The north of Israel is still relatively unspoilt, and we can find a treasure trove of hidden gems. Particularly when we explore the Druze villages - Israel has the world's third-largest Druze population, after Syria and Lebanon
But who are the 144,000 Israeli Druze / Druze Israelis?
Simon says: "Let's find out more about the Druze people": The majority identify as Arabs & are native Arabic speakers, but although their faith developed from Shia Islam, Druze do not identify as Muslims.
The religion was created in the 10th and 11th centuries in Egypt, incorporating aspects of Hindu & Greek philosophy into the tenets of Islam. Conversion to the Druze religion is not permitted because of a belief that the first generation after the establishment of the religion had an opportunity then to join - and everyone alive today is reincarnated from that generation.
Like the Abrahamic faiths, the Druze religion is monotheistic, and recognizes many prophets, including Moses, Jesus, John the Baptist,Mohammed & Khidr Their most respected prophet is Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses.
In 1957, at the request of Druze communal leaders, the Israeli government designated Druze Israelis as a distinct ethnic community.
Optional extras on a tour of The Upper Western Galilee could include:
• a visit to the private home & old factory of Gamila Hir - known as ‘Grandma Gamila’ - born in 1940 to a poor family with their roots in Peki’in for over 300 years. Grandma Gamila has become a legend, as one of the first women in the Druze community to work outside of the home & the first to establish a factory with her own hands.
Not only have Gamila’s boutique soaps become a household name locally, they are exported worldwide, receiving numerous awards including appearing on the list of the best soaps in the world in England, Italy, Holland & Japan. In the visitors’ centre we can watch a short film, visit the factory shop which sells the soaps & also cosmetic products based on pure olive oil. Grandma Gamila tells the story of her life, the products & their benefits, explains the production process, & may even give us a glimpse through the glass windows into the factory where Jews, Muslims & Christians work side-by-side. There is a second visitors centre fairly close by, alongside museums, workshops & a sculpture garden.
• an unforgettable Druze hospitality experience in the family home of Abtisam Faras - surrounded by an impressive garden filled with lemon, orange, tangerine & apricot trees, jasmine bushes, lemon verbena and rosemary a pond & waterfall. Here we will learn about the Druze tradition, history & home life, tasting traditional Druze food which Abtisam learnt to cook from her mother & grandmother.
The meal will usually comprise mejadera, falafel, shulbata, endive, stuffed vegetables, mansaf, kebab, rice with pine nuts. Some of the salads are picked straight from the fields & served according to the season. In the winter Abtisam cooks mugrabiya which is chicken or beef with onions & chickpeas slow cooked for hours. The meal concludes with herbal tea, coffee & homemade cookies.
• at the Asal Al Nor visitors’ centre - opened & overseen by Raman Salah, an expert in bees - we can participate in workshops in collecting honey by hand, & taste honey challah. There are also creative workshops for children: donning bee costumes, creating & decorating beeswax candles or watching the two movies which are screened for the children “Maya the Bee” & “Winnie the Pooh”.
You may also enjoy a visit to the beautiful shop which offers an abundance of bee-related products: various types of honey, medicines based on honey for almost any illness, & utensils for serving honey.
What are you waiting for??
Call or send me a WhatsApp to +972 54-2390412 - or drop me an email to imagineisrael8@gmail.com. Let me help plan your amazing visit to the north with Imagine Israel Tours.
But who are the 144,000 Israeli Druze / Druze Israelis?
Simon says: "Let's find out more about the Druze people": The majority identify as Arabs & are native Arabic speakers, but although their faith developed from Shia Islam, Druze do not identify as Muslims.
The religion was created in the 10th and 11th centuries in Egypt, incorporating aspects of Hindu & Greek philosophy into the tenets of Islam. Conversion to the Druze religion is not permitted because of a belief that the first generation after the establishment of the religion had an opportunity then to join - and everyone alive today is reincarnated from that generation.
Like the Abrahamic faiths, the Druze religion is monotheistic, and recognizes many prophets, including Moses, Jesus, John the Baptist,Mohammed & Khidr Their most respected prophet is Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses.
In 1957, at the request of Druze communal leaders, the Israeli government designated Druze Israelis as a distinct ethnic community.
Optional extras on a tour of The Upper Western Galilee could include:
• a visit to the private home & old factory of Gamila Hir - known as ‘Grandma Gamila’ - born in 1940 to a poor family with their roots in Peki’in for over 300 years. Grandma Gamila has become a legend, as one of the first women in the Druze community to work outside of the home & the first to establish a factory with her own hands.
Not only have Gamila’s boutique soaps become a household name locally, they are exported worldwide, receiving numerous awards including appearing on the list of the best soaps in the world in England, Italy, Holland & Japan. In the visitors’ centre we can watch a short film, visit the factory shop which sells the soaps & also cosmetic products based on pure olive oil. Grandma Gamila tells the story of her life, the products & their benefits, explains the production process, & may even give us a glimpse through the glass windows into the factory where Jews, Muslims & Christians work side-by-side. There is a second visitors centre fairly close by, alongside museums, workshops & a sculpture garden.
• an unforgettable Druze hospitality experience in the family home of Abtisam Faras - surrounded by an impressive garden filled with lemon, orange, tangerine & apricot trees, jasmine bushes, lemon verbena and rosemary a pond & waterfall. Here we will learn about the Druze tradition, history & home life, tasting traditional Druze food which Abtisam learnt to cook from her mother & grandmother.
The meal will usually comprise mejadera, falafel, shulbata, endive, stuffed vegetables, mansaf, kebab, rice with pine nuts. Some of the salads are picked straight from the fields & served according to the season. In the winter Abtisam cooks mugrabiya which is chicken or beef with onions & chickpeas slow cooked for hours. The meal concludes with herbal tea, coffee & homemade cookies.
• at the Asal Al Nor visitors’ centre - opened & overseen by Raman Salah, an expert in bees - we can participate in workshops in collecting honey by hand, & taste honey challah. There are also creative workshops for children: donning bee costumes, creating & decorating beeswax candles or watching the two movies which are screened for the children “Maya the Bee” & “Winnie the Pooh”.
You may also enjoy a visit to the beautiful shop which offers an abundance of bee-related products: various types of honey, medicines based on honey for almost any illness, & utensils for serving honey.
What are you waiting for??
Call or send me a WhatsApp to +972 54-2390412 - or drop me an email to imagineisrael8@gmail.com. Let me help plan your amazing visit to the north with Imagine Israel Tours.
My TripAdvisor reviews:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293983-d25277286-Reviews-Imagine_Israel_Tours-Jerusalem_Jerusalem_District.html
#Israel #israeltravel #israeltrip #israeltourism #imagineisraeltours #simonostertourguide #israeltravel #israeladventures #visitholyland #holylandtour #holylandexperience #visitisrael #tourguideisrael #touringisrael #travelisrael #israeltourguide #onlyinisrael
Pitot baking in one of the village ovens
Does lunch get fresher, healthier or tastier than this?
At the entrance to Daliyat-Al Carmel, there is a Druze vendor of hand-made glass & a variety of garden ornaments. You often need to sift through the piles of items stacked around the yard to find your own personal piece of treasure - and during winter time, you'll invariably need to empty the rain water out of any vessel you may want to buy.
But it is worth it!
But it is worth it!
A Druze vendor of fresh pitot and cherries
Hey, I appreciate the time and effort you've invested in sharing this valuable information on tour to Israel. I look forward to more of your informative content in the future. Keep up the excellent work!
ReplyDelete