February 7th, Site #3

HAIFA
Israel’s largest port and its third largest city.

SHRINE OF THE BAHAI / MEMORIAL GARDEN OF BAB
Bahá ‘u ‘Lláh (1817-1892), a Persian nobleman who founded the Bahai faith, is buried here. The Bahai religion has 5 million adherents worldwide. It is the most ethnically diverse religion on earth. “Bab” claimed to be most recent of the divine messengers. He believed that all other religions were valid, and that they represent various stages in the revelation of God’s will and purpose for humanity. He taught that the time has come for all human beings to be united into peaceful society where there would be one country and all humans would be citizens. The principles of Bahai are: the elimination of all forms of prejudice, the full equality of the sexes, the recognition of the essential oneness of the world’s great religions, the elimination of the extremes of poverty and wealth, universal education, the harmony of science and religion, the sustainable balance between nature and technology, and the establishment of a world government based on collective security and the oneness of humanity.

ACCHO / ACRE / ACKO / PTOLEMAIS
It is situated on the northern point of the Bay of Acre, opposite the city of Haifa. Accho was associated with Canaanite, Phoenician, Greek, and Egyptian rule. It is desirable because it has a natural harbor. The region was originally given to the tribe of Asher (Judges 1:31). Paul visited here on his third missionary journey (Acts 21:7). All that remains of the city is from the Crusader era. The Crusaders captured and held it from 1104-1291. It was the headquarters of the Templars and the Hospitallers. Napoleon laid siege to the city for 60 days in 1799, but the city walls withstood his bombardment.