiberias is still warm and humid. Thursday night is party time and many people from surrounding villages and other towns visit Tiberias. Arabs, Druse and Jews. All of them sit in restaurants, look at the daily water show on the Kinneret and just enjoy themselves.

Many Jews see a huge problem in the high amount of Muslim population in the lower and upper Galilee. More Israeli Jews should move to the north, as otherwise the Arabs may take over.

Despite all the problems, it is a great pleasure being at the Kinneret at night and watching all the lights surrounding the Kinneret. Lights from distant Kibbutzim, Moshavim, Jewish as well as Druse villages. Those lights reflecting on the water of the Kinneret and in case the tourists boats don't turn their disco music on full volume, you just hear the waves. Young people like to barbecue near the promenade and others just stand at the shore and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

The water level of the Sea of Galilee shows a big Minus.

Photos: Miriam Woelke