It is the birthplace of the Kabbalah, and one of the main bastions for Torah study and the like during the centuries of Ottoman rule. It is one of the four holiest cities in Judaism, along with Hebron, Shchem/Nablus, and of course Jerusalem. While there are many stories about when it was founded, and by whom, it truly grew to prominence in the late 15th century when it became a refuge for Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition.It is a cute, quaint city in the north of Israel, and has in recent years regained popularity, not only as a center for study, but also as an artists' colony. http://wikitravel.org/en/Safed