The Circassians

Israel has an amazing mixture of people from different cultures, countries and faiths and many of the people who take trips to Israel wish to learn more about them. The Circassians are an example of one of the groups that has found their way to Israel to make a new home. Living in two different villages (Kfar Kama and Rekhaniya) the Circassians immigrated to Israel in the 19th century. Though they are referred to as Circassians or "mountain dwellers", they were originally called Adigai (meaning noble). After coming across the Tartars and the Turks on the silk route in their area, they converted to Islam in the middle of the 17th century from Christianity. The Circassians were exiled to Ottoman Turkish regions after being defeated by the Russians after a very long war. If you want to learn more about the Circassian culture, the village of Kfar Kama is the perfect place to do so! Visitors to Kfar Kama can visit the Circassian museum, take a tour of the village and see some of the preserved homes, taste the local food, etc. Trips to places such as this enrich tours to Israel in more ways than one.