A Weekend Escape in the Lower Galilee: From Ilaniya to Kfar Tavor
A couple revisits Hamatya, a boutique retreat in the Lower Galilee moshav of Ilaniya, exploring local culinary gems, historical walking trails, and a unique wine bar supporting trauma survivors.
Returning to a familiar place is like slipping into well-worn house shoes. The foot instantly recognizes its place, settles comfortably, and begins to walk. Fifteen years after first visiting Hamatya, a boutique hospitality compound run by Atalia and Eli Teruah in the historic Lower Galilee moshav of Ilaniya, a couple returned to discover how time had treated the retreat. According to the visiting partner, the place has only grown more beautiful with age.
Morning Rest at the Orchard Pool
Long before the term wellness became ubiquitous, the Teruah couple cultivated a traditional farmers' home in the historic village and transformed it into a secluded hospitality haven. Over the years, they meticulously expanded, renovated, planted, and refined their creation like watchmakers winding gears. Stone houses, wooden floors, carefully curated minimalist furniture, a lush vegetable garden, and abundant flowers weave a small, Provençal-style enclave in the heart of the Galilee.
Embracing the Italian concept of dolce far niente—the sweetness of doing nothing—visitors can lounge on deckchairs under olive and guava branches, lulled by the gentle sound of water trickling in the small reflection pool. Inside the refrigerator, farm-fresh eggs, cheeses, yogurt, olives, and olive oil await alongside rustic loaves of bread, offering a breakfast that reminds travelers how little is needed when everything is crafted with excellence.
Sweet Pastries in Sharona
For those seeking a culinary excursion, a short drive leads to Mafia, a modest café tucked away in the depths of moshav Sharona near the stables. The bakery specializes in French pastries, notably the Chausson aux pommes—apple slippers consisting of delicate, lace-like puff pastry folding over caramelized apples that burst with flavor in every bite.
Holistic Water Therapy
Moving from culinary delights to wellness, Ella Sarugo, a holistic touch and water therapist and therapeutic stylist from Kibbutz Gazit, offers deep mind-body connections. Visitors can experience a tailored session in a warm hot tub, where the body surrenders to soothing water and intuitive guidance, followed by specialized treatments available for couples at Hamatya.
Exploring the Roots of Ilaniya
A walking tour of Ilaniya, formerly known as Sejera founded in 1902 as the first Jewish settlement in the eastern Lower Galilee, reveals stone houses interspersed with blooming squill and darkening olive groves preparing for the harvest. Blue historical signs recount the stories of pioneers, water reservoirs, and the legacy of a young David Ben-Gurion, who once worked in the area. A prominent 500-year-old cypress tree marks the trail winding past ancient olive presses, springs, and scenic viewpoints overlooking the Shommer farm.
Evening Wine and Neapolitan Pizza
As evening falls, the nearby Kfar Tavor winery complex hosts a unique wine bar carrying a provocative name: PTSD. Founded by Eli Gershony—who deals with post-traumatic stress from his military service—alongside Omri Alfi, the venue aims to dismantle the stigma surrounding psychological trauma. The walls showcase artworks by creators dealing with PTSD, while the kitchen serves a seasonal Mediterranean menu alongside sourdough pizzas baked in a blazing stone oven.
Artisanal Gelato in Kfar Tavor
To conclude the journey, Eissalon, an adventurous gelatería adjacent to the wine bar founded by Adva and Shion Barak-Leiani following gelato training in Germany, offers wildly creative flavors that rotate bi-weekly, ranging from pine nut and black sesame to salted caramel and high-cacao dark chocolate.
