Ramat Hanadiv

After our lovely hike on the Zichron Ya'akov circular route, we made our way to Ramat Handiv Memorial Gardens and Nature Park. Ramat Hanadiv, which means Heights of the Benefactor, is the final resting place of Baron Edmond de Rothschild and his wife Adelheid. Baron Edmond was a great philanthropist and strong supporter of Zionism. He made his mark by purchasing land and settling it. He established dozens of moshavot, factories and wineries, promoting industrialization and economic development in Palestine prior to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

Located just south of Zichron Ya'akov, on the southern slopes of Mount Carmel, Ramat Hanadiv is well known for its beautifully maintained memorial gardens. There is also a striking visitors centre, which was the first public LEED certified 'green' building in Israel. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world.

As you enter the memorial gardens, you see the Rothschild coat of arms, above. A bronze shield in the centre is supported by a lion and a unicorn, symbols of power and control. The clenched fist with five arrows symbolize the five sons of Mayer Rothschild, patriarch of the Rothschild clan.

At the centre of the memorial gardens is the crypt of the Baron and Baroness. Baron Edmond died in 1934 and Baroness Adelheid in 1935. On 6th April 1954 their bodies were brought to Israel from France and laid to rest at Ramat Hanadiv. Baron Edmond specified in his will that he wished to be buried in Israel and was brought here aboard a naval frigate which, upon arrival in Haifa, was greeted with sirens and a nineteen-gun salute. The government decreed a state funeral and the Baron and Baroness were re-interred in Israel, at the heart of one of the regions most populated with settlements that the Baron had helped to establish.

More than half a million visitors enter the gates of the Ramat Hanadiv Memorial Gardens annually. The beautifully landscaped gardens are divided into gardens within the garden. The Rose Garden is a formal garden with a wide variety of roses including the deep red fragrant rose Baronne E. de Rothschild, a sundial which symbolizes eternity, and six pools with fountains, representing the Baron and his five sons. The Fragrance Garden was designed with the visually impaired in mind with braille signs for those who need them, and the Cascading Garden, which features unusual dragon trees from the Canary Islands, enjoy stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea. The Palm Garden, located on the eastern side of the park, includes a small selection of the world's 2,600 palms.

There are lots of shady spots with benches to sit on, flowers and trees from all over the world, and well-tended green lawns. The gardens are also full of plaques with interesting facts and anecdotes about Rothschild, and his contribution to the growth and development of the area.

Outside the formal memorial gardens, three circular hiking trails start and end at Ramat Hanadiv, and a section of the Israel National Trail passes through the gardens as well. I blogged about the Spring Trail back in 2013 and I have also hiked the Manor Trail, where ruins of a Byzantine Period agricultural villa with storehouses and stables can be seen. I still need to try the Vulture Trail, which is the longest and most challenging of the three trails in the Nature Park. It is recommended for skilled hikers only, which puts me off somewhat! We did see the Griffon vultures high in the sky above us when we hiked the gentler Zichron Ya'akov circular route.

We arrived at Ramat Handiv midafternoon, when the crowds were beginning to dissipate, enabling us to enjoy the place in a peaceful and relaxing manner. I would think it is best to avoid visiting the gardens during the holidays and hagim (Jewish holidays) or to arrive very early. Entrance to the park is free of charge but there is a small car park charge. I highly recommend a visit!

* This post has been shared on Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) and Tuesday Turn About.

Hod Hasharon Ecological Park

As I wrote on my previous blog post, Israel is at war and we are living through sad times. I have posted a couple of blogs about the situation but have decided now to share some posts about the beautiful side of the country I live in. A country filled with nature trails and historic ruins, gorgeous birds and flowers. The posts were written a year and a half or even two years ago, before I lost my youngest son. I haven’t felt like sharing them but now think that the time is appropriate to show you another side of Israel, a side that you will not currently see on the news.
This is Israel.

Hod Hasharon Ecological Park is located south of the city of Hod Hasharon, a city in the Central District of Israel. The park is home to a delicate ecosystem based on treated wastewater. You will find a large ecological lake and a flowing tributary of the Hadar Stream, three birdwatching hides, pedestrian paths and cycling trails. The park was inaugurated in 2018 and while it is not complete, it is already a beautiful place to visit. When development is complete, it will cover 1,400 dunams (140 hectares).

The lake, which is the main focus of the park, was planned as an ecological body of water. Underwater sandbanks resembling the natural stream beds of the area have been built on the 2 metre deep lake bed. These create a variety of habitats that sustain an entire ecosystem, from bacteria to algae to fish and amphibians. Birds that nest in burrows, such as the European Bee-eater and the European roller, have dug their nests in the banks and some 150,000 plants of about 30 species typical of the natural vegetation of the area have been have been planted there.

The source of the water for the lake and the park is the Hod Hasharon-Kfar Saba wastewater purification plant. The water receives its final purification in green basins south of the park and, from there, with its quality greatly improved, it is channelled to the lake. The water in the lake is replaced every five days. Pumps draw out the water and send it on to the Hadar Stream and the Yarkon River.

The hill on the west side of the lake is also made of recycled waste. Har Hazevel, or "Garbage Mountain", was a solid waste landfill until the early 1990s. It is still undergoing rehabilitation and is currently covered in mud and sand. An easy climb to the top boasts beautiful views of the park and the surrounding area. The route is already popular with cyclists and hikers.

Behind "Garbage Mountain" is an abandoned stone building, below, which will eventually be restored as the park's visitors centre. The Arab village of Abu Kishk once stood here and this building was a school built by the British in 1925 for the children of Bedouins living in this area. By the mid-1940s it had 108 students, including 9 girls. Today cactuses and almond trees grow nearby.

Hod Hasharon Ecological Park is a municipal park and when we visited there were a lot of people around, especially young kids. We enjoyed a picnic in the park then, after our climb to the top of "Garbage Mountain", the crowds began to die down and it became a lovely place for some birdwatching. However, if you can, I would suggest arriving at sunrise (during those hours, the birds are active, and there will be no people).
From the birdwatching hides I spotted little egret, cormorant, black-crowned night heron and squacco heron on the island in the centre of the lake and along the banks. During the season many migrating birds arrive in the area. The park provides them with a proper place to rest and "refuel" before continuing their journey.

The Hadar Stream was once a short, dry watercourse that channelled sewage between cultivated fields. Only rarely, after heavy rainfall, did water briefly flow through it. Soon after water began flowing through the Hadar Stream in 2014, species of fish appeared there that had adapted to the treated wastewater. Among these are the Eurasian carp and redbelly tilapia. They have been joined, whether as permanent or occasional inhabitants, by various amphibians, reptiles and mammals. You can see Caspian turtles and the Nile Softshell turtle in the lake, as well as Coypu (nutria), the large, semiaquatic rodent which we last saw at the Hula Lake.

Hod Hasharon Ecological Park is always open and you can visit at any time. At night there is artificial light. It is forbidden to start a fire or make barbecue at the park. Swimming and fishing are not allowed and dogs should be on a lead. Entrance is free.

I highly recommend a visit.

* This post has been shared on The Good. The Random. The Fun. and Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday).