"When G-d will return the captivity of Zion, we will be like dreamers. Then our mouths will be filled with laughter and our tongues with glad song." Psalm 126
It’s getting pretty dicey out there in Diasporaland for Jewish people. Marches in the streets of large cities in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. They extend for miles and while they promote ‘Palestinians’ they also call for death to Jews.
The university campuses are hotbeds of antisemitism. Students have been locking themselves in libraries, bathrooms, Jewish student unions and dormitories to escape the violence and death threats. No one will defend them or tell the pro-Palestinian groups to cool it.
In European cities and some American cities (New York, ), synagogues and businesses have been vandalized. Spray painted swastikas on headstones and synagogue doors and broken windows and Molotov cocktails thrown through the windows of Jewish shipowners are reminiscent of pre-Nazi Germany.
So what’s taking you so long? Israel is waiting for you with open arms. Literally. Isn’t it time for you to start thinking about making Aliyah? Despite all you are hearing, there are many wonderful communities. And I’m hoping to take you through several different types.
Let’s start in Northern Israel. I’ve learned that each community has its own vibe. You want more religious(Moreshet)? Or more secular? How about an artsy community? Craving a big city(Haifa)? Or a medium sized town (Karmi’el)? An agricultural area? We have it all and more. There’s even a community of families centered around a Waldorf lifestyle and education (Yodfat).
Today, let’s check out the small neighborhood community of Rakefet in the Lower Galilee. Originally founded in 1981 and named after the cyclamen flower that grows abundantly after the winter rains, it sits on a mountaintop with both Mountain View’s, city views and views of the Mediterranean. It is a residential village of just over 1500 people.
Beautiful pristine landscape with views of the Mediterranean beyond the hill
Rakefet is among the few communities that offer both older single family homes and a newer block of more modern styled structures. This little village is reminiscent of the typical American suburb.
With all of the nature, this family moshav is encircled by hiking trails and bicycle trails. From easy walkabouts through the woods to more challenging hikes to the sea, there is an abundance of free exercise here. The moshav has its own kindergarten, schools, medical clinic and synagogue. They have built a brand new community center with Olympic size swimming pool, gymnasium, tennis and padel (pickleball) courts, soccer fields and social facilities. This serves five other smaller mountaintop villages in the vicinity. As is typical for every community, there is a makolet, a one stop convenience market for basic needs.
The closest mid-size city is Karmi’el, a 10 minute drive away. Haifa, the largest city in the North is just 26 miles or 41 km to city center. For employment, Rafael Defense is located the next mountain over with Elbitt Systems and Keter Industries in Karmi’el. Medical professionals are greatly welcomed in the North. There is an abundance of service jobs available as well as room for ample growth in many areas.
Hebrew language is a definite plus, but a monthly living stipend is given by the government (sal klita or absorption basket) while you go to Ulpan- immersive Hebrew classes 5 days a week for 6 months.
Karmi’el has the Ort Braude University of Engineering and a new Air Force Training Center (virtual reality, classes, simulators, mechanics, control tower ops) is being built at present. Haifa is home to the Technion, one of the world leading technology universities, and to Haifa University. Several local ‘community’ colleges and trade schools are scattered throughout the Galilee as well as the up and coming Galilee Culinary Institute.
It is best to have a car in Rakefet, but there is also a local bus with regular stops servicing the surrounding communities. There is a main transportation hub in Karmi’el with bus and train stations.
Lots are available for building and occasionally an older house comes up on the market. Many people like to buy an older house and renovate, and these are quickly gobbled up. Several English speaking real-estate agents are available (Tal Shtekler highly recommended!).
All in all, these small communities are ideal places to raise a family. Quiet, wholesome living with lots of culture, historical/archaeological sites, shopping and restaurants nearby.
Contact non.org.il. Nefesh b’nefesh is an organization that helps North Americans with all their needs from the first questions to after you get settled. Free of charge.
Rakefet in bloom
And my apologies because the most important information- pricing I’ve omitted. I do not have that info at this time. I know there are places for rent from small apartments to large villas and everything in between. Six months ago I spoke with a Bedouin woman who was selling off large parcels (mountaintop overlooking the Sea of Galilee) adjacent to an established residential development for $70,000 USD. She sold 6 of them almost immediately. They were all graded and marked off with basic infrastructure ready for pads to be poured. The land measured 1/6 acre, which is a large lot for Israel.
Large 4-5 bedroom villas in Karmi’el have been going for just under $900,000 USD. Figures for Rakefet and similar villages should be comparable. There are special subsidies available for new immigrants and first time homeowners in Israel. Nefesh b’nefesh has all the up-to-date information on buying and renting real estate.
New housingInfo on trees plantedBird houses placed throughout the neighborhood Bus stopAnother nature trail and community park
We survived a bit of a scare attack over the weekend. Psy-ops? I don’t know? Grounded in some reality? Perhaps…
Last week there were several ‘direct hits’ in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran. Several key players, masterminds of the Islamic terror world were eliminated by direct drone and missile attacks. Even this morning there was a huge explosion at a missile launching site in Iran.
We do not know who is taking out these key members. Some say it’s Israel and Mossad. Others the US. There have been many retaliatory attacks on US bases throughout the Middle East lately. There are rumors that in Iran it’s an internal job. Whatever the case there is more and more pressure on Israel, especially in the North.
On Friday, we received news that the mayor of a Haifa suburb had told all his residents to invest in a generator and to have enough food, water and necessities to last at least a week. The military would be so overwhelmed it might be more expedient to rely on yourself. This, after two Hizbulla missiles were shot down over Haifa on Friday. It turned out to be ‘misinformation.’
In the meantime Israel has set a deadline of the end of January for an agreement being led by a multinational group to try to force Hizbulla to move away from the Israeli border. The agreement seems less likely as the days go by and it looks more threatening because Hizbulla forces refuse to move back.
The Lebanese Patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church, Beshsra Al-Rahi, called for the removal of every rocket launchpad between every home; the removal of all missiles from homes and schools; UNFIL to enforce resolution 1701 pushing all Hizbulla troops off the Israeli border fence, back 2 km (no man’s land) and away from the Lebanese border. Nasralla has said no such. So it looks like there might be a showdown starting next week. The thought of 150,000 missiles pointed directly at us is a wee bit daunting-
At present 72,000 Israelis have been displaced from their homes in the North alone. Since there are no tourists, many citizens who lack family or friends who will shelter them, have been put up in hotels along the Sea of Galilee. Makeshift schools have been set up for the children. Some are being squeezed into the schools in Tiberias and the local communities.
Hizbulla in the North is a proxy for Iran, just as the Houthis in Yemen South Red Sea and Hamas in Gaza. Of the three, Hizbulla is much more greatly funded, trained, weaponized and numerous. Last week, in his latest trip to Israel, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, was assured that “ Israel would not surprise the United States by an attack on Hizbulla without prior notification.”
So we are now waiting…. You would never know as people go on with their daily lives here as best as possible. Stores and schools and services are open. There is plenty of traffic and people seem busy.
Yesterday we went to visit an Arab Christian friend who lives in the Galilee. She has two Maronite Christian families from Metulla living in the two apartments underneath hers. They were empty apartments and the landlord let the displaced famI lied live there temporarily. Claudia is a tour guide. She has so much knowledge and understanding of the history of Israel from many different perspectives. We have gone so many places with her. As during COVID, she again has no business.
Claudia also teaches classes on Israeli cooking, Biblical cooking and culture. We took a long walk with her into the fields adjacent to her apartment.
Look closely at the pictures above. What do you see? A field? Yes. What else? Grasses and weeds? Perhaps. But they hold a hidden treasure, for now that the rains have come everything had begun to sprout and turn green. All of these ‘weeds’ are edible!!!! The wild asparagus and celery. The dandelions and lettuces. The loof. And most have medicinal properties known by people in Biblical times and passed down through the generations to today.
Wild celery
When we returned to Claudia’s, she gave us a little class on how to prepare each. Some were sautéed. Some would be dried (hyssop) to make zataar, the herb that is used in many foods here. Other plants would be boiled first, then wrung out (to remove any bitterness) and then sautéed.
