REFLECTIONS IN SUNNY EILAT

A week’s holiday in Israel’s southern seaside resort during war presents some illuminating thoughts beyond sea and sun.

By David E. Kaplan

Before setting off to the beach I stepped into two bookstores. It presented the first clue signifying a fundamental change from visiting Eilat in years gone by when there were always robust English sections and prominently displaced – no more! Such as there were, were now tucked away; one had to look for it and when found, they displayed few recently published books in English, mainly the old classics – good to read but also having read. So, I saw Melville’s Moby Dick and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings – as if obligatory presentations – but no sight of a latest Follett or Baldacci bestseller. Afterall, it was the beach I was heading to, not an English lit tutorial! While hot outside at a sweltering 36 degrees, there was little hot on the bookshelves – in English. The reason was soon obvious; why stock a merchandise if there are no customers and clearly, there are no foreign English-speaking tourists from abroad coming to Eilat.

It was soon evident there were no foreign tourist coming from anywhere!

**Turquoise and Tranquil**. View from the writer’s hotel balcony overlooking the Red Sea with Jordan and Saudi Arabia to the left and Egypt on the right. (Photo: D.E. Kaplan)

This observation was all too evident walking along the long beautifully renovated beach tayelet (promenade) splicing a path between the long line of majestic hotels on one side and the emerald green merging into turquoise of the Red Sea on the other. It was packed – day and night – and to walk it was like threading a needle but there was another conspicuous difference from the not-too-distant past. Whereas previously Hebrew was a ‘foreign language’ on the promenade as one walked past conversations in French, English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and German. Today, the lingua franca is emphatically Hebrew as the tourists here in their multitude were all local Israelis.

With enemy ballistic missiles from Yemen directed mostly at central Israel, the concern here may not be existential but it is certainly financial. Being a resort city dependent on foreign tourism, Eilat is being hard hit by the war and is a microcosm of the situation vis-à-vis Israel and the Jewish world. Foreign tourists seeking sea and sun have stopped coming to Eilat and Israelis – feeling increasingly isolated by rampant antisemitism abroad and few airlines flying to Israel because of the Houthi missiles aimed at Ben Gurion Airport – flock to Eilat.

**Splendid and Serene**. Four countries that were once at war but no more as seen from Israel’s Eilat beach with Egypt on the righ and Jordan and Saudi Arabia on the left. (Photo: D.E. Kaplan)

Actually, the bookstores should not have been the first clue of this now presently flawed gem!

Frequent visitors to Eilat over the years will recall when the airport was in the center of town and the planes would approach the runway from the sea, skimming over the roofs of the hotels, it used to be a fun pastime while lying on the beach – particularly with kids – to count the incoming planes and to identify the airline from the logos – that’s how close they flew in to land. I recall times when they used to come in at intervals of 5 minutes, with planes flying directly to Eilat from cities across Europe and Russia. Now the new airport – Ramon International – is approximately 20 kilometers north of Eilat and as my wife and I drove past heading to Eilat, we saw not ONE plane fly in, nor could we see any planes parked. There was not a plane in sight, either in the air or the ground.

It didn’t register as significant then until hours later we processed on the promenade – No Foreign Tourists!

**Desert Dreams**. As seen from Eilat, a close-up of the lettering of Marsa Zayed boldly embedded into the Jordanian mountain. (Photo: D.E. Kaplan)

Lying on a deckchair under palm trees at the beach in front of the hotel was sheer joy. Far removed visually and atmospherically from war, my eyes scanned from left to right, taking in the ochre-colored mountains of Jordan, followed in the distance by Saudi Arabia and then across the Red Sea dotted by moving and at varying speeds, yachts, power boats and jet skis – Egypt. All so pleasantly peaceful. Dreams and visions for the future were all to visually evident. On the Israeli side, new residential building was sprouting out the desert scaling the mountain side, while to the left on the mountain of Jordan above the port of Aqaba, was a huge sign embedded into the mountain. The writing was so big that one did not require binoculus sitting in Eilat to read the two words – Marsa Zayed. “What did it mean?” I wondered and was puzzled why it was spelt so boldly in English and not in Arabic. Curiosity got the better of me, so I Googled and leant that Marsa means “harbor” or “anchorage” and that Mara Zayed is a $10 billion redevelopment project named after sheikh Zayed Bin Saltan Al Nahyan, an Emerati royal politician, philanthropist and founder of the United Arab Emirates and served as its first president from its independence on 2 December 1971.

**Aqaba Awakening**. An artist’s impression of Aqaba’s $10 billion Marsa Zayed development project that will comprise a marina, high-rise, hotels as well as retail, residential, entertainment and financial districts. The white tower in the center is clearly visible from the beaches in Eilat.

The project will consist of a marina, high-rise, hotels, retail, residential, entertainment and financial districts. This is Jordans only coastline and is only 16 miles (26 Km) long, the country with the fourth shortest in the world but nevertheless plans to make the most of it. Size does not matter – one has only to look at Monaca with the world’s shortest coastal frontage – a mere 2.5 miles of Mediterranean coastline but boasts home to over 12,000 millionaires.

**Jubilant Jordanians**. At the Marsa Zayed project initiation ceremony in Aqaba which will transform a 320-hectare section of Red Sea beachfront into a tourism and business hub. The name MARSA ZAYED can be seen in the center halfway up the mountain.

No shortage of coastline is Egypt with its Red Sea Riviera immensely popular for its year-round warm weather, its white sand beaches and world-renowned diving.

I reflected on the name of Eilat’s tayelet called the “Peace Promenade” and the plan for it to eventually run from Taba in Egypt’s Sinai through to Aqaba in Jordan. Both countries are contractually at peace with Israel if not with any great public enthusiasm or support, but the vision and the potential is there, particularly if Saudi Arabia , which I could clearly make out to the south, joins in a post-Gaza war, the Abrahams Accord.

**Music and Musings**. A staple of Eilat’s nightlife, the popular ‘Three Monkeys’ on the promenade offers live music nightly and has been attracting a diverse and dynamic crowd since its creation. Usually filled with foreign tourists, at present because of the war, mostly Israelis.

Trade and tourism not tumult I thought as I doused myself with more sunscreen lotion. The only danger today was the sun’s rays and I hoped on my next visit to Eilat, the bookstores will again be replete with English books!

Feature picture: Eilat’s coastal frontage of beaches and hotels with the city center to the left.

While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

MODI’IN: ISRAEL’S NEW TOURISM DESTINATION?

The fast-growing city in central Israel has just opened its first hotel in a bid to attract business and leisure tourism.

By Rolene Marks

(*First published in the JNS)

Modi’in, situated halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is considered a quiet city that is more sleepy suburbia than fast-paced metropolis. But that may be changing rapidly, symbolized by the recent opening of its first hotel.

The city is an attractive destination for many immigrant families. It boasts a diverse community composed of olim from English-speaking countries as well as from France, South America and elsewhere. They enjoy the “soft landing” provided by the municipality, which seeks to ensure that all the bureaucracy associated with immigration is made as easy as possible.

Like many Israeli towns and cities, Modi’in straddles its ancient roots and the modern day. Often dubbed “The Chanukah city” in a nod to the Maccabees who lived and are buried there, Modi’in is also Israel’s only “learning city” and is regarded as the first and most modern “green city” in the world.

Orna Mager is the director of the municipal Multidisciplinary Center (MDCM) and is responsible for growing small businesses and tourism in the city. Mager, who represents Israel at the UNESCO Global Forum of Learning Cities, explained what this meant in an interview with JNS.

“A learning city is a model that the global forum is running that focuses on understanding that the world is changing so quickly and [that] people need to learn how to adapt to these changes,” she said. “There are a lot of crises in the world. It’s about learning how to adapt and learn to live with all the changes,” she added.

“Learning cities means that the municipalities take responsibility for the lifelong learning of its citizens. We also deal with other issues like climate change, sustainability, gender equality and social cohesion. The policy of the mayor [Haim Bibas] is to promote learning for every citizen.”

Modi’in’s municipality is hoping that the city will soon become a popular tourist destination, and Mager stressed that growing tourism is a top priority for the city.

“Even during these difficult times, we have taken a huge leap forward with tourism,” she said. “We have mapped out the tourist attractions in the city in order to map our story. There are archaeology, culinary courses, nature parks, the museum, businesses that cater to tourism. We have found a treasure in human resources.

“The city has invested a lot in courses to help people who have stories to tell or something unique about their homes to share their stories. For example, we have unique collections in some of the homes. Someone has a collection of cactuses and another ancient menorahs; some have art and many more. We are preparing routes that tourists can follow.”

On Feb. 15, the city received a major boost in its endeavor to brand itself as a tourist and business hub—the opening of the Jacob Modi’in. The luxury hotel is part of the Jacob Hotels chain and has 85 rooms and suites, high-quality facilities for conferences and events and public areas for relaxation.

A tastefully furnished suite in Modi’in’s first hotel Jacobs Modi’in.

The hotel is a short distance from the city’s entertainment area, with restaurants, bars and stores, and is next to the Azrieli Center and train station. Because it is conveniently close to Ben-Gurion International Airport, its owners hope to attract both business and leisure tourism.

The hotel is located in the new West complex of the Azrieli Group, which combines commerce, offices and rental housing. The Jacobs Hotel chain has invested approximately 7 million shekels [$1.9 million] in the hotel’s design. There are rooms of various sizes, spread over two floors, in an area of approximately 5,200 square meters (56,000 square feet). These include rooms for couples and families, as well as suites.

All rooms are equipped with a smart system for operating the electrical and air conditioning systems. The public areas are large and include a luxurious lobby. Future amenities will include a spa with five treatment rooms, a bar and restaurant open to outside guests, and two large play areas for children.

Einat Ganon, the hotel manager and CEO of the Jacobs Hotel chain, said this was a milestone event.

Set midway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Modi’in’s first hotel Jacobs Modi’in, has opened for business.

“We are very excited to be the cornerstone of the hotel industry in the city of Modi’in,” she said. “The Jacob Hotel Modi’in is great news for the city and for the hotel industry in Israel.”

The owners are confident that the Jacob Modi’in, which has five meeting rooms, an event hall and a large garden, will attract companies wanting to hold seminars and conferences. The hotel caters for Shabbat and family events and has a large synagogue. It can accommodate events of up to 150 people and has been fitted with state-of-the-art technology to facilitate both professional and family gatherings at a high level.

