5 stops in the Galilee - Haaretz

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Thu., November 15, 2007 Kislev 5, 5768

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5 stops in the Galilee

By Ronit Vered

tags: Israel

The first Crusaders, who came to the Holy Land in the fourth, fifth and sixth centuries, called the Galilee paradise. They were amazed by the quality of the fruit and the olive oil, and by the height of the millet stalks, and enraptured by the wine. The area of Kafr Kana and the villages around Nazareth have been known for centuries for the quality of the pomegranates. To this day, even though most of the densely packed pomegranate orchards that once covered the local hilltops are gone, in almost every home and restaurant in the village, they still prepare delicious pomegranate juice. Here one can learn of the powers of medicinal plants to restore body and soul; of the foods that Jesus ate; and of the wonders of classic Arabic cuisine and medicine

Black cumin (ketzah in Hebrew) is a cure for every ill, apart from death itself, said the Prophet Mohammed. And for thousands of years, in the Arab villages, they used it to prepare not only a seasoning for bread and baked goods, but also popular medicines for treating various aches and pains. Nowadays, its components are used in the preparation of cosmetic creams, cancer-preventing substances and many other medicines and ointments that are sold all over Europe. And black cumin is just one of hundreds of plants being studied in a laboratory in the village.

The Islamic Empire that arose in the seventh century inherited the knowledge collected by the Persian, Indian, Roman and Greek Empires before it. In the House of Wisdom, the great library of ancient Baghdad, thousands of books from different lands and in different languages were translated and preserved, and the foundations of modern chemistry and mathematics blossomed. The invention of a distillation device was one of the first conditions for the development of the science of pharmacology, and for the transition from alchemy and the search for the philosophers' stone to actual chemistry.

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Dr. Omar Said of Kafr Kana is part of an ever-growing number of young, educated local Arabs who are fed up with waiting for the world to work things out and have begun to shape it themselves. He earned his doctorate in pharmacology from the Technion in Haifa, and despite his teachers' skepticism, decided to focus on reviving traditional popular medicine, which has been steadily disappearing from the Arab sector, and turning it into an active scientific field.

Antaki Center for Herbal Medicine, the company he founded, is building a huge data base on all the local spices and medicinal plants, including some that are in danger of extinction. The company carefully surveys all the legendary and popular uses of different plants in the region, scientifically examines the characteristics of each plant, and manufactures plant-based medicines. These have been quite successful. From the common mustard plant, they developed a natural energy drink similar in effect to Red Bull and similar beverages; from the Field Eryngo, they have produced antitoxins; and they use the African Rue not only for pickling olives, but to make medicines to treat epilepsy and joint pain.

Groups of students and young scientists come here to experience hands-on participation in the process of producing extractions, creams and ointments from the garden plants.

In addition to Antaki, there is a research and information center that is open to the general public. The Kafr Kana industrial area is home to a large garden containing hundreds of local medicinal and spice plants, as well as some that have been imported from distant places. A guided tour along the garden paths is available if arranged in advance.

Antaki Center for Herbal Medicine, Kafr Kana industrial zone, 04-6419272; www.al-antaki.com

Unfortunately, at Antaki they haven't yet found a herbal medicine to cure a hangover. Dr. Said actually wanted to find a medication that would coat the stomach before drinking and prevent intoxication, but he was dissuaded by local pressure. Some felt that this would somehow encourage heavy drinking, and the project was shelved. Jesus, on the other hand, worked wonders when it came to wine, and without any trace of moral inhibition.

Christians say that Kafr Kana is the place where Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine at a wedding. In the sixth century, awestruck Crusaders reported that they had sat in the Messiah's chair and touched the jugs he had held in his hands. Today, one can no longer sit in Jesus' chair, but at the Orthodox church, believers say, they still have two of the jugs that were touched by the hand of God. These can be seen if the stern-faced, black-robed Greek monk who guards the place is in the mood. This beautiful church stands in a garden adorned with delicate pavilions, bell towers, sculpted fountains, rose bushes and fruit trees. Fortunately, entrance to the church is not dependent on the testy monk's humor.

Church of Saint George, Hakenesiyot Street, Kafr Kana (the Catholic Church next door is also worth a visit)

A dish of stuffed lamb ribs looks as if it just came out of the Caliph's kitchen in Baghdad: a sumptuous symphony of flavors and colors, served on a mountain of rice and noodles, seasoned with almonds, cashews and cardamom. It is only matched by the juicy lamb kebab roasted on the grill and then baked in the taboun, covered with a layer of dough, together with tomatoes, garlic and hot pepper. And when the pita, speckled with black cumin, is cut, releasing mouth-watering vapors, it's a moment of pure pleasure.

This restaurant, Al-Tanour, which opened about a year ago, belongs to the young brothers Husam and Nishat Abbas, owners of the famous Al-Babour in Umm al-Fahm. This is a family that knows what it's doing and goes about its work with thorough seriousness.

Now there is another restaurant where one can experience the splendid tastes of classic Arab cuisine, using the finest local ingredients. The main courses are preceded by a meze of dozens of excellent salads: mashed sweet potato, baked tomatoes with minced green onion, cilantro, roast eggplant, and more and more. There are also good fatayer pastries, and big, addictive falafel balls. The fresh pitas are baked on the taboun in the restaurant yard, and despite its location at the gasoline station, the restaurant space is large and pleasant - just right for a leisurely meal.

Al-Tanour, Reina-Kafr Kana (at the gas station on the road leading to Kafr Kana), 04-6914664

Once every six years, the sisters of the Order of the Rosary switch places and move to a different convent: in Kuwait, Syria, Egypt, Israel or another Middle Eastern or Arab country. In the late 19th century, the Virgin Mary appeared to Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas, the founder of the order, in a vision and commanded her to come to the aid of the weak. Since then, the sisters of the order have wandered from place to place in this region of conflict, pursuing their holy work. Sister Sylvia has been in Nazareth for a year, and runs the convent's hostel that was recently renovated and now offers the most comfortable rooms to be found anywhere in this city. The pleasant, modest rooms have air-conditioning and modern showers, yet they still preserve the special atmosphere of Nazareth, which is an ideal place to get away from the rat race for a few days. Meandering along its streets always leads to new experiences. Since 75-year-old Sister Sylvia never went to business school, at first the rooms here with their spectacular views were going for the ridiculous price of NIS 240 per night. Now a double room costs NIS 400, including breakfast, which is still very good value for money.

Rosary Sisters Guest House, Street 6139, Nazareth, 04-6554435, 054-5533861; www.rosarysisters.com

Everything about this small church is squat and adorable: It has a chubby, light pink dome that peeks out amid the tangle of alleyways and crumbling staircases that lead nowhere; the facade is solid; and Romanesque-looking arches surround the round, heavy rock upon which, according to Christian belief, Jesus ate with his disciples after his resurrection. If there's no chair anymore, at least there's a table. Notice the seeming symmetry created by artists of the Venetian school of restoration, who covered the walls with marble-like paintings. On the left side, as you face the rock table, you see a tall window and a small door that leads into the priests' room. The window and the door on the right side are only paintings.

Since the church is abandoned, you need to get the key from Jonas or the Daniel family ( neighbors will direct you to the family that lives opposite the church and has the key), and you enter through a gate into a small inner courtyard shaded by three tall brown cypresses. It's standard to leave a donation of a few shekels for the visit.

Mensa Christi Church, Street 6116, Nazareth

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