Claudia seasons the hot pan with garlicSome of our leaves, sorted, washed and driedAsparagus and wild celeryNo longer just weedsKhobezeh looks like a wild geranium but much larger leaves. Ayilt. A type of wild romaine lettuce stir fried with onion
During the winter months, you see older women…Bedouin and Druze, mostly, out in the fields foraging. The women are everywhere along the country roads, stooped over with their aprons and plastic bags. Wild mustards are prevalent and are a special delicacy. Some leaves (loof) are large. These are destemmed, steamed and then stuffed with rice, onions, lentils and herbs, rolled up and then steamed again.
Loof grows in rocky places. It has a huge purple Jack-in-the-pulpit type flower. Claudia in her kitchenFresh labanehBiblical brunch!!!Slicing pita
We feasted on homemade labaneh, a cultured dairy product made with the goat milk Claudia got from a lady down the street. She had made pita bread in her tabun (outdoor metal oven) the day before. We had a type of feta cheese. The greens and dairy were drizzled with fresh Galilee olive oil. We had olives and homemade humus from her store of dried chickpeas. On some of the greens, Claudia cracked eggs and let them steam- a green shakshuka. On top of this she put a dollop of Zhug, a very very spicy hot pepper and herb mixture. It was all quite delicious. All homemade with fresh, local ingredients.
If you come to Israel in the winter months, not only could Claudia give an amazing tour, but you could also take a cooking class from her. Hopefully you won’t have to dodge missiles.
We survived a bit of a scare attack over the weekend. Psy-ops? I don’t know? Grounded in some reality? Perhaps…
Last week there were several ‘direct hits’ in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran. Several key players, masterminds of the Islamic terror world were eliminated by direct drone and missile attacks. Even this morning there was a huge explosion at a missile launching site in Iran.
We do not know who is taking out these key members. Some say it’s Israel and Mossad. Others the US. There have been many retaliatory attacks on US bases throughout the Middle East lately. There are rumors that in Iran it’s an internal job. Whatever the case there is more and more pressure on Israel, especially in the North.
On Friday, we received news that the mayor of a Haifa suburb had told all his residents to invest in a generator and to have enough food, water and necessities to last at least a week. The military would be so overwhelmed it might be more expedient to rely on yourself. This, after two Hizbulla missiles were shot down over Haifa on Friday. It turned out to be ‘misinformation.’
In the meantime Israel has set a deadline of the end of January for an agreement being led by a multinational group to try to force Hizbulla to move away from the Israeli border. The agreement seems less likely as the days go by and it looks more threatening because Hizbulla forces refuse to move back.
The Lebanese Patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church, Beshsra Al-Rahi, called for the removal of every rocket launchpad between every home; the removal of all missiles from homes and schools; UNFIL to enforce resolution 1701 pushing all Hizbulla troops off the Israeli border fence, back 2 km (no man’s land) and away from the Lebanese border. Nasralla has said no such. So it looks like there might be a showdown starting next week. The thought of 150,000 missiles pointed directly at us is a wee bit daunting-
At present 72,000 Israelis have been displaced from their homes in the North alone. Since there are no tourists, many citizens who lack family or friends who will shelter them, have been put up in hotels along the Sea of Galilee. Makeshift schools have been set up for the children. Some are being squeezed into the schools in Tiberias and the local communities.
Hizbulla in the North is a proxy for Iran, just as the Houthis in Yemen South Red Sea and Hamas in Gaza. Of the three, Hizbulla is much more greatly funded, trained, weaponized and numerous. Last week, in his latest trip to Israel, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, was assured that “ Israel would not surprise the United States by an attack on Hizbulla without prior notification.”
So we are now waiting…. You would never know as people go on with their daily lives here as best as possible. Stores and schools and services are open. There is plenty of traffic and people seem busy.
Yesterday we went to visit an Arab Christian friend who lives in the Galilee. She has two Maronite Christian families from Metulla living in the two apartments underneath hers. They were empty apartments and the landlord let the displaced famI lied live there temporarily. Claudia is a tour guide. She has so much knowledge and understanding of the history of Israel from many different perspectives. We have gone so many places with her. As during COVID, she again has no business.
Claudia also teaches classes on Israeli cooking, Biblical cooking and culture. We took a long walk with her into the fields adjacent to her apartment.
Look closely at the pictures above. What do you see? A field? Yes. What else? Grasses and weeds? Perhaps. But they hold a hidden treasure, for now that the rains have come everything had begun to sprout and turn green. All of these ‘weeds’ are edible!!!! The wild asparagus and celery. The dandelions and lettuces. The loof. And most have medicinal properties known by people in Biblical times and passed down through the generations to today.
Wild celery
When we returned to Claudia’s, she gave us a little class on how to prepare each. Some were sautéed. Some would be dried (hyssop) to make zataar, the herb that is used in many foods here. Other plants would be boiled first, then wrung out (to remove any bitterness) and then sautéed.
Claudia seasons the hot pan with garlicSome of our leaves, sorted, washed and driedAsparagus and wild celeryNo longer just weedsKhobezeh looks like a wild geranium but much larger leaves. Ayilt. A type of wild romaine lettuce stir fried with onion
During the winter months, you see older women…Bedouin and Druze, mostly, out in the fields foraging. The women are everywhere along the country roads, stooped over with their aprons and plastic bags. Wild mustards are prevalent and are a special delicacy. Some leaves (loof) are large. These are destemmed, steamed and then stuffed with rice, onions, lentils and herbs, rolled up and then steamed again.
Loof grows in rocky places. It has a huge purple Jack-in-the-pulpit type flower. Claudia in her kitchenFresh labanehBiblical brunch!!!Slicing pita
We feasted on homemade labaneh, a cultured dairy product made with the goat milk Claudia got from a lady down the street. She had made pita bread in her tabun (outdoor metal oven) the day before. We had a type of feta cheese. The greens and dairy were drizzled with fresh Galilee olive oil. We had olives and homemade humus from her store of dried chickpeas. On some of the greens, Claudia cracked eggs and let them steam- a green shakshuka. On top of this she put a dollop of Zhug, a very very spicy hot pepper and herb mixture. It was all quite delicious. All homemade with fresh, local ingredients.
If you come to Israel in the winter months, not only could Claudia give an amazing tour, but you could also take a cooking class from her. Hopefully you won’t have to dodge missiles.
We survived a bit of a scare attack over the weekend. Psy-ops? I don’t know? Grounded in some reality? Perhaps…
Last week there were several ‘direct hits’ in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran. Several key players, masterminds of the Islamic terror world were eliminated by direct drone and missile attacks. Even this morning there was a huge explosion at a missile launching site in Iran.
We do not know who is taking out these key members. Some say it’s Israel and Mossad. Others the US. There have been many retaliatory attacks on US bases throughout the Middle East lately. There are rumors that in Iran it’s an internal job. Whatever the case there is more and more pressure on Israel, especially in the North.
On Friday, we received news that the mayor of a Haifa suburb had told all his residents to invest in a generator and to have enough food, water and necessities to last at least a week. The military would be so overwhelmed it might be more expedient to rely on yourself. This, after two Hizbulla missiles were shot down over Haifa on Friday. It turned out to be ‘misinformation.’
In the meantime Israel has set a deadline of the end of January for an agreement being led by a multinational group to try to force Hizbulla to move away from the Israeli border. The agreement seems less likely as the days go by and it looks more threatening because Hizbulla forces refuse to move back.
The Lebanese Patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church, Beshsra Al-Rahi, called for the removal of every rocket launchpad between every home; the removal of all missiles from homes and schools; UNFIL to enforce resolution 1701 pushing all Hizbulla troops off the Israeli border fence, back 2 km (no man’s land) and away from the Lebanese border. Nasralla has said no such. So it looks like there might be a showdown starting next week. The thought of 150,000 missiles pointed directly at us is a wee bit daunting-
At present 72,000 Israelis have been displaced from their homes in the North alone. Since there are no tourists, many citizens who lack family or friends who will shelter them, have been put up in hotels along the Sea of Galilee. Makeshift schools have been set up for the children. Some are being squeezed into the schools in Tiberias and the local communities.
Hizbulla in the North is a proxy for Iran, just as the Houthis in Yemen South Red Sea and Hamas in Gaza. Of the three, Hizbulla is much more greatly funded, trained, weaponized and numerous. Last week, in his latest trip to Israel, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, was assured that “ Israel would not surprise the United States by an attack on Hizbulla without prior notification.”
So we are now waiting…. You would never know as people go on with their daily lives here as best as possible. Stores and schools and services are open. There is plenty of traffic and people seem busy.