**Let there be light**. Windows from floor to ceiling invite the sun’s rays, illuminating the lobby.

Modi’in has plenty to offer. Among the attractions is the Hashmonean Heritage Museum in the center of the city, which connects the modern with the ancient. Many archaeological finds in the city and surrounding area that testify to its rich, historical past are featured in the museum’s exhibitions. The museum presents the story of Modi’in from the time of the Hasmonean dynasty until the establishment of the modern city.

The Hasmonean Heritage Museum presents a fascinating saga of the city of Modiin from the days of the ancient Hasmoneans until the present day.

The modern city of Modi’in was built in the 1990s and later merged with the nearby towns of Maccabim and Re’ut to create the unified municipality of Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut. Now home to more than 100,000 residents, Modi’in is on the way to becoming a desirable tourist spot with all the essential amenities, including shopping malls, a variety of good restaurants, entertainment facilities and sports fields.

On March 14, Modi’in is scheduled to officially open The Wall—the largest climbing wall in Israel that includes a variety of walls for all levels, from children to adults.

Other attractions include a popular water park and Givat HaBroshim, where people from around the country visit to see the blooming flowers and enjoy local cuisine from food trucks. In April, an exhibition of sustainable art called Land Art will open to the public.

ZICHRON YA’AKOV – A CULTURAL COLONY ON THE CARMEL

Views, vineyards and wineries, this Moshava (colony) has it all – besides the multitude of visitors it deserves.

By Motti Verses

Fourth grade pupils from the Ariel Sharon School in Nahariya have taken over the picturesque pedestrian street of Zichron Yaakov – a “Moshava” (colony or town) nestled high atop Carmel Mountain, south of Haifa. They enthusiastically circled the Benjamin Pool National Site, the water reservoir built in 1891 and named after Baron Edmond James de Rothschild – a French member of the Rothschild banking family and strong supporter of Jewish settlement in Palestine. Founded in 1882 by Romanian Jews, who the following year received support from the Barron, they renamed the town in honor of his father, whose Hebrew name was Ya’akov.

**First of its Kind**. Benjamin’s Pool, the water reservoir built in 1891 and named after Baron Benjamin Edmond James de Rothschild was the first of its kind in Israel, and used a newly developed pump to bring water up to the village on the hilltop.‏ (Photo: Motti Verses)

To a casual observer it may easily appear that Zichron Ya’akov is bustling. The truth is that on a sunny January weekday, if it weren’t for the playful pupils , the street with its restaurants, cafés and shops would be quite deserted. In the Gan Tiyul green oasis, the first ornamental garden in the Land of Israel on Hanadiv Street, planted by Baron Rothschild’s officials in 1886, you could hear the sounds and squeals of joy. They were emanating from dozens of animated girls from a local religious elementary school filling the air and playing happily. “If this was Europe,” I thought to myself, this magnificent little colony of visual delight would be bustling with visitors. Sadly, the reality here is that visitors return slowly on weekends, and are hardly noticeable on weekdays!

**Road of Revelations**. Seen here on main street, cobbled and exclusively for pedestrians with many historical structures and quaint shops selling art, clothing, antiques, is Council Member with the portfolio for tourism, Dganit Azoulay. (Photo: Efrat Peleg)

Zichron Yaakov is a jewel of the Land of Israel, the pearl on the mountain. “It was born from a vision by people of faith who realized the Zionist cause. Over the years settlers have gathered and come through its gates from the four corners of the world,” is the message you will hear from passionate ‘Zichronites’. The Moshava is home to diverse tourist areas, including many artists who open their homes for workshops, cozy hotels, magical B&Bs and original spa complexes, restaurants, wineries and boutique hotels. There are many tour guides routinely leading tourists along the historical trails and magical corners that characterize the colony. It is no secret that tourism in Zichron Ya’akov is an important growth engine for the town’s economic prosperity. At the same time, I felt something was missing. To understand, I turned to the person who symbolizes the Moshava to me, more than anyone else.

Dganit Azoulay ran the high-quality and groundbreaking “Adama” restaurant in the town for many years. But it too closed and the hard-working restaurateur turned her energies to local politics. She was elected in the last municipal elections as a high-profile member on the list of incumbent mayor Eli Aboutbul and became a council member responsible for the tourism portfolio. A year after the municipal elections, Azoulay is optimistic.

“Zichron is going to upgrade its tourism with new projects. A massive renovation of the main pedestrian street, which includes multimedia presentations and the construction of a modern parking lot nearby, with an investment of NIS 5 million, will soon be underway,” she reveals. “At a later stage, the pedestrian street will be expanded by another 400 meters to the Carmel Wineries, where wine production has ceased. A commercial center with an emphasis on wine will be built in the historic winery building that will be preserved, in collaboration with the Carmel Wineries. Even a boutique hotel with 100 rooms will be integrated into it,” says Azoulay. “This spring, a 150-room hotel of the Gordonia Israeli brand will open on the western cliff. In the ‘Wine Park’ residential complex in eastern Zichron, commercial centers including hotels and wineries will be built in the future, and the project is currently in the tender stage of the Israel Land Administration,” she says.

“Zichron is not just a pedestrian street. It is an open museum of the history of the State of Israel. No other place throughout Israel that bears the honoured name of Baron Rothschild is preserved like this. In addition, the Moshava is a base for enjoyable nature trips. Cyclists will find trails on Mount Horshan. Jeep tours here are exciting. Ramat Hanadiv is an attraction in itself,” concludes Azoulay. A Memorial Park and Nature Reserve, Ramat Hanadiv honors Baron Edmond de Rothschild whose vision and philanthropy so influenced the early establishment of communities throughout the Land of Israel. Seventeen acres of beautiful landscape on the southern end of Mount Carmel, it is most famous for its beautifully maintained formal gardens which offer spectacular views and many peaceful and tranquil corners. There is a Visitors’ Center that tells the story of Ramat Hanadiv. Proud of its eco credentials, the building housing the Visitors’ Center, was the first ever certified green building in Israel.

**A Walk in the Park**. Within the Ramat Hanadiv nature park at the southern end of Mount Carmel between Zichron Ya’akov to the north and Binyamina to the south is the magnificent and serene gardens commemorating the Baron and Baroness de Rothschild.
(Photos: Motti Verses)

Like other tourist hospitality places in the country, Zichron Yaakov has also undergone a shake-up during the war. Overnight, the pastoral Eden Inn Hotel became “a residence for evacuees from southern Israel and the student-immigrant population from the Ivim absorption center in the western Negev near Sderot also moved to live in the hotel,” reveals Tal Daniel, the charming hotel’s General Manager.

The writer (left) with Tal Daniel, General Manager of Zichron Yaakov Eden Inn. (Photo: Itzhak Rabihiya)

The hotel has 96 rooms that host mainly small conferences of business companies during the week and families on the weekends. The hotel covers a generous area of 33 dunams and its surroundings projects a visual landscape of green nature. It exudes a kind of kibbutz atmosphere – rural and tranquil – and is within easy walking distance of all the Moshava’s attractions and hiking trails. “A quarter of those staying at Eden Inn on a regular basis are tourists from abroad, but we lost them all due to the war,” says Daniel.

**Warm and Welcoming**. An idyllic ambiance greets visitors to the lobby of the Eden Inn Hotel. (Photo: Eden Inn Ben Rodstein)

“However, because Zichron was considered a relatively safe destination in the middle of the war, the hotel experienced a boom in the spring and summer. During last fall, with the intensity of the war in Lebanon, Zichron lost this advantage. Sirens were heard constantly. Now that there is a feeling that the country has become safer, it is the north that is experiencing a boom which they desperately deserve and need, however, Zichron now is unfortunately losing its pull factor.”

**Some Like It Hot**. The intimate hot tub in the courtyard of the Eden Inn Hotel is particularly inviting in the winter. (Photo: Eden Inn Ben Rodstein)

A visit to the pastoral Kibbutz Ein Shemer offers an insight of the early days of the pioneers, living off the land by farming. At the entrance to the kibbutz which was founded in 1927, there is a reconstructed historic courtyard housing a museum of the “Rishonim” – the first. It tells the story of kibbutz settlement covering these pioneers – their system of education, evolving culture and style of socialist labor. What I found most fascinating was the antique tractors and the shack where the first pioneers lived and the restored agricultural tools. How these early pioneers lived, mapped out the future shape the country would take. The resilience of today is found in the legacy of their example. On a more ‘refreshing’ note was the gastronomic refreshments at the kibbutz’s cozy Cawe Coffee Cart. Other nearby attractions are visits to the Gallery of Contemporary Israeli Art in Givat Haviva and the gallery and studio of the international artist and blacksmith Zeevik Gottlieb near Ma’anit (a must and recommended!). To appreciate all on offer and soak in the history and culture, the Menashe Regional Council is suggesting visitors stay overnight at Yichron Ya’acov.

**Ploughing into the Past**. Over a century of farming equipment used on kibbutzim is on exhibit at the Rishonim museum.

Everything in life is relative. From the perspective of Michal Abramov, the tourism director of the Menashe Regional Council, which borders Zichron, the Moshava is a focus of envy. “In recent years, with the help of a government grant of 6 million NIS, we have promoted a comprehensive plan for the development of agricultural tourism with future infrastructure for rural accommodation, B&Bs and even glamping with at least 500 beds to strengthen the local economy in the council,” she says.

**Window into the Past**. To learn the history of Israel’s early pioneers, a visit to ‘The Museum of the Firsts’ (“Rishonim”) at Kibbutz Ein-Shemer is a must. (Photo: Motti Verses)

Proud of Zichron’s multitude of hospitality options is Tal Daniel of Eden Inn. I ask her in conclusion:

“What does Zichron Ya’akov mean to you?”

She smiles appreciating the question and had a ready answer by referring me to the poignant words of Israeli actor and composer, Naftali Alter incorporated in Oshik Levy’s famous song. “Understand these words, and you will understand everything,” she says.

She recites the lyrics:

“In Zichron, people are happy, night and day.

In Zichron no one goes to sleep in the heat. There are empty bottles in Zichron and everyone drinks everything in my Zichron Yaakov.”

Absolutely.

