Monkey
June 6th, 2005, 05:35 PM
Remembering the Baron
Zichron Yaakov, one of Rothschild's first settlements, is a popular spot for local tourists and a hidden gem for foreign travelers
ZICHRON YAAKOV - The year was 1882. High atop Mount Carmel, 100 Romanian pioneers purchased a tract of land in a place known in Arabic as Zammarin.
They were members of the Hovevei Zion movement and they dreamed of working and living off the land. However, they were inexperienced, conditions were hard and the soil was rocky. In addition, Malaria from the swamps at the foothills of the Carmel presented a serious problem.
The place would soon be known as Zichron Yaakov.
Today its center has been restored. It has a decidedly "un-Israeli" look and feel, which may explain why it is a popular tourist spot for Israelis and why relatively few tourists from abroad visit here (even most of the material at the local tourist office, is in Hebrew).
Many tourists visit nearby Caesarea and are not aware that only minutes away lies a charming town where the country’s first winery was established.
'Well-Known Benefactor'
The main street, Rehov Hameyasdim (also known as Wine’s Way), is lined with red-shingled buildings and gas type lighting that adorned streets in a previous century. Part of the street is even paved with cobblestones.
An assortment of small shops, featuring the works of local artists, café’s and restaurants are located here. Looking at the street today, it is hard to imagine that farmers inhabited it in the past. In fact, it was originally called Farmer’s Street.
There is plenty of history to be found in Zichron Yaakov and is one of the first settlements under the auspices of Baron Edmond de Rothschild (the other two were Rosh Pina and Rishon Le’Zion ).
Hanadiv Garden
The Baron was called the Well-Known Benefactor or Hanadiv Hayadua (as well as Father of the Settlement, or Avi Hayeshuv).
In Hebrew, Zichron Yaakov is often referred to simply as Zichron. Perhaps this is fitting, since the word comes from the same root as the word Zikaron, which means memory and the settlement (Moshava) is named after the Baron’s father, James Jacob de Rothschild. Nearby Binyamina is named after the Baron.
Agricultural planning
As you walk down the main street, Rehov Hameyasdim, be on the lookout for a beautiful old building whose façade resembles that of an ancient synagogue. Known as Binyamin’s Pool in memory of Baron Edmond de Rothschild (Binyamin ben Ya’acov) this was the settlement’s first water tower.
At the time, this was one of the first water towers of its kind and considered to be quite advanced. Until it was built, in 1891, the settlers carried water in barrels.
Once this new tower was built, water was initially brought to main points in the street and only later pipes were laid to bring water into the settler’s homes. However, it was a big improvement nonetheless.
Many of the settlement’s original settlers left, due to the difficult conditions. In 1883 Baron de Rothschild took over the settlement at which time organized town and agricultural planning began.
Different attempts were made to find the right agricultural crop. After a number of failures, viniculture met with more success.
However, soon after establishing the winery in 1892 the grapevines succumbed to phylloxera, a type of parasite. American-grafted seedlings that were resistant to phylloxera were grown and the winery flourished.
The huge wine cellars that were carved into the mountain a century ago are still in use today as part of the Carmel Mizrachi Winery, a large commercial winery.
As you walk down Rehov Hameyasdim be sure to take note of the signs on the various buildings. They provide information about Zichron Yaakov’s past, in small doses.
Whether you decide to attend an afternoon harp concert, visit one of the museums or simply want to stroll the settlement’s main street, Zichron Yaakov is certainly worth a visit.
Zichron Ya’acov is located off Route #652 and between Route #70 and Route # 4 (the Tel Aviv Haifa road). It is half an hour from Haifa and 15 minutes from Caesarea.
Zichron Yaakov, one of Rothschild's first settlements, is a popular spot for local tourists and a hidden gem for foreign travelers
ZICHRON YAAKOV - The year was 1882. High atop Mount Carmel, 100 Romanian pioneers purchased a tract of land in a place known in Arabic as Zammarin.
They were members of the Hovevei Zion movement and they dreamed of working and living off the land. However, they were inexperienced, conditions were hard and the soil was rocky. In addition, Malaria from the swamps at the foothills of the Carmel presented a serious problem.
The place would soon be known as Zichron Yaakov.
Today its center has been restored. It has a decidedly "un-Israeli" look and feel, which may explain why it is a popular tourist spot for Israelis and why relatively few tourists from abroad visit here (even most of the material at the local tourist office, is in Hebrew).
Many tourists visit nearby Caesarea and are not aware that only minutes away lies a charming town where the country’s first winery was established.
'Well-Known Benefactor'
The main street, Rehov Hameyasdim (also known as Wine’s Way), is lined with red-shingled buildings and gas type lighting that adorned streets in a previous century. Part of the street is even paved with cobblestones.
An assortment of small shops, featuring the works of local artists, café’s and restaurants are located here. Looking at the street today, it is hard to imagine that farmers inhabited it in the past. In fact, it was originally called Farmer’s Street.
There is plenty of history to be found in Zichron Yaakov and is one of the first settlements under the auspices of Baron Edmond de Rothschild (the other two were Rosh Pina and Rishon Le’Zion ).
Hanadiv Garden
The Baron was called the Well-Known Benefactor or Hanadiv Hayadua (as well as Father of the Settlement, or Avi Hayeshuv).
In Hebrew, Zichron Yaakov is often referred to simply as Zichron. Perhaps this is fitting, since the word comes from the same root as the word Zikaron, which means memory and the settlement (Moshava) is named after the Baron’s father, James Jacob de Rothschild. Nearby Binyamina is named after the Baron.
Agricultural planning
As you walk down the main street, Rehov Hameyasdim, be on the lookout for a beautiful old building whose façade resembles that of an ancient synagogue. Known as Binyamin’s Pool in memory of Baron Edmond de Rothschild (Binyamin ben Ya’acov) this was the settlement’s first water tower.
At the time, this was one of the first water towers of its kind and considered to be quite advanced. Until it was built, in 1891, the settlers carried water in barrels.
Once this new tower was built, water was initially brought to main points in the street and only later pipes were laid to bring water into the settler’s homes. However, it was a big improvement nonetheless.
Many of the settlement’s original settlers left, due to the difficult conditions. In 1883 Baron de Rothschild took over the settlement at which time organized town and agricultural planning began.
Different attempts were made to find the right agricultural crop. After a number of failures, viniculture met with more success.
However, soon after establishing the winery in 1892 the grapevines succumbed to phylloxera, a type of parasite. American-grafted seedlings that were resistant to phylloxera were grown and the winery flourished.
The huge wine cellars that were carved into the mountain a century ago are still in use today as part of the Carmel Mizrachi Winery, a large commercial winery.
As you walk down Rehov Hameyasdim be sure to take note of the signs on the various buildings. They provide information about Zichron Yaakov’s past, in small doses.
Whether you decide to attend an afternoon harp concert, visit one of the museums or simply want to stroll the settlement’s main street, Zichron Yaakov is certainly worth a visit.
Zichron Ya’acov is located off Route #652 and between Route #70 and Route # 4 (the Tel Aviv Haifa road). It is half an hour from Haifa and 15 minutes from Caesarea.