Yesterday we went to visit an Arab Christian friend who lives in the Galilee. She has two Maronite Christian families from Metulla living in the two apartments underneath hers. They were empty apartments and the landlord let the displaced famI lied live there temporarily. Claudia is a tour guide. She has so much knowledge and understanding of the history of Israel from many different perspectives. We have gone so many places with her. As during COVID, she again has no business.
Claudia also teaches classes on Israeli cooking, Biblical cooking and culture. We took a long walk with her into the fields adjacent to her apartment.
Look closely at the pictures above. What do you see? A field? Yes. What else? Grasses and weeds? Perhaps. But they hold a hidden treasure, for now that the rains have come everything had begun to sprout and turn green. All of these ‘weeds’ are edible!!!! The wild asparagus and celery. The dandelions and lettuces. The loof. And most have medicinal properties known by people in Biblical times and passed down through the generations to today.
Wild celery
When we returned to Claudia’s, she gave us a little class on how to prepare each. Some were sautéed. Some would be dried (hyssop) to make zataar, the herb that is used in many foods here. Other plants would be boiled first, then wrung out (to remove any bitterness) and then sautéed.
Claudia seasons the hot pan with garlicSome of our leaves, sorted, washed and driedAsparagus and wild celeryNo longer just weedsKhobezeh looks like a wild geranium but much larger leaves. Ayilt. A type of wild romaine lettuce stir fried with onion
During the winter months, you see older women…Bedouin and Druze, mostly, out in the fields foraging. The women are everywhere along the country roads, stooped over with their aprons and plastic bags. Wild mustards are prevalent and are a special delicacy. Some leaves (loof) are large. These are destemmed, steamed and then stuffed with rice, onions, lentils and herbs, rolled up and then steamed again.
Loof grows in rocky places. It has a huge purple Jack-in-the-pulpit type flower. Claudia in her kitchenFresh labanehBiblical brunch!!!Slicing pita
We feasted on homemade labaneh, a cultured dairy product made with the goat milk Claudia got from a lady down the street. She had made pita bread in her tabun (outdoor metal oven) the day before. We had a type of feta cheese. The greens and dairy were drizzled with fresh Galilee olive oil. We had olives and homemade humus from her store of dried chickpeas. On some of the greens, Claudia cracked eggs and let them steam- a green shakshuka. On top of this she put a dollop of Zhug, a very very spicy hot pepper and herb mixture. It was all quite delicious. All homemade with fresh, local ingredients.
If you come to Israel in the winter months, not only could Claudia give an amazing tour, but you could also take a cooking class from her. Hopefully you won’t have to dodge missiles.
It’s Friday. The day for cleaning the house and cooking not only tonight’s festive Shabbat meal, but food that will take us into tomorrow (I do no food prep on Saturday) and have lots of leftovers for the week. As usual, jets are strafing the sky overhead and we’ve been told by the home front Minister of Defense to expect major escalation in the North. Batten down the hatches. Like Scarlett O’Hara I, too, will say “Oh Fiddlesticks! I’ll worry about that tomorrow.”
We took Max back up to his base early this week for a day of training. John & I decided to make a day of it, despite the cold and spotty weather, and beer off into the Golan Heights. We’d make it a day trip. It was just what we needed to clear our heads.
Since the winter rains have started, the green has appeared!!!The higher we climbed into the Heights the foggier it gotWe saw lots of military activity. Love this photo!!!And of course, Golan grass fed AngusSo wild and beautiful up here!!!Remnants of Syrian bunkers overlooking Israel (1948-1967) used to shoot the Israeli farmers in Hula ValleyHave no idea where these originated or why they were left behind, but it made for an interesting photo Storm clouds gather over the mountains of Lebanon in the distance. I pray it’s not a portent-John stands on an old Syrian redoubt Old rusty pickup. This place reminds us of the Wild West. It’s so rustic and rocky I love this old monastery from Crusader era. I want to buy this shell of a property and restore itStanding on the Heights looking towards the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret)
Of course, I took the opportunity to buy fresh picked farm stand produce!!! I picked up a huge bag of apples as well as gourds, citrus, peppers and other things to supplement what I’m pulling from the winter garden. The next day I made apple butter (12 jars) because we can’t find that here. John picked the mandarins off our tree and I put up 8 half pints for my China Coast Chicken Salad (because we don’t have canned mandarins).
In case you haven’t figured out… enough of bad news – it’s recipe day!!!
Our garden is doing well with all the rain. Beets (golden and chioggia), carrots, radishes and lettuces are at peak and I’m still getting tomatoes, beans and broccolini.
Is this gorgeous or what???? Look at all those colors!!!
So I gathered up my beets, including white beets and bull’s blood (deep crimson heritage variety- no blood, I promise) and roasted them in foil with rosemary, olive oil, sea salt and thyme sprigs). Wrapped them up in a cozy foil blanket and roasted them on a sheet pan on 400*F/200*C for about an hour. They came out tender and earthy!
We ate some straight for dinner, but then I blended the rest with a chicken stock to make the most decadent and delicious riff on a hot borscht soup. Simple simple simple recipe (I freeze chicken, beef and vegetables stock for later use. I use all my scraps and don’t let anything go to waste). if you want to keep it vegan, use veggie broth. It works just as well, and if you keep kosher, you can then add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt to your hot soup.
While 2 large packets of beets were in the oven, I also roasted a tray of gourds. We get all kinds of funky gourds I’ve never seen before. These were small grapefruit sized gray pumpkins; something that looked like an enormous acorn squash on steroids, and an orangey-grey lumpy thing that was smaller than a pumpkin but way to big for any other kind of squash. I just cut them up and sprinkled olive oil, coarse sea salt, garlic powder and rosemary and sage on top. Covered the jelly roll pan tightly with foil and let the heat do its magic-
Gourd Salad With Techineh Drizzle
So on a bed of fresh picked lettuce, I put some of the sliced of roasted gourd, half a red onion, sliced, 1/4 cup dried cranberries (no sugar or preservatives), 3 chopped pitted dates, about 1/4 cup chopped almonds aand chopped walnuts (altogether), you can sprinkle fresh pomegranate arils on top.
For the dressing, I mixed 1/4 cup techineh (tahini!?!?), with the juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 TBSP) and about 2 TBSP honey… I don’t measure. Drizzle on top of the salad. It’s really really delicious!
Usually, this time of year John and I like to go foraging… the Northern forested hills and meadows fill up with wild asparagus and celery and all sorts of greens after the rain. However, most of the roads have been blocked by the army and with Hizbulla launching UAVs and missiles right and left, it’s just not safe, so we’ve found other places closer to home. We take small hikes into the southern hill country.
For Shabbat, I just finished making the most amazing, gluten free, vegan brownies Israeli style. They are rich and chewy and use… techineh!!! For this, if you can find the all natural, unbleached brown Techineh (Ethiopian), it adds another layer of awesomeness.
Gluten Free Israeli Brownies
Prep Time:15 minutes Cook time:25 minutes
Pareve
Ingredients:
1 cup Techineh (unbleached, natural with sesame hills, if possible)
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice… sweet navel or Valencia
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, good quality
1/3 cup coconut OR almond flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 360*F/170*C. Grease a 9X9 baking dish. Wash orange well. Cut in half. Remove the peel from one half (eat slices of orange). Juice the other half, removing any seeds. In large bowl, add Techineh, eggs, syrup and sugars, orange juice and combine well (I use a simple wire whisk) until smooth and glossy. Gently fold in cocoa, flor, baking soda and salt. Combine until dry incorporated into wet ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into pan and smooth out. Bake for 25 minutes until top is set but brownies are not dried out. Remove from over and let cool 10 minutes. Cut into squares. Cut up orange rind into thin thin sliver bits. Reserve about 3-4 TBSP. For a festive look…edible and delicious…. I scattered the Orange rind along with some dried edible rose petals and chopped pistachios.
Have a lovely Shabbat-weekend. And remember to pray for peace-
You know summertime has arrived in Israel when the temperature starts to climb and you see your neighbors headed to their cars with towels, chairs, grills, inner tubes and fishing equipment. Yes, most communities have swimming pools, but the locals have their favorite, ‘secret’ spots. The ma’ayanot…natural springs. Swimming holes.