This gem of the Carmel, Zichron Yaakov, of course wants and deserves so much more.

**War – then and now**. Remembering the hostages at the gates of the Aharonson House on the Moshava pedestrian street, where the Nili Museum is located. The museum tells the story of the courageous and heroic deeds of members of the Jewish Nili spy network that aided the British during World War I, contributing to the ending of Ottoman rule and the entry of the British to the Land of Israel.(Photo: Motti Verses)

About the writer:

The writer, Motti Verses, is a Travel Flash Tips publisher. His travel stories are published on THE TIMES OF ISRAEL https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/motti-verses/. And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPSAnd his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS.

REVELATIONS OF RESILIENCE IN ISRAEL’S BATTERED NORTH

Despite devastation, hotels, restaurants and popular tourist spots are rebounding.

By Motti Verses

(An abridged version appeared in The Jerusalem Post)

Ten months ago, it was love at first sight for 42-year-old Lioz Hamo from moshav Amnun in the Upper Galilee, when he took a quick look at the “Villa Tehilla” estate, originally built as a farm in 1882 and later transformed into a famed traveler’s inn in Rosh Pina. The owner, Tehilla Yisraeli, who had been among the first to rent out rooms in the picturesque town, had passed away three years earlier. Although not renowned for being a boutique hotel or resort, Lonely Planet nevertheless saw in it a certain Galilean mystical magic as to describe it 20 years ago as:

“Israel’s most unique accommodation option”.

**Northern Gem**. The entrance to “Villa Tehilla” housed on an 1882 estate built as a farm and traveler’s inn in Rosh Pina. (Photo: Motti Verses)

Placed on the market for rent, Lioz and his wife Adva – tourism lovers who mainly operate a camping compound and rent out all-terrain vehicles (ATV) – jumped at the opportunity to meet the challenge despite the country being engaged in a devastating war. Undeterred with incoming missiles a daily routine in the north, the courageous couple signed the contract and the legendary farm guest house passed into their hands. It was tough; instead of easing, the war was intensifying and few guests arrived, and in September, a rocket from Lebanon landed in the hotel’s backyard with fragments penetrating into the dining room and one of the guest’s bathrooms. Left with few viable options, the couple recalibrated their situation and instead of tourists, took in mostly evacuees, which begged the question I put to the intrepid couple:

“Who makes such a business move in the middle of a war?”

“Tourism is the only thing we know and Lioz always had good instincts in this arena. The 14 rooms “Villa Tehilla” was a dream come true for us,” replied Adva.

**“Room with a View”.** A typical “Villa Tehilla” room at this Galilean famous guest house (Photo :Motti Verses)

Dressed his in military uniform, having just returned a short break amid months of reserve duty on the Syrian border, Lioz makes me a great espresso. We continue speaking. There is a change mood of optimism as the ceasefire agreement on the border with Lebanon appears to be holding reflected in the place being fully booked by midweek Wednesday. It was further evident to me as I observed Adva constantly on the phone smiling as she registered new bookings.

I was enthralled to learn more about Villa Tehilla’s history. Thirty years earlier, Tehilla Yisraeli (Tehilla means ‘fame’ in biblical Hebrew) and her husband Amichai bought this 19th-century farm and converted the former stables and dairy into a charming guesthouse. Over the decades, it became world-famous and visitors to northern Israel headed to old Rosh Pina to experience “Villa Tehilla”. The torch carrying this legacy that has now been passed to Lioz and Adva who eagerly welcome adding their enriching chapters to an enthralling story. Most impressive was how the farm’s original central courtyard is still preserved with the original stone walls and decorative tiles – now exquisite antiques. I felt I was stepping back in time to the heroic era of the early Jewish pioneer – the sweat and toil of building the modern state; draining malaria-ridden swamps and farming – a work that was mostly unfamiliar to most of them! These were the thoughts percolating in my mind as I was jolted back to the present.

**Old World Charm**. Villa Tehilla’s inner courtyard leading to the stables now transformed into guest rooms. (Photo by Motti Verses)

“We have 14 charming and beautiful rooms; each room has its own beauty and character,” says Adva. “There is a heated pool, a jacuzzi and a sauna,” and as I can deliciously testify to, “a delicious Galilean breakfast.”

**Dream House**. “Villa Tehilla is a dream come true for us,” says General Manager Adva Hemo seen here with the writer. (Photo: Itzhak Rabihiya)

And above all, there is the hotel’s setting in picturesque Rosh Pina, where, as one breathes in the fresh Galian air, one takes in the breathtaking views of the rural landscape as it pastorally leads up to the mighty Hermon Mountain, which every winter is peaked white with snow.

First settled in the 1870s, the original ‘Old Town’ of Rosh Pina consists of just a few short cobblestone streets where today’s visitors can relive village life as it was over a century ago. One can enjoy the cultural and artistic ambiance, popping into dozens of galleries where artists and craftsmen– some well-known – sell jewelry, ceramics, sculpture and paintings. Art certainly occupies a prominent place and sets the tone in this picturesque “Princess of the Galilee”.

The nearby JNF-KKL Agamon Hula Lake, internationally acclaimed for bird watching, was still closed to the public when I was there but reopened a few days later. “During the war, we had about eight workers left to maintain the place, sometimes under fire,” says Inbar Shlomit Rubin, field manager at the Hula Lake. “Even after the reopening, not all of the observatories are available for visitors yet – for safety reasons. Our biggest challenge is manpower. Some of our employees are still evacuated, while others may never return, having found alternate employment elsewhere. Also, nature and the birds will also need time to get accustomed to the presence again of people, and we urge all our visitors to travel with this understanding of a land and its people in a process of healing,” she says.

We drive east and climb the narrow road winding our way up the mighty Golan Heights, aiming for the family-owned Odem Mountain Winery. Located in a forest in the northern part of the Golan, this renowned winery produces 200,000 bottles annually. “While production continued uninterrupted during the war, I was drafted into the army, serving 200 reserve days since October 7^th,” says General Manager Alon Arbel. Nevertheless, he says, “Our supply chain continued normally to central Israel and we even invested significant funds in expanding our on-site visitor’s center by building a new wine room.” I must say this new structure is very impressive by international standards and compares well with the famous wineries in Europe. Kudos to Arbel and owner Michael Alfasi. Since the ceasefire agreement in the north, they point out that “traffic to visit the winery has resumed significantly.”

**Le’Chaim** (“Cheers”). “Since the ceasefire, business has picked up significantly,” says Odem Mountain Winery owner Michael Alfasi (right) seen here toasting with General Manager Alon Arbel in the new wine room. (Photo: Motti Verses)

Not far away, 1,070 meters above sea level, we check in at the Boutique El-Rom hotel – a serene retreat amidst the beauty of the Golan Heights. Closed for business during the war, it has now reopened. This 44-room family hotel at the entrance to the kibbutz looks totally new and inviting. Nevertheless, even with a ceasefire, the atmospherics of war was still inescapable. There always remains the need to be prepared as evident on our arrival, finding the 37-year-old general manager, Shimon Michael, attired in semi-army khakis engaged with running El-Rom’s first response defense squad. On my way to meet him in the hotel’s lounge, I witnessed the housekeeper arranging a guest room – with an M16 assault rifle on his shoulder!

**Business is Back**. Following the ceasefire agreement, “…weekends are back to being busy and Passover is fully booked,” says an optimistic Shimon Michael, general manager of the 44-room family-oriented Boutique El-Rom hotel. (Photo: Motti Verses)

“We had to let go of most of our staff during the war and now we are training totally new team members.” Despite the challenges in the north, “the cease fire makes us optimistic as new bookings are coming in daily. Weekends are back to being busy and Passover is fully booked,” says an optimistic Shimon.

A newly appointed receptionist sends us to enjoy dinner at a new fancy restaurant in Birkat Ram, a natural water source reservoir under Mount Hermon. While ‘Waze’ is doing its best in navigating us through the darkness, due to intentional military interference, we soon find ourselves lost on a dirt road close to the Syrian border. Suddenly a suspicious-looking pick-up truck is driving towards us but we had nothing to fear.

“Can you help us with directions to Tushar restaurant by the lake?’ I anxiously asked two very friendly Druze youngsters inside.

“Sure, follow us. We live close by,” they answered and within minutes we were in a mirage called Tushar. For a moment we thought we were in a contemporary designed upscale Tel Aviv restaurant. Twenty-eight-year-old Druze Chef, Saleh Gotany from Buq’ata, who worked in Ran Shmueli’s Claro’s famous Sarona Tel Aviv restaurant, welcomed us with a smile. His Syrian-style cuisine menu was a dream. The steak he prepared for us will be long remembered.

“Who opens an upmarket restaurant in such a place during a war?” I ask.

**Golan Gastronomy**. Druze Chef Saleh Gotany at Birkat Ram’s new Tushar restaurant by the lake near Majdal Shams in the Golan. (Photo: Motti Verses)

“It was certainly a commercial gamble,” answers Saleh. “However, we wanted to cheer up the citizens of nearby Majdal Shams.” This is the Druze town in the Golan Heights that made international news when it lost 12 children following a rocket attack by Hezbollah on 27 July, 2024. “My partners and I invested half a million Shekels in this new restaurant,” continues Gotany. “We wanted to make a mark on Druze gastronomy in the Golan and although mostly locals presently dine here, we are aiming to increase our clientele across the entire northern Golan.”

The following day at noon, I am walking along the stream of the breathtaking Tel Dan Nature Reserve, not far from the city of Kiryat Shmona. With me is Raya Shourky, director general of Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Together with her executive team, she shows us the immense damage caused by the war.

**Adjusting to War**. The writer with Israel Nature and Parks director general, Raya Shourky in the Tel Dan Nature Reserve. With the visitor center closed due to a direct hit by a Hezbollah rocket, a temporary caravan serves presently in its place. (Photo: Motti Verses)

The visitor center is closed following a direct hit by a rocket. A temporary caravan serves in its place. Not far away, we see the once green areas in the Banias Nature Reserve now consumed by fire caused by Hezbollah rockets.

