On Rte 38, travel south for 6km until you see a sign for Bet Gemel (Beit Jamal), and head 2km up the road to the Beit Jamal Monastery . Selesian monks founded the monastery in 1919 and opened a meteorological station as a side project. The station still functions today. The original church here dates from the 5th century. The interior paint job of the current church is meant to look like a mosaic (look closely and you’ll see it’s not). Grapes are still grown on the property, although these days the wine is made elsewhere. However, you can purchase wine and olive oil in the shop, along with pottery produced by the nuns.
