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

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).

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 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:

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

WHY I AM CELEBRATING THE FEAST OF THE TABERNACLES

Building bridges between Jews and Christians has its potholes – we must overcome

By Jonathan Feldstein

(*Photos courtesy of ICEJ)

The Feast of Tabernacles is how many Christians refer to Sukkot, the Biblical festival we are celebrating this week. It is also a multi-day event known in shorthand as “the Feast”, organized by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), arguably Israel’s largest annual tourist event, drawing thousands of Christians from all over the world since 1980.

Celebration and Solidarity. Thousands of Christian Evangelists and Israelis march at a parade in center of Jerusalem, marking the Jewish holiday of Sukkot or the Feast of the Tabernacles, October 13, 2022 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH 90)

As I have done for years, this year I am celebrating both. But this year, all the more so I am celebrating the thousands of Christians who come to Israel to celebrate with us in light of calls by some other members of the Jewish community, to protest the ICEJ event. Albeit that those calling to protest represent a fringe minority, they have drawn hundreds of protesters in the past in what have been described as hateful and intimidating. I pray that calls to protest this week will be muted.

**If Music be the Food of Love**. Christian entertainers from all over the world such as the ‘Sounds of the Nations’ from Fiji, ‘Northworship’ from Norway, ‘Raise the Banner Dance’ and ‘Worship Team’ from the Philippines performing this October 2023 in Jerusalem.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not in favor of anyone coming to Israel to try to convert Jews to anything. Not to Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, or anything else. Building bridges with Christians around the world, I speak about that often and openly. While there is a reality of missionary activity that takes place in Israel, calls to protest the Feast of Tabernacles and its Parade of the Nations are particularly misplaced. Here’s why.

Judaism has a long history of intellectual debate and dialogue. Just as we do so widely among ourselves, we can discuss theological differences with our Christian friends, and do so respectfully, not to shout down or intimidate others. Indeed, if we believe what we believe about Judaism, it just makes more sense to share that, challenging others (Jews and gentiles) with whom we differ. Legitimate protests are legitimate, but not when they border on assault as some have become.

**March of the Nations**. Thousands of Christians from more than 90 countries march through the streets of Jerusalem on October 4, 2023.(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

Jews in general and the State of Israel in specific have an obligation to protect and respect Christians and Christian sites in Israel, and welcome Christians living among us or visiting for the Feast, even if we disagree theologically. It’s OK to disagree with friends even on important things, even on things that are big. As early Christianity grew out of Judaism, and that Jesus was a Jew, while we have some major theological differences, we have far much more in common.

**Celebrating in Israel**. Inspiring address by Reverend Manasa Kolivuso from Fiji to the Christian visitors from around the world in Jerusalem.

We need to understand who our friends really are. ICEJ and many other Christian ministries exist today to be a blessing to Israel and the Jewish people, to break down barriers of the past in addition to crimes committed by “the Church” in the name of Jesus, and teach Christians about the proper role of Christians vis-à-vis Israel and the Jewish people. If we embrace all of the Tanach, the Old Testament, we must affirm that the Temple, for which we pray to be rebuilt daily, is and will be a house of prayer for all nations, not a Jewish synagogue.

**From Israel with Love**. Christians from all over the world, celebrating the Feast of the Tabernacle in Jerusalem.

While the Temple does not exist for now, the celebration of one of the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals by Christian gentiles from around the world should be celebrated. This brings us closer to the redemption that we – Jews and Christians – both pray and wait for. In fact, it’s a direct realization of the prophecy of our prophet, Zachariah, 14:16. Not coincidentally, Zachariah 14:16 is a cornerstone for ICEJ’s inspiration to organize the Feast decades ago.

Building bridges between Jews and Christians has its potholes. It’s not always easy. Sometimes it’s a theological version of a contact sport. But it’s not good enough for Jews, whether they are involved in or support such activities or not, to paint all Christians and all history of relations between Jews and Christians with a broad brush. People need to know what they’re talking about. Nuance matters. Not only was ICEJ one of the original and longest standing Christian organizations to set up shop in Jerusalem to be a blessing to Israel, specifically for and during the Feast, they proactively tell Christian participants that missionary activity is not appropriate or appreciated. Does that mean that each of the thousands of participants understand that completely or honor it? No, not necessarily. But ICEJ as an organization draws a line in the sand that they tell participants not to cross.

**Sights and Sounds of Solidarity**. The Feast of the Tabernacle is a huge statement of solidarity with Israel and the participants should be treated with respect and not subject to protest and spitting as took place on Tuesday when Orthodox Jews spat on and shouted at a group of Christian pilgrims who were walking in Jerusalem’s Old City .

In a recent Jerusalem Post Op Ed (26 September), David Parsons, Vice President and Senior Spokesman for ICEJ, recognized that Jews who object to the Christian presence and activities in Israel do so for many reasons, none of which are applicable to ICEJ:

“The protesters and those who back them have expressed doubts about our friendship. They are afraid it is a cover for missionary activity. Others question our motives for standing with Israel, saying we are just here out of guilt for past Christian antisemitism, or we want to bring back Jesus, or – worst of all – we are out to force the Apocalypse.”

Parsons assures onbehalf of the tens of millions of Evangelicals worldwidethat:

“…the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has been refuting these claims for decades, both through our words and our benevolent deeds in the land.”

As unpleasant as it is to be the target of protests, he acknowledged that “it is not easy to turn attitudes around so quickly after centuries of Christian hostility and violence towards Jews. We realize the Jewish people went through a long, hard journey of exile among the nations over many centuries, and this involved much suffering. Regrettably, many of these travails were inflicted by Christians.”

**Celebrating the Tabernacle**. Christians from around the world come to Jerusalem every fall as they have been doing for the past three decades to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, sponsored by the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem.

Sukkot is arguably the Jewish holiday with the widest roots among gentiles. It’s long known that when the Temple stood during Sukkot, Jews would bring 70 offerings on behalf of the 70 nations of the world.

In a recent conversation on the “Inspiration from Zion” podcast, Rabbi David Stav of the Orthodox Jewish organization Tzohar, noted that Christian support for Israel is a sign of redemption. Rabbi Stav specifically related to King Solomon building the Temple in Jerusalem, referring to it as a house of prayer for all nations, with gentiles bringing offerings to the Temple. Rabbi Stav also highlighted that this is part of Jewish prayer daily. Therefore it’s something that Jews need to understand and affirm as well, not just in meaningless prayer.