The places to swim are as varied as the individuals. Some are very small and secluded, well off the beaten path. To get to them you first: have to know exactly where you are going; and second: be willing to hike to the spot. Some are more primitive, in a natural state. Others have been blocked or bricked in. For these types, a pipe is inserted into the source of a natural spring and the water diverted into a pool that is surrounded by a natural stone border to create a true swimming hole. The fresh water, circulates through it, flowing through another outlet back to its original course. The new, man-made feature now has continuously flowing natural spring water. It’s quite ingenious.
We have discovered quite a few places, some by word of mouth. Northern Israel has both rushing rivers and smaller creeks formed by the melting snowpack on Mount Hermon and its underground aquifers. The depth of the waters vary, and that seems to be the determining factor for families. Adjacent to Kibbutz Snir, are more shallow creeks under the cover of lots of shade trees. It’s a popular place for families to spend the day, grilling, fishing, and wading in the cold water. Nearby, the Dan River has stronger currents, but is still shallow. We’ve seen young boys catching trout here barehanded.
People visit the streams, bringing tents, both for shade during the day, and for overnight camping. Most natural springs and ponds are full of fish- trout, bass, St. Peter’s fish, amnon, levrak, and other species we had never heard of before living here. The men set up their portable grills and by mid-afternoon, the smells of shishlik and kebabim fill the air. Inner tubing and rafting down the Jordan River is another popular pastime for Israelis on hot, summer days.
A few miles to the south of Kibbutz Snir, at the north end of the Hula Valley, is Horshat Tal Nature Reserve with tributaries from the Dan River forming large, deep pools. Several of the little lakes are large enough to have lifeguard stations and they get incredibly crowded with swimmers in the heat of the summer. The pools are connected by streams and people stake out picnic tables early in the day, moving them into the flowing streams.
There are several, smaller, more-hidden swimming holes not far away, in the Golan. Just two weeks ago, we saw one at Deir Aziz. Up in the mountains of the Lower Golan, are the ruins of a second century synagogue/basilica. At the foot of the ruins are ancient springs, still flowing. They were once used as mikva’ot, ritual baths, for religious purification. Today, Orthodox Jews still come to immerse in the natural ‘baths’ and they have been bricked in giving more definition. Two of the pools still have their original seven steps hewn from the rock leading into the water
Although unmarked, I believe one pool is for women’s immersion, the other for men
Further to the South, near the city of Beit She’an, is Sachne, or Gan haShloshah Water Park. Here there are natural, deep canals for inner-tubing and swimming; fishing holes; beautifully maintained streams for wading, and many landscaped and manicured pools to cool off in. This well-known park gets super crowded in the summer. There is a snack bar with a full line of refreshments, a gift shop case you forgot to bring your hat or sunscreen and golf carts for rental to travel from one pond to another. For those interested in Biblical history, this park is at the foot of Mt. Gilboa, so it is most likely the place where David and Jonathan and the armies of Israel would come for recreation.
Ma’ayanot can be found throughout Samaria and Judaea (also known as the West Bank). Some of them (if they are close to an Orthodox Jewish village) have certain times when women can use them or men can go. Sexes are separate for modesty reasons. Most are small, deep natural springs that have been bricked to provide sure boundaries. Some have improvised diving boards. Others, tire or rope swings for taking the plunge. Most of these are word-of-mouth springs. Many are named with the Hebrew word Ein, pronounced ‘ayn’ meaning well, as in Ein Oz (Well of Strength), Ein Nov (Well with a View), or Ein Shoko (Shoko’s Well).
Do you recall the Bible story of David, running from the mad King Saul? The King believed David to be conspiring to assassinate him and take the throne, so Saul and his army followed David out of Jerusalem, into the wilderness. At the mountain oasis of Ein Gedi in the desert, David hid out. Amid the sandstone cliffs and jutting rocks are waterfalls from the seasonal “David River.” The water cascades down the mountain into natural pools. Springs feed the existing ponds, and it is a popular place for tourists. Just the idea of standing under a waterfall or taking shade in a cave where David, Jonathan and Saul were, brings the Bible to life. It’s very exciting. From the cliffs of Ein Gedi, you can look out over the Dead Sea to the east and the Arava Desert to the south. The views are absolutely breathtaking!
According to the Jewish oral tradition which goes into further detail on the stories found in the Torah, the Children of Israel wandered in the desert with Moses, Aaron and Miriam as their leaders. It is said, that everywhere they camped, there was an oasis or ma’ayan found for them by Miriam, Moses’ older sister. They enjoyed quail and manna and had fresh springs of water in the desert. And some of them still exist! Driving in the Negev, you can find signs for “Miriam’s Wells,” take an off-road drive and a short hike and voilà! They are very seasonal, so winter and early spring are the best times to find them.
For the locals, summer is a fun time. Schools are out. The temperature climbs and the humidity rolls in. Life slows down to a snail’s pace as people seek ways to cool down. There are the beaches of the Mediterranean or Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee), although they can be almost unbearable during the day. These are best enjoyed late afternoon/evening. Shade. Seek shade! And cold water. And that means tree-lined, cold water streams. And hidden swimming holes. They can be found throughout the Land. Just ask a young person their personal favorite spot.
“Serendipity: an unplanned fortunate discovery; a common occurrence throughoutthe history of product invention and scientific discovery; findingvaluable oragreeable things not sought for.”
Since moving to the beautiful, diverse, completely random Land of Israel 8 years ago, John and I have learned to flow serendipitously. Around every corner we have found the unexpected… a glorious treasure of a tiny moshav (village) that used to be an art center, abandoned but with the ‘goods’ left behind; a little village that sells fresh goat milk products; secret swimming holes; archaeological and historical sites; an Olympic ice skating center on the Lebanese border; friendly and inviting people who grow organic products or make their own beauty products; beekeepers…. and winemakers.
The view to our house, center mountainDoesn’t this look just like Southern California???Stanley Levin and Joey Fisch
Of course, I called to them in Hebrew… and of course, they answered back in English. They were Stanley Levin and Joey Fisch – grafting new vines onto their rootstock. Stanley, from South Africa; Joey from Chicago. Both had lived right here in the Galilee for ages. They invited us to walk the vineyards and take a look. Marselan, Petit Verdot, Grenache, and other beautiful, green vines. Theirs was a garage winery, Segev Winery, producing under 5000 bottles a year. I had to find out more, so arranged a time when we could go to their yekev, production/tasting cellar.
Both Stanley and Joey started out in the high tech industry. Joey had been growing grapes and making wines “since he was a teen.” Joey worked at Intel in business development, but always kept winemaking in reserve as a hobby. His wife, Gilat, worked at SAP Software with Stanley. On the weekends, Joey and Gilat hosted wine parties in Ya’ad, which is where Stanley and Joey first met. Ya’ad, founded in 1979 as Israel’s first technical moshav, had been allotted some small acreage by KKL/JNF. These were sprinkled throughout the surrounding forested areas and set aside for agricultural use.
In 2010, the JNF saw that much of their land had not been developed. The residents of Ya’ad faced an ultimatum: put the land to use or have it taken back. At the moshav community meeting, Joey and his brother-in-law volunteered to take one parcel or 10 dunam, which is 2 1/2 acres. It was serendipity. They were leased the land and split the property between them, planting olives and grapes. The little mountainside was absolutely perfect for growing grapes. It has deep, rich soil and a great climate. Joey began planting any grape he could find: Petit Verdot, Grenache, Mourvèdre. Because Joey was working full time in high tech, he could only spend vineyard time early mornings and on weekends (which here is just part of Friday and Saturday). He was getting a mere 20-25% yield, throwing away too many unused grapes and lacking in both time and man-power. He needed a partner.
Enter Stanley. He was working in nearby Karmi’el when SAP shut down their branch in 2013, throwing him into early retirement. Serendipity! Stanley decided that “now is the time,” and beside working for a Danish firm part time, he made the switch to winemaking. So he went to Ohalo in the Upper Golan Heights to study the craft for 2 years.
Joey Fisch and Stanley Levin, the two vintners, together began to grow more profusely. In 2014 an entire vineyard of the Marselan grape was planted. They were studying and learning from their mistakes and from experience, gradually becoming more sustainable in their farming. They stopped turning the soil. And they began letting cover crops (weeds) grow, dry out and be cut down but not removed. In this way, a natural type of mulching was established. This led to less drying out of the soil underneath and more nutrients going into the soil. It also added to an increase in good bacteria, resulting in much less use of any chemicals. The first years of production were good ones. All of the processing, the crushing, the aging in stainless steel and the transfer to French Oak barrels was done on site at their small, in-house facility.
