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Summer in Galilee
Join Juliette de Bairacli Levy – Gypsy herbal veterinarian and mother of two toddlers – as she spends an eventful summer swimming in the waters, and the history, of the Sea of Galilee, in the modern state of Israel. Juliette trains her observant eyes, and lovely descriptive prose, on the people, places, plants and animals around her.
You’ll thrill as she and her children discover ancient treasure, be fascinated as she visits the tombs of Jewish mystics, hold your breath as Juliette dares to traverse the forbidden militarized zone around the Jordan River in pursuit of a personal communion with this holiest of lands, and, perhaps, scream in terror as she is visited in the dark of night by an enormous snake – only to breathe a sigh of relief when she is saved by her faithful Afghan hound.
Juliette vividly described her visit to a Bedouin village, and the trouble this causes, both in the kibbutz where she lives and among the Bedouins. But with keen wit, steely nerve, and kind heart, she manages to please everyone, including her readers, as she saves the day and mends frayed tempers.
You’ll thrill as she and her children discover ancient treasure, be fascinated as she visits the tombs of Jewish mystics, hold your breath as Juliette dares to traverse the forbidden militarized zone around the Jordan River in pursuit of a personal communion with this holiest of lands, and, perhaps, scream in terror as she is visited in the dark of night by an enormous snake – only to breathe a sigh of relief when she is saved by her faithful Afghan hound.
Juliette vividly described her visit to a Bedouin village, and the trouble this causes, both in the kibbutz where she lives and among the Bedouins. But with keen wit, steely nerve, and kind heart, she manages to please everyone, including her readers, as she saves the day and mends frayed tempers.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1959
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 12, 2011
Summer in Galilee
By Juliette de Bairacli Levy
Copyright 2011 by Juliette de Bairacli Levy, Copyright 2011 by Ash Tree Publishing, revised and updated, Published by Ash Tree Publishing, PO Box 64, Woodstock, NY 12498,
ISBN13 978-1-888123-06-7, ISBN10 1-888123-06-0 $24.95 from Amazon.com
With timeless, breathtaking prose Juliette de Bairacli Levy paints a stunning picture of life on Sea of Galilee with her children during a summer spent on its shores. In Summer in Galilee we are treated to an intimate view of the area and its history by a woman who dwelt there with her family of two children many years ago.
In Summer in Galilee Juliette de Bairacli Levy tells the story of Tiberias, both past and present. She offers a close up view into the lives of religious Jews and into her own life as a Jew. She offers hope as a Jew, a Gypsy, who doesn’t care for the nationality of a person, whether Jew or Arab but sees each person as an individual.
I found Summer in Galilee to be engrossing. I enjoyed every moment spent in its pages. Juliette de Bairacli Levy lived a fascinating life during her time in Galilee. Except when the Sea of Galilee was tempestuous she refers to it as the Lake of Galilee for that is what it put her more in mind of. We are treated to her life on its shores, her travels, her views on the history of the area, her knowledge of folklore and medicinal plants. As you turn each page you learn more about the area, the history, the plants and this interesting woman who lived her life in a manner as natural as the world around.
I highly recommend Summer in Galilee. It is entrancing and you will find yourself wrapped up in each and every page, reluctant to put it down and leave the magic of Juliette de Bairacli Levy’s wonderful prose and the world as she shows it behind you.
By Juliette de Bairacli Levy
Copyright 2011 by Juliette de Bairacli Levy, Copyright 2011 by Ash Tree Publishing, revised and updated, Published by Ash Tree Publishing, PO Box 64, Woodstock, NY 12498,
ISBN13 978-1-888123-06-7, ISBN10 1-888123-06-0 $24.95 from Amazon.com
With timeless, breathtaking prose Juliette de Bairacli Levy paints a stunning picture of life on Sea of Galilee with her children during a summer spent on its shores. In Summer in Galilee we are treated to an intimate view of the area and its history by a woman who dwelt there with her family of two children many years ago.
In Summer in Galilee Juliette de Bairacli Levy tells the story of Tiberias, both past and present. She offers a close up view into the lives of religious Jews and into her own life as a Jew. She offers hope as a Jew, a Gypsy, who doesn’t care for the nationality of a person, whether Jew or Arab but sees each person as an individual.