Commenting on recent Jewish protests and violent acts toward Christians, Rabbi Stav noted that Israel’s first Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Kook, said that to be Jewish is to love all humanity, to be a blessing and a light unto the nations. Judaism needs to care about the all people who, as we know, are created in the image of God.

The ICEJ is no longer the only embassy in Jerusalem, although for decades it was, serving as the face of international Chrisitan support for Israel. We celebrate each time a new country establishes an embassy in Jerusalem, and we pray today that more will. For decades the world did not recognize Israeli sovereignty to or Jewish history in any part of Jerusalem. We must gratefully acknowledge the role of the ICEJ in vigorously countering the hurtful prejudice against the Jewish state and celebrate together the Feast of Tabernacles.

About the writer:

Jonathan Feldstein - President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Jornal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.

AN ISOLATED TEMPLE OF SUSTAINABILITY SHINES IN THE NEGEV

Experiencing a new resort that blends seamlessly into the crusty landscape and exquisite beauty of Israel’s southern desert

By Motti Verses

Israelis have mixed feelings about the southern part of their country – the Negev. Names of places like Tze’elim, Shizafon, Shivta or Mashabim are sensitive. They are associated with memories with army uniforms – sand, dust, sounds of gunshots and orders of military commanders. Army drills, or navigating wearing the olive-green clothing that match the scrubby bushes underfoot, the only vegetation that survives under the Negev extreme sunlight, remain fresh in the minds of many.

Regrettably, many Israelis tend to drive through the Negev with a mindset mostly of it being a necessary transit zone en route to the Red Sea beaches of Eilat and the Sinai Peninsula. Enjoying nature in this remote wilderness has always been extremely challenging. Generations that slept here under the sky in sleeping bags or army tents, looked for green landscapes for a vacation. No wonder there are almost no lodging options between the town of Mitzpe Ramon and Eilat. A luxury retreat was until recently, part of the science fiction department.

This past scenario changed dramatically with a vision by one Israeli. A person that was not deterred by prejudiced opinions, extreme weather conditions, distance, logistics and allocation funding support. He decided to redress reality from scratch. To turn the improbable into the possible.

A dozen years ago, entrepreneur Ronny Douek approached young Israeli architecture students. He asked them to research a design for cliff structures that resembles an ancient village of the people who once dominated the desert – the Nabateans. Sometimes luxury is about making a splash and getting noticed, but the architects of the Tel Aviv practice of Plesner Architects – took the opposite route. They created a resort that blends seamlessly into the natural crusty desert landscape and surrounding beauty, harnessing local materials and regional craft like limestone walls, ceramics and pergolas. These drawing board dreams became reality two years ago with a luxury hotel on isolated empty hills next to a small hidden community settlement called Shaharut, located 40 kilometers north of Eilat.

**Seeing is Believing**. Looking out onto a biblical view of the desert from the writer’s bedroom. (Photo Motti verses)

The Nabateans most famous capital city of Raqmu is known today as Jordan’s Petra – identified by its stylish iconic architecture. To realize such architectural ambitions in Israel’s Negev, who would be the most polished chic brand to – in Zionist parlance – will such a dream into reality?

Douek initiated a partnership with Six Senses Resorts & Spas, a relatively young brand that declares a commitment to community, sustainability, emotional hospitality, wellness and design, infused with a touch of quirkiness.

No doubt that ever since it opened, Six Senses Shaharut literally ‘stands out’ as the most intriguing captivating hotel in Israel. Curious to decipher the ambiguity of a remote dusty wilderness blended with expensive luxury, I found myself driving with the woman I love, Liat, along a deserted desert road in the southern Negev. It was exhilarating being the sole car on the road. As I drove absorbing the arid Negev’s stark beauty, my mind too was moving along. Thoughts percolated through my mind of what lay before me at the end of this road – a unique hotel that only opened at the end of 2021 during the corona pandemic. It had surely overcome, I pondered, the typical opening difficulties but then again, this was a hotel not in a city but in the desert! I knew there had been changes from the original opening team with a new chief and new chef. Deep within the recesses of my mind, I heard voices of disbelief about finding genuine luxury on an isolated Negev hill. After a four hour drive from central Israel, we arrived at the hotel’s main gate.

**Carved into the Crust**. Not interfering with nature, the hotel unobtrusively blends into the desert landscape. (Photo Motti Verses)

Surrounded by young warm welcoming team members attired in desert colors, we handed over our vehicle keys and after a splendid complimentary welcome drink, and a quick explanation, we mounted an electric buggy car climbing up-uphill for a tour of the hotel. A hotel? Not really. Guest rooms are hardly seen. They are built in a hidden invisible way to sustain the environment almost as it was from time immemorial. My mind churning over, I could not escape the thought:

“This unique architecture must have cost a fortune.”

However, at Six Senses Shaharut, one’s mindset is moved to recalibrate as one takes in the timelessness of the milieu. In this temple of sustainability, ‘things’ are less familiar. We required time to absorb and adjust. From the main structure at the top of the hill, the sprawling Negev surroundings looked stunning. Perched on a cliff, guests witness the almost supernatural panoramic view of the Arava plateau and Jordan’s magical Edom red mountains. This scenery is a far cry from a blue sea or lake. No green meadows with cows in sight. No forests and hummingbirds singing. It is a desert backdrop. A truly jaw-dropping wonder, especially at sunset.

**Surreal Sunsets**. The writer joins the guests to observe a spectacular desert sunset. (Photo Motti Verses)

“We are a phenomenal property that is located directly in the Negev desert with 60 bedrooms that consist of many villas and suites across 46 acres”, says the exuberant native Australian General Manager, Alicia Graham. “If you are looking for a place to relax, disconnect, and enjoy wellness,” says Alicia, “this unique retreat is the ultimate place to be for a total relaxing encounter. We pride ourselves – among other things – for our disconnection from the world. Our wellness facilities offer traditional therapies, signature treatments and personalized programs providing a unique experience for our guests in a unique environment.”

An award winner in the hospitality industry, GM Alicia Graham has “a passion for service and quality”. (Photo Motti Verses)

Burnt umber, cadmium red, ochre and red-violet, not to mention the steely-blue skies all combine for an astonishing palette of color.

