JERUSALEM - After an especially rainy winter, the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel is at its highest level in two decades, but the beaches and major Christian sites along its banks are empty.

The Sea of Galilee, whose waters Christians believe Jesus walked upon, is Israel’s main reservoir and a big tourist draw. Hotels and campsites line the perimeter encircled by lush hills.

The Water Authority says water levels in the Sea of Galilee rose by 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) over the past 24 hours, as a result of heavy rains. The water level is now at 210.65 meters below ...

The receding sea where Jesus walked The lectionary reading from Matthew's Gospel is the story of Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee in the midst of a storm. In a couple of decades, anyone will be ...