Tasting Israel With Adeena Sussman – March 2023

Activities:

• 10:30 AM Gather in the lobby of the Orient Hotel - Meet Adeena Sussman and begin your journey together!!

• Forage and cook with Nura - Nurit will take you to her natural habitat - her backyard in the Jerusalem Hills. Nura will teach us to identify edible plants and how to maximize their flavors in a farm-to-table experience.

• Sphera winery - Sphera Winery is a boutique winery featuring only white wines from the Judean Hills of Israel. Carefully balancing nature, innovative technology and a delicate, artistic touch, by focusing on only white wines, Sphera can zoom in on the fine details and discern the slightest of subtleties. Doron and Sivan, the winery's owners, believe in a clear and minimalistic approach that brings out the fruits’ true essence, while ensuring wines that are layered with rich and complex flavours. And, of course, the views aren't too bad either.

• Drive to Zafririm

• Opening program and dinner at the home of Hedai Offaim - Hedai Offaim is a chef, writer, and food entrepreneur who will be featured in Adeena’s upcoming cookbook, Shabbat. He is the co-founder, together with his brother Yinon, of Offaim Farm, which sustainably raises livestock, makes cheeses, and grows produce used in his restaurants. When he cooks at home, Hedai utilizes just-picked ingredients from his property and the surrounding region–figs, loquats, olives, lemons, grapefruits, herbs, pomegranates, and more.

• Isrotel Orient Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Walk from the hotel to the Damascus Gate to begin your tour

• Tour Jerusalem’s Old City - Encounter the people and places of the storied Old City for a greater understanding of the mystery and romance of Jerusalem. In the Jewish Quarter, peel back the layers of Jewish history from the time of the First Temple until the present day. In the Christian Quarter, visit the fascinating Church of the Holy Sepulchre. You will also have the opportunity to visit the Temple Mount. Explore the complexity of a city that is holy to three major religions, and meet the people of the Old City–including Muslim and Ultra–Orthodox women.

• Spice workshop at the Arab Market - We will stop at a spice shop in the shuk and create a blend from Adeena’s cookbook, Sababa, that everyone can take home.

• Herodion National Park - This ancient fortress was built by King Herod the Great and served as a palace and fortress for him and his descendants. Herodion is known known for its distinctive cone-shaped mountain and impressive archeological ruins, including a palace complex, amphitheater, and a water supply system. It is also mentioned in the Bible as King Herod's final resting place.

• Time to rest and relax

• Dinner at Hatzot - Hatzot is a part of Jerusalem’s history. Two brothers, Abraham and Michael Ajami founded this landmark family restaurant in 1970. Legend has it that Meurav Yerushalmi - the favorite Israeli mixed grill dish - was born at Hatzot Restaurant.

• Isrotel Orient Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel and check out

• Tasting tour and at Machane Yehuda Market - What better way to kick off this epic journey than with a tasting tour of Jerusalem’s iconic Machane Yehuda Market? Set in the heart of the city, this bustling, multi-ethnic, open-air market is bursting with life, art, and flavor, an adventure for your taste buds, and an eye-opener to the richness of Israeli food culture. Savor first-hand the rich aromas, colors, sounds, and flavors that this iconic market offers.

• Light lunch at Azura - Enjoy a sit-down lunch at this family-run institution in the Iraqi section of the market. Famous for its Turkish-inspired delicacies that are slow-cooked to perfection atop kerosene burners, Azura is an integral part of Jerusalem’s culinary history.

• Ascend to the Golan Heights

• Check into the hotel and enjoy dinner and dinner at Pereh

• Pereh Mountain Resort

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Visit Karat Caviar Farm - Caviar Galilee’s innovative aquaculture startup was launched in 1992, when a dedicated team of entrepreneurs and aquaculture professionals imported genuine Osetra sturgeon fingerlings directly from the Caspian Sea to a farm located in the North of Israel.
  The Osetra is one of the rarest species of sturgeon and the source of the world’s highest quality caviar. The cold, pure Galilee water offers ideal conditions for the sturgeons that closely match their natural habitat

• Tasting tour at Ghajar - Meet chef Ali Katib for a tasting tour in the only Alawite town in Israel, Originally a Syrian village. Entry used to be restricted to residents only or to those with special permits, but that changed recently when Israel lifted all limits on movement. Hear about the town's complexed, yet interesting story and have lunch at the home of Ali's mother and taste the special Alawite cuisine.

• Galileat - Together with your hosts in their private home, prepare traditional Druze Galilean dishes and enjoy the feast you create. Learn about Druze culture and history from your hosts and from the food you eat.

• Pereh Mountain Resort

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Time to rest at the hotel

• Jeep tour of the Golan - While traversing the rich landscape in Jeeps, learn about the history, flora, and fauna of the area. Stop for a lookout over the border with Syria from Mount Bental to gain a better understanding of the geography and strategic role this region plays. Your local guide will touch upon the nuances of living in such close proximity to the Syrian border, and how Israel balances its security concerns with the undertaking of ongoing cross-border humanitarian initiatives.

• Lunch at Rutenberg - Rutenberg restaurant is situated on the banks of the Jordan River, next to the old Gesher conservation site. The three bridges over the river and 10,000 years of human history attest to the fertility of the flora and fauna of the Jordan Valley. Meet chef/owners Hila and Yizhar Saar, the dynamic duo responsible for putting Rutenberg on the culinary map. Through constant research and regional exploration, they continue to elevate seasonal, local cuisine to new heights.

• Fermentation workshop and dinner with Uri Mayer-Chissick - Get to know local, wild food from nature– and dishes prepared today from food that has grown here throughout history with Dr. Uri Mayer-Chissick, an expert on the history of local food and nutrition in the Middle-East and author of the Israeli guide to foraging wild edible plants, hike and cook outdoors.