The buggy drops us by our stylish well-equipped room with a panoramic view of the desolated hills rich in its inimitable colors – an amalgam of burnt brown, cadmium red, ochre and red-violet, all depending on the journey of the sun during the course of the day.

For a moment I imagined we were staying in a luxurious capsule on a remote planet. The emptiness turned out to be bewitching. Especially in the morning, waking up in the most comfortable bed I have ever experienced, that was surprisingly made of stone. Staying in the wilderness in style, with pampering air-conditioning, a state-of-the-art bathroom, the softest towels on earth, cool amenities and an outdoor terrace, we felt we were in heaven.

**Staying Cool**. The outdoor pool can hardly get more inviting. (Photo Motti Verses)

Relaxing by the pool, enchanted by the mountain views, was our daily activity. We didn’t skip the desert temple of rejuvenation – the Spa. In most hotels in Israel, the spa is usually located underground with no natural light – a preference of architects to cut costs. Here at Six Senses Shaharut, the six treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms, hammams, a yoga hall together with a magical relaxation area are all above ground, making visual access of the landscape a top priority. This desert luxurious spa is one of the most impressive spas I have ever seen and experienced. Then there is the exquisitely designed indoor pool – a true masterpiece, for the ultimate in pampering. I suspect it is equally inviting in winter.

**Calming Serenity**. Where better to indulge oneself with a dip in the inside pool. (Photo Motti Verses)

However, whatever the weather, following the lead of the hotel’s evocative name, Six Senses Shaharut is the place toindulge the fourth ‘sense’ – taste. Eating here is a gastronomic delight amplified by the restaurant settings offering relaxing ambience and beautiful décor. ‘Taste’ carries over with the creative homey furniture compositions. The Jamillah bar and Midian classic restaurant are beautifully designed to mesh with the awe-inspiring beauty of the surroundings offering the promise of a mouthwatering meal. We were not disappointed.

We enjoyed our magnificent breakfasts there with indoor and outdoor seating that will be cherished.

For dinner, acclaimed chef David Biton, the former Executive Chef of the King David hotel Jerusalem combines the best of Israeli and Mediterranean influences. He talentedly embraces the ‘Eat with Six Senses’ philosophy of local fresh and seasonal produce. Some ingredients are even harvested from the resort’s organic gardens. While not kosher certified, dishes such as pork and seafood are not offered.

“I am fortunate to operate first class restaurants and not the food outlets of a traditional hotel,” says chef Biton. “The number of dinners is small and we don’t cater banquets. All the ingredients are fresh and nothing comes from freezers. We use only fresh spices. We guarantee state-of-the-art gastronomy which is hard to find in conservative hotels. Six Senses Shaharut is a green hotel with endless recycling procedures in use as well, which make my professional journey here amazingly exceptional,” he says.

**Creator and his Creation**. Six Senses Shaharut executive chef, David Biton. (Photo Motti Verses)

What really differentiates Six Senses Shaharut from any other hotel in Israel are the management and employees. This is the only hospitality estate that is almost fully operationally managed by non-Israelis. These professional foreigners are transmitting the Six Senses philosophy after experiencing it before at other hospitality establishments around the globe. None of them – apart from chef Biton – worked in a hotel in Israel before. Their professional mindset is just different. It reflects directly on the employees, most of them young optimistic Israelis, saving money to conquer the world. It was a true pleasure to notice how devoted they are to be part of that pioneering vision to make the Negev desert flourish. Apparently, in the far less inhabited areas, Israel is looking more promising than ever.

‘Far from the madding crowd’ and not a single nylon bag flying in the wind,nature and humanity meet in an extraordinary intimacy that is Six Senses Shaharut that combines ultimate luxury with ultimate sanctuary.

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

*Feature Picture: Dressed for the Desert. It may be hot but the writer looking cool with the magnificent Arava and Edom mountains as the backdrop.(Photo Motti Verses).

A LOOKOUT OF HOPE

A highpoint of a tour of northern Israel proved to be the highest point overlooking Rosh Pina

By Stephen Schulman

In the Upper Galilee, on the lower eastern slopes of Mt. Kna’an (Canaan), nestles Rosh Pina. This picturesque, small town founded in 1882, stands as a testament to the foresight, enterprise and tenacity of the early pioneers who helped lay the foundations of the modern State of Israel.

Steeped in history, the town is dotted with interesting historical sites. Walking up the steep hill from the main road, you encounter the Baron’s Park that marks the beginning of the old, original neighborhood and named in honor of Baron Edmond de Rothschild, the settlement’s early benefactor. Continuing upwards along the walking path, you can visit the home of Professor Mer who searched for a solution to the problem of malaria that plagued the early settlers in the swampy Hula valley. Still higher up is the synagogue, Rosh Pina’s first public building, now restored and in use.

**Prime position.** A reminder of Nimrod in the prime of his life, colourful flowers in full bloom as one approaches the observation terrace of Nimrod Lookout from the path below. (Photo: Stephen Schulman)

Ascending further, you enter the first street of the settlement, the cobbled Hanadiv Street that leads up to the highest point in the town: the Nimrod Lookout: a magnificent observation terrace that stands at an elevation of 500 meters, overlooking the town and commanding a clear view of the Hula valley, the Golan Heights to the east and Mount Hermon to the north.

Named after Nimrod Segev, this gem of tranquility and beauty tells a story of selflessness, sacrifice, loss, grief, love and affirmation.

**Welcome to Nimrod Lookout**. A smiling Nimrod welcomes visitors to the Lookout. (Photo: Stephen Schulman)

Nimrod, a fourth generation born and raised in Rosh Pina was imbued with a deep love of nature and the landscape. Growing up, wandering freely in the village and surrounding countryside, he developed an intimate knowledge of and attachment to them both. At the age of 25, he married Iris, the love of his life, who had brought with her little Vicky from a previous marriage. Nimrod adopted and loved her as his own and soon she was joined by a baby brother Omer.

After matriculating, he left the small town to study and graduate with a degree in computer engineering from the Microsoft College in Herzlia. The small family then moved to the city of Ramat Gan from where he commuted to and worked as a valued employee at the corporation’s center in Ra’anana and where his charm and warmth endeared him to all. At weekends they would return to visit his parents and reconnect with the countryside of his birthplace. His father Hezi recalls how Nimrod would stop the car to listen to the trickling of the stream that ran near their house, shake off the dust of the city and inhale the special atmosphere of the Galilee.

