Introduction to Nazareth and the Yizreel Valley

Nazareth: 40km (25 miles) SE of Haifa

The largest and most fertile valley in Israel, the Yizreel Valley, often called simply Ha-Emek ("the valley"), lies between the Galilee mountains to the north and the Samaria range to the south. Nazareth, the town where Jesus grew up, was only a tiny hamlet in biblical times, scarcely recorded on maps or mentioned in historical works. Today, Nazareth is a bustling city, filled with industry and new construction. Nazareth is the major cultural and commercial center for Israel's Arab community, and the first language of most inhabitants of Nazareth is Arabic.