**Nature under Attack**. A scene in the Banias Nature Reserve following a rocked attack from Lebanon. Approximately 223 thousand dunams were burned in Israel’s the Northern District since Hezbollah began on 8 October, 2023, firing missiles at Israel. (Photo: Motti Verses)

“2024 has been the most challenging year in our 60 years of existence,” informs Shourky. “Most of the damage is in the Northern District where approximately 223 thousand dunams have been burned. We will definitely need government financial support to recover.” The good news however, she says, “is that most of the sites are now open for the benefit of the public, so that they can again enjoy nature not far from the border with Lebanon.”

**Surprise at the Stream**. The writer discovers a gaping hole in the Snir Stream (Hatsbani) Nature Reserve, caused by a Burkan short-range ballistic missile fired by Hezbollah. (Photo: Motti Verses)

We drive south to central Israel and make a detour, heading to the small Christian village of Jish, also known by its Hebrew name of Gush Halab. The Christmas tree had just been lit and the central tiny streets were decorated for the festive holidays. Taking full advantage of the ceasefire, Bachir Sliman, (named after the late assassinated Militia commander and Lebanese president-elect Bachir Gemayel), re-opened his popular Hunter House meat restaurant for the first time since the war began. “It is so encouraging to welcome back old customers after such a long time,” he says with a smile. “It will take at least six months for the business to recover,” and suggests that “the government should assist tourist enterprises by lowering the VAT rate,” for a designated recovery period. Interestingly, Sliman reveals that regardless of the personal challenges of living through this war, he has nevertheless managed to transfer funds to his relatives across the border into Lebanon who see him as a person living in “a dream country.”

**We ‘Meat’ Again**. Christian Bachir Sliman is happy, following the ceasefire, to be welcoming back his regular customers at his popular Jish Hunter House meat restaurant. (Photo: Motti Verses)

I couldn’t agree more.

One thing is for sure. On Israel’s battered northern frontiers, I found amongst the people, a grit and feisty determination as well as an optimism for a better tomorrow and a confidence in future tourism.

*Feature picture – Sight Sublime.The Agamon Hula Lake in northern Israel, famous for bird watching. (Photo by Dana Klein).

About the writer:

BEYOND BEN GURION’S VISION

From ancient traders to modern tourists, the changing landscape of Israel’s Negev desert.

By Motti Verses

Revered as the founder of the Jewish state and a strong believer in the future of Israel’s arid desert – the Negev, David Ben-Gurion dreamed of developing this region and pursued his vision by personal example. At the age of 67, together with his wife Paula, the couple left the ‘city life’ of Tel Aviv to make Sde Boker, a pioneering kibbutz in the Negev their home. Living in a modest dwelling, it remained his home until his death in 1973.

**Prime Minister to private citizen**. Capturing the lifestyle of a kibbutz pioneer, the simple bedroom of Ben-Gurion kibbutz Desert Home bedroom. (photo: Motti Verses)

Declaring that it is in the Negev “that the creativity and pioneer vigor of Israel shall be tested,” Ben-Gurion linked the ingenuity and determination of the people of Israel to meet the Zionist challenge of “making the desert bloom”. For decades, his dream inspired Israelis of all backgrounds and ideologies to follow with a sense of collective purpose. However, the outcome fell vastly short from what he had envisioned. While Ben Gurion dreamed that by 1968, 500,000 people would live in the Negev, the population did not reach this figure until 2003 – well over three decades later. The main towns he envisaged as potential growth centers like Dimona and Mitzpe Ramon remain relatively small and the southern Red Sea city of Eilat has shown to be commercially marginal as a port, so seen in recent times that while Yemen Houthis are blocking free passage through the Red Sea, goods to Israel are being rerouted to its Mediterranean ports, ensuring the flow of international trade. Even though agriculture and mining, while impressively innovative did not meet Ben Gurion’s expectations, prosperity did however come but from an industry, the great leader himself did not vision at the time – TOURISM.

Not long before October 7 2023, the Ministry of Tourism formulated an ambitious plan to transform the Negev into a global tourist hotspot that would attract annually over a million tourists from around the world. The plan involves the construction of a multitude of tourist attractions in sync with the Negev’s unique desert environment including inter alia, nature parks, hiking trails, cycling tracks and of course alluring hotels.

While Ben Gurion never saw the potential in his time of tourism, ironically, many of the Negev’s tourist attractions today have a strong connection with the visionary leader. Visitors attracted to this dry region will likely not miss out on visiting Ben-Gurion’s Tomb National Park located a few kilometers south of Kibbutz Sde Boker where he lived with his wife. The surrounding landscape is pleasantly populated with large herds of Nubian ibexes, majestic desert goat creatures so distinguishable by their horns. The male ibex grow giant horns that are arched backwards used mostly for sparring with other males for the right to mate with the females of the herd. The females’ horns are short and pointy.

**Biblical Landscape**. A panoramic breathtaking view from Ben-Gurion’s Tomb National Park of the Zin Valley, the longest wadi in the Negev that attracts visitors from across the country. (Photo: Motti Verses)

The surrounding landscapes are stunning. One can take a classic desert hike in the Zin Valley enjoying amazing views of the wilderness that will include Ein Akev, the biggest spring in the Negev and the ancient Nabatean city of Ein Avdat.

**Resting Place**. Ben-Gurion’s Tomb National Park in Sde Boker hosts ibexes enjoying the greenery (left) and the graves of David Ben Gurion and wife Paula. (photo: Motti Verses)

Closer to ‘home’ is Ben Gurion’s desert home, today an illuminating museum. Preserved in its original condition as Ben Gurion requested, it is a testimony to the lifestyle of a community that founded and established the Jewish state in the early days. The hut still holds Ben Gurion’s original furniture from the 1960s, and you can see his kitchen, bedroom, and a library full of books in multiple languages. Few know that his books, apart from those in Hebrew, include books in English, German, French, Arabic, Latin, Russian, Turkish and Greek.

**Learned Leader**. A man of books in multiple languages is all too evident at Ben-Gurion kibbutz Desert Home – today a well visited museum. (photo: Motti Verses)

It is fascinating that the trendy developments taking place today in the Negev follow in the path of the ancient Nabateans, an enigmatic ancient tribe mentioned numerous times in the bible. They controlled trade along the famed Incense Route that stretched from southern Arabia through their capital Petra to the land of Israel, via the Negev desert. They originally constructed small waystations in the Negev that in time grew into larger settlements and as the Nabatean community in the Negev grew, new towns were constructed in the desert wilderness.

This ancient mysterious tribe we know so little about, fascinated Ben Gurion, who admired their talents, particularly in agriculture – as it was an achievement to master cultivation in a dry arid desert. You can still see the remains of the Nabatean networks of small channels and aqueducts in order to make the most of the only 80 ml of rain to irrigate their terrace farms. They appeared out of history as a role model for Ben Gurion and it is little wonder he referred to them as an example of the possible realization of his vision. He marveled how they, in order to produce olive oil, grew olive trees in the desert. Few know that when Ben-Gurion was the chairman of the board of the Jewish Agency during WW II, he even proposed to place the capital of the future Jewish state in Mamshit that had been one of the major cities of the Nabateans in the Negev, starting out as an ancient caravan stop.

So too had been Sde Boker, akin to a “caravan stop”, for until 2020, this kibbutz was just a stopover for visitors and tourists on route to elsewhere. That was until Isrotel, one of Israel’s leading hotel brands, inaugurated in the middle of the Covid pandemic, its latest hotel – Kedma. Nowadays, when Israel is preoccupied with the crisis of war, the hotel quietly marks its 4th anniversary. To discover more of this relatively new alluring addition to the desert landscape, I headed south with my beloved family, following in the path of the ancient Nabateans.

**Commercial Nomads**. A painting of the Nabateans – the controllers of trade routes – depicted by an anonymous painter, on sale in a gift shop in Petra Jordan. (Photo: Motti Verses)

“We at Isrotel believe strongly in the desert and we proudly proclaim it by ever-expanding our presence in the hospitality industry in Israel’s desert region,” says Lior Raviv, Chief Executive Officer of Isrotel. “We started at ‘Pundak Ramon’, which was our first hotel, currently under renovations, and then our majestic ‘Beresheet’ overlooking the awesome Ramon Crater. Our newest Negev addition to the Isrotel family is ‘Kedma’, in walking distance from the home of David Ben-Gurion.”

**Desert Delights**. “We believe strongly in the desert” says Lior Raviv, Chief Executive Officer Isrotel (right) to the writer. (Photo: Motti Verses)

Lodge-style and built on one floor, “It provides an authentic desert experience and is proving a super popular hotel,” he says.

The 2-hour drive south from central Israel in the last week of August, confronting busy traffic, was surreal when then finding it a challenge to find a parking spot in the desert, next to the Kedma hotel. This came as a surprise considering the reality of the country being at war. Also surprising was my erroneous assumption that in the heat of an intense Israeli summer, local Israeli tourists, especially families, would prefer a waterfront location. I was wrong!

**Serene Sights**. Kedma, a Khan style resort, offering 163 rooms and suites built around a courtyard with a serene pool (Photo: Motti Verses)

The moment we stepped into the busy Kedma lobby for our group check in, I found myself completely captivated by the interior design. A Khan-style resort, Kedma offers 163 rooms and suites built around an expansive open-air courtyard with a serene pool. It is surrounded by luscious fruit trees, most of them mentioned in the Bible, together with plants, creating an environment of a desert oasis. The impressive designs of the Lobby and restaurants captures the ambiance of the desert and structurally pays tribute to the Nabateans and the ancient Incense Route. Impatiently I rushed to hear the explanations of the award-winning interior designer, Ruth Arad. “The design is conceptually rooted to the desert and inspired by the ancient Nabatean route used for transporting spices and fragrances,” she says. “The main lobby is long and narrow, symbolizing the endless wandering in the desert. The lounge is presented with a tent-like structure using ropes, fostering intimacy and connection. The main dining room reflects a desert Sukkah and an atmosphere of minimal illumination while dining in the evenings,” she explains.

I admired the use of the Islamic-influenced ‘Moucharaby’ windows characterized by the use of grills to replace glass and shutters. Quite extraordinary!

**Road of Revelations**. The long narrow Kedma lobby, symbolizes endless wandering through the desert along the ancient ‘Perfume and Incense Trade Route’.(Photo: Motti Verses)

The ceilings in most of the outside open areas are low and the lighting twinkles like stars. We loved the ground sitting with cushions and feeling like Nabateans in designated corners with a fireplace in the center, enjoying a typical desert oasis night atmosphere.