**Deck this Out**. A panoramic view from the Lookout deck of Rosh Pina below and the north of Israel all the way to the Golan and Mt. Hermon. (Photo: Stephen Schulman)

In March 1996, Nimrod was drafted into the Israeli Defense Forces and served in the armored corps. In the Second Lebanon War, whilst serving in the reserves, he was called up. On the 9^th August 2006, while protecting his village, his parents’ home and the countryside he loved so much, his tank that was providing cover for bulldozers paving a route near the Lebanese village of Eitah ah-Shaab struck a roadside bomb and seconds later was hit by an anti-tank missile. Nimrod and his tank crew of Gilad Shtukelman, Nir Cohen and Noam Goldman were all killed. Nimrod was 28 years old.

**War and Peace**. The avenue alongside this peaceful lookout with the names of Nimrod Segev and his fellow tank crew comrades Gilad Shtekelman, Nir Cohen and Gilad Goldman who fell on 9 August 2006 during the Second Lebanon War. (Photo: Stephen Schulman)

The loss of a child is inconsolable and there is no salve for the wounds of grief and pain that do not heal with the passing of years. Hezi was determined to commemorate Nimrod’s name, to create a memorial to perpetuate his son’s legacy and pass it on for future generations. An especially beloved place for Nimrod was a high vantage point above the town where, in his youth, he would come with his horse, sit in the shade of the trees, look out over the valley and enjoy the solitude and the silence. It was there that Hezi decided to create the memorial – a lookout.

The project was challenging. Being a private one, it would demand funding and the investment of much time and labor. Hezi was undeterred and set to work. With the help of volunteers and the generosity of donors, especially one from Canada who wished to remain anonymous, the site was completed in 2010.

**Sights and Sounds**. For up-close views of the countryside there is a telescope and to learn more about the area and Nimrod’s life, press a button to hear it all explained in your own language. (Photo: Stephen Schulman)

Today, Nimrod Lookout is a jewel in the crown of Rosh Pina. It boasts a magnificent observation terrace complete with a telescope, lighting, a computerized voice telling stories of and explanations of the landscape and plaques giving information on the topography and telling Nimrod’s story. Behind, in the cool shade of the trees, visitors can avail themselves of a drinking fountain, benches and tables. There is also Wi-Fi and the security of 24 hour surveillance cameras. The site is spotless, and surrounded with carefully planted and lovingly cultivated trees, shrubbery and flowers. Crowning it all is a magnificent fig tree that Nimrod used to sit under.

Hezi is in attendance daily, keeping a watchful eye on the place and giving talks to groups of visitors. He tells them about Nimrod, perpetuating the memory of his life, his cherished values and his legacy: of love for humanity and nature, the special love for the Upper Galilee countryside, its flora and fauna, the love of his country and in so doing, hoping to instill these same virtues in his listeners.

**View from the Top**. Nimrod’s father Hezi, on the Lookout deck, addressing visiting school children. (Photo: Stephen Schulman)

We were there one morning and joined a large group of teenagers from Venezuela who had come to hear the Outlook’s story. Hezi spoke softly and from the heart with an unpretentiousness and sincerity that kept his listeners in rapt attention. When he had finished, he said “You can ask any question you wish. I can only cry!” Quite a few hands shot up and everyone was answered with patience and dignity. It was a moving experience.

When the group had departed, we stayed behind to chat to him and learned that his caring for and maintaining the lookout is not only a labor of love; it is a constant process that also involves great expense. Being a private venture freely open to the public, it has monthly bills for water, horticulture and electricity to be met plus the many other attendant expenses that the municipality also does not cover.

**Father and Son**. The atmosphere of his son all around, Hezi looks through the telescope upon the countryside below that Nimrod loved to explore from as a child to when his life was tragically cut short in 2006. (Photo: Stephen Schulman)

According to the Hebrew calendar, Nimrod had died on the 15^th of the month of Av; the Hebrew Valentine’s Day. Every year, on the evening of the anniversary of his passing, at the terrace, open to all, there is a short ceremony and then a show put on by a band for the enjoyment of everyone – remembering and celebrating Nimrod’s joy and love of life.

Getting to Nimrod Outlook presents no problem: you simply enter the town, turn into and go straight up the Main Road. If you do not wish to or are unable to walk uphill, you can arrive by car. There is ample parking and only the last 20 meters or so must be done on foot. The observation terrace is inspiring, the view is uplifting and meeting and listening to Hezi is an enriching experience. Highly recommended!

*Hezi Segev is a local tour guide. “If Walls Could Talk” is his award winning tour of the most special sites of Old Rosh Pina, telling the story of the place combined with the story of Nimrod. For booking, Hezi can be contacted at: info@roshpina.org and at 050-532-5732
The upkeep of Nimrod Lookout involves substantial costs. Any donation would be greatly appreciated. Bank Details: Bank Hapoalim (12)Rosh Pina Branch542, Account No.22222, Account Name: Hezi Segev.

About the writer:

Stephen Schulman is a graduate of the South African Jewish socialist youth movement Habonim, who immigrated to Israel in 1969 and retired in 2012 after over 40 years of English teaching. He was for many years a senior examiner for the English matriculation and co-authored two English textbooks for the upper grades in high school. Now happily retired, he spends his time between his family, his hobbies and reading to try to catch up on his ignorance.

LIVELY LILIENBLUM

Discover Tel Aviv’s glorious yesterdays, in today’s rejuvenated Lilienblum Street and its rejuvenated first hotel.

By Motti Verses

Stretching over 14 kilometers along the Mediterranean, Tel Aviv’s sparkling coastline is today world-famous. Popularly referred to “The City That Never Sleeps,” Tel Aviv boasts beaches that no other major European city will offer to those travelers looking to shed their clothes and their inhibitions for that short sunny seaside sojourn.

With all its diverse attractions, Tel Aviv is not short of a number of catchy nicknames – all tapping into its DNA. You will hear it called “party city”, “Nonstop City”, “startup city”, “gay capital of the world” and “Bauhaus Oasis” for its enriching concentration of Bauhaus architecture that is to Tel Aviv what Art Deco is to Miami or Modernism is to Barcelona.

