In the southern Golan Heights lies a moshav that is made up of both religious and secular families. Originally founded by Hashomer Hatza'ir members as a kibbutz and 10 years ago transformed into a moshav, Natur is located adjacent to the Samakh Stream and only 10 kilometers from Lake Kinneret, making it a great destination for hikers. Situated at the foot of a hill with the same name, the moshav was built on the ruins of an ancient Jewish village, and the synagogue that was unearthed there dates back to the Talmudic period. With this rich Jewish heritage as a backdrop, many artists and artisans have chosen to make Natur their home and created a unique and successful community. Ariel Hirshfeld One such local artist is Ariel Hirshfeld, a well-known religious mosaic artist who was born deaf. Hirshfeld has displayed his mosaics in exhibitions throughout the country. At first, he was hesitant to attend openings, due to his deafness, but he has been extremely happy with viewers' reactions to his work and its uniqueness. Hirshfeld also welcomes guests to his studio at Natur Farm. During workshops, while participants are busy creating their artwork, he likes to tell them about his childhood and how he overcame his disability by engaging in art. Many of Hirshfeld's works touch on his religious beliefs, prayer and Jewish rituals. His discussion of these issues is a form of self-therapy for him which enables him to continue processing his feelings of loneliness and disconnect from the community, due to his not being counted in a traditional Jewish prayer quorum as a result of his deafness. Open: Sunday-Friday. Preregistration required: (04) 660-0271. Details: (SMS & WhatsApp): 050- 726-4542. Studio Mandarina One of the local artists is Rina Epelboim, the owner of Studio Mandarina. Epelboim makes glass jewelry, and visitors to her studio can purchase her artwork and also watch her as she creates her handiwork with glass she imports from Italy. If you'd like, you can participate in one of her workshops and try yourself. Epelboim explains to visitors how glass is made from sand, how to color it, and all the different things it can be used for. In her workshops, which are appropriate for groups of up to 25 children and adults, you can make glass beads or sculpt glass flowers and animals. Price: NIS 30-200. Preregistration required, Sunday-Friday. Tel: (04) 676-3619. Natur Farm Established in 2014 as a cultural incubator and medicinal herb nursery, Natur Farm is also home to a guest house for visitors. From the farm, there is a gorgeous view of the Golan Heights to the north and the Kinneret to the west. Right as you enter, you'll see two enormous geodesic domes, inside of which many types of herbs and plants are grown. Visitors are invited to participate in workshops on site and meet with local artists, who love to encourage more families to make the Golan Heights their home and visit more often. Bein Kshatot Even if you don't end up visiting Natur Farm, if you're in the area I recommend dining at Bein Kshatot, a culinary experience like no other. Yael Alba established Bein Kshatot six months ago, after teaching special education for many years. She was reaching the end of her maternity leave and realized that she'd rather host guests for meals in her home than go back to her previous position. You can also order a picnic to go (prepared in a real basket with real dishes, which have to be brought back at the end of the day). Cost is NIS 250 for a meal for two. Alba also offers vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and lactose-free options. Meals in her home can accommodate up to 20 people (NIS 110 per person). Details: 052-830-9666. Umm el-Kanatir Another interesting attraction in the Natur area is Umm el-Kanatir, a.k.a. Rehavam's Arches (named after Rehavam Ze'evi, whose last act as tourism minister was to approve this project). In the middle of the ancient site is a synagogue that has been completely reconstructed. Reach the site by following an easy trail (follow blue trail markers). Walk 150 meters south of the synagogue, and you'll find a spring that flows into a stone pool with three arches that date back to the 19th century. This is a great place to kick off your shoes and enjoy the cool water and also enjoy the incredible view of the Golan Heights. To reach the site, turn left about 200 meters from the moshav's main gate. Tomb of Sheikh Marzuk If you don't wait too long, you just may catch the last few Hermon irises that grow in abundance around the tomb of Sheikh Marzuk. These flowers grow all around the Golan and can be identified by their almost white petals with spots. The tomb is a typical square-shaped structure with a domed roof with two inner chambers. The tomb attracts many people who come in search of peace and love. More irises were planted on the flat parts of the roof, and so in the spring the tomb is a breathtaking vision of flowers blooming all over. Even though it seems dangerous, people are so taken aback by the phenomenon that they climb on top to take a selfie with the flowers. Directions from Hamapalim junction: Drive on Road 91 and turn left onto Road 1509. Continue until you see a turn on your left into a parking area. Cross through the parking area and continue along a dirt road. At the fork in the road, take the right side. Drive alongside an army base and then take another right turn at the sign that warns of a firing zone. You'll find the tomb about 200 meters ahead on the right. Translated by Hannah Hochner.
(photo credit: MEITAL SHARABI)