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  • Yemenite Food, Yemenite Wisdom

    Yemenite Community In Israel

    When Ronen was growing up in Rishon L’Tzion, South of Tel Aviv, his neighborhood, he remembers, was almost entirely made up of Yemenite families. “There was one Moroccan family” Ronen remembers, “but other than that, we were all Yemenites.”

    Ronen's Yeminite LachuchThe majority of the Yemenite community in Israel came from Yemen in the years following Israel’s War of Independence of 1948. Walking for weeks through Yemen to Adam, the community was airlifted to Israel “On the Wings of Eagles”, El Al’s first airplanes, and that became the name of the operation, “Canfey HaNesharim”.

    Everything about the Yemenites was different compared to the Jews who were already living in Israel, but nothing intrigued the Israeli Jews more than the Yemenite way of cooking. “It’s because ” Ronen says “everything that our mothers cooked, everything

     that my mother cooked, was cooked with love.”

    After traveling pretty much everywhere that one could travel in the world – America, Europe, Africa, and Asia – Ronen returned to Israel and started to think about how he wanted to raise his own family.

    Spiritual Soul Food

    “I wanted to find a way to make a living that would allow me to flourish spiritually and physically” says Ronen. I knew that I wanted to introduce people to my culture, and decided that the best way that I could do that would be through food….food for the stomach together with food for the spirit”.

    Two years ago, Ronen set up a little “fast food” stall in Tzfat’s Old City, offering Yemenite delicacies to tourists an

    d locals. While he flips lachuchs, Yemenite pancakes which are fried with vegetables and Yemenite spices and herbs, Ronen dispenses J

    ewish knowledge and lore to his customers.

    “I want every Jew who walks in here to see that God is walking with them” Ronen explains. “I want them to feel pride in their heritage, and the connection that a Jew has to Israel”.

    “What is Abara Cadabra”? Ronen asks rhetorically. Throughout the world, everyone knows that it’s the ‘magic words’, yet few know that it comes from Aramaic. ‘Abara’ means ‘as I create’ and ‘cadabra’ means ‘as I speak’. We create through our speech. If we speak well and properly, we create a good reality. If we speak good, G-d creates a good reality for us too.”

    “What is ‘Yitzat Mitzraim’? The Exodus from Egypt. ‘Mitzraim’, Egypt, has the word ‘tzar’ in it. That’s

    narrow. The Jews went to the ‘midbar’, the desert. ‘Midbar” has the word ‘dibar’ in it, ‘to speak’. So in the Exodus, the Jews went from narrowness to speech, to creation.”

    All this is delivered in rapid-fire Hebrew, with seemingly no effort as Ronen quickly whips and flips his lachuchs, malawachs, and Jachnuns for the tourists, who seem as stunned by his teachings as by the incredibly tasty food that they walk away with.

    “Food for the soul and food for the stomach” is Ronen’s motto, and few would disagree that that is exactly what his customers receive.

  • Kosher Restaurants

    At almost any restaurants or café you go to in Safed, you will see either a blue or a pink certificate

    Kosher Certification Of Restaurantson display. This is a sign that the place is under the kosher supervision of the Rabbinical Authority of Safed, headed by Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and Rabbi Bi

    stritsky.

    Kosher Certification Of Restaurants.

    All kosher restaurants are either Meat or Dairy and either may serve fish which is considered parve or neutral.

    In Safed there are two levels of supervision, the regular rabbinical certificate which is colored pink and the stricter level of supervision called mehadrin, which follows stricter guidelines, mainly concerned with which products or hechshers are permitted, and this certificate is blue.

    Restaurants with a mehadrin certificate are not allowed to be open on fast days, whereas those with a regular certificate only have to be closed on Tisha b’Av and Yom Kippur.

    All kosher restaurants must be closed on Shabbat.

    Hotel restaurants that are kosher have special arrangements for keeping food hot on Shabbat, as the preparing and cooking has to be done in advance.

    Rabbinical Supervision Of Restaurants

    The restaurants in Safed pay the rabbinical authority (Rabbinut) for the level of supervision they want and the Rabbinut provides a supervisor or mashgiach to check that the restaurant or café is keeping to the relevant requirements. This supervisor will do regular daily spot checks on the premises, make sure that staff understand the kashrut and even do things like check rice for bugs, as bugs are not permitted according to kosher laws.

    Certificates are normally granted for 3 months and show the period that they are valid for.