**Up Your Street**. You will love it – Lilienblum street, one of the first streets of Ahuzat Bayit. ( photo by Motti Verses)

Many are unaware that while Israel is ancient, its second largest city, Tel Aviv, is very young beginning in 1887 when Neve Tzedek, the first Jewish neighborhood, was built outside the old city of the ancient port of Jaffa. Only in 1909, 60 Jewish families established the Ahuzat Bayit neighborhood – the foundation of Tel Aviv. Over the ensuing years, Neve Tzedek’s rundown properties have been renovated restoring the area to its former glory and is today one of the most fashionable quarters of Tel Aviv.

**Riveting Rooftops**. A spectacular view of Neve Tzedek, the first Jewish neighborhood built outside Jaffa, seen in far left (photo by Motti Verses).

One of the first streets in Ahuzat Bayit was Lilienblum. While it begins at the border of Neve Tzedek, it features a totally different style of architecture and exudes its own particular vibe. Reflecting the city’s exciting history as well as meshing with the modern, it is well worth exploring it with a guide.

The 100 years old restored Kiosk carries a heartwarming story of

preservation that offers a special angle on Tel Aviv’s history.

Called ‘KIOSK EST 1920’, one can enjoy a coffee and snack with an authentic taste of Tel Avivian history as one reflects on the much earlier patrons doing just the same before entering the city’s fist cinema – the Eden – which itself awaits future restoration.

Known in Hebrew as “Kolnoa Eden”, it opened on the 22^nd August 1914 with “The Last Days of Pompeii”. However, these were the ‘early days’ of the First World War and the Turkish authorities, fearing the generator might be used to send messages to enemy submarines off-shore, closed down the cinema by confiscating the projector. The Great War proved “the last days” of Turkish rule in Palestine and following the British Mandate, the Eden reopened emerging quickly as a hub of cultural and social activity. It contained an outdoor theater and at a later stage an indoor one as well. Each hall could host 800 seats. Cultural life soured with the debut performance of ‘La Traviata’ by the then newly formed Palestine Opera on the 28th July 1923 and famed Russian conductor Mordechai Golinkin, set up the Palestine Opera, which today is known as the New Israeli Opera. Its golden era was during the 1950s and 1960s and in the 1970s, when new modern cinemas were opened across the city, the owners closed it down. Today it looks like a neglected antiquity. However, there are plans to restore it to its former glory with one of the options being a boutique hotel combined with a stylish cinema.

**Cultural Relic**. No entrance tickets for sale in Lilienblum’s Eden cinema! A neglected ‘monument’ to the past as the writer explores (left), it awaits future inspirational development. (photo by Motti Verses)

Preservation of the old alongside the new is what characterizes today this magnificent historical street with its impressive architecture. Many of its more historically significant buildings are marked with illuminating descriptions creating an open air museum for future generations. One such is ‘Tachkemoni’, the first religious school of Tel Aviv, built in the 1920s. Even the British High Commissioner at the time, Sir Herbert Samuel insisted on participating in the school’s cornerstone ceremony. Closed down in the 1970s, today it serves again as a religious school but this time for girls.

Lilienblum Street presents a collection of exquisitely restored buildings – a sheer joy to architecture lovers. But the most impressive eclectic architecture-style building on the street is the Elkonin, the first-ever hotel in Tel Aviv. Its story is no less historical and exciting.

**Down Memory Lane**. The writer takes a walk down Lilienblum Street’s historic past, capturing the diverse styles of architecture. (photo by Motti Verses).

Restored and reopened only a few months ago, I interviewed the General Manager, Morgan Mondoloni, and asked how this hotel emerged at the time in what would have been in the middle of nowhere. He revealed a most fascinating story.

**Journey of a Gem**. “*Everything started in 1912 when Malka and Menachem Elkonin arrived in Eretz Israel with their six children*,” says General Manager Morgan Mondoloni.

“Everything started in 1912 when Malka and Menachem Elkonin arrived in Eretz Israel with their six children and wanted to build a warm home for the family,” he says. “This is what they did in only one year. They built this beautiful hotel; the first hotel of Tel Aviv. Famous people like Albert Einstein, David Ben Gurion and King Abdulla were some of our first guests.”

**Early Days**. City pioneer, Menachem Elkonin with Tel Aviv’s first hotel a 100 years ago. (photo: courtesy Elkonin Tel Aviv)

Over the years, as Tel Aviv developed rapidly to the north and the commercial gravitas shifted accordingly, the hotel followed the same fate as other businesses and institutions that either closed down or relocated. That was until 2004 when a visionary saw the enormous potential, both of the street and the structure. Zionist Franco-Israeli entrepreneur, Dominique Romano acquired it with the intention of not only saving the building – a cultural icon – but of restoring the ‘vanished hotel’ back to miraculous life. Today, due to the inspiration of talented architects and interior designers, the new Elkonim is ‘back in town’, transformed into a 44-room-and-suite elegant retreat in the center of the city.

“We want to offer one of the very best hospitality experiences in the

City,” says General Manager Mondoloni. Under the Mgallery stylish

Accor brand and home to the city’s first Robuchon restaurant, ‘L’Epoque’, following in the tradition of the late French “Chef of the Century” and restaurateur Jöel Robuchon, it looks like the Elkonin boss is on the right track.

Our room on the second floor with a balcony facing Lilienblum Street, reminded us of a typical traditional Paris street getaway. The totally new room is not big, but well equipped with a small minibar and a safe and a standing shower. The advanced illumination system was challenging, but Millennials will probably manage it better than we did. Our sleeping experience was the best with no noise heard from the street.

**Feeling French**. Having experienced his delicious French cuisine, the writer (left) engages with chef Eugène Koval.(photo by Motti Verses)

The Spa contains five treatment rooms. It is located underground with quiet relaxation rooms, a Hammam (Sauna) and a small gym. We experienced classic treatments that was amazing and the Clarins cosmetics are by all accounts divine. The use of this major European luxury skincare brand is certainly an additional plus at the Elkonin. On the roof, a cozy pool offers a breathtaking view of Jaffa and the Mediterranean with an adjacent bar and is certainly destined to emerge as an iconic meeting point in true Tel Aviv tradition.

