A Guide to Israel
and its Holy sites
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The Kinneret belonged to Shevet Naftali. In fact he also received a bit of land on its southern side as the posuk says (Vezos Ha'bracha) "Yom Vedorum Yerusha".
Why is it called Kinneret? Because the fruit that grows around it tastes as sweet as the sound of a harp. (Kinneret in Hebrew means harp - Megilah 6.) In Navi Yehoshua it is called Chinnaroth. It lies 689 feet below sea level, which makes it very hot during the summer and a very popular resort during the winter. It is about 32 miles in circumference, 8 miles wide and about 13 miles long.
It is fed partly by natural springs but most of its waters come from the Yarden River. It supplies most of Israel with its delicious fresh water.
It's beautiful blue warm waters are a pleasure to bath in, and you'll certainly enjoy taking a boat ride across the other side. The medrash says, somewhere inside these waters lies Miriam's well, which followed the Jews throughout their travels in the desert.
