Nazareth, Israel – October 12, 2025 | By Our Correspondent
In a powerful moment of family, legacy, and faith, the Tabar family gathered in Nazareth to celebrate a towering figure in Israel’s Christian community, President Joseph Tabar on the occasion of his 85th birthday.
Born October 12, 1940, in the heart of Nazareth, Joseph Tabar’s journey has become the stuff of legend.
A man whose life mirrors the evolution of modern Israel itself, Tabar rose from humble beginnings to become a titan in the tourism and hospitality industry, founding Tabar Tours and Tabar Hotel, two names now etched in gold across the region’s travel landscape.
The private celebration at the family’s ancestral home was anything but ordinary, it was a moment steeped in reverence and emotion.
Surrounded by his wife Lydia, children, grandchildren, and close friends, Mr. Tabar was praised as a “sacrificial patriarch,” a man whose candor, conviction, and compassion built not just businesses but an enduring legacy.
“His life is a testimony of God’s faithfulness,” said his son, Wisam Tabar, current Chairman of Tabar Tours. “He didn’t just build a company, he built people.”
Under Joseph Tabar’s visionary leadership, Tabar Tours expanded from a local operator into a globally recognized name, bringing thousands of pilgrims to the Holy Land while redefining hospitality standards in Israel.
His businesses became beacons of service excellence and sources of employment and pride for the local Christian Arab community.
The milestone celebration unfolded against the backdrop of a historic geopolitical shift, as Israel edges closer to signing a long-awaited ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
For many in attendance, the dual symbolism was inescapable: as a nation prays for peace, the Tabar family thanks God for 85 years of grace, peace, and enduring influence through one man’s life.
The family offered heartfelt prayers for Joseph Tabar’s continued health and vitality.
As tributes poured in from across Israel and beyond, one message rang clear: his life has been a blessing, and his legacy is far from over.
In a land that tells stories as old as time, Joseph Tabar’s story now belongs among them etched in faith, forged in family, and built to last.