**Cool from the Pool**. The roof’s cozy pool with a breathtaking view of Jaffa and the Mediterranean. (photo by Motti Verses)

The ground floor of the Elkonin is for my money, the best stylish designed boutique hotel in the city. The interiors were designed by Iconique Studio, the Paris-based studio founded by the talented Adriana Schor. The timeless and sophisticated European-style ambiance with custom-designed furnishings and lighting is a masterpiece. She drew inspiration from the early years of Tel Aviv reflected in Lilienblum Street and the ambiance of Paris. This floor hosts its Crown Jewels – the impressive dining room. The state-of- the-art French served breakfast felt like a culinary hop to Paris served in the hotel’s flagship Jöel Robuchon restaurant, L’Époque.

**Taste of France**. The irresistible La Côte de Bœuf enjoyed by the writer at the L’Époque restaurant. (photo by Motti Verses)

Dinner here presents exceptional gastronomy by reputed chef Eugène Koval. Obviously the restaurant is not Kosher. The food creations are poetry in motion. The menu also contains some of Robuchon’s reputed unforgettable signature dishes like the La Côte de Bœuf – the rib steak with the bone attached. A dish for two, it is a classic not to be missed, unless you are vegetarian.

Joining the MGallery Hotel Collection by Accor renowned for its unique boutique hotels, the Elkonin in Tel Aviv’s historical Lilienblum Street, fits this concept like a hand in a glove.

**Breakfast at L’Époque**. A state-of-the-art French served breakfast. (photo by Motti Verses)

One does not have to be a hotel guest to encounter this treasure. You can enjoy a breakfast or celebrate something intimate over dinner, or even experience a treatment in the spa. Do combine it with an hour walk to discover the street’s treasures. Gastronomy, terraces, cafés, aesthetic architecture and a romantic vibe, excuse me if I thought for a moment I was in Paris!

It sure felt like it.

* Feature picture – Almost check-in time for the writer at Elkonin Tel Aviv – MGallery. (photo by 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/.

BROTHERS IN ARMS – AND A FRIENDLY COMPETITION

Wounded veterans from the UK and Israel compete in Veterans games in Tel Aviv

By Rolene Marks

I am writing this article during quite a poignant week. If you are a keen observer of military history, the first days of June are hugely significant. This week, we commemorated 56 years since the start of the Six Day War in 1967 that changed the landscape of the Middle East. The 6^th of June marks 41 years since the First Lebanon War “Operation Peace for Galilee” in 1982 and a day that changed the trajectory of the Second Word War as Allied forces troops landed on the Normandy beaches in France in 1944. D-Day. We salute the remarkable men and women of the armed forces.

Why is mentioning famous historical military operations relevant to the veterans games that this article is dedicated to? Because it is a reminder of the fighting and sacrifices made for our freedoms and democracy. We owe these brave soldiers a debt we can never repay. They fight with everything they have – and return bearing the wounds and scars of battle, some carried deep inside the recesses of their souls. We bear reminding of the enormous sacrifices made by our armed forces and whatever generation deployed to battle, they deserve our acknowledgement, respect and support.

**Sporting Snapshot**. Competing British and Israeli teams pose together at the Veteran Games in Tel Aviv. (Photo Tomer Appelbaum).

Last week, Beit Halochem Centres in Israel played host to the Veteran games, welcoming 60 wounded warriors from the United Kingdom and their families. Beit Halochem (House of the Warrior) is an extraordinary organization. The organization provides unique rehabilitation, sports and recreation centers serving disabled veterans and their families. Beit Halochem provides a place where the wounded undergo the various treatments, which they need for as long as they live. The centre emphasises sport as a rehabilitative tool along with a wide array of social and cultural programmes.

The four Beit Halochem Centres in Israel – including the state-of-the-art complex in Tel Aviv, played host to the warrior athletes and their families as they engaged in friendly competition in events that included swimming, shooting and CrossFit.

**War to Tug-of-War**. Families of wounded veterans join a spirited game of tug-of-war.

Ex-servicemen and women from across the UK armed forces who have lost limbs in combat and other veterans who are battling crippling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were selected to compete. PTSD is often endured in silence and sports have a therapeutic effect for many suffering from trauma. What made this competition particularly unique is that competitors did not have to reach a certain sporting standard to qualify. This means that no matter what their sporting level or experience, everyone could compete for medals.

This is the third year that this event took place, and presents a great opportunity not just for veterans to compete, but to bond with each other as well as take in the sights and sounds of Israel.

**Grit and Determination**. Ashley Hall in competition in the X-fit

The games were organized by Beit Halochem UK and the IDF Disabled Veterans Fund. Beit Halochem UK raises awareness and funds to help support Israel’s wounded veterans. Beit Halochem in Israel helps 51,000 wounded soldiers and victims of terror by offering them support for the rest of their lives.

“Physical activity, camaraderie and the family all play a crucial role in the successful rehabilitation of injured soldiers and the Veteran Games put both front and centre,” said Veteran Games co-founders Andrew Wolfson and Spencer Gelding. “Medals are a great bonus, but our goal is to provide an environment for veterans to challenge themselves in a way that will provide lasting benefits, while building friendships with other heroes and their families with whom they have so much in common.”

**Pulling their Weight**. Once putting their lives on the line for their countries, wounded vets from the UK and Israel engage in friendly competition in Tel Aviv.

These remarkable warriors are absolutely inspirational.

Ben Roberts, 42 a veteran from Essex who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan said, “I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and in 2010 was diagnosed with Combat Stress Insomnia. I took part in the games last year and they have inspired me, shown me that I have a purpose and I have worth and that there are people out there that are willing to support us and show us British veterans that we can achieve things even with mental health. The games for me personally were a major spiritual level as well and the energy was just amazing here and it has helped me through the year where we are today”.

**Cheered on by the Competition**. A British athlete is cheered on by Israeli staff and athletes during the third Veterans Games in Tel Aviv on May 29, 2023. (Courtesy Beit HaLohem UK)

Organizers ensured that families were front and centre and they stood on the sidelines and cheered as their loved ones tested their mettle in friendly competition. Family members often struggle when an injured veteran returns back home and the role they play in their loved one’s recovery is crucial. To keep children entertained, a soccer camp is simultaneously held. Nothing builds bonds quite like sports!

