A recent disappearance in Israel’s north has once again drawn attention to a disturbing trend in the area surrounding Safed and Mount Meron — a region increasingly referred to as “Israel’s Bermuda Triangle.”
The latest case involves 36-year-old violinist Tzipora Alexander from Jerusalem, who was last seen in the Upper Galilee region. Her disappearance adds to a troubling pattern of unresolved cases in the area over the past six years, prompting renewed concern among locals, authorities, and researchers alike.
Among the missing:
- Haimanot Kasao (9) – disappeared in February 2024 from Safed. Despite extensive search efforts involving volunteers and security forces, no trace has been found.
- David Yisrael Fadida (28) – last seen in October 2023. His vehicle was later located near a trailhead in the Meron forest area, but he remains missing.
- Raphael Chaim Haddad (60) – vanished in November 2022 while visiting the region. His phone was found with a low battery; since then, no leads.
- Moishy Kleinerman (16 at the time) – disappeared in March 2022 after leaving his home in Modi’in Illit to visit Meron. His case made national headlines and sparked widespread community concern.
- Moshe Eliezer Ilovitz – missing since May 2019. He was last seen in the Meron area on Lag BaOmer. Despite massive search operations, his whereabouts remain unknown.
The Meron-Safed area of the Galilee region has long attracted spiritual seekers, religious figures, Kabbalists, mystics, and casual hikers alike. Known for its sacred history, it is widely regarded as a place of heightened spiritual energy which only adds fuel to the ongoing mystery.
Local rescue units and police have launched extensive search campaigns in each of these cases, deploying helicopters, drones, and hundreds of volunteers — but the outcomes remain eerily consistent: no conclusive evidence, no explanations, and no closure.
While law enforcement has not identified a connection between the cases, the pattern has prompted growing concern and speculation among residents. The terrain around Mount Meron is rugged, dotted with caves, forests, and ancient trails, making search efforts extremely challenging.
“We don’t use terms like ‘Bermuda Triangle’ lightly,” says a veteran ZAKA volunteer.
“But something is definitely unusual here. People are disappearing, and we don’t have answers.”
For families of the missing, the silence is deafening. Each new disappearance reopens old wounds — and highlights the urgent need for improved tracking, surveillance, and coordinated search infrastructure in the region.
In an interview with Kan-11's Orly Elkalay and Yoav Krakowski, another expert noted: "People assume that in Israel everything is under surveillance — from a neighbor’s backyard to the highways. But that’s simply not true. There’s no doubt that it’s relatively easy to disappear under the radar here."
Authorities are continuing to investigate the latest disappearance. In the meantime, locals remain wary — and some are avoiding isolated areas of the Meron region altogether.