I found Summer in Galilee to be engrossing. I enjoyed every moment spent in its pages. Juliette de Bairacli Levy lived a fascinating life during her time in Galilee. Except when the Sea of Galilee was tempestuous she refers to it as the Lake of Galilee for that is what it put her more in mind of. We are treated to her life on its shores, her travels, her views on the history of the area, her knowledge of folklore and medicinal plants. As you turn each page you learn more about the area, the history, the plants and this interesting woman who lived her life in a manner as natural as the world around.
I highly recommend Summer in Galilee. It is entrancing and you will find yourself wrapped up in each and every page, reluctant to put it down and leave the magic of Juliette de Bairacli Levy’s wonderful prose and the world as she shows it behind you.
June 22, 2025
I liked a lot about this book, it felt like I was travelling with Juliette and her children. The only part I wasn't keen on was one focusing more on religion than herbalism, despite Juliette saying she's not religious. Otherwise, another wonderful book.
January 5, 2026
Juliettes beautiful writings always remind me of a place and time I have never been. Her descriptions of the lands and waters, the people and (most of all) the plants are so grounding and authentic. She seems to have an almost supernatural understanding of the natural world that so few have.
Summer in Galilee is the story of her time in Galilee when her children were aged 3 and 5. She writes of their days spent idyllically bathing in the lake, hunting for ancient artifacts, watching shepherds go by with their flocks, traveling to Capernaum, Nazareth, and other ancient holy sites. Also of her time before she had children, as a worker on various kibbutzim and her daring visit to an Arab village.
This books also offers a really fascinating glimpse into the early days of the new state of Israel. Juliette always has full sympathy with the Arabs forced from their homes, their villages abandoned and dynamited. There is also the constant influx of immigrants, survivors of the holocaust from Europe as well as those recently expelled from Egypt and other parts of the middle east. Those early days on the newly formed kibbutzim were full of toil and shoestring survival, lack of food and facilities, desperately trying to produce enough food for the new nation. Then there is the ever-present threat of an uprising from the expelled Palestinians as well as the surrounding countries - and the high cost of maintaining the army that every Israeli had to pay.
There are plenty of dangers from the natural world as well: terrible skin diseases common in the population, snakes, roaming packs of jackals, biting flies, even deadly scorpions! Yet Juliette remains strong and determined to do everything her own way, despite the dangers and her own (almost always) empty wallet. This woman has so many amazing stories! At one point she goes down to bathe in the River Jordan despite the fear of land mines and “enemy” soldiers. At another she renovates a house reduced to rubble because she refuses to sleep in the kibbutz without her dog - and she doesn’t kill the resident nest of scorpions either! She walked lightly on this earth, even with dogs and children in tow. She is just simply amazing to me and how sad it is that she is no longer with us.
Summer in Galilee is the story of her time in Galilee when her children were aged 3 and 5. She writes of their days spent idyllically bathing in the lake, hunting for ancient artifacts, watching shepherds go by with their flocks, traveling to Capernaum, Nazareth, and other ancient holy sites. Also of her time before she had children, as a worker on various kibbutzim and her daring visit to an Arab village.
This books also offers a really fascinating glimpse into the early days of the new state of Israel. Juliette always has full sympathy with the Arabs forced from their homes, their villages abandoned and dynamited. There is also the constant influx of immigrants, survivors of the holocaust from Europe as well as those recently expelled from Egypt and other parts of the middle east. Those early days on the newly formed kibbutzim were full of toil and shoestring survival, lack of food and facilities, desperately trying to produce enough food for the new nation. Then there is the ever-present threat of an uprising from the expelled Palestinians as well as the surrounding countries - and the high cost of maintaining the army that every Israeli had to pay.
There are plenty of dangers from the natural world as well: terrible skin diseases common in the population, snakes, roaming packs of jackals, biting flies, even deadly scorpions! Yet Juliette remains strong and determined to do everything her own way, despite the dangers and her own (almost always) empty wallet. This woman has so many amazing stories! At one point she goes down to bathe in the River Jordan despite the fear of land mines and “enemy” soldiers. At another she renovates a house reduced to rubble because she refuses to sleep in the kibbutz without her dog - and she doesn’t kill the resident nest of scorpions either! She walked lightly on this earth, even with dogs and children in tow. She is just simply amazing to me and how sad it is that she is no longer with us.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews