creative jewish mom

Stunning Views From The Car On A Golan Heights Road Trip

Imagine seeing a snow capped Mount Hermon as you are driving down the road? Yes my friends, that was in fact the case on our road trip across the Golan Heights just before Passover, and there were so many great sights from the car window that I just had to share them with you! This was new territory for us, more or less, so it was also really exciting to be not all that far from home and yet see things that were totally different from anywhere else we've been in Israel. And in case you are wondering, spring is hands down the best time to visit Israel and especially Northern Israel, to experience the green hills, a bounty of wild flowers and blooming trees! Okay, lets take a little ride, shall we?

We Spotted The Rare Golan Iris, In The Golan!

On Shabbat HaGadol we spent a glorious three nights at a Moshav in the Golan called Keshet. The weather was spectacular and the walks just outside our door were wonderful and so very inspiring as this was an area of Israel with which we were not really acquainted, though it is just an hour's drive from our home further west. On Friday while some family members hung out and read, my daughter and I took a walk up to a lookout point with views of the Moshav and also a stunning peak at Mount Hermon with snow, the volcanic mountain of Mount Peres and so much more. It was so glorious I just had to go again, this time with husband and one of my sons (the other son found it himself on a shabbat walk) and I enjoyed it just as much the second time.

On our way down from the top, I suddenly spotted a large flower amidst the tall grasses and plants and gasp, it was an Iris! Of course I oohed and awed and only once at home did I discover that this particular orchid, the Golan iris (Iris hermona) is quite rare, so was indeed quite special, and so happy to share it with you. Want to learn more, keep on reading......

Cyclamen Bloom In The Golan Heights!

This past week we spent three nights in a lovely Moshav (agricultural community) by the name of Keshet, and wow, all the flowers in bloom made our stay even more lovely. Many of the stone walls were home to bunches of cyclamen in bloom, and while they may have been planted and are not wild, some definately did look exactly like the cyclamen I've seen growing between rocks in my area. Cyclamen in native to Israel, which is so very special! I'm in a rush to finish all the Passover prep, so enjoy my photos and if you want to know more about visiting Keshet, simply drop me a line or leave a comment. Okay, lets take a look at cyclamen and more cyclamen.......

Judas Tree Blooms In Keshet, Israel

One of my greatest pleasures when spring comes to Northern Israel are the abundance of flowering wildflowers, bushes and trees, in addition to orchards full of fruit trees! The Judas Tree, or Red Bud tree, or in hebrew klil hahoresh blooms with bright pink flowers and native trees dot the landscape with pops of color that are just so very beautiful. While the tree is a native here, of course some are planted in residential areas and in city parks as they are quite simply stunning. After working for a good week cleaning our home for Passover we took a 3 day break to explore the Golan Heights, spending shabbat and our nights in a special spot called Moshav Keshet, which I highly recommend. The weather was chilly and sunny, perfect for local nature walks and there were so many beautiful things to see, which I'll be sharing with you here! But first, a look at my beloved Judas Tree, now in bloom in Keshet! And then take a look at my previous post from 2018 to see some lovely up close shots of the flowers, here. 

Ah yes, and if you'd like to read more about our abundance of wonderful native plants, take a look at all the posts in the category called Native Plants of Israel.

Red Crown Anemones Now In Bloom In Northern Israel!

The stunning red crown Anemone, which is a native Israeli flower, is now in bloom and just as lovely as ever! I took these photos at the end of the day, so the flowers were mostly closed, but will head out again this week, as the combination of these lovely flowers and the blooming almond trees is just so very special! I am so blessed that just a few minutes from my front door I can find a bounty of blooming wild flowers, with each species blooming in its time. These anemone are the first, and are later followed by red poppies, which are a different flower though confused with anemones by many. Enjoy this first peak at the red crown anemone, with more to come!

An Almond Tree Blooms Next Door, In Northern Israel

The almond trees are now in full bloom in Northern Israel, and while I missed it last year, this year, no way! I forced myself to grab the camera and get out of the house for a little photo shoot, this time to capture one of the trees growing just up the street, which I've funny enough, never thought to photograph, The tree is located just on top of an old stone house ruin, so it is especially photogenic, and to boot, I was able to capture it with the distant view of Mt. Meron as well. I think I'll go back in a few days in the morning for another go, but in the meantime, enjoy, and try to imagine the lovely delicate fragrance of an almond tree in bloom!

A Touch Of Fall Color In Northern Israel!

Fall has certainly arrived here in Northern Israel, and I'm grateful for even one little tree proudly displaying its fall color! So sweet really, as it can be seen from afar, which is why I ended up taking a walk with camera in hand to begin with! Of course there are many bare trees and lots of patches of earth normally covered with greenery, and the meadows seem to be slowly drifting off to sleep, but there is nothing like orange hued leaves to shout out, hey, winter is coming! So enjoy the photos I took yesterday on my neighborhood fire trail, and how about making a sketch from one of them, great idea!

A Visit To The Tzippori River Promenade

With the three week period between Tisha B'Av and Rosh Chodesh Elul when all school age children/college students/ talmudic scholars are on vacation now in full swing, we are so blessed to have the opportunity to explore some amazing places not far from home (around 1 hour) that if not for cancelled plans for a trip to the USA, we may never have explored! Israel is full of so many wonderful locations, with hiking trails galore, archeological sites galore and both the Mediterranean Sea and two large lakes, as far as water goes, ah yes and then there is the Jordan River! It is true that this three week period means many cars on the road and crowds in some places, we have chosen to explore the slightly less beaten path, and I couldn't be happier! Our first stop was a 3 night stay in Kibbutz Harduf, with a view of the Haifa skyline, and just below the rental a lovely canyon where the Tzippori River flows, and where some of the trails are a part of the Israel National Trail. Of course, I just had to get an up close look, and we ended up at a really sweet location with a paved walk and lots of shallow water, perfect for picnics and little kids, and scenic for the rest of us! Little did I know that there was actually a paved promenade! Keep reading for more directions and lovely photos.......

Yellow Broom Bushes Bloom Abundantly In Northern Israel

This Passover as we went on outings in our area in Northern Israel there were many gorgeous surprises, one being the very abundant bloom of yellow broom, which covered hills and roadsides with swathes of yellow. Truly stunning and special! There was something about the length of the winter or the fact that this is a special year, shemittah year, that has caused many flowering plants to flower in abundance, even my white rose bushes are now blooming with more flowers than ever. A fun fact about yellow broom, it is the same bush that I grew up with in Northern California, so it always reminds me of my childhood! I write this just before shabbat, so running to tend to the kitchen, and enjoy the rest of  my photos!

Giant Fennel In Bloom in Northern israel

Ever seen giant fennel in bloom? I certainly may have, but never in the quantities I've seen this Passover, causing me to take note and photograph this beauty! Because Passover occurs at a slightly different time each year, and this is leap year, meaning we added an extra month to our calendar, the flowering species that I'm seeing this year on our Passover outings are different than what I may have seen last year, and friends, it is so wonderful and so inspiring! This year Passover has occurred exactly at the time of blooming yellow everywhere, whether it be this giant common fennel, wild mustard, broom bushes and more! I'll of course be sharing with you photos of it all, not to worry! Right now it is time to give some attention to the giant fennel, which one really can't help but notice as it is quite tall and calls out to those who are fortunate enough to notice such things! I took these photographs in the Birya Forest, not far from Tsfat, and just above the gravesite of Rebbi Yonaton Ben Ouziel, but more on that later, first hello giant fennel!