**Lounge and its Legacy**. The Lounge projects a desert tent-like structure using ropes, fostering intimacy. (Photo: Motti Verses)

With the Kedma a buzz with mostly local tourists this past August, we entered the main restaurant gravitating to the Buffet table offering a delicious array of food that would have the ancient Nabateans salivating. We were.

**Pulsating Past**. The dining room – a design deeply rooted in the connection to the desert, with a Sukkah in the center (Photo: Motti Verses)

Cutting through the queues and the noise, the service was tops. I assumed that the resort enjoying a ‘full house’ had to do with the relatively safe geographic location far removed from the war in Gaza and in the north of the country. However, my assumption was wrong. “We have been busy all the time since the opening four years ago. Guests just love it here,” says General Manager, Boaz Zur and I fully understand why.

**Awakening the Senses**. Soak up converging cultures in the Hotel’s luxurious unique Hammam (steam bath). (Photo: Motti Verses)

And when I teasingly challenged interior designer Arad of “Where in Kedma is the spirit of Ben Gurion?” she was spot-on with a spirited response:

“He is everywhere here. The founder of Israel had a vision to make the desert bloom, well, we fulfilled his dream. He wanted the Negev to offer employment opportunities, well, Kedma is a desirable sought after workplace and as far as hoping to change a negative mindset about the desert, this green oasis as you can see is super popular. People are flocking here. Did you not say you had to look for parking when you arrived? No, I’m sure Mr. Ben Gurion is smiling down with approval, particularly as we are in close walking distance from his home.”

The jaw dropping Israel Negev desert and the Kedma by Isrotel Khan/ 9/2024 MOTTI VERSES

*Feature picture: The writer looking at sunset at Ein Avdat, a magnificent canyon in the Negev south of Kibbutz Sde Boker. (Photo: Motti Verses)

About the writer:

IS WAR IN ISRAEL ‘UNLEASHING’ PET-FRIENDLY HOTELS?

Seeing four-legged furry friends in Israel’s hotel lobbies has not been so surprising in 2024 with Israel still at war but for how much longer?

By Motti Verses

(*This article appeared first in THE JERUSALEM POST)

Pet lovers treat their dogs and cats like children, siblings or grandchildren. No doubt that most dog and cat owners think of their pets as family. It is also not surprising to learn that in 2024, 2 out of 3 households in America own a pet, while in Israel it is estimated at 1 out 3 families. If furry friends are part of the family, they surely deserve to join its members on a vacation in hotels. However, this family desire is tricky and certainly challenging. While some hotels warmly welcome pets, others have strict rules against dogs and cats accompanying guests.

The primary reasons behind world hotels implementing ‘No Pets Allowed’ policies are to maintain cleanliness and hygiene standards. Pets shedding fur, leaving behind odors, or even causing damage to furniture or carpets can create an unpleasant environment for other guests. Hence, hotels – always considering what is in the best interests of its guests – will take into account that some guests may have allergies or sensitivities to pet dander or fur and that could potentially trigger allergic reactions.

Pet policies ensures that hotel managements can provide peace of mind to its guests.

Minimizing noise disturbances for their guests is yet another reason. There is always a possibility of barking or other noises that could disturb guests in neighboring rooms. Hotels have a responsibility to ensure the safety and comfort of all their guests. This includes considering those who may have fears or phobias related to animals. Even if a pet is typically well-behaved, unfamiliar surroundings and the presence of other guests could potentially trigger anxiety or aggression.

But sometimes – usually in times of crisis – even hard and fast rules may be broken. When the war in Gaza broke out following the October 7^th massacre, hotels in Israel faced an unexpected challenge. More than a quarter of a million Israelis were evacuated from their homes on the southern and northern fronts. They found shelter in hotels in safe areas across the country. While most left everything behind, that which they could not leave behind were their beloved pets!

**Home Alone**. On a devastated kibbutz in the south following the massacre, where is this cat’s family?

“They are family,” was the common sentiment expressed.

Not only did they want to take them along – but needed to take them in this time of existential crisis. Pets provide huge emotional support. However, not all these evacuees were allowed to bring their pets – dogs or cats – to hotels that were providing a safe haven. In response, the Lawyers’ Forum for the Protection of Animals in Israel (ILFAP) appealed to numerous government ministries requesting that the government address this issue as a matter of urgency and show sensitivity to the plight and misery of the evacuees with their pets. The petition presented the case that there was a symbiotic relationship between owners and their pets who desperately needed each other and should not be separated in times of dire crisis. The petition argued that a refusal to accept pets caused “real harm” to both owner and animal and that it amounted “a violation of the Animal Cruelty Law.” They argued further that evacuated pets should be treated under the same law that was established for the more familiar and universallyrespected, “guide dogs.”

Dani Shahar, General Director of the Ministry of Tourism, supported the petition and appealed to the hoteliers in an emotionally crafted letter to allow pets to live with their evacuated families. He added in his appeal that:

“Past experience elsewhere in the world has shown that evacuees accompanied by their pets not only has proven best for public and animal well-being but supports national resilience.”

The result was that the majority of the hoteliers indeed ignored their standard pet policies and allowed “furry family members” onto their properties.

**Evacuees from the North**. Seniors play a game in a hotel lobby in Tiberias on June 21, 2024, where hundreds of Israelis have been housed after their displacement from their homes near the border with Lebanon. (Photo: Sharon Aronowicz/AFP)

When asked in a recent podcast what was the weirdest thing he had to handle during the Gaza war, Lior Raviv, Managing Director of Isrotel, revealed:

“There are endless cases, but what stands out is that it is the first time in the company’s history we have hosted hundreds of dogs. Suddenly we have a new type of guest that we didn’t know. We even opened a kind of a dog care department.”

Is the war inspiring a rise of pet-friendly hotels?

Clearly the impact of the war included impacting on people mindsets. “Once the war started and we hosted evacuees, we accepted their pets without hesitation, as we believe they are part of the organic family,” expressed David Tucker, the General Manager of Ramada by Wyndham Jerusalem Hotels and the voluntary chairman of the Jerusalem Hotel Association. He explained:

“It wasn’t at all easy to face pets in the hotel facilities, but we understood that it is part of a major crisis. We made sure that dogs must be on a leash at all times; barking dogs are never left alone, and entrance to restaurants of pets was forbidden. But once the war is over and hotels in Jerusalem will return to routine, I am sure there will be a return to previous policies of no pets.”

**Atlas Allows**. Furry friends are part of the family even in Israel’s Atlas hotels. (Photo: Roy Mizrachi)

Itamar Elitzur, Head of the Eilat Hotels Association, explains that accepting pets in hotels during the war was a challenge but one certain hotels were willing to accept “because of the situation and the emergency.” He cited instances where dogs were left for hours alone in guestrooms causing disturbances and cases of other guests experiencing fear from these pets.” Ilitzur believes that once “Israel returns to normality,” so hotels will return to it standard policy of not allowing pets. “I am not aware so far of a single hotel that changed its official pet guidelines.”

Isrotel with its 23 hotels, Managing Director Raviv points out that “We will certainly return to our previous policy of no pets.”

“Is it because of the operational challenges you experienced during the war?” I ask.

The main reason, asserts Raviv is the “hotel guests in Israel are less fond of vacationing with dogs. In the USA, due to the vast distances and hence people go on vacations for longer periods, there is a more of an openness and acceptance of travelers being accompanied by their pets.” Raviv cites as an example, the US state of Florida where “the hotel business model there is suitable to accommodate this reality. In Israel where vacations are short, pet owners prefer to find suitable short-term pet solutions at home.”

Positive views in favor of pets regarding the future are also being heard. Atlas Hotels is an Israeli brand with 16 urban properties. It is a family business of co-founder Danny Lipman and his sons Yaron and Lior, who nowadays carry the torch. Atlas is exceptionally pet friendly and one may well ask, “How come?”

**Happy with the Accommodation**. American traveler Ruby Phillips always picks pet-friendly hotels for her Pippin and Umi husky dogs. (Photo: Ruby Phillips)

“It all started with our other co-founder Leslie Adler who arrived daily to work with his labrador named Trixie,” reveals Vice president Yaron Lipman. “Most hoteliers adopt a conservative approach towards pets; however, we do not see any obstacles. I can safely say that in most cases, dogs are better than human beings. We have no problem hosting guests with pets and we even supply beds and snacks for the animals. We hosted thousands of pets over the years and the problems were negligible. I am optimistic. During the war, hotels hosted evacuees with pets and they noticed that the problems were minor. Regardless of traditionally being against hosting pets, this experience of the war may prove positive and more hotels will accept the challenge in the future.”

In the US during the crisis of Covid-19, pet friendly hospitality also made headlines. Booking.com reported at the time of the pandemic “the pet-friendly filter was the third most-used filter in the hotel facilities section, behind swimming pools and parking.”

**Feeling quite at Home**. A dog with guests at Atlas Backstage hotel in Tel Aviv. (Photo: Eran Levi)

“While in the US the trend of pet-friendly hotels continues to grow, the supply of such hotels in Israel remains limited”, says Eran Ketter (PhD),the Head of the Department of Tourism and Hotel Management at Kinneret College. “Presenting a pet-friendly offering is an effective way for accommodation venues to create market differentiation, enhance customers’ loyalty, and increase revenues. However, what works well in the US does not necessarily work well in Israel. Most hotel rooms here are in large buildings that don’t have the facilities to host pets, unlike cabins and lodges in the US. Israeli clientele is not renown for following regulations, and having pets in local hotels might increase the level of chaos, which is already quite high. Israelis are much more open than Americans to leaving their pets with family/friends or having a dog-sitter coming into their homes, leading to a lower level of demand. Lastly, many hotels in Israel, especially in a leisure destination like Eilat, already enjoy high occupancy rates, and don’t need to make the extra effort in hosting pets.”

**Missing Home**. Children evacuated on Oct. 7 staying in a Dead Sea hotel. (Photo: Oren Ben Hakoon)

I prodded Ketter to envision a possible future of pet-friendly hotels in the wake of an end-of-war scenario in Israel. He responds smiling:

“Perhaps this is a trend waiting to happen, and when enough hotels will follow a pet-friendly path, a threshold may well be reached in the Israeli market and the demand will follow.”

