Northern Exposure / tours

Overview

Our direction will be westward as we begin our day in the village of Eilaboun and travel via Maaleh Zvia, Tamra, and the communities of Gush Segev and Acre (Acco). This is a route that highlights communities populated by Jews and Arabs who attempt to live in peaceful coexistence. We’ll travel along sprawling olive groves and a beautiful mountain landscape as we descend toward Acre – a city that has known many wars in its long and rich history, the last of which struck just last year. The day will end with a walk through Acre’s ancient streets, a visit to its open markets, and a gathering with some of its small business owners.

Detailed route

We’ll begin on Rt. 65 in the Lower Galilee, passing through the agricultural region of the Beit Netufa Valley and noting the unique geographical features of this part of the country.

Copper, Coffee, and Honey

As we enter Gush Segev, Eilaboun will be our first stop. We’ll learn the history of this ancient, tranquil Christian village and visit Abdullah Youssef (a violinist) at his copperware workshop (#8). Abdullah began learning the art at age seven and has been making decorative copper objects ever since. We’ll stay for some coffee and meet another Eilaboun resident, Abu Hana (#6), who produces homemade, pure honey mixtures for medicinal purposes.

R & R in Sakhnin Valley

A scenic route through olive groves takes us to our second stop: Maaleh Zvia, which specializes in organic cultivation of grapes for wine. We’ll learn about the unique ideology (and rooftops) of this community, and we’ll meet with Sima Oren, a basket weaver (#149).

The Village that Became a City

We continue to wind our way westward through Jewish and Arab, Muslim, Christian, and Bedouin communities. When we reach Tamra, we’ll hear the story of its growth from a village to a city, and we’ll visit local resident Abdallah Kanaan (#74), a graphic designer and clay sculptor and his brother Ahmad Kanaan (#128); a sculptor, painter and a gallery owner.

If the Walls Could Talk

From Gush Segev, our journey continues along Rt. 85 to Acre. An ancient city with a glorious past, Acre was an international center for trade and a gateway between East and West. We’ll enjoy Egyptian cuisine for lunch at Nadia Abed el Ftah’s Nefertiti Restaurant (#56) (where the meat is kosher but the establishment is not kashrut-certified). After lunch, we’ll stroll through the city streets, taking in the sea air, the fishermen, the shuk, and the ancient city walls. We’ll then meet Rimon Badin, a painter (#77), and Yousef Hawari, a sculptor who works in metal and wood (#76). We’ll end the day in lively style with a performance by Kher Fody and his Walla'at Band (#78).