The Dalton - Gush Halav Coexistence Trail Good Neighbours

The first early morning light steals its way among the green hills that surround the Galilee town of Gush Halav (Jish). It is five thirty in the morning and the roads are still empty, the houses dark and silent. Even the birds sound as if they are having trouble shaking off a dawn huskiness in their song. In the nearby community of Moshav Dalton, the new day is trying to begin, opening a cautious eye and deciding to stay in bed for just a few more minutes. Here and there, a sleepy cat stretches, yawns and curls up to doze a little longer. 

For early morning walking enthusiasts on the local Coexistence Trail that links Gush Halav to Dalton, however, this is rush hour: dozens of people from all the communities in the area are stepping out energetically – twenty minutes in one direction, another twenty back home again, then a quick shower, so that they can start the day with a feeling of virtuous energy and glowing health. 

The Coexistence Trail, which was inaugurated around two years ago thanks to the donation made by the Ergas-Lopez family of Chile, symbolizes the relationship between the different population groups who live in this part of the country, and creates a meeting ground that allows neighbors to get to know one another a little better. Recently, a regular walking group has formed, consisting of walkers who meet every morning at one end of the route or the other – and sometimes in the middle.