About thr writer:

The writer, Motti Verses, is a Travel Flash Tips publisher. His travel stories are published on THE TIMES OF ISRAEL https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/motti-verses/.
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS

WILL ISRAEL’S GAZA BORDER BECOME THE NEXT ‘DARK TOURISM’ DESTINATION?

Millions of tourists around the globe travel every year to some of the most depressing places on Earth: sites of horror, tragedies, disasters, and monstrous death.

By Motti Verses

(Courtesy of The Jerusalem Post where article first appeared)

The Knot, the Desyatka, and the Kingsmills are names of hotels that most travelers are not familiar with. Those who do recognize the names are included in a specific niche that makes those hotels unique among global travelers. They are part of what experts call “dark tourism.” The Knot overlooks the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, which consists of the only structure that remains standing in the area around the atomic bombing of the city. The Desyatka is the only hotel located in the town of Chernobyl in Ukraine; before the ongoing war, it accommodated trips exploring the abandoned ruins and remains of the catastrophic disaster. The Kingsmills is located in Scotland, a few minutes’ drive from the site of the 1746 Battle of Culloden, the last pitched battle on British soil, where, in less than an hour, around 1,300 men were slain. The battle is the key topic of the popular Netflix TV series Outlander.

**Killing Field**. Close to Inverness, the memorial site of the Battle of Culloden holds a place in history as one of the most intense battles fought on Scottish soil. On the 16 April 1746,in less than an hour, around 1,300 Scots were slain. It has become a major attraction in the wake of the popular romantic time-travel TV series, Outlander.

Millions of tourists around the globe travel every year to some of the most depressing places on Earth: sites of horror, tragedies, disasters, and monstrous death. According to the dark-tourism.com website, tourists who visit or think of visiting war museums and memorials, including the Berlin Wall when visiting Germany’s capital or the 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero when in New York, are, or potentially could be, dark tourists, even if they do not know it yet. And in the case of the 9/11 memorial, they will be in plenty of good company: It is the most visited dark site in the world today.

The term “dark tourism” was coined in 1996 by two academics from Scotland, J. John Lennon and Malcolm Foley, who wrote Dark Tourism: The Attraction to Death and Disaster. According to a 2022 survey under the name “The Rise of Dark Tourism,” conducted by Passport-photo.online, a US website, 82% of Americans have visited at least one dark tourism destination in their lifetime.

However, Dr. Eran Ketter, head of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Kinneret Academic College, has a more conservative approach.

He articulates it as follows:

“Dark tourism is a minor sub-category in a segment called ‘Heritage tourism’ that consists of visits to places that embody the past or/and to places related to intangible heritage manifestations. Most of the world’s normative tourism is built around vacations, good times, and shopping. Visiting heritage sites is, in many cases, part of the experience. However, trips are certainly not built around sites to do with darkness. This is just another component. Fifteen percent of the tourism of Europeans is defined as ‘heritage,’ and this is quite a significant figure. It’s considered an enriching tourism characteristic of Americans, Europeans, and Chinese, dominated by well-established and educated adults.”

**Insights on Sad Sites**. Israel’s global expert on travel and tourism trends, Dr. Eran Ketter says that ‘Dark tourism’ falls within the category of ‘Heritage tourism’ of which the sites of the Hamas massacre will in the future become like 9/11 and many other such tragic sites around the world. (Photo: Mishel Amzaleg)

The majority of dark tourism sites are located outside metropolitan areas. Memorial parks and battlefields are usually located in the remote countryside. Consequently, tourists who feel connected either personally, emotionally or historically curious will stay in city hotels and participate in day trips to sites associated with tragedy embedded in history.

An example would be a Hampton by Hilton. Characterized as a global brand budget hotel, one of the 6,000 Hamptons around the globe is located in Oswiecim, Poland, a 10-minute drive to the Auschwitz concentration camp, probably the most horrific ‘dark tourism’ site imaginable.

“Why should travelers stay with you and not in nearby lively Krakow?” I asked General Manager Agnieszka Augustyniak.

“Oświęcim offers the past that goes way beyond the history of World War II. This is a site not simply depicting war but exposing mass murder of an unprecedented scale….an unimaginable scale! Jewish residents in Oświęcim represented the largest community in the city prior to the war – 8,000 Jews out of 14,000 inhabitants. When you stay here in the city and grasp the rich past of Jewish life before the Holocaust and are then exposed to what transpired thereafter – the total extermination of Jewish life – you begin to comprehend the broader meaning of Auschwitz-Birkenau,” she explained.

SITES OF SADNESS

Steeped in a history of tragedy, it is understandable that Israel offers a number of ‘dark tourist’ sites. These includes Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem, the state official memorial to the six million victims of the Holocaust and Masada, an archaeological site above the Dead Sea where almost 1,000 Jewish rebels committed mass suicide rather than to fall alive into the hands of the Romans and be taken off as slaves. Their deeds 2000 years ago left behind a saga of courage, heroism, and martyrdom.

Following the Hamas atrocities in the Gaza border areas, the question arises:

Will this become another sad ‘dark tourism’ destination when inbound tourism resumes and travelers feel safe enough to visit?

Since October 7, Sderot’s demolished police station, burned houses in numerous kibbutzim, and the Nova party site in Re’im are places that foreigners and Israelis visit. Some tourists go there on visits organized by civil society groups; others go independently to pay tribute. The number of visitors is enormous. Visitors walk silently; some cry or carry flowers and candles. Those sites will inevitably in time include official commemoration memorials. How they will look remains to be seen.

**Trees and Tragedy**. To honor their loved ones, families of October 7 Nova music festival victims participate in an tree-planting ceremony together with KKL-JNF at the Re’im Forest on January 21, 2024.(photo: Yossi Ifergan/KKL-JNF Photo Archive)

Clifford Chanin, director of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, might be the most experienced person on the planet as far as memorials are concerned. “We live in an era where people want speedy decisions. Commemorating the events Israel faced will need time and patience. Different opinions and debates are expected and legitimate within the communities on how a memorial should be built,” he said.

“Transparency of all views will finally lead to trust, and once all opinions are heard, a decision could be made. Preserving original, damaged structures and artifacts is also a serious challenge. The 9/11 Memorial was opened on September 11, 2011, on the 10th anniversary of the attacks. The museum was dedicated in May 2014, almost 13 years after the horrific incidents. Since then, around six million people visit the 9/11 memorial and museum every year. Visionary planning led to the development of the entire area, prioritizing housing and tourism. Lower Manhattan is now an attraction. There are significantly more hotels and restaurants around the memorial than before 2001.”

**Honoring Resilience**. Since the 9/11 Memorial opened on September 11, 2011, around six million people have visited the memorial and museum every year. There are today significantly more hotels and restaurants around the memorial than before 2001.

“Hospitality lodgings need a profitable business model aimed at numerous market segments. A hotel that serves dark tourism customers alone is a one-dimensional product,” explained Dr. Ketter. “As Israel allows visitors to stay in Metropolitan Tel Aviv hotels and book day tours to the Gaza borderland areas against traffic, I cannot see significant accommodation developments there. Ashkelon might enjoy economic tourism progress due to its proximity,” he said.

The annual Darom Adom festival celebrating the fields of red anemones that flower in the early spring months, Eshkol and Ashkelon national parks and even former prime minister Ariel Sharon’s grave might be additional attractions persuading tourists to stay in the area.

**Everlasting Memories**. Appearing as fresh graves, in reality they are sites where trees were planted by the families of October 7 Nova music festival victims. (Photo: Yossi Ifergan/KKL-JNF Photo Archive)

Future memorials in Israel’s devastated south are understandably not being officially discussed yet. The country is still at war. That time will come. During the recent Tu Bishvat holiday, celebrated as an ecological awareness day, trees were planted as well as 364 saplings at the site of the Nova music festival, where the Hamas atrocities occurred. The Jewish National Fund initiated the event in memory of all the murdered young people. Planting a tree is a symbol of hope, love, and life that will last for generations.

Future tourists to the Gaza borderland will face not only the darkness that was but the beautiful Israeli spirit of what will be.

(*Note: As for now visits to the Gaza border kibbutzim are arranged under strict arrangement with the IDF.)

About the writer:

The writer, Motti Verses, is a Travel Flash Tips publisher. His travel stories are published on THE TIMES OF ISRAEL https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/motti-verses/.
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS

A ‘CASE’ OF LOVE

An old 1940’s war romance unpacked from a suitcase in Tel Aviv’s Allenby Street

By David E. Kaplan

It was December 2023 and I was walking along Allenby Street in Tel Aviv. There had been air raid sirens earlier and there were the expectations of more. Allenby’s animated atmosphere was one still of shopping, but its mood was one of war. I was thinking, “Where to seek shelter?” should the shrieking siren sound when I raised my head and saw a sign. It was less of looking up and more of looking back, when I recognised the long-forgotten “HALPER’S BOOKS” and an arrow guiding me down a narrow alley to the tucked away charming second-hand English bookstore. It was 18 years earlier when I ran a story of its owner, a New Jersey native, Yossi Halper. I never would have believed the bookstore was still in existence but there it was and I could not resist entering. “Surely a different owner after all these years” I thought, but no, there was Yossi, like me, less hair on top more anatomy below and we greeted each with beaming smiles surrounded by books from floor to ceiling.

**Past Unearthed in Allenby Passage**. Yossi Halper (left) with the writer in his bookstore HALPER’S BOOKS in Allenby Street, Tel Aviv on Allenby Street in December 2023. (Photo David Kaplan)

Amidst the present war, our minds went back in time to another war and an ageless war romance – much like what must have been tucked between many of the book covers that surrounded us.

In 2006, a younger Yossi was riding to work on his bicycle when he noticed a decrepit old suitcase on the pavement in Allenby Street. Keen to stop and take it, he resisted the temptation and rode on to his bookstore. Unable to quench his insatiable curiosity, he went back, grabbed the discarded case and returned to his store.
What he unpacked were numerous romantic letters from the early 1940s from two young soldiers, written from their battlefronts to Ophra, a young pretty Tel Aviv girl with whom they were both madly in love.

**Wartime Romance**. Bookstore proprietor Yossi Halper holding up an article in the Hebrew press about the 1940’s romance between Rhodesian soldier Haig Kaplan and Tel Aviv beauty Ophra Carsenty.

