Meron (Israel)
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Meron (Hebrew: מירון, also Miron) is a moshav (cooperative village) in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel near Safed, and is within the Merom HaGalil Regional Council. It was founded in 1949 on the site of an ancient town of the same name by Orthodox soldiers discharged after the Israeli War of Independence. Among the ties between the modern and ancient Meron is the Ancient Synagogue of Meron, which dates to the Second Temple period (515 BCE – 70 CE).
It is famous for the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai, a first century Rabbi, who contributed greatly to the Mishna and is often quoted in the Talmud, and to whom is attributed authorship of the kabbalistic book of Zohar. Meron is currently famous for the annual mass public commemoration of Lag Ba'omer: the Hillulah deRabbi Shim'on bar-Yochai. There is also a widespread custom to perform the Upsherin at Meron. Among other leading early rabbinical figures buried in Meron are Rabbi Hillel and Rabbi Shammai – Famous for their differences of opinion regarding Talmudic interpretations.
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.
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.
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