Another 200-odd meters down the gully led to a small orchard of pomegranate and fig trees and a lovely spring on the left bank, hidden by a line of cypress trees. The spring’s waters accumulate in a pool. The spring has been given many names - in the past, it was called Ma’ayan Eliyahu (Elijah’s Spring), and it’s now called Ein Faraj, the Spring of the Salvation. Tradition has it that the Prophet Elijah drank from its waters and that anyone drinking from them recovers completely. Not surprisingly, in recent years, spring has become a place of pilgrimage for members of the Chabad Hasidic movement. A word of caution: Don’t drink its waters (or those of other springs in this gully) despite the medicinal powers attributed to the spring.
Opposite the spring, on the northern bank, we spot Ma’arat Komatayim (the Two-Story Cave), where monks living on the Carmel went for solitude. It’s a natural cave that was expanded by quarrying, with an entrance closed with a door. The stalls on its first floor are also known as Ma’arat Hasusim, the Horses Cave.
Nahal Siah gets its name in Hebrew and Arabic from the frequent hikers. In both languages, it is derived from words meaning “tour” or “hike.” The walk begins on Lotus Street. Descend to the right near the black trail mark, first on the asphalt road and then down the stairs, into the heart of the gully.