IN THE PRESS &MEDIA

The Digital Department of the Foreign Office to the Western Galilee

A wonderful initiative by Jewish National Fund – USA brought The Digital Department of the Foreign Office to the Western Galilee. It was an amazing tour through the multi-cultural Entrepreneurship of the region. We visited Basma Hino for tea and traditional sweets and her courageous life story. We continued to the house of Zarafat in the village Yarka where we rolled her tasty vine leaves together, dined and heard the story of the Druze community. We met Assaf Lavie, the founder of the successful Malka Beer factory where we had a glance of the Tin Time Studio exhibition. We met Alaa Switaat, founder of Buza ice cream in Tarshiha and Walied Khoury, a traditional blacksmith in Fassuta. What a day. Thank you!

The Imagination Series: A Cultural Journey into the Western Galilee

The Imagination Series: A Cultural Journey into the Western Galilee Join Jewish National Fund-USA’s Go North West and Arts & Entertainment Task Forces for a virtual tour of the Western Galilee. Led by Michal Shiloah Galnoor, we will meet local artists, small business owners, and experience the sights and sounds of this magnificent region. Learn about our Western Galilee Tourist Information Center in Akko, which is the gateway to the entire area and instrumental in fostering co-existence between Arabs and Jews. For the full details of this upcoming event: Press Here

Time Together- WGN Family Event

It was a wonderful and heartful event at the first family event of the WGN members at Buza Ice cream in Sassa. After the shocking events in May 2021, we felt it is time to stop everything and meet each other. It was time to remember what is important in life, to really meet each other. It was a beautiful event filled with love, simplicity, friendship and partnership.  

New Exhibition Opened at Our Space Gallery

We gathered on Friday to celebrate the opening of our new beautiful exhibition: NORTHERN WIND At the Space Gallery in the JNF-USA Western Galilee Visitor’s Information Center in Old Akko. The “Clil Theater” took us on an enchanted theatrical parade through the Akko Market and reminded us the magic of art. If you are far away and you can’t visit us in Akko, make sure you go through an online tour of the exhibition. Northern Wind Exhibition Online HERE’S TO LIFE!

FACE TO TIME- Our Online Art Exhibition is in the Air

Welcome to our online exhibition by 13 Artists, Members of Western Galilee Now – Small Business Consortium “In these turbulent times, when art and culture can’t be displayed to the public as they once used to, we chose to set the stage a little differently and bring artists and their work to the public through digital media. We all hope that very soon you can visit the artists in-person, at their studios across the Galilee. Most artists also offer fun and creative workshops.” Michal Shiloah Galnoor – CEO Enter the Exhibition HERE

The New and Beautiful Exhibition- Northern Wind

Our New and beautiful exhibition “Northern Wind” is now showing. The exhibition presents four Galilean artists coping with the zeitgeist. We would like to give Special Gratitude to JNF-USA donors: Arik and Emily Shteinhauz & to Mitzi Kaitz For making this exhibit possible “The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude” – Friedrich Nietzsche Enter the exhibition HERE

The New Akko Photography Exhibition is on its Way!

We have been collecting Akko Photographs from participants who share with us the endless love for Akko. We have just finished to collect the photographs and begin now, to curate an exhibition of Akko through the eyes of the people. It is amazing to see Akko through different eyes, each one showing us a different angle and perspective of thus beautiful city. Keep in touch and learn all about it.

It was a pleasure to host the Alexander muss students who came to spend six months in Israel, in spite of the current global situation. They are getting to know Israel, connecting to the people, the land and volunteering in different projects. We are admiring their vision and persistence in their close partnership with JNF-USA. We decided to host them here in the Western Galilee, in the best well known hospitality of the Western Galilee tourism.

WGN Hosting Bloggers to the Western Galilee Culinary Magic

We were thrilled to host 8 Bloggers in the Western Galilee and introduce them to the culinary magic of the region. They were accompanied by our PR manager Orna Ben Chaim. They visited and tasted at — Hagit Lidror and enjoyed a Vegan cooking workshop Noalush Cafe, Bakery and Delicatessen Buza ice cream where they had a taste of the new taste creates especially for the upcoming election day The excellent fish restaurant Flooka And with Noor reastaurant at Julis It was a great and delicious day!  

Western Galilee Now Association is Making Community Art

A few years ago, Western Galilee Now Association decided to bring in Artists and Craftsmen to the Tourism and business field. It created many creative cooperation and it is the foundation to the Space Gallery now bringing on a new exhibition and to the July Art project, allowing people a personal upfront encounter with the Western Galilee artists and their work space. Lately we have opened those doors even wider apart and decided to bring in our neighbors and friends from old Akko to create with us. We reached out to the “Lighthouse” Community Center and began a collaboration with one of the children’s groups. Our neighbor from the coffee shop across the Information center, donated his white wall and together with the children and the Mosaic artist Dalit Benshalom we created a Mosaic wall, projecting the children’s sense of belonging and pride. We hope this is the first meeting of many.

Art & Fashion Mission JNF-USA in the Western Galilee

The Art and Fashion mission of JNF-USA joined us for an amazing day here at the Western Galilee. We began with Alto Dairy and Cafe with a great Farm to Table breakfast accompanied by the Dairy’s special family story. We continued to a tour of Akko’s art galleries among them the “Space Gallery” at the JNF-USA Tourist information center where we enjoyed the current exhibition- Grandma’s wall. At the Center, we also met Johnny Stern from Stern Winery with a taste of his wine and Natural cosmetics by Aya Natural. We continued up North to the Kalderon MD Glass studio and ended our day with Shula from Shtula with a heartwarming story and delicious Kurdish food. It was a special day and a wonderful experience. Hope to see you soon!  

A lively visit of the famous Italian show- Donnavventura in Akko

It was a great pleasure to host the famous Italian show Donnavventura. The group of presenters arrived in Israel for the first time and, of course, visited Akko for a day. The Donnavventura team visited the Knight’s hall, the market, had a feast at Elmarsa restaurant and visited the JNF-USA tourist information center, providing information about Akko and the Western Galilee. Thank you ministry of tourism for the connection and the opportunity.  

Western Galilee Now participated in the ASTA conference in TLV

For the first time in Israel, ASTA- American Society of Travel Advisers, came to Israel and hosted a conference at the Dan Panorama in Tel Aviv. We had the honor of presenting the association’s work in the Western Galilee to over 200 Advisers, eager to learn about Israel and the Northern region. Our work, dedicated to promote the region’s tourism, based on the human connection and personal encounters- was a great source of interest. Good contacts were made and future collaborations were born.  

The Renowned Chef Alon Shaya Participated This Week in a GalilEAT Cooking Workshop in Yarka

The renowned chef Alon Shaya participated this week in a GalilEAT, Galilean cooking workshop in the Druze village of Yarka. Alon is the winner of the James Beard award (the Oscars of the culinary world) and today is the owner of 2 restaurants, Safta in Denver and Saba in New Orleans, serving modern, up-market Israeli food with an old-world touch. It was great to see chefs, relaxing in the kitchen rather than stewing in the pressure cooker of restaurant service. In Yarka, Alon and his teams of chefs from both restaurants learned very old school dishes; kubbeh nia, shishbarak, rolled grape leaves, and tabouli. GalilEAT is proud to be able to facilitate a meeting where a 55-year-old Druze woman who doesn’t speak Hebrew can teach new things to one of America’s leading chefs.

Mexican Actor Eddy Villard Visits Israel & the Western Galilee for the First Time

We were happy to host the well known Mexican actor Eddy Villard. It was Eddy Villard’s first visit to Israel and we were happy he chose to see the Western Galilee. We visited Old Akko, Rosh HaNikra, the Alto Dairy in Shomrat and had a great time at the Elmarsa restaurant. He also visited the JNF Western Galilee Information Center and the current exhibition “Grandma’s Wall”. Hope to see you again soon!

Michal Shiloah Galnoor WGN CEO, in the Annual JNF-USA conference in Washington

The American Organization JNF-USA has invited Michal Shiloah Galnoor, Western Galilee Now’s CEO, to participate in the Annual conference where the senior staff meet the Israeli representatives of JNF projects across Israel. It is the 6th year Michal has been invited to participate in the conference. The conference initiative is to discuss the development of the state of Israel. Michal participated in an employment panel and was part of the annual fair as part on the JNF-USA initiative “Go North”  for the development of the Galilee.

From Italy to the Western Galilee

It is a pleasure to expose foreign journalists to the secrets of the Western Galilee. We had the honor of collaborating with the Ministry of Tourism and hosting Italian Journalists who were eager to see, learn and experience. We visited old Akko, the Western Gailee tourist information center, Art gallery Art 192, Rosh hanikra, Tosha bakery and topped it all with dinner at Elmarsa restaurant. Hope to see you all soon at the Western Galilee.

Gorgeous day with Puzzle tours visiting the Western Galilee

We had a gorgeous day hosting Puzzle Tours- Puzzle Israel offers exclusive and personalized trips to Israel for families, congregations, and anyone looking for a unique Israel tour. Puzzle tours came to Akko to meet us at the JNF-USA Western Galilee tourist information center to learn about the Western Galilee and all it has to offer.We visited The old city of Akko,  Art gallery Art 192, Stern winery, had lunch with Shula from Shtula and visited Blacksmith Yuval Telem. The association is all about collaborations and this one is one we are definitely going to enjoy. Thank you Puzzle tours, see you soon!

