High level

Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Ziv Reinstein

• Tourism
• Trips in the country
• Excursions in the North

Five hotels are about to emerge in the Golan that is experiencing renewed tourism momentum, with special attractions opened in the past year and most importantly one sign that attracts hundreds of tourists every day who just want to take pictures. We gave a bite to Israel's "right ear"

Ziv Reinstein

Spring and cherry springs this summer are nice and the floods and waterfalls flooding in the winter is always beautiful, but it turns out that the Golan attraction in recent months in general has to do with a small settlement called Kela-Oak in the center of the plateau. "Every day, 50 US buses come here to take pictures with the Trump Trump sign," explains Haim Rokach, Golan Regional Council head.

Yes, since a new settlement was declared in the Golan, "the Trump Plateau", which is expected to rise as an extension to the Kela Alon settlement, the plateau has experienced great tourism momentum, but not always (dollars). So come and get a picture of it, but what about sleeping and having a snack at some West Junction restaurant? Probably less. Tourists have a tight schedule and are less in the segment of spending money in the Golan, but more in Jerusalem and the holy places.

It turns out that one sign can attract more tourists than any other attraction. Trump level (Photo: RoeeMos, Wikipedia)

Trump level (Photo: RoeeMos, Wikipedia, official site)

There is a lot of land to invest in the area, but the 1.1 million dunam area - from Gedera to Hermon - doesn't have much. After the army and the Nature and Parks Authority "took" two-thirds of the area, the pharmacist still has about one-third of the area for development and investment. "Tourists don't spend nearly any money on the Golan, because most of the attractions and streams are free," explains Rokach as we stand in the yard of the Gillis restaurant in Moshav Nov in the Golan Heights, where he also lives. Tourism will help attract travelers, but also, pharmacist hopes, settle. There are currently 18,000 residents in the kibbutzim and moshavim in the area, another 8,000 in Katzrin and about 22,000 Druze, and the pharmacist has one goal: "to double the Golan population by a decade," he says.

But until that happens, in the meantime, you can learn something about the beefy cows from Juicy Gillis - the meat-loving man. He loves him so much that he grows himself in the Beit Midrash for Meat, which is what he calls his place that serves meat once a week - Thursdays. On the rest of the day (except Saturday) the place is used as a butcher shop for meat and meat smoking workshops and products. In the family business are Reuben, Nov's first son and child, who also takes care of raising the family cattle, and Gilat, his wife, who looks after the diners. In the courtyard of the beit midrash "Abraham" lives a bull, and another cow who worries that he will not be special. If you arrive on Thursday, you can check out the entrecote steak, which is the popular dish, asado, mint mints, beef liver with mango and more. If you do not arrive, they have shipments to the center of the country through the site.

Gillis, Nov. Session. Phone: 04-6763555.

Beit Midrash for Meat. Gilat, Reuben and Yossi in "Gillis" (Photo: Ziv Reinstein)

Gillis Leshevar Restaurant in Moshav Nov (Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Ziv Reinstein)

Farmers like the Gillis family (yes, cattle raising this agriculture) are declining in the Golan, because the country is not always coming towards them, regulation is not welcoming, the second generation no longer wants to work so hard and the high-tech is much shorter, for example, the new technology center Recently opened at West (Emirate) junction.

Alongside agriculture, tourism continues to be an economic anchor in the Golan. Pharmacist is trying to market packages for foreign tourism and Trump-level enthusiasts, and in the process "plans to build five hotels over the next few years," he says. One of them is already making white leather tendons and looks from the road at the junction of the recognized customs house.

Hotels are a pretty much missing product in the Golan. In fact, except for a small hotel in Majdal Shams, the Golan has only guest houses and guest houses. The kibbutzim and moshavim have long since transformed their old lodging houses into new accommodation which is a draw for families who want some cool Golan air. Recently (last July) another charming new guest house was opened for this audience, this time at Kibbutz Elrom. It is not too fancy, not too simple and exactly meets the need of travelers who want to come for a walk in the Golan, and yet not be torn in the price of the area.

Built on the site of the demolished old coop, "Elrom Boutique Hotel" offers 18 rooms and about 100 beds, including bunk beds. Planning another 26 rooms, but the place that already gets guests certainly provides everything travelers need: spacious rooms with comfortable beds (though too short for high), hot water shower, kitchenette with small fridge for storage and even cable TV for those who really need it. The adjoining dining room offers breakfast and jacon beauty on Saturday (how not), which also has the kibbutz visitor center, with expensive souvenirs for tourists (Israel's Magnet at NIS 29) as well as some books from the Battle of the Valley of the Valley written by Kahalani and others. Another place is a children's play room with a TV and a kitchen for those who want to bring their food, and no less - free Wi-Fi in the rooms.

Hospitality Elrom Boutique, Kibbutz Elrom. Price: Starting from NIS 420 for a couple in December, at NIS 550 on a weekend, including breakfast. But there are also discounts on two nights and children added etc. In short, you should find out on the website or phone: 04-6838016.