Unexpectedly, in 2018, Joey moved to Germany, accepting a full-time position with Deutsche Telecom. He kept his house in Ya’ad, and is still involved in every single operation of the vineyard, just remotely. He returns to Israel for the harvest and at other times during the year. And it was serendipity that we ran into them both a few weeks back.
When John and I returned to find out about Segev Winery, Stanley met us and started the pour with a ‘22 Rosé from Grenache grapes. We finally found the summer wine we had been searching for! A beautiful shade of peachy pink, the Rosé has a nose with citrus and tropical notes, and was fruity, yet crisp and dry. I got a distinct cherry finish on the palette. Only 800 bottles were produced, so at 80 shekel a bottle, we bought 3. It’s a nice wine with salmon or grilled chicken, a great picnic wine or a bottle for just sitting on the porch sipping.
The next wine was their 2019 Vineyard Red Blend. A very deep purple/red wine with a jammy nose, this one was very fruit forward. With overtones of very ripe cherries, it was surprisingly quite light, however had a slightly rough finish… a bit of a sour bite at the end. The Vineyard Blend might become better with a little more age, and was only 70 shekel per bottle. This would be a good one to serve with pasta and mushrooms or lamb.
We moved on to the 2020 Stoney Red. In 2020, Joey and Stanley bought 500 kg of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from a vineyard near Dalton, on the Lebanese border. Their friend, Gil Schatzberg from Recanati Wines sold them the grapes. Joey was in Germany when the Covid lockdowns went into full force, and Stanley had to isolate due to an exposure to the virus just when harvest was getting under way. So all the picking was done by family and friends while Stanley watched and supervised the entire operation remotely by camera. Schatzberg helped with the fermentation process and production. 40% Cabernet, 40% Marselan and 20% Petite Verdot makes this ruby red gem a well-balanced, very drinkable wine now. With a nose of ripe forest fruits, and a surprising hint of cinnamon at the finish, this is an amazingly good wine. It is absolutely beautifully balanced: 12% alcohol, only 2000 bottles were produced: the price coming in at 100 shekel a bottle. We bought one to add to the collection (but plan to return for more of this one- we have a feeling it will age quite beautifully).
Of course the best is always saved for last. The ‘21 Marselan is a deep crimson, leggy red wine. Redolent of blackberries and a slight bit of chocolate, it is pleasing on the palette leaving a mouth of ripe fruit and slight mint/sage. A great wine with a steak or red meat, it was only 85 shekel a bottle. This wine is sure to get better with age. We bought 2 bottles.
Segev wines are sold locally at their winecellar in Ya’ad (Misgav Regional Council), a few small stores local to Misgav and a few restaurants, including one in Tel Aviv. It was such a pleasure chatting over the wines with Stanley Levin, a great host. We will most definitely go back again!
I jump at any opportunity to make a drive to the wild, pristine Golan Heights. It’s one of our favorite places. Last month we were taking my son to his reserve duty. After we dropped him off we made the short, incredibly scenic drive to Azizo Lavender Farms (see two posts back). As we were leaving Moshav Kanaf, we spotted a large red barnlike structure and a sign for Terra Nova Vineyards. Again, serendipity. It was midweek and still early for Israelis, so when we walked in, we had the entire venue to ourselves.
There was a wide sweeping terrace surrounding the building. The views from the top of the plateau overlooking the Sea of Galilee, the Hula Valley, and mountains to the snow capped Mt. Hermon were reason enough to sit back and relax. What a spectacular place for a party! A wedding, birthday or Bar Mitzvah here would be perfect. Adjacent to the terrace was a large covered pavilion ready to barbecue the fresh Angus beef the Golan is famous for. There was plenty of room for a band and dancing.
Inside were two spacious dining rooms, with rustic, ranch vibes, a large wine bar, and a shop that sells local products: the Terra Nova Wines, olives and olive oils, local honey, soaps, jams and spreads. The menu included wines, cheeses, olives, and all sorts of light fare like quiche. Catering is available for special occasions. It actually felt like we had arrived at a winery in Texas – or California.
John and I got a table and ordered a wine flight and a cheese and olive platter. We asked our server auto tell us about the wines we had ordered and he called Roni to come in from the fields. Completely unasked. Completely unexpected that the vintner himself would take time out of his work to come talk to us. Completely Israeli. So it was a total surprise when a while later, a lovely young girl strided in confidently and pulled up a chair. In perfect American English, she exuberantly welcomed us to her winery. Ah!!! So this was Roni!
We were so taken with it all. And here is where serendipity, those truly chance occurrences steps in. John commented on her completely American accent, and asked if she was from the States. Roni Cohen-Arazia was born in Israel. Her parents were Israeli, but traveled the world and she with them. Roni, age 31, was completely Israeli, grew up outside of TelAviv, but had gone to boarding school in Switzerland. She would visit her parents who lived in Camarillo, California. Her father, Effie Cohen, worked at Amgen in Thousand Oaks!! Oh my goodness, what a small world! We explained that’s where we’re from. My husband worked directly across the barrenca from Amgen. We had many of the same friends it turns out. Who’da guessed??
After high school and IDF service, Roni received her biomedical engineering degree from Tel Aviv University, but found it boring. “I found myself a lot in wine bars and wineries to lift my spirits, and worked through uni in restaurants and wine bars where I learned a lot,” she explained. “I wanted to see the production side, study the fermentation and chemistry of it all. So I went to wine school here in Israel. In Katzrin in the Golan at Tel Hai’s 2 year viticulture program.”
She told us that there were 3 partners at the agricultural co-op in Kanaf. These men, residents of the moshav, had a large dairy farm; grew olives and had berry fields. They had 20 dunams – and in the perfect volcanic Golani soil, with its hot days and cold nights, is perfect for growing grapes. especially Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. They later purchased another 11 dunams nearby where Carignon and Vigonier are grown. Roni started working for them at Terra Nova, a boutique winery with a 15,000 bottle a year output, in March of 2021, and in 2022, the original vintner left the entire production line to her! Now that’s serendipity!
Roni poured generously for us as we chatted. We started with their B’reshit, appropriately named… in Hebrew, ‘in the beginning.’ It was a heavy, jammy fruit-forward nose, nice and leggy on the glass. Aged in French oak barrels, B’reshit is a red blend of Shiraz (50%),Merlot (30%)and Cabernet (20%) – 13% alcohol, at 100 shekel a bottle. It had a forest fruit taste with a hint of bell pepper and was surprisingly light and refreshing. It’s a great wine to serve with cheese and olives and would go really well with Italian food. We bought 5 bottles.
The olives, grown and cured right there at the Golan property, were amazing. It was wonderful to be able to sample the different varieties of olives and the olive oils (both a Spanish and a Greek stock). The accompanying cheese and veggie platter was more than generous for all of us to share. Even though it seemed we were drinking a lot, the food and the very long conversation tempered the alcohol. All of the cheeses were made from local goat and cow milk. I am currently working on making the most delicious herbed goat cheese from the recipe Roni got for me. Everything comes from Moshav Kanaf. There was labaneh, humus, and a delicate raspberry jam as well with fresh blueberries and mulberries(tree strawberries) on the side.
We tried a 2020 Terra Nova Winery Special Edition with minty, sage overtones to the nose. I got a nice, subtle smokiness from swirling it and smelling. This wine too, was a leggy red – a blend of Shiraz, Cab, and Merlot. Heavier than the B’reshit with a deep cherry finish, slightly oaky. A great wine with barbecued or smoked meats. We got 4 bottles.
We tried their Barrel 14, another special edition red, very heavy with some intense tannins at the end. The 2020 Carignon smelled of blackberries, but I was also getting hints of peppery spice and olives. It was spicy but with a smoky finish and a bite.
The Noam was absolutely delightful… berries and flowers to the scent. a bright honey taste, but not at all too sweet. For a red, it was bright and flavorful, great with lamb or to serve alongside either a cheese or charcuterie platter. The Noam was a well-balanced very drinkable wine. It is a very different Cabernet, Shiraz blend with a splash of Vigonier (white wine)and we bought 3 bottles.
The wines Roni has blended are all still in barrels aging, so are not ready for tasting yet. This is all fine and good as we can’t wait to go back. The wines do not have Kosher certification. Terra Nova offers a membership club to those who sign up with a very nice discount to members. They sell to private consumers only and will deliver to door in the Golan/Galilee area. This offer includes not only wines, but olives, olive oils and fresh-picked berries.
