Reaching new heights

Jerusalem Post, Weekend Magazine; Jun 7, 2007

There's a host of new and newly improved activities in Galilee and the Golan for the whole family to explore. Just don't mention the war.

What war? You mean to tell me there was a war around here? That was the question that crossed my mind as I traveled as part of a press tour to northern Galilee and the Golan Heights. The drying, straw-yellow hills of the Golan, now ripe with garlic and cherries, bore no sign of tragedy. The only occasional shadow in the pastoral landscape were the tanks at the side of the road participating in a massive army drill; a grim reminder of the predicted war with Syria.

Talk of war hardly came up in conversations with the tour guides and sites we visited. I'm not sure whether to attribute this to painful denial, optimistic dismissal or just plain defiance, but entrepreneurs and tourism professionals are holding nothing back in developing the north for the waves of tourists they expect this summer. Millions of dollars are being invested to build, upgrade and rehabilitate.

Yalla Nasrallah, as they say. Northern Israel blooms in summertime despite you.

Kfar Giladi: The Chicken-Coop Path
At night the bus turns into Kibbutz Kfar Giladi, and near the entrance several stone plaques surround a small, bare plot of land. Twelve soldiers were killed here by a direct rocket hit during the war.

We focus on other monuments: monuments in honor of the industry and creativity of the north. Seven former chicken coops will soon be transformed into a pastoral promenade for shops and galleries. The project, called in Hebrew Shvil Halulim (the chicken-coop path) was started a year and a half ago by Yaron Bar, a northern native who got his inspiration from time spent in South Africa.

"I saw ranches in South Africa where you can find all the local products, wines, foods, oils, art and all types of goods," Bar said. To give local artisans a platform to showcase and sell their wares, he leased the former coops from the kibbutz for 20 years.

Sivan Ravitz from Kibbutz Dan opened the first business on the developing promenade right after the war. Razei Hata'am ("The Secrets of Taste") is a boutique food shop selling gourmet spices, oils, cheeses, pastas, meats and also kitchenware in a colorful and aesthetic setting. Her shop was a risky endeavor, not necessarily because of the war, but because of its novelty.

"People in the region aren't aware of the possibilities of delicatessens or the things they can offer. The purpose of the store is to suggest more options to people. It's catching on, but it's something new. Even during Pessah, people saw it as a gift shop. They need to get used to it as a place where they can buy food for themselves."

Interest in the compound suffered in the wake of the war, but it is starting to pick up again. In a few weeks a housewares shop and an art gallery will open their doors.
Probably the most remarkable attraction at the compound comes at the end of the path in the form of an imposing, antique basalt structure that is now home to 1922, a meat and wine bar. Built by French designers in 1922, the structure was used first as a barn and then as a secret weapons storehouse.

Through creative lighting and steel and glass decor, contemporary Israeli designers have transformed the interior into an enchanting restaurant combining the antique and modern. The high ceilings, cracked walls, chandeliers and gray tone made me feel like the place was haunted, but in the end I only felt pleasantly haunted by the excellent taste and preparation of the beef and lamb steaks served.

Razei Hata'am: Sun.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri., holiday eves 9 a.m.-4 p.m.;
Sat., holidays: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.,
(04) 694-6310
1922: Reservations: (04) 694-6646

The Wild Heights: Cowboy Village
It's a long, lonely ride to Kibbutz Merom Golan in the northern Golan, but this is where cowboy fantasies are realized.

Merom Golan has all the attractions to complete the experience: horse riding, tractor riding, a cattle ranch and a cowboy restaurant. Founded in 1997, the restaurant serves hickory-flavored chicken and smoky, grilled beef. The wooden logs adorned with posters of Clint Eastwood complete the Wild West theme.

Right behind the restaurant, the muscular Druse cowboy and horse trainer, William, led us on horse rides through the surrounding mountains on the rather tame and friendly horses. My horse, Pele, trailed behind the others and kept eating the shrubbery, but I still felt like a true cowgirl.

The scent of freshly chopped wood and fabrics fill beautiful cabins equipped with plasma televisions and mini Jacuzzis. These eight new additions to the kibbutz's existing boarding facilities are for tourists who like to live the cowboy good life. Another 12 units will be built in time for the High Holy Days.

Merom Golan: (04) 696-0267; www.meromgolantourism.co.il

Manara Cliff
For one minute, I was transformed into a rocket.

My most exhilarating moment in the north was flying through the air above Kiryat Shmona. For a few moments I dangled over this northern city, patches of Hula Valley farmland under my feet, the forests - some charred, some intact - in full view. It only took about 30 seconds to glide down the Omega human cable glide, but as the wind hit my face, I thought, what an eloquent answer to Nasrallah's Katyushas.
I reclaimed the northern skies.

Manara Cliff is known for its outdoor adventures, which also include rappelling and wall climbing. Forest fires damaged their 2- km.-long cable car ride, and the cliff reopened only last Pessah.

Manara cliff: NIS 49/NIS 59 (weekdays/weekends) for Omega cable glide.
NIS 95/NIS 105 for cable glide & activities. Between 4-5 p.m. daily, there's a happy hour with reduced rates. Tel 04-690-5830.

JNF Forests
JNF tour guides provide free tours of the forests overlooking the Galilee panhandle. It seems the European influence is not good for the north, at least in the field of greenery. Most of the damage in the last Lebanon war was incurred upon pine trees imported from Europe, which were too weak to withstand the heat and pressure. The JNF will rebuild the forest using more resilient, indigenous trees and greenery, such as oak.

With the backdrop of Lebanon and the Golan, our JNF tour guide gave us one of the most comprehensive explanations of the effects of the war.

THE BUREAU of Statistics has found that despite the war, internal tourism in the north has increased by about 5 percent this year, while foreign tourism has declined by about 10%. The increase can likely be attributed to Israeli solidarity.

But when I returned back to the center of the country, I realized there is another value to visiting spots hurt by the War. I couldn't help but feel inspired by the tenacity of the tourism and hotel operators and the local entrepreneurs. It's their energy, drive and hope that lend me to believe that despite all the heartache the north has undergone, the northern spirit largely remains indefatigable; a quality you can't see or read in a brochure - or ever really destroy.