Seismic Events

On January 1, 1837, at 2 PM, an earthquake erupted in northern Israel that obliterated the cities of Safed and Tiberias, two of the four cities deemed by the Jews to have special holiness. It is estimated that more than 5000 fatalities occurred in Safed alone, with most of the dead having been buried alive in their homes.

The few survivors scrambled to reestablish themselves, with some success. A number of them migrated to the city of Hebron where they helped revitalize the Chabad Lubavitch community that had been founded some ten years earlier by the second Chabad leader, Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch.

Deeply Committed

In Safed, the nucleus of remaining survivors resolved to rebuild the city. Sir Moses Montefiore, the British Jewish philanthropist, visited the city a year after the quake and was surprised to find a few Jewish survivors. Only one Jewish house of worship, the 16th century Alsheich synagogue, had survived the quake, having survived an earlier quake in1759, as well. Montefiore was touched at the depth of commitment the survivors displayed and gave the townspeople the encouragement and financial support they needed to bring the city back to life. The philanthropist stayed to attend the dedication of the first synagogue to be rebuilt after the tragedy.

Slippery Slope

According to researchers from the Geological Survey of Israel (GSI), ancient cities built on the remains of earlier settlements are the ones most likely to suffer severe damage in the event of a major earthquake. A study undertaken by two geologists, Oded Katz and Onn Crouvi, found that in the event of a severe earthquake the worst damage would probably occur in the older section of Safed, which is built upon a slope. Due to the topographical configuration of this locale, the dirt and rocks on the hillside have the potential to move out of place and downward, causing a kind of avalanche.

An important factor in determining the extent of the damage that might occur in the event of a serious earthquake is the number of times the earth has been disturbed so as to create new infrastructure. The city of Safed has been settled and resettled for a period of more than 2000 years. Another consideration is the fact that two strong earthquakes responsible for extensive destruction in Safed have occurred within the last 300 years, in both 1759 and in 1837.

Speaking on the probability of widespread damage in Safed, should a major quake occur, Katz said, "The Jewish Quarter is located on a very steep slope, and the homes are not built on rock but on an archaeological tel, landfill, building fragments and construction scrap from previous eras. These conditions would enable a landslide and therefore we are concerned that during high-magnitude earthquake, there would be extensive destruction and many casualties."