Israel has always stood at the forefront of environmentalism and sustainability. Upon visiting Park Ariel Sharon, it’s hard to believe that this, the largest park in the Middle East (larger in acreage than New York City’s Central Park), was once a trash dump and environmental disaster. Today it stands as the largest eco-rehabilitation and success story the world has ever seen. Situated just to the east of Tel Aviv, since 1952, Hirya was the trash dump for the city and the whole of the Gush Dan region. As the population grew, so did the refuse until it became a towering mountain of garbage. In the heat of summer, the smell wafting into Tel Aviv and surrounding cities was almost unbearable. In 1998, the site was shut down due to toxic waste and environmental concerns. What to do??? A meeting was called with urban planners, scientists, landscape architects, environmental researchers, mayors, artists, social welfare experts, philanthropists and others to brainstorm. Out of these conferences, Park Ariel Sharon was born.
It’s hard to imagine that exactly a week ago, people here were running to bomb shelters as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad lobbed over 1250 missiles into Israel. When we visited yesterday, it was completely serene. John and I got there very early afternoon and had the place almost to ourselves. At the foot of the ‘mountain range’ standing over 200 feet tall, are various buildings:a recycling center is at one end; museums and classrooms where groups can come and learn about recycling and the environment at the other. The drive up the mountain is beautifully lined with Eucalyptus trees. What was once dubbed ‘Trash Mountain’ is now an absolutely gorgeous multipurpose park. Expansive swaths of green fields, hiking and biking trails lead to a large green picnic area shaded by trees. The grass is watered using desalinated and gray water, all recycled. A visitor center, natural food cafe and large terrace with ample seating area invites one to sit and relax. The terraces have been landscaped into islands connected by pathways surrounded by natural ponds and watercourses filled with fish. Papyrus, lilies, lotus, and water lettuces float gently. Each pond is bordered by repurposed concrete salvaged from the old dump. These newly formed blocks act as barrier reefs for the fish to take shade and to spawn.
The control tower of Ben Gurion airport in the distanceRepurposed concrete block barrier reefs for fishThe cafe terraceBeautiful walking paths that are handicapped accessibleRecycled, desalinated lawn watering
Rubbers tires were repurposed as mulch. Concrete construction barriers were sorted out to create retaining walls lining pathways and actually forming the mountain. It is actually quite beautiful. All the materials here were pulled from the dump and transformed to new purposes. Native trees- carob, olive, date palm, eucalyptus, cedar- have been planted. Metal was sorted out, recycled, reused and some turned into lamp posts, benches, and sculpture. The entire park has a been built over the old dumping grounds. Dangerous biogases are one of the main products that develop within landfills (mostly organic household waste). Their decomposition create polluting greenhouse gases and methane. To combat this, dozens of wells were drilled inside the mountain. The gas is collected and pumped into pipes which flows to nearby industry in the form of steam energy. The gases are constantly monitored to ensure that none escapes into the atmosphere. The amount will decrease over the years, but as more additions are made to the area of landfill surrounding, safe, cheap and efficient energy will be piped to companies into the next several decades.
Native trees have been plantedOld concrete construction material now lines the pathways and serves as retaining walls.At the top of one mountain, you can see the biogas being pumped and monitored
Everything has been so carefully thought out to the very last detail. Grassy small ‘amphitheaters’ have been placed in strategic areas for school groups, tour groups, outdoor meeting areas and Shakespeare in the Park in the summer months. At the far end of one ridge is a 50,000 seat concert venue. Spectacular covered terraces and outlooks offer sweeping panoramas of Tel Aviv, the Mediterranean, the Shefela Valley below and the Judaean hills in the distance. The trash heaps have been covered with volcanic gravel and concrete, layers of thick clay, straw, more clay and garden soil. Flowering vines clamber over wooden trellises and gardens from around the world are featured in each area. There are natural playgrounds for children with rope courses; things to climb over and on; musical instrument sculptures from recycled materials; brain games and interactive play areas. Disability compliant and equipped with many bathrooms and mothering stations, nothing has been left to chance.
Smaller terraced amphitheaterRecycled wooden beams from construction projects form a huge umbrella overlookThe concert venue on an adjacent ridgeEntrance to the concert areaSpectacular view of Tel Aviv
There is a native herb garden with sages and lavenders and scented geraniums where the air is perfumed and heady. We strolled through desert gardens of sand, succulents and cacti. In each section are benches, pathways, and picnic areas. Park Ariel Sharon is definitely now a green lung in the country’s most densely populated urban area. It is a place that is open to all, free of charge (except for concerts and special events). It is a great place for wedding photography – we saw two wedding parties there. This once polluted, neglected dump is now a flourishing metropolitan park. Guided tours can be arranged in advance. At the bottom is the Mikva Yisrael agricultural school where classes are held on sustainability and organic farming. Israel is an amazing country in its innovation and is a leader in environmental issues.
Desert garden with lakes and cafe terrace belowThe recycling center for glass, plastics, metalAgricultural school and center at foot of the mountainRepurpose, Reuse, Recycle
We visited Israel for the first time in 2011, when I was still a homeschooling mom. Because we used a modified Classical curriculum, my children and I immersed ourselves in history, literature, art, philosophy, ancient languages (Hebrew and Latin), and culture. Israel, a land steeped in Biblical, Hellenistic, Jewish, Roman, early Christian, Byzantine, Muslim and Crusader history was a place where my young son and I could actually walk out much of what we had learned in books. For us, it was truly exiting, and I knew we had to somehow be a part of this fantastic place. We first stumbled upon Tzippori in 2011, and wound up moving to a town just 20 minutes to the north. Last winter, my husband, John, and I decided to visit once again. Come with us to one of the most phenomenal archaeological discoveries in the 20th century (right in our back yard!!).
Perched like a bird on top of a high hill in the middle of the Lower Galilee is the city of Tzippori (which means bird in Hebrew). It was first built by Hellenistic (Greek) Jews around 125 BCE, and was chosen for its prime location on the main trade route between Egypt and Damascus, the Via Maris. It was also on the route from Akko on the Mediterranean to the Sea of Galilee. On several occasions, the city was attacked by marauding bands, and finally Herod Antipas, the great builder, undertook its reconstruction in 37 BCE. He employed many different tradesmen from stonemasons to carpenters and the top artisans of the day to create what the historian Josephus would call “the pearl of the Galilee.” As it is only 3.5 miles (a 45 minute walk) from Nazareth, it is more than probable that Joseph the carpenter and foster-father of Jesus was employed here, as was Jesus himself.
Lower Tzippori, a sprawling city adjacent to modern-day Nazareth, in background
By 4 BCE, the Romans were fully entrenched in the Holy Land. Many times they were fought off by zealots, but Tzippori was different. The newly remodeled city was full of Roman sympathizers, often times at odds with the local Galileans. Because Sephoris (as it was called by the Romans) was a “City of Peace,” it was spared destruction from Vespasian and Titus like most of the other towns and cities that were razed by the Legion between 66 and 73 AD. In fact, at one time, Vespasian had over 7500 troops quartered here. For its time, Tzippori was a very wealthy city as evidenced by the many magnificent buildings and especially the mosaics…some of the best in the world! Craftsmen were not only locals, but employed from Egypt, Greece, Rome, experts in the latest styles of carving, fresco painting and tile work. Let’s visit, shall we?
The archeological ruins in the lower part of the city included a colonnaded cardo, the Roman term for the large main thoroughfare. On either side of the cardo, merchants’ shops stood. From the excavation, we get a wonderful picture of daily life in the first century. Glass bottles with remnants of exotic perfumes were discovered; ceramics and stoneware vessels containing grains and pulses; exquisitely crafted jewelry (a gold earring with gemstones, bracelets, an olive leaf head wreath of gold) have been uncovered in situ. Historians note that farming in the rich Jezreel Valley soil and shepherding was done outside the city walls. Fish were brought in fresh from the Mediterranean and Sea of Galilee. In the center of the city were government buildings, a synagogue, and a bank or treasury. Most citizens in this mixed Jewish and Roman city worked for the government under Herod Antipas. There were scribes, tax collectors, judges, lawyers and merchants.
