An excursion to Zichron Yaakov

July 18, 2008 - 2:15 PM by

Zichron in the old daysEli Abutbul, head of the Zichron Yaakov council, does a great job of summing up his town’s draw:

Zichron Yaacov, an old settlement or “Moshava” on the slope of Mount Carmel, is a combination of the Carmel and Coastal Plain encompassing a web of romantic views and pastoral tranquility. You will find unique tourist attractions, country-style accommodations, galleries, restaurants, cafes, and excellent wine in Zichron Yaacov, all with [a] “taste of the past.”

Founded in 1882 by 100 recent arrivals from Romania, Zichron is home to Israel’s first winery, Carmel-Mizrachi. With its pedestrian-friendly streets, cafés, galleries and old-time charm (all of which can be enjoyed from concentrate on Founders St., also called Wine Way), the town attracts visitors from everywhere. Ironically, though, its pleasures are arguably a secret to most international tourists, who prefer to see the ruins of nearby Caesarea or the Bahai Gardens of nearby Haifa.

Street fairs with crafts, farmers’ produce, performances and exhibitions take place on many Fridays, with these activities reaching a fever pitch on the Passover and Succot holidays, when the weather is most mild and much of the country goes on vacation.

Located just south of the Galilee proper, Zichron is also growing as a destination for young families who are being increasingly priced (and paved) out of the megalopolis of Israel’s heart. Being situated at an easy commuter’s distance from both Tel Aviv and Haifa (not to mention access to the highly efficient train system at nearby Binyamina) has helped as well.

As a result of the larger trend, many English-speaking families are moving in to the area, where Baron Edmond de Rothschild is said to have funded at least five fledgling Zionist outposts in the late 1800s, lending today’s developing English-speaking bloc the Long Island-referencing self-depreciating nickname of “Five Towns” (wince).

Regardless, thanks to being perched on the Carmel ridge that runs alongside the coast, it’s one of the only relatively centrally located locales in the land to offer not only views of Mediterranean but also the relatively clear air that only reaches Israel’s upper altitudes.

An impressive resource of Zichron’s attractions can be seen here, while a series of great photos of the town can be seen here.

Tags: , , , , • Category: History and Culture, Travel 

Comments

One Comment on An excursion to Zichron Yaakov

  1. rabbi lars shalom on Sat, Jul 19th 2008 4:42 PM

    2. YES!! THE CALL FOR ZIONISM!!!

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