• Pereh Mountain Resort

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel and check out

• Morning visit in Nazareth - Nazareth, Israel’s largest Arab city, is a fascinating place. Set in the Lower Galilee, it combines traditional, simple Arabic charm, Christian history, and grand old Arabic architecture. It is also a city of powerhouse female cooks such as Turfenda of Al Mashadawi Bakery, who oversees production of delicious fatayer (savory pastries filled with greens and cheese) and M’sakhan (sumac chicken and onions on flatbread). Tour the city and taste these Nazarene delicacies while soaking up the city’s unique, welcoming atmosphere.

• Lunch at Luna Bistro

• Drive to Tel Aviv and check in to the hotel

• Candle lighting and Shabbat dinner at Adeena's home

• David Kempinski, Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Jewish Shabbat Brunch - Enjoy an outdoor picnic and indulge in a Jewish Shabbat Brunch. Enjoy the classic ethnic foods like Malawach and Jachnoon, Yemenite pastries that are part of the Shabbat day meal. These dishes are brought directly from the homes in which the food was cooked for families that share their heritage and flavors.

• Gazoz workshop with Benny Briga - In his recent book, Gazoz, co-authored with Adeena, Benny shares the story of how he created an entirely Israeli artform based on sparkling drinks. he will show you how to craft your own drinks by layering flavors and creating syrups utilizing fermented fruit, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and other flavors.

• Anatomy of Food Photography with Dan Peretz - Adeena has worked with photographer Dan Perez on both Sababa and Shabbat (not to mention magazine features). Join Dan, Adeena and Benny Briga as they take you through their creative process of capturing a recipe on camera – all in Tel Aviv’s natural light.

• Everything Art - Tours and more with Shirel Horovitz - Using drawing, sculpting, video and sound, Tel Aviv-based artist Shirel Horovitz creates performances and installations exploring cities, communities and the relations between people and space. She earned her BFA from Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem and her MA (with distinction) from The Interdisciplinary Art program in Tel Aviv University.
  Shirel exhibited in major galleries and art festivals in Israel and across the US and is currently exhibiting a new sculptural installation in Bat Yam Museum of Art.
  Alongside her art practice, Shirel lectures, leads art tours, teaches art and is an art consultant to a variety of private groups and institutions among them Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Alma Hebrew college, Classrooms Without Borders, Ashdod Museum of Art, Azrieli LTD, Hartman institute and more.
  Drawing from multiple fields of knowledge, Shirel weaves into each experience aspects of social issues, politics, economy, religion and more to create a vivid and nuanced image of the Israeli reality. Her knowledge, passion and love of all that is Art, Tel Aviv and Israeli history are nothing less than contagious.

• Dinner on your own - We'll recommend and make reservations for you

• David Kempinski, Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel (optional)

• Breakfast, tastings, and conversation with Michal Bouton - Amita Bakery owner and pastry chef Michal Bouton is making her mark on the local patisserie scene by fusing local ingredients and traditions with classic European baking techniques. She’s rewriting the language of local baking, creating an evolving modern formula inspired by ancient history.

• Tour of Levinsky Market and talk with Gil Hovav - The Levinsky Market specializes in spices and Mediterranean delicacies. It is, in many ways, the best market in Tel Aviv, known for its variety, freshness and special atmosphere. Whether you are looking for a rare Indian spice or some good quality saffron - this is the place. Shops offer a cornucopia of excellent cheeses, smoked fish, wines and other delicacies. Tour the market and have "tastings" throughout. Speak with Gil Hovav, one of Israel's leading culinary journalists and learn about his connection to food in Israel.

• Lunch at Balinjera - Enjoy the tastes of an authentic Ethiopian cuisine and learn about the Jewish-Ethiopian community in Israel. “Balinjera” translates to fellowship, as Ethiopian food aims to join together culture, flavors, and colors.

• Tour of Tel Aviv - Explore modern Tel Aviv, whose first roots were planted in 1909. Coined the "White City" for its many white buildings that were built to reflect the heat, it is known for its stunning collection of Bauhaus, Eclectic, and International styles of architecture. The area is densely populated and rooted in history, rooted in its past, but looking to the future with impressive skyscrapers, many populated by some of Israel’s multitude of startup companies.

• Dinner at North abraxas

• David Kempinski, Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Morning Yoga - Yoga Synagogue Ah followers find themselves practicing yoga in inspirational settings. Join the group's founder, Laura Gilinski, for a session to start your last day in Israel.

• Carmel Market Tasting Tour - Tour Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel) with Adeena, whose book, Sababa, is based on her life living meters from the market and the adjacent Yemenite Quarter. Through her eyes, you will discover the culinary vibrancy of Tel Aviv via the people she knows and the food they sell and serve in her culinary playground/backyard. The market that was founded over 100 years ago, can now reveal its secrets, stories, and legends to you.

• Erez Komarovsky – Cooking Workshop and Meal - Erez Komarovsky, founder of the legendary Lehem Erez bakery as well as author of many cookbooks is considered the godfather of Israeli baking and one of Israel’s most prominent culinary figures. As a partner in Erez and Hanan Catering, Erez designs and executes show-stopping, soul-stirring food at Israel’s most exclusive events (Adeena was lucky to have him cook at her wedding!).

• Farewell at Asif: Culinary Institute of Israel - Asif is a nonprofit organization and culinary center dedicated to cultivating and nurturing Israel’s diverse and creative food culture, a joint venture of the New York City-based Jewish Food Society and Tel Aviv’s Start-Up Nation Central. Tour Asif’s rooftop garden, kitchen, and library, then do some last-minute culinary souvenir-shopping in their charming shop. Toast farewell with a glass of Israeli sparkling wine.