RAMAT HANADIV

A number of years ago when I was on a rabbinic familiarization mission to Israel my cousin asked the organizer, “What can you show Alan Katz that he hasn't seen before?” The answer then as it is now is “Plenty!” So this past Monday I went on a trip with my host and a friend of hers to a place called Ramat HaNadiv, the Heights of the Benefactor. It is a park and garden just south of the town of Zichron Yaakov, and north of the towns of Binyamina and Pardes Hannah. Not only had I never been to this place but I had also not heard of it before.
All three of these towns are in the district south of Haifa. Each one was named after various members of the Rothschild family; Baron Edmund Benjamin James, James Mayer and Hannah Rothschild. The park and garden also refer to Baron Edmund who is now buried in a crypt in a cave in the middle of the memorial garden. Baron Rothschild was a major benefactor to many early Zionists at the beginning of the 20th century. He helped support some of the untrained and poor Zionists who came to Palestine yet were met with some serious challenges of survival. Because of him not only were these towns established but agricultural endeavors were built especially the beginning of the Israeli wine industry. These agricultural projects were done as private and capitalistic enterprises and were not collective or socialist as were other early settlements such as the kibbutzim and the moshavim.
Some of the Rothschild sponsored work lead to the continuation of the family business in France of wine production. In Zichron Yaakov Rothschild started Carmel-Mizrachi Winery in 1885. One of Rothschild's grape growers was the great-grandfather of the founder of the Tishbi Winery in the town of Binyamina. Also in that town is the Binyamina Winery founded in 1952,which was originally called Eliaz after the founder Joseph Zeltser's son, but later changed its name to connect with the town and Baron Edmund Rothschild. The original building was in a perfume factory established by Rothschild.
After an unusual journey when 2 GPS systems totally lost their signal and a road supposedly crossing the railroad tracks on a map is now blocked, we arrived at Ramat HaNadiv. At the entrance to the garden and park is a unique building complex that contains an information center, an auditorium, research facilities, a screening room and a lovely restaurant where we ate a delicious lunch. The building is a “Green Structure” blending into the environment and using the natural setting for its light and power. They have also found ways to chase away local animals from the plants on the building as well as the garden without damaging the environment for either the flora or fauna. Some of the explanations of how they developed this site yet managed to be environmentally protective are found in a small information center. There is also a wonderful film not only about the park and garden but about Baron Rothschild and his love of the land and his influence in helping to strengthen the Jewish residents of the land in his day at the beginning of the 20th century.
After lunch we toured the beautiful gardens with both the formal aspect and the different sections of unusual plants, some of which I do not think I have seen before. Finally we visited the cave and crypt where Rothschild was brought for his final burial place in the land he loved.
We did not have a chance to hike in the greater park but I plan to return at a later date. This is one more place in Israel that combines natural beauty with history of the land and and the early Zionist period which helped to build what today is modern Israel. Most tours will not have this on their agenda but if one wants to combine a lovely outdoor experience with a bit of history then this place is delightful experience.