Meron (Hebrew: מֵירוֹן, Meiron) is a moshav (cooperative village) in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel near Safed, and within municipal jurisdiction of the Merom HaGalil Regional Council. It was founded in 1949 on the site of an ancient town of the same name (Meiron) by Orthodox soldiers discharged after the Israeli War of Independence.
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Geography
Among the local attractions are the Meron Vineyards. Meron is conducive to growing grapes for wine as a result of its 600-meter altitude and chalky soil. The vineyard was first planted in 2000 and is part of the Galil Mountain Winery.
Modern history
2006 Lebanon-Israel War
On July 14, 2006, a Katyusha rocket fired from Lebanon exploded in Meron, claiming 2 lives - Yehudit Itzkovich, 57, and her 7-year-old grandson Omer Pesachov - and injuring four others. A new barrage of rockets hit Moshav Meron on July 15; there were no injuries.
Tomb of Shimon Bar Yochai
Meron is most famous for the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a first-century rabbi, who contributed greatly to the Mishna, is often quoted in the Talmud, and to whom is attributed authorship of the kabbalistic book of Zohar. During the annual mass public commemoration of Lag Ba'omer, hundreds of thousands of Jews make a pilgrimage to the site. During the celebrations attended mostly by religious Jews, a highlight is the custom to perform the upsherin.
Among other leading early rabbinical figures buried in Meron are Hillel, Shammai and Rabbi Elozor ben Shimon.
External links
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