National Park Beit Alfa - Bet Alfa Synagogue National Park, Heftziba

The mosaic floor is in astonishingly good shape. The artistic elements are quirky, but interesting history, assisted by a short film well coordinated with synchronized lighting of varying parts of the floor. The film offers an explanation for the non-standard Byzantine elements in the floor that reflects some supposition of real-world circumstances. But even if the mosaic were not your focus, it's worth having lunch at the adjacent restaurant. There is an unpretentious charm to this former kibbutz bakery space, but the menu is surprisingly intriguing, and it doesn't disappoint. Our group ordered a variety of fish dishes and they all were wonderfully prepared, some traditional, some more ambitious, but all delicious. The salad with Halloumi cheese had a sweet crisp citrus dressing that I will remember fondly whenever I recall this visit.

I am not a huge fan of historical sites, but this one is completely amazing. The primitive mosaic made my day aswell as a movie about it.