**Sight to Behold**. Craig Lundberg receiving a swimming medal in the visually impaired category

Craig Lundberg 37, was completely blinded after being hit by two rocket-propelled grenades that are usually used for targeting helicopters or armored vehicles while on his second tour of Iraq in 2007. “It feels amazing to have my family along that they can see no matter what life throws at you, you can focus and get around it. I am really honored to be here and I competed in CrossFit and swimming and won a silver medal. It wasn’t expected because there was some great competition. For the lifting of weights and running, my son stood at one end my partner at the other and called to me so I could hear and get from point A to point B so it was a real family event. It is massively important that they are involved. Every day the family live with the sacrifice of living with a blind partner which isn’t the easiest sometimes, so to have them here giving support has been top notch.”

**Opening Ceremony**. A veteran of Afghanistan, cabinet minister for Veterans Affairs, Johnny Mercer MP addressing the opening ceremony of the Veteran Games.

Accompanying the UK delegation was Minister for Veteran’s Affairs, Johnny Mercer. MP Mercer served in the Royal Artillery and retired in December 2013 with the rank of captain. “We traditionally look at Israel and certainly the certainly the wealth of data you have accumulated over years of experience. I’m trying to make the UK the best country in the world to be a veteran and to do that we need to work with our friends and partners to understand what they’re doing that works really well, so that we can replicate that in the UK.” Mercer added that “it’s amazing to be out here in Israel. There’s nothing quite like an Israeli welcome, seeing the Veteran Games and using the power of sports as a vehicle for recovery. It’s extraordinary.”

**Brother-in Arms**. From different countries, these veterans share a bond understanding and camaraderie.

The games were timed to coincide with half-term (semester) vacation in the United Kingdom and the group had the chance to visit historical sites in Jerusalem, experience the healing powers of the Dead Sea and enjoy culinary and even graffiti tours in Tel Aviv.

**Top Training**. Veterans are seen ahead of the Veteran Games in Israel. (photo credit: Courtesy of The Veteran Games)

The bonds forged between these exceptional warriors from the United Kingdom and Israel will last a lifetime.

We could not be more proud to salute them.

‘REVIVIM’ REVEALED

The Jewish festivity of Shavuot brought back memories of a kibbutz in Israel’s South and its South African connection

By David E. Kaplan

“Where you spending Shavuot?” I asked my physiotherapist as I lay flat in his clinic in Ra’anana while he worked on my recalcitrant right knee. Known as the Jewish “feast of weeks” – although celebrated over one day – Shavuot commemorates the revelation of the Torah on Mt. Sinai to the Jewish people and celebrated with families eating dairy food.

“I’ll be spending it with my family, my parents, where I was born and grew up – on the kibbutz.”

“Which kibbutz?” I ask.

“Revivim. It’s in the south. You ever heard of it?”

If Shavuot is a festivity of revelation, there was more revelation to follow.

Not only had I heard of it, I knew all about it having written years earlier about its South African connection that so few know, in particularly its connection to the small town of Parow, outside of Cape Town, where I grew up until the age of four.

**Family Ties.** With the old British Mandate police station at Kibbutz Revivim in the background – that in June 1948 a Palmach Brigade took at heavy cost from the Egyptians – pose the descendants of the Cape Town/Parow Berold family with the late Freda Pincus (née Berold) seated in the centre. Freda’s parents from Parow, South Africa, donated the land for Revivim.

The story begins in the 1930s when Jewish aspirations and nationalism were aroused by Zionist leaders touring Jewish communities around the world inspiring the rebirth of Jewish sovereignty in biblical Palestine. They were followed by emissaries of the JNF (Jewish National Fund) encouraging Jews to invest in the future Jewish state by purchasing land in Palestine. One of the communities they focused on was South Africa and history records their efforts were well spent. One such inspired family was Barney and Fanny Berold from Parow, a developing town outside Cape Town. Barney was a successful industrialist who owned and ran Plywoods – Parow’s first factory. My late father, worked at Plywoods who used much of his salary of £12 a month (later raised to £15) to support a fledgling ‘Cape Gate Works’ of which he was a cofounding partner – Parow’s second factory – to survive. Cape Gate was started in 1929 during the Great Depression, and according to my Dad, that in the early months apart from his salary at Plywoods, “our only income came from selling petrol from a manually operated pump.”

“NOTHING THERE”

A few years before the passing of Freda Pinkus in Jaffa, Israel, the then 94-year-old daughter of Barney and Fanny Berold, revealed to me in an interview her parent’s love for the Jewish homeland, “not yet Israel.” At a time when few visited Palestine, could even afford to travel there, “My parents visited Palestine twice in the 1930s, first in 1932 and then 1936 when they met the Zionist activist Avraham G r a n o v s k y. Later he changed his name to Granot and would be a signatory to the Declaration of Independence, a member of the Knesset and chairman of the JNF. However, back in 1936, the JNF were negotiating with an Arab to buy his land in the Negev when this South African group with my parents arrived and Granovsky asked if anyone was interested in buying it.” The British Mandate Authority allowed Jews to purchase land, but not to establish settlements. “The land was totally out of the way, a desolate landscape some 36 kilometres south of Beer Sheva. There was nothing there except a British Mandate police station. During World War II, a large British army base was established, which served as a stopover from Suez to the centre of the country. Anyway, as far as I know, my father was the only one interested and he bought 825 dunams. Of course it did not sound financially attractive, but my father was a Zionist. He was not investing for profit but in the future of the Jewish People.”

**Champion of the Desert**. To offer encouragement, Chairman of the Provisional Government of Israel, David Ben Gurion (right) visits Revivim in 1943.

A few months later, “he passed away in Parow and my Mom returned to Parow. In 1939 our family received transfer of the property.” This might have been the end of the story until Freda’s brother George Berold, while stationed in Egypt during WWII “took leave to visit Palestine. He went to see Granovsky hoping to see the land and report back to the family in South Africa. Granovsky dissuaded him saying that there was a war on and there were no roads to reach this area. Probably the only way to reach the area was on camel, which I imagine would not have been too appealing to my brother with only a few days leave! Anyway, Granovsky then asked George if the family would consider donating the land to the JNF for the purpose of establishing a kibbutz.” It was quite a daring idea as it would be the southernmost kibbutz at the time with no access to piped water. It would demand of its members immense grit, determination and vision. It would also require the acquiescence of the Berold family of Cape Town. George said he would discuss with the family who all agreed. “This was the land that the JNF gave for the establishment in 1943 of Kibbutz Revivim.”

