Many people travel on Route 443 to escape traffic on the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway 1. But even those who drive on the route regularly do not often take the time to look around at the beautiful forests found on both sides of the road. And now that the rains have started, everything will soon turn lusciously green. This week I will focus on a variety of tourist attractions that can be found just minutes from this route. Chai Farm Our first stop is at the Chai Farm on Moshav Mevo Modi'im. To reach the farm, turn off Route 443 and enter the moshav, which was founded by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, and follow signs. The organic farm is run by Judy and Shafir Avraham, who are raising a herd of goats. Judy, who is originally from the UK, looks very connected to the land, and her husband, Shafir, whom she met in Israel, is originally from India. The two of them fell in love and over the years have welcomed five children into the world. They have been on the moshav for over 30 years, and are considered the most veteran residents of this spiritual moshav. Judy explains that one day a relative brought them a few sheep and goats, and from there their farm grew exponentially. Judy makes hard and soft cheeses from goat milk and runs workshops where visitors can milk the goats themselves and then learn how to make cheese. In addition, there are still a few olives left on trees for guests to pick and then press. Alternatively, guests can learn how to weave on a loom. If you're a nature lover, you'll be happy to know that Shafir leads guided goat grazing tours during which he talks a lot about the region's indigenous plants. If you prefer to forgo the grazing tour, there is plenty to see on the farm, such as talking with the parrots and petting the turtles that live on the farm. The grazing tour, which requires a minimum of six participants, lasts one to three hours. Cost: NIS 100 per person. For details and reservations: 054-428-3646. Carlebach Heritage Center Next to the Chai Farm you'll find the Carlebach Heritage Center. Shlomo Carlebach was born in Berlin, grew up near Vienna, and with the rise of the Nazi Party moved to Lithuania with his family. Eventually, he managed to immigrate to the US. As a young adult, Carlebach served as a Chabad outreach emissary, but soon his musical career took off, and he spent a lot of time traveling around the US with his guitar in hand. He took many trips to Israel with his wife and daughters, and in 1976 he founded the moshav. Many followers from the US settled on the moshav and began organic farming and promoting healthy and natural food, claiming that it helped forge a connection with mystical Judaism. The heritage center, which attracts tourists and groups, is home to Carlebach's private library, photographs and a digital archive. In addition, guests can watch a short film about Carlebach's life. There are plans to add yoga sessions, cooking workshops and guided tours in the nearby forest. Entrance fee: NIS 10 to NIS 15. Carlebach Synagogue The next stop – the Carlebach Synagogue – is just a five-minute walk from the Chai Farm. Its walls are covered with the artwork of painter Yitzhak Ben-Yehuda, who was born in Cairo but left for Europe with his family in 1956, where he attended a Catholic school. As a young adult, he moved for a while to India, then to the UK, where he met his Australian wife. They lived in a number of countries, including Israel. While they were traveling around Israel, they heard about the hippie moshav and so went to check it out, and ended up staying for two months. This is when Ben Yehuda found out his mother was Jewish, at which point he decided to change his name and begin painting Jewish themes. He painted the Twelve Tribes and animals on the walls of the Carlebach Synagogue, and is happy to give guided tours. Monkey Park, Kfar Daniel After visiting the synagogue, go back to your car and drive 15 minutes to the Monkey Park in Kfar Daniel. Not many people know that in addition to functioning as a tourist attraction, the Israeli Primate Sanctuary Foundation operates Afrikef on location as a refuge and rehab center for hundreds of monkeys that were used in lab experiments or illegally smuggled into the country. Most of the monkeys that are brought here are adults and need to relearn how to live in a natural habitat with other monkeys. Most of the monkeys that have been rehabilitated are sent overseas, but 650 of them are currently living at the Monkey Park. It is also home to animals that were brought here from the zoo in the Gaza Strip that closed. Part of the tour is done with a guide who offers visitors lots of interesting details. In addition, there's an arts and crafts station and an adventure playground where kids can climb and pretend they're monkeys. Hanekuda Hakafrit, Ben-Shemen Another incredible place to visit in the area is Hanekuda Hakafrit in Ben-Shemen, an educational agricultural center located on David Itzik's farm. Itzik, whose Holocaust survivor parents died in the 1990s, became religious and decided to move to Itamar, a settlement in Samaria. He still felt a strong connection with Ben-Shemen, and so he planted an olive grove on his parents' plot of land and also built beehives so that he could feel connected to his parents and the Land of Israel. Itzik began teaching young people about agriculture from his home in Itamar, but soon realized that it was difficult for most people to come there, and so he created the center in Ben-Shemen. But what sets Hanekuda Hakafrit apart from other agricultural centers is that participants actually get to try things out for themselves and get their hands dirty. Families can even rent a little plot of land for a year, on which they can grow produce, which they can then take home and use to prepare dinner. A second option is to participate in workshops on olive oil pressing, wine and ecology. A third option is participation in an agricultural festival, in which guests can harvest wheat, pick and pickle olives, play with animals in the petting zoo and visit the ecological center. Details: 052-300-3523. Makom Bakfar restaurant My favorite restaurant in the Modi'in area is Yossi Peretz's Makom Bakfar, which is located in the Ben-Shemen Holiday Village. The menu includes a number of tasty dishes, including grilled meat. It's open until late in the evening, but not on weekends. Details: (08) 924-5887. Translated by Hannah Hochner.
(photo credit: MEITAL SHARABI)