A large villa was unearthed in 1987. The many rooms contained floors of magnificent mosaics. It is called “The Nile House” because the floor in the main hall has a large mosaic depicting the celebration of the Nile River, with a number of separate scenes of different events. In one corner, the river flows from the mouth of an animal on whose back sits a Nile god. In another a reclining female holds a basket of fruit. There are papyrus and lilies in the stream, and the center figure is a picture of a man on a column with a rod called a Nilometer, which measured the height of the river. Surrounding are mosaics showing wild animals in hunting mode. In the room adjacent, the mosaic floor depicts Amazons hunting. The Amazons were a mythical race of female warriors originating from the Caucasus, they settled in Cappodocia (Turkey) and mated with the neighboring Gargarensians, keeping only the girls that were born. The word Amazon comes from the Greek ‘a’ meaning without and ‘mazos “ meaning breast. Legend has it that these women cut off their right breast in order to be better archers…. Anyway, you can see the Greek (Hellenistic) as well as the Egyptian influences in this ancient metropolis (The Greeks invaded Israel in about 150 BCE influencing many Jewish people in Israel to adopt their culture. Centuries before, the Jews were scattered throughout the ancient world in the First Diaspora, hence Hellenized Jews).
Measuring the riverAnimals hunting on the NileHunting sceneAmazon warrior mosaicGreek warriorGreek satyr
One of my favorite places is the tile merchant’s/ mosaic artist’s showroom. Just as we would go to a carpet warehouse or flooring store today, people in the first century could visit the tile showroom and see samples of floor designs. It’s absolutely great!! The ‘warehouse’ had sample designs in little cubicles, offering a variety of geometric shapes, borders, floral and figurative designs. Plus a sample board to choose the colors and sizes of the tesserae!! I don’t think you can find this anywhere else in the world!
Ancient flooring showroom!Beautiful but busyNice colorsI’ll take this for the salonMy bedroom selectionvery fancy!
Close up of tesserae samples… 68 varying shades in all
For those of you who are interested in feats of engineering, one of the first considerations when building a city is water. How does a team of engineers get water to a city without digging wells? Israel is situated in a desert/sub-Saharan zone. It only rains in the winter: the rest of the year is bone dry. Especially in ancient times, cities were built atop hills and mountains for obvious defensive reasons. So getting water uphill was quite the engineering problem. In the Nazareth mountains nearby flowed underground springs. These springs were channeled in six separate aqueducts which converged outside Tzippori into an enormous hand-hewn cistern or reservoir. This huge underground storage chamber is 260 meters long and 12 meters deep with a volume of 4300 cubic meters. It was in use from the first through the seventh centuries. From the reservoir, the water then ran into a sedimentation chamber, and filtered into another reservoir or holding tank. Enormous amounts of water then exited via a large lead pipe with a filtering sluice at one end. It is truly a marvel to see this sophisticated system! From the reservoir the fresh water was carried by aqueduct into Tzippori. The tremendous build up of water pressure from the reservoir to the small viaducts propelled the water uphill. The remarkable engineering feat actually carried running water through the town and into each house, providing fresh water for drinking, cooking, washing, sanitation, and the ritual Jewish purification baths called mikvaot as well as to the Roman bathhouse in the lower city.
If you’re brave, you can actually descend and walk through the water system.Viaduct for waterSediment tank. Heavier objects sunk and clean water flowed through the small holeWaterways carried fresh water throughout the cityRemains of a water viaduct leading to the ruins of a home
There are just so many interesting things to see here. Let’s head back to the cardo: we were smitten with the actual tracks made by the heavy wagon wheels on the stone streets. A representation of an ancient cart built upon wheels and axels found there is on display. Seeing this really brings the place to life as we could envision a bustling city teaming with life and wagons laden with building materials.
Back in 2011, Max and I got most excited over our tremendous ‘discovery.’ As soon as we saw this graffiti etched into the paving stones on the wide city street, we knew exactly what they were. We had read about this in our Rome studies, so to see it up close for reals: WOW!!! Before I explain, I’ll let you look at the photos and you can try to guess what they were-
Best example. What is this?This is just a fun throw-in.An etching of the menorah of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem
So what are all these odd markings? They are street games. During times of boredom, children, merchants, and soldiers alike used to throw knucklebones. Small bones or cubiyot, like dice would be rolled into a designated area etched into the street and points would be racked up. For the adults (and street punks?) it was a game of great skill and often involved placing bets. Sometimes, as in the photo uppermost right, the grids would be stacked in a line and the game resembled cribbage or backgammon as the player would move their pieces from grid to grid. Is this super cool or what???
Now we make our way up the mountain to the upper part of Tzippori. Again, we can see the influence of Rome. Every metropolis needs entertainment, and as one would expect, there is a nice sized amphitheater carved into the north side of the mountain. It was built in the late first or second century AD and had seating for 4000. On ground level in front was the orchestra (the place for the chorus during the Greek period, reserved for honored guests during Roman times. The elevated stage or scena was made of marble and wood. Behind would be large scaffolding for the backdrops with costuming below and balconies for soliloquies above. At this particular site, metal scaffolding has been added so one can get a general idea of the design. Rows of seating were hewn out of the bedrock and covered with marble slabs. Most have been raided and repurposed for building by other civilizations, a very common occurrence. The bottom rows remain intact.
The vomitoriumwas the passage where the audience exited or entered (spewed forth) not would you old ordinarily think of those raucous Romans.
The remains of a spectacular Roman residence built at the beginning of the third century AD were found towards the mountain’s plateau. This villa, along with most of the other structures in Tzippori, was destroyed in the great earthquake of 363 AD. The villa would have had most spectacular views, and because of its proximity to the theatre, indicates a high status of the owner. It has now been enclosed to preserve what is left including Israel’s finest mosaic, the Mona Lisa of the Middle East. The mansion was built according to a popular Roman floor plan. The main room of the sprawling villa was the triclinium, or dining room walled on three sides open to spectacular views and a colonnaded portico facing the Mount Carmel Ridge of Haifa. Cubiculum, or bedrooms, were located off the main hall. Also, just off the dining room, was an indoor bathroom (picture below) with running water below the latrine hole. The walls of the villa were once covered in beautiful frescoes as evidenced by the remains of paint on the existing walls. Many of the rooms had mosaic floors with colorful patterns, the most ornate in the dining salon contains scenes from the life of Dionysus, god of wine. The mosaic is comprised of 1.5 million stones in 23 colors.
Main vestibule in villaEntrance to cubiculum from aboveThe bathroom would have had a toilet chair over the hole. The inscription reads “to health” in GreekThe blue light indicates where running water flowedTriclinium viewed from aboveSpectacular mosaics. Center panels are the life of DionysusDepiction of daily lifeHercules loses the drinking game with Dionysus and is carried awayMona Lisa of the Middle East: gorgeous!View of Mt Carmel in distance
Now for a bit of interesting history. The Romans finally decided to subjugate these living in Israel. Why after so many years? The Jews paid taxes at the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The taxes exacted by the Romans were exorbitant and bleeding them dry (hence the “render unto Caesar…” speech). Many refused or just could not pay, which oftentimes led to enslavement. The Romans worked seven days a week except for State/religious festivals. The Jewish people insisted on keeping the Sabbath: every Saturday was a day of complete rest in which no work at all was done. When in the early 30s-70 AD, this new cult of Jewish believers in Yeshua (Jesus) as their promised Messiah started springing up, not only was Shabbat kept, but now Sunday was held by these nascent Christians as the Lord’s Day. The Romans were losing a day’s labor from the Jews and two days labor from the Messianics. It was going too far! Plus bands of Jewish zealots were springing up trying to shake off their hoke of bondage to Rome.
In 66-68 AD, the Roman legions led by Vespasian and his son, Titus, landed on the shores of Akko in Israel. They spent the next two years routing out all the Jewish people living in the towns and countryside of the Galilee region. It was during this time the Jewish general Mattityahu Ben Joseph was captured (later becoming Josephus Flavius, the historian to Rome). Many Jews were expelled. Many were taken as slaves. Many killed. Many traveled south towards Jerusalem. By 70 AD, the Romans captured their prize jewel, the eternal capital of the Jewish people: the city of Jerusalem. The walls were breached after a long siege and after a bloodbath, the Roman army seized the city and razed the holy Temple (see Arch of Titus in Rome). This marked the beginning of the great diaspora in which most of the Jewish people were either taken into captivity or were dispersed throughout the world.