The one soldier was a local Jewish Palestinian serving in the Jewish Brigade, the other a Rhodesian, a lieutenant Haig Kaplan, serving with the Southern Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment in East Africa. Haig had met Ophra while stationed with the Scottish Regiment in Palestine before being shunted off to confront Rommel’s African Corps. From the letters, it is revealed that Ophra, the daughter of a Hebrew teacher at the nearby Herzliya Gymnasia on Herzl Street and somewhat of a socialite, had met the dashing Rhodesian in uniform at a tea party for Jewish soldiers hosted by a South African. At the time, Haig was 21 and Ophra 23. They dated for two years during the British Mandate period and wrote letters weekly but not necessarily received weekly due to the unpredictability of wartime transportation and military censorship.

**Found inside the Suitcase**: Haig Kaplan sent a photo of himself (left) to Ophra, whose picture appears (right) on a British identification form along with her married surname Krinsky. (Courtesy of Yossi Halper)

With a wry smile, Yossi told me at the time of the 2006 interview that he surmised that from Haig, young Ophra received only letters, while from the local lad, probably also flowers. “Home advantage,” chucked Yossi. In the end, Ophra made her choice, and a devastated Haig admits in a last letter to Ophra on learning that she had become engaged to his rival, to burning all her letters.
Not Ophra. She kept all the letters from her two suiters and in the early 1950’s handed over a suitcase containing all the correspondence to her sister. It also contained invitations to British balls, photographs and other mementos of Tel Aviv life from the early 1940’s.
When the sister, who lived in an apartment in Allenby passed away in 2006, the suitcase was dumped outside on the pavement. Were it not for Yossi’s inquisitive nature, the story may have ended up there – amongst a heap of discarded household wares on a grey Tel Aviv pavement.
Shifting gear from bookstore proprietor to sleuth, Yossi set out to discover who were still alive of this love triangle.

Lieutenant Haig Kaplan stationed in Palestine during British Mandate. Ophra Carsenty of Tel Aviv.

As fortune would have it, about a week after finding the suitcase and reading
through most of the letters, a South African couple stopped by Halper’s shop, to whom Yossi could not resist asking: “I know it’s a long shot but you would not happen to know of a Lieutenant Kaplan who served in Palestine prior to 1948?” Jewish geography immediately kicked in with Jewish history as the reply came back: “We know Haig’s brother; he lives in Rehovot.” A city not far from Tel Aviv where many Jews from Southern Africa had settled, Yossi got in touch with the brother that led him to the long- jilted lover, who was living in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
“He was totally bowled over and very excited to speak with me about the letters,” said Halper. “He added a lot of information about his experiences including having a son that lived in Eilat.”
After serving in North Africa, Europe and East Africa and helping to bring World War II refugees to Palestine, Haig settled for the country life founding with fellow South Africans, Leib Golan, Monie Chemel and Harry Salber and other members of Southern African Habonim and HaTnuah HaMe’uchedet, kibbutz Ma’Ayan Baruch on Israel’s border with Lebanon.

**Frontier Life**. Haig Kaplan and his son Yoram (left) with fellow pioneering South Africans on kibbutz Ma’ayan Baruch. (Photo Yoram Kaplan)

It was here he met his wife, a Holocaust survivor, and the couple later moved to Rhodesia, today Zimbabwe. Next up for the intrepid bookstore detective was the hunt for Ophra, who a local journalist helped locate. At 94, Ophra was living in Tel Aviv and was happy to welcome Yossi and her “eyes lit up” when he handed her the old love letters. “She had the gentle bearing of an aristocratic woman,” said Yossi, “with beautifully coiffed hair, high heels and pearls.” He revealed that she had been born in Tel Aviv “to a fourth generation Israeli on her father’s side and a third generation Israeli on her mother’s side and had served in the air defense of the Civil Guard
managed by the municipality of Tel Aviv during the War of Independence.” She clearly recalled to Yossi “the celebrations in the street outside Independence Hall after Israel proclaimed statehood on May 14, 1948.” It was not to far from where I stood with Yossi at his bookstore now during the current war with Gaza in 2024.

**Book Browsing**. At the tail end of a short alleyway off Tel Aviv’s bustling Allenby Street is a door you enter to Halper’s enchanting word world – a labyrinth of over 60,000 books spanning five rooms, packed from floor to ceiling. (Photo: Yossi Halper)

Back in 2006, Yossi and Ophra talked for over an hour about her memories of Tel Aviv during the 1930s and ’40s. “Her family, the Carsentys, were one of the early settlers of Rothschild Boulevard then considered to be the outskirts of the city.” Ophra spoke of the orange groves near the family home, which her parents built in 1928. She also recalled the Arab riots of 1929, and the Hagana outpost that was set up on the roof of the home to thwart Arab attacks. What has changed I thought as I ask Yossi, “where do we need to run to if the siren goes.” Yossi’s mind returned to the earlier war of WWII and continued: “Ophra told me that Haig used to come to Tel Aviv quite often, with or without leave.”

Haig’s unit was primarily made up of the descendants of Scottish settlers living in then Rhodesia and the uniform was the Scottish kilt, which was frequently referred to in her letters with amusement. This came as little surprise after Yossi revealed that Ophra shyly related an occasion when Haig descended a ladder in a Tel Aviv bookstore in his Scottish apparel “showing her and her mother a bit more than they expected to see.” When Ophra first clutched the letters given to her by Yossi, as if a discovered treasure trove, she remarked while journeying thoughtfully back in time: “We were so young. We wrote about how we missed each other, how the days passed and when leave was expected.” Haig had written many of his letters in his tent by candlelight and
sealed them with wax. Others he wrote on scraps of paper or whatever else he could find to write on. One of the last letters Ophra received explained that he had not been in touch “because I was too busy burning your letters” after she had informed him that she met someone else and was engaged to be married.

Over a half century later, with both Haig and Ophra having lost their spouses, their letter writing was resumed. This was after Yossi put them in touch with each other. Over the ensuing years, Yossi kept in touch with Ophra. “She revealed to me that Haig apologized for burning her letters and said he had done it on impulse.”
When Yossi asked Ophra why she decided to save her collection of letters, she replied:
“I think that a written word has value – it is different than a spoken word; it’s wrong to burn words when they are written with emotion and meaning.”

**Books Galore**. From floor to ceiling, whatever your interests, Halper’s has you ‘cover’ed!

Then one day, a couple years later, their communication abruptly ended. Haig had died suddenly from a stroke. And so, their second session of letter writing came to an end. Through this all, they never saw each other again since the 1940s. “Even now when I reread these letters, they touch me. I feel very connected,” Ophra told Yossi shortly before she too finally passed away ending a saga that was revealed in a discarded suitcase on Allenby Street in downtown Tel Aviv.

“Case finally closed,” mussed Yossi.

A DISGRACE NAMED ‘BLUE BEACH RESORT’

Revelations at top hotel in Gaza reveal rock bottom in integrity

By Motti Verses

Staying in resort hotels should be a treat to enjoy, to unwind, to leave behind daily stress and exhausting life styles and experience the ultimate in relaxation. We’re willing to pay for it, and we’re only satisfied if our expectations are met with the service we receive.

Opening a hotel complex to meet these expectations is undoubtedly an exciting task if not also somewhat stressful. With a new property presenting 162 chalet-style rooms set among palm trees and overlooking the Mediterranean the potential for success should be guaranteed. The enthusiastic owner, investing enormous funds, needs to choose an alluring name that will entice his target audience – excuse the pun. The choice of this hotel was The Blue Beach Resort.

The location – Gaza City.

The entrepreneur of the promising resort was the Palestine Real Estate Investment Company (PRICO), a firm based in Ramallah in the West Bank. PRICO serves large segments of the Palestinian society, implementing projects such as Residential and Commercial Complexes, Commercial Towers, Hotels, Tourism Resorts, Public Building and Industrial Areas, with branches in Gaza, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem. The Blue Beach Resort was built based on an agreement concluded with the Palestinian Ministry of Housing on the basis of the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) system. The agreement stipulates that PRICO develops and operates the resort for a period of 49 years, renewable for a similar period, and will be handed over to the authorities right after.

**Catering to Terrorists**. While providing its guests with luxury accommodation, the Blue Beach Resort also ‘catered’ to Hamas who used the hotel as a shelter from which they planned terrorist attacks. (Photo: Hotel’s FB page)

An outsider from another planet might rationally believe that peace and stability dominate the relations between Israel and the Palestinians, seeing children and toddlers happily playing and jumping into the hotel’s swimming pool while their content parents on patio deck chairs look on. The luxury Blue Beach Resort overlooking the calm serene blue of the Mediterranean with its manicured green lawns, a semi-Olympic-size swimming pool, luxury suites and a picture-perfect beach is a sight to behold and experience. The hotel’s online publication is spot on: “An ideal escape for family vacations and for recreational and relaxation purposes, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.”

**For Tourists and Terrorists**. It was here at the beautiful Blue Beach Resort that dozens of Hamas terrorists barricaded themselves inside firing anti-tank missiles at the approaching IDF units. (Photo; Hotel’s FB page)

THE ESCAPE SEEKERS

The hotel offered a home for journalists, aid workers, personnel of the UN and the International Red Cross, but mainly for rich Gazans and their families that sought an esthetic escape with an international ambiance. It provided an escape away from the trauma and tumult brought to Gaza since Hamas ruthlessly imposed its rule on the strip 16 years ago.

Belying the hotel’s majestic and tranquil setting since its opening in 2015, Gaza, under Hamas, launched on Israel’s civilian population an ongoing rocket barrage of 8259 missiles until the end of 2022. Yet during 2023, since October 7 and the unspeakable atrocities mainly against civilians, additional 9600 rockets inflamed the Middle East and initiated the 2023 Israel-Gaza war.