However, it was not so simple.

**Pulsating Progress**. Bringing water to the area meant survival. Revivim reservoir in 1946 with the old fort in the background.

DESTINY IN THE DESERT

While the small group received the Berold parcel of land to fulfill their dream of settling the Negev, they had to be careful as permanent settlements were illegal. To circumvent British Mandate regulations, Revivim was established as an “Agricultural Research Station” and formally named ‘Mitzpe Revivim’ or ‘Revivim Lookout’. Settlers pretended that the antenna they used for radio contact was essential in “testing climate conditions”, and were so convincing that the British bought the story. The radio was hidden in a first-aid kit!

**A Golda Moment.** Actress Anne Bancroft (right) is shown around Kibbutz Revivim by Golda Meir (left), whom she is to portray in the Broadway production “Golda” – a play by William Gibson based on Mrs. Meir’s “My Life”.

The first settlement began with only three men and as the research station slowly grew, eventually women were allowed to join. One of these brave women was Golda Meir’s daughter. The stars were not only a fascinating desert night sighting. They sometimes appeared to on the ground as it did when Hollywood star, Anne Bancroft was shown around Revivim by Israel’s former premier, Golda Meir.

However, in the 1940s, Revivim was isolated and fraught with danger.

**Determined in the Desert**. Six years after settling on the land, young Revivim residents at the time of Israel’s independence in 1948.

Battling the elements was tough but soon they would have to confront a new enemy – their fellow man! A portent of what was to come occurred in December 1947 when a Kibbutz Revivim car was ambushed and three members of the kibbutz were killed. Then in 1948, Revivim became the center of Israel’s defense of the Negev during the War of Independence. An airstrip was built to fly in supplies and the caves which were once home to the pioneers became the field hospital and main base. Kibbutz members valiantly withstood heavy Egyptian attacks and 34 soldiers, including one woman, fell in the ensuing fighting, all recorded in a museum there today.

**Battling with the Basics**. View of Revivim with underground ancient Nabataean caves, pitched tents and fortified building on top of the hill.

Riveting Revivim

After the war, Revivim emerged as a pioneering center for desert agriculture. It played a huge part in the massive success Israel has had in making the desert bloom and the story of its development as revealed in its Mitzpe Revivim Museum popular to tourists, presents a colorful insight of a hard-fought journey won. It mirrors the journey of modern Israel. My physiotherapist regaled me the stories of his youth on Revivim:

“What a wonderful place to grow up. I knew nothing of life outside the kibbutz. The kibbutz was our world. We didn’t watch TV; I had many friends and we played and explored and built things and developed a feeling of camaraderie. Everyone on the kibbutz ate together in the chadar ochel (communal dining room) and where we celebrated together the chagim (festivities). I am proud to say, the kibbutz today is still mostly a collective, adhering to its founding principles. I always look forward to returning. I’m not only visiting my parents but revisiting the values of what I still hold dear.”

Sabras planting Sabras. Planting cacti on TuBishvat on Revivim some years back, are the children of former South African Wendy Cohen- Solal (née Israel from Parow)

PRESENCE OF PAROW

Google Kibbutz Revivim and you will find that it was established in 1943 by a youth movement group from Rishon LeZion that included new immigrants from Austria, Germany and Italy on land given to them by the JNF. You have to deep search to extract from whom the JNF acquired it, that is, the Berold family from Parow.

Even many who live there are unaware of the South African connection to their home. One such was Joyce Friedman (née Kanowitz) from the USA who was born in Pretoria, South Africa in 1943 and when she was 18, immigrated to Israel and moved to Revivim where she became a member. She wrote to me some years ago following the publication of my first article on Revivim:

“When the 1967 war broke out, many groups of volunteers arrived, amongst them South Africans and it was my job to be their madricha [leader]. They did well for themselves and I was proud of them.

After living in Israel for 12 years, l met my husband who is an American, and we got married at Revivim. After two years, we moved to the USA in 1974.

Recently, my nephew in Israel sent me a copy of your article regarding Kibbutz Revivim and the financial link between it and the South African Jewry. It made for very interesting reading as this was the first time l had ever heard about it. Even while being on the kibbutz, no one had ever told me about the funding. Funnily enough my cottage faced the old fort, so l was constantly reminded of the kibbutz’s history.”

**Revivim Relic**. While today a relic of the past, it was once the kibbutz’s lifeblood bringing in supplies when it was cut off from the rest of the country.

Revivim has another connection to Parow in Wendy Cohen-Solal. born in Parow to Ivan and Raiza Israel and who settled on the kibbutz. In subsequent visits to Revivim during the 1950s, Fanny Berold kept up the connection with the kibbutz her family made possible, by donating money towards a rose garden and a library. During the 1967 Six Day War and the aftermath,” said her daughter Freda, “there were many Southern African volunteers on Revivim; I’m sure some of them, their forebears, could have come from Parow.” Today the kibbutz is held in high regard for its pioneering use of saline and brackish water. One of its members, Yoel de Malach, received the prestigious Israel Prize for his efforts in this field. Despite being a desert kibbutz, Revivim’s dairy farm once won the prize for the largest quantity of milk produced by any farm in Israel. No less surprising it also has a “fish farm” – in the desert!

On the occasion of Revivim’s 75th anniversary some years ago – the Pincus and Berold families were honoured for their family’s enriching history embedded to the kibbutz no less embedded than the Negev’s desert rock. While many Jews donated money to buy land in Israel, “As far as I know,” said Freda, “Revivim is the only case of actual privately-owned Jewish land being donated for this purpose.”

**By George!** While stationed in Egypt during WWII, George Berold visited Palestine hoping to see the land his parents had bought years before in the Negev and which he was encouraged to impress upon his family back in South Africa to donate for a strategically important kibbutz for an emerging Jewish state.

From Cape Town’s ‘Northern Suburb’ to Israel’s southern desert, South Africans have been fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah that in “A dry and thirsty land, where there is no water” they shall make the desert bloom.

While Revivim became the heart of the Negev it was the heart of South Africa’s Berold family that made it all happen.

Category: Tourism

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