The coop was demolished and 18 comfortable new rooms were built in its place. Elrom boutique hosting (Photo: Ziv Reinstein)

Guest house hosting Elrom Boutique (Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Ziv Reinstein)

Everything a family needs to spend a fun night. Room in Elrom Guest House (Photo: Ziv Reinstein)

Guest room at Elrom Boutique Hotel (Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Ziv Reinstein)

From the lens to the lentils

Another new, and especially delicious, place is not far from Elrom, in Kibbutz Ein Zivan. Many tourists and attractions have filled the empty and neglected rooms of Ein Zeven over the years, and everyone is making a living - from the De Krina chocolate factory and chocolate shop, through the Bahat Winery to the Misa jewelry store. But rather hidden in the dishes, behind the kibbutz tourist center, in January this year opened a place that is a combination of cafe, bakery and cool atmosphere.

Mattarello (Italian Rolling Pin) is the fruit of the kibbutz's Adi Peretz, who has been a food photographer for years, and decided to move from the lens to the lentils, or rather to the dough. He started baking and baking, learned how and what to bake from the Internet, until he reached his flagship - croissants with all kinds of toppings - from the cheese of Amantel, a scrambled parmesan to smoked salmon and egg and even sardines (NIS 38-28).

So, as you understand, dough is what Moody Rebels' mashup is, and besides croissants, you can enjoy the place you built yourself, and include cool wooden tables filled with sausages at weekends, as well as mushrooms and mushrooms and egg or avocado in season (NIS 40-38), or almond tarts But what is best sold on the spot, according to Adi, is the banana cake they take home, and in the future Adi also hopes to open a second floor in the old Syrian structure where Trello now resides, and in the past was a factory for slippers or simply flip flops.

Matterlo, a pair of eyes. Kosher milky, but open on Saturdays and every day until afternoon. 054-2468019.

Turns dough into delicacies. Adi Peretz at Cafe Matterlo, Ein Zivan (Photo: Ziv Reinstein)

Adi Peretz's Coffee from Ein Zivan (Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Ziv Reinstein)

Bruschettes, oh bruschettes. Special, surprising and delicious (Photo: Ziv Reinstein)

Bruschetta at Cafe Matrello in Ein Zivan (Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Ziv Reinstein)

Still up north, hiking is always a blessing, but even with the Golan Heights runners, you can gorge on many distances and enjoy the amazing vines and reddish colors of the cherry and apple orchards, along with beautiful views of Mount Bantle and Avital and also visit the Syrian HQ. The late Eli Cohen, as well as graffiti enthusiasts who made sure to add some color to the gray and bombarded building.

For those looking for something to do in the southern Golan, you should enter the relatively new visitor center of the ancient Umm al-Kanatir synagogue, which opened about a year ago a new visitor center - Ein Archery. The synagogue, located not far from Moshav Natur, was established in the 6th century AD for the local basalt rock, but was destroyed by a seventh noise - it was the earthquake that struck the north in 749 AD. However, for more than a decade, the stones that were left in place by computer software and chip inserted into each stone have been resurfaced, so that the reconstruction of the Holy Place, one of some 30 ancient synagogues in the Golan, is constantly evolving.

There is a short film on the site in the Visitor Center, as well as some archeological items discovered on the site as well as good services, which is already great. The tour is independent, but you can also book a guided tour (for a fee). Do not forget to visit the spring itself, above which the arches that gave the place its name, and the researchers claim that it was the water that improved the linen fabrics, which gave the town its finances to build the magnificent synagogue.

Eye of the Arches, next to Seat Natur. Open: Every day 5pm to 9pm, Friday to 3pm. Entrance fee: NIS 25, child NIS 115. Details on website or phone 04-6851002.

The Russians built it for the Syrians. The Syrian headquarters visited by the late Eli Cohen (Photo: Ziv Reinstein)

Syrian headquarters visited by Eli Cohen in the Golan (Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Ziv Reinstein)

Resurrected after 1300 years. Umm al-Kanatir synagogue, Golan Arches (Photo: Ziv Reinstein)

Umm al-Kanatir synagogue, Eye of the Golan Arches (Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Ziv Reinstein)

Respect to Melania Trump as well

From there to the nearby Monitor, a kibbutz that became a moshav in 2008 and today lives in both secular and religious. In the studio "Mandarin" is La Rina Applebaum, a glass artist, who has been dealing with material made of sea sand for 15 years. She teaches families, couples and anyone who wants to sculpt with glass at 1,200 degrees, or the glass becomes fluid and flexible and can be done at will.

In an hour-to-two-hour workshop, you become mesmerized by looking at the flame fire and mixing colors and shapes. Rina says she even designed a necklace for Melania Trump, the wife of the US president (we closed a circle with Trump), and the prime minister gave her a visit to the US. The glass itself comes from the Moreno Island in Italy, so you are guaranteed raw material in Lysimo !. Hanukkah workshops will be held to create menorahs.

Mandarin Studio, Natur Session. By appointment, not Saturday. Price: Depending on the workshop. Details on website or phone 04-6763619.

At 1,200 degrees the glass becomes liquid. Workshop at Mandarin Studio (Photo: Ziv Reinstein)

Mandarin glass studio in Moshav Natur (Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Ziv Reinstein)

Rina Applebaum with a copy of the chain she created for Melania Trump (Photo: Ziv Reinstein)

Mandarin glass studio in Moshav Natur (Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Ziv Reinstein)