    Pessach (Passover)

    Due to the extra work involved in making restaurants ‘kosher for Pessach‘ many proprietors choose to remain closed during this time. Restaurateurs who do want to be open for the week of Pessach need a special hechsher, and all establishments need certificates to show either that the ‘chametz‘ (leavened products) was sold or that it was completely disposed of it.

    Sephardic Tradition

    In Safed the Rabbinical authority follows the Sephardic tradition of keeping fish and dairy separate and the

    refore restaurants are not allowed to serve them together. So if you want, for example, bagels with lox and cream cheese you have to have one of those products on the side.

    Restaurants With No Certification

    Some restaurants may not have kosher certification because they are open on Shabbat, and/or because the food they serve isn’t kosher.  For example, they may serve dairy and meat products from the same kitchen.

    As the cost of the supervision can be expensive for a small business, some kiosks which serve drinks or snacks may not have kosher certificates but are still kosher and are very well known to their local clients and are trusted by them.

    Vegetarians

    It is very easy to find somewhere to eat in Israel if you are vegetarian as all kosher dairy restaurants are by definition vegetarian.

    To learn more about kashrut or to find out about restaurants and cafes in Safed look at the individual entries in our Places To Eat section on this website.

     

  • What Is Kosher?

    Almost every place where you will eat in Safed will be Kosher.  This is because of the religious nature of the major

    What Is Kosher?

    ity of people who reside in Safed.  But what is kosher and what will this mean for your dining experience?

    Kosher Defined

    Kosher or Kashrut is the traditional Jewish dietary laws which include the ritual slaughter of meat and fowl and the separation of dairy foods from meat foods.

    This system evolved from the Biblical prohibition ‘you shall not cook a kid in its mother’s milk’. The Sages of old n

    ot only determined that Jews shouldn’t cook meat and dairy foods together, but also that they shouldn’t be eaten together either.

    Observant Jews keep two completely separate sets of dishes, pots and pans, silverware, etc… to ensure that there is no cross-over or contamination from one type of food to another. Fish, vegetables, legumes and grains are considered parve or neutral and can be eaten with either type of food.

    Types Of Kosher Animals

    Jews who keep kosher and want to eat meat, must eat meat that is kosher, which means it comes from animals that have cloven hooves and chew the cud, e.g. cow, lamb and goat. Pigs have a cloven hoof but they do not chew the cud, and rabbits chew the cud but don’t have a cloven hoof so neither are kosher.

    Only fish that have both scales and fins are permitted, which is why shellfish isn’t allowed. Poultry is allowed but birds of prey are not permitted as they are scavengers. Both animals and poultry must be ritually slaughtered by a trained person and the blood drained from the body of the animal, as eating or drinking blood is also not permitted. The koshering process is completed by the use of salt.

    Supervision

    In order to ensure that all manufactured kosher food or that which is provided by hotels and restaurants claiming to be kosher actually is, there is a system of supervision. This is done by Rabbinical Authorities who employ qualified personnel called mashgiachs. In the United States the best known authority is the OU. Here in Israel there are a variety of authorities who give their individual stamp of approval, or hechsher.

    What Is A Hechsher?

    When you buy processed food you will often see a small symbol or hechsher e.g. OU on the packaging which shows that the product is kosher. Some products, especially those produced in Israel have many symbols on them, indicating that the product has the approval of several different rabbinical authorities. Each rabbinical authority has its own set of requirements and level of supervision they provide.

    Some observant Jews are extremely strict about the products they buy and the food they eat and only want to purchase products with hechshers that meet very stringent standards with very high levels of supervision. These hechshers are called glatt, mehadrin or sometimes referred to as b’datz.

    Why Keep Kosher?

    Observant Jews believe the laws of kashrut come from God and although they don’t necessarily understand why they need to keep these laws, they accept that this is what God wants.

    Kosher products are becoming popular even amongst non-Jews, as people believe the food, because it is supervised during production, is more likely to be free of contamination and therefore will be healthier.

  • Places To Eat

    Touring Safed and discovering the many back alleyways, ancient ruins and synagogues, or

    Places To Eat

    strolling through the artist galleries and museums can really work up an appetite. To help you easily satisfy your craving we have put together a list of cafes and restaurants in Safed that will please every taste and budget. Botei Avon! (Good Eating!)

    Dairy Restaurants

    The newest restaurant in Tsfat is the mehadrin Cafe Beit Yosef with its all-day breakfast in a lovely courtyard setting.

    One of the most well-known food characters in all of Safed is Mr. Lachuch, the Yemenite pancake man of the Old City. Thousands upon thousands of visitors have stumbled across the pancake man on their visits to Safed and enjoying this simple Yemenite delight is a true Safed experience not to be missed.