Hosting Tour guides on a Ministry of Tourism training day on the subject of- Man, Community and Art in the Western Galilee

We are Happy to host another successful and fruitful day based on our collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism. It was a special training day for tour guides on the subject of  Man, Community and Art in the Western Galilee. We enjoyed meeting at the JNF-USA tourist information center in old Akko. We visited a group of Western Galilee Now’s wonderful Tourism operators and enjoyed the guidance of tour guide Ayelet Bar Meir. It is always a great opportunity to expose tour guides to the interesting and high quality tourism of the Western Galilee and creating new ambassadors to our region.  

It was a pleasure hosting Journalist and Blogger Anna Duek from Brazil

We had beautiful days with journalist Ana Dueck in the Western Galilee, visiting us from Brazil. It is such a beautiful region and we enjoy making the human connection to responsible, sensitive and heart warming tourism in our area. Thank you Ana, it was Great to meet you, See you back soon!

Italian Food Bloggers (Foodies) Come to Taste the Western Galilee

We were so happy to host Italian reporters specializing in food for two beautiful, tasty days together in the Western Galilee. They enjoyed Buza Ice Cream, beer tasting in Malka Brewery in Tefen, wine tasting at the Kishor Winery, a culinary tour with Nurit Poran, Odette Chocolate at the JNF-USA Tourist Information Center, and had dinner at Elmarsa restaurant in Old Akko. On their second day, they had a great workshop with GalilEat in the Druze’s village of Yarka. Thank you : Sabrina Talarico. Editor in chief: www.ilviaggiatore-magazine.it. Marina Tagliaferri. Contributor: http://www.tgcom24.mediaset. it/viaggi. Anna Maria Terzi. Journalist. Weekend & Gusto. Readership.Monthly magazine + www.weekendpremium.it. Alberto Lupini. Editor in Chief. Italia a Tavola. Monthly magazine. Guidio Barosio. Editor in chief. Torino magazine. Monthly magazine. It was a pleasure! Hope to see you back soon! And to all you food lovers — Come and enjoy our culinary heaven in the Western Galilee! We can help you plan your trip.

JLIM-JNF Mission visit Akko and the Western Galilee

We were so happy to host the JLIM-JNF Mission in the Western Galilee. On the 2-3 of July the mission visited Kishor winery in the special village of Kishorit where they enjoyed great wine and a beautiful story.  The next day was dedicated to the Action race guided by our tour guide Omri Avidar. The game is such an amzing way to get to know the city.  WE ended the day with Tosha founders Tomer and Shahaf who told us about their story creating the business and sent us on our way .with a wonderful “lunch box”   We were happy to host them at the JNF-USA tourist information center and tell them about our partnership and the Go North project.

Hosting New York Times Columnist Joan Nathan here in the Western Galilee

It was a great day with Joan Nathan and her family up North. Joan Nathan is a renowned writer and New York Times Columnist, who is the author of 11 cookbooks, including “Quiches, Kugels and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France,” which NPR named one of the 10 best cookbooks of 2010, and “Jewish Cooking in America,” which earned the James Beard Award for the best American cookbook in 1994.  She is a popular broadcaster, who amassed a large following from her PBS television series, who was senior producer of “Passover: Traditions of Freedom,” an award-winning documentary sponsored by Maryland Public Television, and who has appeared as a guest on numerous radio and television programs.  And she is a passionate history buff, who in 2011 was awarded a Special Recognition Award from the YIVO Institute for her work to preserve Jewish food culture. Joan is a member of the JNF Speaker’s Bureau The tour was lead by  Nurit Poran and Paul Nirens, from Western Galilee Now, with a culinary and walking tour of Tarshiha and home Druze hospitality in Yarka. It was a colorful mosaic of culture in the North.

JNF-USA “Food and wine” mission visit the Western Galilee

A young group from the JNF-USA “Food and wine” mission came to visit the Western Galilee fro three days and three nights. During these great days together they visited our Western Galilee now association members and learnt of the true importance of tourism in our region. The mission visited various members with a family or social orientation Thank you JNF-USA Go North!  

The Tourism Department at the Ministry of Tourism Came to Old Akko

The Tourism Department at the Ministry of Tourism came to visit us in Akko to see what is new in the region and spread the word. We started our day in our JNF-USA Western Galilee tourist information center, near the Akko market in the old city. We walked through the narrow allies of the old city, on land and sea, visited new accommodation guest houses, tasted the Akko street food, and more. All lead by the tour guide Omri Avidar. We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and ended the day at the Alto Dairy.