Jerusalem, the Holy City since King David, had always been the spiritual or religious center for the Jewish people. It was where the Sanhedrin (the main body of the court of law) assembled. Home to the great priests, rabbis and Torah scholars of the day. it was a major center of learning in the ancient world. Many of these great sages of old (khazal) escaped Jerusalem and went south to Yavne (south of modern day Tel Aviv) or north toward Tzippori. For the first part of the new millennium, the Oral Law or Mishnah (companion to the Torah), which had been handed down from generation to generation, was codified, much of it in Tzippori. Great sages of Judaism, Yehuda haNasi and Rebbe Eliezer lived in this city arguing, discussing and writing the heart of the Talmud. The remains of a large synagogue from the first century are here, but the structure was mostly destroyed in the great earthquake.
Early Christianity/Catholicism also had their own Oral Traditions that had been handed down from generation to generation (Dormition and Assumption of Mary; home of the Holy Family; sites of miracles). One of these traditions states that Mary’s parents (grandparents of Jesus), Joaquin and Anna, were originally from the city of Tzippori. During the times of the Crusaders, a large church and monastery were erected at the site of their purported home. It was called Deir Anna or the Monastery of St Anna.
There is a Crusader fortress at the very top of the mountain. It was destroyed by the Mamaluks under Baybars, then rebuilt in the 18th century by Daher Al Omar, the Bedouin ruler of the Galilee. During this time period, Tzippori, called Sephoris by the Romans, was now renamed Safouriyeh thus Arabizing the Hebrew.
Last, are the ruins of a large synagogue from the second century. It was a center of activity for the sprawling city, and reflected not only its Jewish heritage and connection (commemoration of) the destroyed Second Temple, but also has Greek, Roman and Eastern influence as seen in the mosaics. There is a large central medallion of the zodiac with both Hebrew and Greek writing. Side panels depict the accoutrements of the Temple worship: shofarim (trumpets), menorah (lamp stand), incense table, showbread table, bulls for sacrifice, jars of olive oil, baskets of fruit containing the seven species of plants native to Israel. At the other end of the synagogue floor are mosaic representations of the Biblical story of Abraham: Abraham feeding the angels, Abraham and Sarah, and Father Abraham’s ascent up Mt Moriah with his son, Isaac on the donkey. A side band in Hebrew reads that the floor was “donated with generous funds by ….. in memory of their son, …. “ So it keeps the tradition of a memorial plaque. The geometric design is more Eastern than Western. Even though the synagogue is now a museum, pre-arranged weddings and Bar Mitzvahs can take place on the site. When we were there, a group was gathering for a Bar Mitzvah. A portable ark with Torah was being wheeled onto the main floor and a bima was being set up. It’s another example of living connection to the past.
I love Israel for its absolute randomness. There are just so many amazingly unexpected places to discover here. I had first heard of the old Dolphin House Hotel years ago, but it wasn’t until a few months ago that I had the opportunity to visit the site and learn about its history. A friend of ours took us to brunch at The Breakfast House in the little village of Shave Zion (pronounced SHAH-vay Tsee-YONE in Hebrew).
Shave Zion (Return to Zion) population 1209, is located exactly 2 miles between Akko (Acre) and Nahariyya, 5.5 miles south of the Lebanese border. It sits right on the Mediterranean Sea and is one of the most beautiful places to relax and enjoy the sun and sea breezes. It was established in 1938 by a small group of German Jews who were escaping the Nazis. In its early days, the moshav was primarily an agricultural one, growing carrots, wheat, dates and citrus fruits. Fighting off armed bands of Bedouin raiders was not uncommon in the days of the British Palestinian Mandate.
Joshua Malka (1920-2005), was born in Egypt, one of seven children born into an upper-class Jewish family. Speaking Arabic, French, English and Hebrew, he served in the hospitality sector as a manager at the Luxor Hotel in Alexandria waiting on the elites of Egypt including King Farouk. Egypt, however, was becoming increasingly hostile to its Jewish population. Joshua and three of his brothers escaped persecution, immigrating to Israel in 1948, just in time to serve in the IDF during the War of Independence. He was 28 years old.
Afte the war, Joshua, now known as ”Shua,” returned to the hotel industry. He became head of reception at the famous King David Hotel in Jerusalem. At the time, it was Israel’s only luxury hotel serving foreign dignitaries, businessmen and celebrities of the highest order. In the late 1940s, immediately after World War II, Israel saw a huge wave of new immigrants: they were Jewish refugees rising like Lazarus from the concentration camps of Europe, arriving on the shores of the newly-reborn nation with nothing but the clothes on their backs. It was an interesting time for Israel, impoverished from the war with few resources, food rationing and in most places, third world living conditions. Despite all the hardships, the people came with hopes and dreams. It was around this time that the South African movie producer, Norman Lurie started to build a beachfront hotel in Shave Zion.
The new Beit Dolfin, The Dolphin House Resort Hotel and Country Club needed a manager. Someone used to working with VIPs, serving them and catering to their unique needs. None other was more suited for this job than Shua Malka. Shua and his gorgeous wife Eva (Chava), herself a Czech refugee who had survived Auschwitz, moved to Shave Zion in 1951. They lived a charmed life. In the winter they would travel to Europe with their young daughter. At night they would scout the hottest Parisian clubs and Berlin coffeehouses for singers and dancers to entertain at Beit Dolfin. While Shua made business connections, Chava would shop for high fashion in London and Milan. They brought back the highest quality furnishings for the new hotel as well as European chefs and entertainers.
By the mid-1950s, Dolphin House had earned a reputation among royalty, diplomats and Hollywood movie stars. With ”unbeatable scenery and impeccable service,” the luxury hotel had an Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, shuffleboard, library, theatre, synagogue, and activities center. Tsimmerim, private suite cabins on the beach were always in high demand year round. Besides a Kosher dining room, there was a cafe and five-star gourmet chef restaurant. There was a house orchestra, jazz band, and celebrity entertainment. It was not unusual for there to be ballroom dancing one evening, jitterbugging on the terrace the next and Israeli folk-dancing around a huge bonfire on the beach another night. Peter Sellars, Danny Kaye, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra and Sofia Lauren were among the most prominent regular guests. Leon Uris wrote his novel, Exodus, from a beach chair on the sand there. Later, during the filming of the major motion picture by the same name, Pat Boone, Eva Saint Marie, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward would stay at Dolphin House. Kirk Douglas first stayed at the hotel while filming ”The Juggler,” the first full-length Hollywood movie to be filmed in Israel. It was there that he ‘discovered’ the young Dalia Lavie who lived on the moshav. She told him she wanted to be a dancer, and Douglas convinced her parents to let her study ballet in Sweden. Dalia Lavie would go on to become a top model and Hollywood starlet, often playing the role of femme fatale. She is best known for her performance in the James Bond film, Casino Royale.
Model, actress, singer Dalia LaviePaul Newman during the filming of ExodusSofia LaurenDanny Kaye was a regular here
Beit Dolfin didn’t just bring Beverly Hills style living to Shave Zion, it raised the entire quality of life of the moshav. The resort complex employed round-the clock workers from chefs, waiters and waitresses, cleaning crews, entertainers, valets and chauffeurs, activities leaders, lifeguards, tennis instructors and managerial staff. Private tour guides would escort the guests on hikes and to historical sites throughout the land. The Malkas built a waterfront villa and were the first in Shave Zion (outside the hotel) to own a telephone, television and private car. By the mid-1960s, Shave Zion had one of the highest standards of living in Israel.
I heard the stories over what is arguably, the best brunch in Israel…The Breakfast Club cafe. We sipped mimosas on the patio – the place is always packed and reservations are an absolute must! It’s a bit out-of- the-way, but easy to find as the village only has one main street, lined with shade trees, boutiques, cafes and pubs. Their scrambled eggs on brioche served with creme fraiche and lox was to die for. My husband ordered the chavita, an omelette topped with asparagus, basil, Mediterranean vegetables and feta, equally delicious.
After brunch, we were in desperate need of a walk, so we made our way down the street to see the hotel I had heard so much about. Unfortunate is not the word. Today it is completely abandoned, fenced off, and in absolute disrepair. Sad. Sad. Sad. The bones oof the building are still there, but it is hard to imagine the glory days. We pray someone will buy and restore it to its former self, abuzz with VIPs and alive with activity. Until then, ghosts of the past haunt it halls and memories of music and laughter waft from the balconies of Beit Dolfin.
Israel Dreams 