UNDER THE SURFACE

**Using Guests as Human Shields**. What kind of hotel management allows terrorist tunnels like this discovered by the IDF’s 14th Brigade under the Blue Beach Hotel? (Photo: IDF)

Israel understandably responded and launched its ground maneuver along the Gaza Strip beach to neutralize Hamas. Fierce battles commenced in the resort itself as dozens of terrorists launched anti-tank missiles at the Israeli troops from its guest rooms. The Blue Beach Resort turned into a battlefield. After a few weeks, Israel’s 14th Brigade conducted operations, dismantling concealed weapon storage facilities, missile launch platforms and underground command centers. Beneath the beautiful resort compound, a tunnel network was discovered. The Brigade and troops of the Yahalom Special Engineering Unit uncovered a troubling subterranean complex comprising seven tunnel shafts and living quarters, obviously not included in the hotel accomodation inventory, used by terrorists to plan and execute attacks. Additionally, IDF forces found an extensive hideout of weapons, including AK-47s, explosives and drones. Video footage as shown at the end indicates that access to some tunnels were available from numerous hotel guest corridors!

**Hellish Hotel**. In an elaborate subterranean complex, IDF discovers a weapons cache under the Blue Beach Resort in Gaza City’s entertainment district

The relaxing atmosphere of the promising and pampering paradise resort transformed into a hell and inferno. Endless questions have arisen as to what were the real intentions of building this promising leisure resort adjacent to serene beaches? Was the tunnel network built alongside the hotel construction a decade ago? Were the tunnels dug later when the hotel was fully operational, hosting families and guests? Was the hotel’s General Manager and his leading team aware of the hotel being a base for weapons and terrorists while hosting civilian guests? These are serious questions that require truthful answers.

**Down and Out**. Beneath the Blue Beach Resort, a stairway in a tunnel once used by terrorists. (Photo: IDF)

The director of al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical complex in the Gaza Strip Muhammad Abu Salmiya was held for questioning following evidence showing that the hospital, under his direct management, served as a Hamas weaponized command and control center. A serious question-mark on medical ethics arose. Is there now a similar concern in Gaza’s hospitality industry? The answer is certainly yes. The ethical principles and integrity that I was nurtured on during my 35 years in the hotel industry were my constant compass. Honesty, being truthful, never mislead or deceive customers and team members who place the safety of their guests first and foremost – always.

The recent discovery by Israeli forces as to what was happening behind-the-scenes at PRICO’s Blue Beach Resort in Gaza is nothing less than a shameful disgrace. No less disappointing is the silence of the global hospitality industry!

About the writer:

The writer, Motti Verses, is a Travel Flash Tips publisher. His travel stories are published on THE TIMES OF ISRAEL https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/motti-verses/.
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS

THE JEWISH DNA OF ISRAEL’S ‘OPEN-HEARTED’ HOTEL INDUSTRY

From opening ancient Jewish texts, to hotels opening its doors to host evacuees, hospitality in times of distress is imbedded in Jewish tradition

By Motti Verses

One of the most impressive phenomena in Israel after the Hamas atrocities on October 7th is the impressive solidarity shown by the hospitality industry. Around 130,000 Israelis had to leave their homes along the Gaza and Lebanon borders. The first hours and days were crucial as the civil service scheme that had to take charge was completely paralyzed. Owners and managers of hotels, hostels, guest houses and short-term rentals warmly opened their doors to the evacuees offering free accommodation.

Is this unprecedented solidarity of an industry related to the essence of Judaism?

Throughout our history, providing shelter to people is fundamental in the Jewish religion. For thousands of years, the showing of hospitality – “hakhnasat orchim” – is considered a mitzvah (good deed done from religious duty). In fact, it is considered one of the most important of Jewish values. The Talmud even says that welcoming guests is “greater than welcoming the Divine Presence”. When one knows of strangers who are hungry or need a place to relax, it becomes a legal obligation.

**Solid Solidarity**. Marking a month of the Hamas massacre and the taking of hostages on the 7 October, the Dan Jerusalem releases yellow balloons in support for the hostages and their families. (Photo: courtesy of Dan Jerusalem)

Mutual guarantee is another beacon of responsibility – an obligation of the community towards each of its members, and of each member of the community towards the whole. In Judaism a moral and halachic rule was established by the sages to indicate a mutual guarantee. All of Israel are guarantors to each other. Its original meaning was that each Jew is responsible for the fulfillment of his fellow mitzvot. The most prominent examples of mutual guarantee nowadays, are the various volunteer organizations in which assistance is provided to citizens free of charge.

Even the chuppah in marriage symbolizes a shelter and refuge that is created by the bond of love and the goodness Jews selflessly give to one another because of that love.

After centuries of endless antisemitism at the conclusion of World War II, there were millions of refugees in Europe. Holocaust survivors had no homes to return to. These survivors experienced undue hardship as they sought to rebuild their lives. However, in the shadow of the Shoah, there was only one true home that welcomed them with open arms – Israel. Ever since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, a home for Jews was eternally assured, and following the atrocities of the Nazis, an oath was taken that resonates for all time – “Never Again”.

**Sanctuary at Dead Sea Hotel**. Four Sderot men show bracelets identifying them as evacuees, after evening prayers at the Royal Dead Sea Hotel, October 30, 2023. (Photo Mati Wagner/Times of Israel)

No wonder when the Hamas massacre occurred on October 7, it struck deep within the genealogy of the Jewish people in Israel. Hoteliers suddenly found themselves in the frontline. They felt a moral duty as Jews to meet the needs of their people and help provide solutions to the evacuees. It was an industry showing solidarity with pride.

While hospitality institutions are by nature commercial entities, the Jewish people are by nature uniquely remarkable, and in times of a national crisis the true collective character of this impressive little country is revealed. The people galvanize in solidarity and overwhelming generosity and Israel’s hospitality industry is in the forefront of this proud phenomenon.

**Releasing the Pain**. Away from the horrors inflicted by Hamas on the 7 October, evacuees from destroyed southern communities, relax at a Fattal group hotel in Tel Aviv. (Photo: courtesy of Fattal Hotel Group)

“This is true Zionism. We say yes, make things happen and at the later stage ask questions,” says Itamar Elitzur, Head of the Eilat Hotel Association. This Red Sea resort city with 50,000 residents is host to approximately 60,000 evacuees. “Over the years we have gained experience during previous clashes with Hamas and so with this war following the massacre they perpetrated, we were able to organize very quickly. At first evacuees arrived separately but within a short time, it became more organized with group arrivals and today the hotels are fully booked. Despite being short-staffed because of the situation to cope for such high occupancy, we are nevertheless managing well,” he says proudly.

ALIVE AT THE DEAD SEA

Ein Gedi Kibbutz Hotel at the Dead Sea was crowded with guests – evacuated survivors – from the kibbutzim of Be’eri and Holit that suffered devastating massacres. “They arrived here without luggage and basic personal equipment such as medicines, hearing aids and even dentures,” says kibbutz Chairwoman, Maya Dvir. “Almost 400 people, nearly the same number as the kibbutz members, are being hosted in the hotel and some even in the homes of our kibbutz members. We had an enormous shortage of employees, but all of the kibbutz members rose to the occasion in providing everything that was needed, from appliances and provisions to just sharing time with these devastated people; after all they are like family,” she said.

**No Escaping the Horror**. At the entrance to the Dead Sea’s David Hotel where Be’eri evacuees are being housed, an onlooker looks at boards displaying the photos of the hostages held in Gaza. (Photo. Courtesy of Mati Wagner/Times of Israel)

MAKING THEM FEEL AT HOME

“Requests to host evacuees from the Gaza border area following the Hamas massacre began immediately. We started hosting them in our hotels without hesitation,” says Leon Avigad, co-founder of the boutique Israeli brand, Brown Hotels, that started out in Tel Aviv in 2010 and now has 27 hotels throughout Israel, 12 in Greece and 1 in Croatia.

**Caring for Kids**. Seen here at an Atlas hotel in Tel Aviv are fun activities for the children, all evacuees from their destroyed communities in the south. Trying to liven their very unsettled little lives is beloved children’s television star, Yuval Shem-Tov. (photo Dany Vaserman)

“Our response to the dire situation was immediate with overwhelming effort to make them feel at home. Well-known Israeli comedians and entertainers joined in our ‘mission’ to help revive their spirits. Even Kosher food was offered by outside vendors, although it is not part of all our hotel’s philosophy. Helping people in need is what we believe in. We were there also during the summer Greece wildfires providing similar assistance to evacuees. This is who we are. We are brownies with a soul,” he says.

Atlas Hotels is an Israeli brand with 16 urban properties and a family business of the founder Danny Lipman and his sons Yaron and Lior, who nowadays carry the torch. They are also proudly carrying the torch of Jewish humanitarian tradition. “Being active by hosting evacuees sends a message of optimism, unity and togetherness,” says Vice president Yaron Lipman. “We are emphasizing the giving. The majority of our guests are usually travelers from abroad and we felt it was important to convey to them through our social media channels, the message of unity. We see it as making a statement of standing together in times of adversity,” he says.

**Providing Solutions**. Within walking distance from Tel Aviv’s Gordon Beach, the luxury boutique hotel, Debra Brown has turned its basement into a kindergarten for child evacuees. (Photo: courtesy of Debra Brown Hotel).

Even owners of short-term rentals with 7000 units and apartments all across the country offered free accommodation. “Within 48 hours, most of the apartments in Israel were full with approximately 15,000 civilian evacuees. This amounted to a multi-million contribution by the entire sector,” explains Eyal Levanthal, Director of Israel Short Term Rentals Association.

As this human drama unfolds, one reflects as a Jew back to the Torah’s detailed description of the mitzvah of ‘hachnasat orchim’ in Genesis when our ancestors, Abraham and Sarah offered hospitality to three wayfarers who happened to be passing by their tent. Jewish goodwill today has only developed from this earliest fine example of our forefathers that set us on our righteous path.

**Biblical Inspiration**. A painting recounting the story in Genesis of Abraham and Sarah showing hospitality to three strangers at their home.

Some argue there is a world of difference between doing good deeds according to our own human understanding and doing mitzvahs according to God’s plan as outlined in this mythical biblical story. For my money, there is no difference.

This is the foundation of Judaism.

It also provides many-millennia later, the inspiration for Israel’s hospitality industry, that in the spirit of Abraham and Sarah, have opened its doors welcoming people in need.

About the writer:

The writer, Motti Verses, is a Travel Flash Tips publisher. His travel stories are published on THE TIMES OF ISRAEL https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/motti-verses/.
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS

* Feature picture: The writer at the Herzliya Daniel hotel standing in front of the slogan “TOGETHER WE WILL WIN”.

Category: Tourism

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