    If you are looking for a more traditional café where you can take a seat and relax for a while then check out the Art Café, the Bagdad Café, Simons, 7 Grains Bakery, Maximillian or Milano’s. Take a look at our articles describing what each café has to offer and see if there are any items that just might tempt your taste buds.

    Great options for families traveling with children or for anyone traveling on a strict budget are M Bagel or Pizza or Falafel California. Enjoy some comfort food while you take a break from your tour.

    Non-Dairy Restaurants

    Just next to the General Exhibition Gallery in Safed is a well-known meat restaurant named The Mountain View Restaurant. Sit down to a good, hearty meal and say goodbye to the nagging hunger of a traveler.  Also check out the Snitzelria

    Sushi madness that has swamped the globe has even taken a hold in the mystical city of Safed. Now you’ll always be able to get your sushi fix on the main street, the midrechov.

  • Old City Stones Holiday Rentals

    Located in the heart of the Artist’s Quarter, Old City Safed, this holiday rental can accommodate up to 5 guests at a time. Suit

    Old City Stones holiday rentals for familiesable for one couple, families, groups of families, and singles looking for a affordable and comfortable place to stay for Shabba

     

    t, holidays, or to relax and escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city.

    Rates Include:

    • Free Wi-Fi Access
    • Use of Hot Plate, Kettle, Urn, Microwave, Stove, and Fridge/Freezer
    • Coffee, Tea and Sugar
    • Linens (Blankets, Pillows, Sheets, and Towels)
    • Soap and Shampoo
    • Electric and Gas Air-conditioner/Heating
    • 2 Dinning Areas
    • Meet and Greet Service
    • Professionally Cleaned Room Before Each Guest Arrival
    • Mountain and Artists’ Quarter Views

    Our Location

    Old City Stones Holiday Rentals is located just below Jerusalem Street above the Art Galleries and General Exhibition. Close to the Abuhav and Ari Ashkenazi Synagogues, Ari’s Mikveh, Ancient Religious sites, Historic Landmarks, Museums, an

    d Restaurants. There is public and private parking available along Arlozrov Street in front of the Artists’ Galleries.

    Our Rooms

    Mountain-view bedroom

    Large double bedroom with Artists’ Quarter/Old City and Mountain views, comfortable large double bed, air-condition/heating dinning/sitting area, Wi-Fi, and wooden floors leaving our guest with a lasting impression.

    Artists’ Quarter bedroom

    Previous used as a local Art Gallery for local Tzfat Artists’ about 30 years ago. Features a marble arch and the entry to the balcony (access temporary closed) where guests get an Artists’ feel in the city of Kabbalah and Mysticism. Comfortable room with large double bed, extra bed, wardrobe, small table, air-conditioner/heating, and wireless Wi-Fi Internet.

    Homely Kitchen

    Full kitchen with cabinets and wood floors providing guests full access to Fridge/Freezer, Kettle, Hotplate, Urn, Microwave, Sink, Stove, utensils, plates, dishes, coffee, tea, and sugar with wooden floors.

    Dining/Living Room

    The dining room offers our guests a dining table that expands and can seat between 6-8 people. There is also a Jerusalem stone architecture entrance and wooden floors in both the dining and living room. The living room also has a sofa bed that sleeps 2 people (to be added in July).

    Bathroom

    Features a combo bath/shower, Sink, Toilet, and mirror with shampoo, soap, toilet paper, toilette, and towels provided.

    Meals

    We offer an optional full VIP breakfast for an additional cost that includes eggs (omelets/scramble/sunny side-up), cheeses, salad, bread various accompaniments, fresh juice (orange/ red grapefruit/ lemonade), hot drink (sspresso/cappuccino/latte/tea/Nescafe). Breakfast will be served at a top rated restaurant located above our property that offers stunning views of the Old City and Mount

    ains.

    Tours

    We also offer private guided walking tours of the Old City Tzfat (City of Kabbalah and mysticism), customized tours that venture into areas off the beaten track, and Extreme Adventure Tours that include Rappelling, Rock Climbing, Bungee Swoop, Big Swing, Spelunking, Water Sports, and Sap to sites like the Alma Cave, Upper Galilee Canyon, Black Canyon, Keshet Cave and Ma’arat Nam’er Cave, Lebanon Border and IDF Jeep Tour, Water Sports on The Kinneret, and Skydiving. We advise our guests to book tours early to avoid disappointment of sold out tours. All tours are operated by a fully licensed bilingual guide.

    Rates

    Please contact us for our latest rates as rates vary depending on how many people and the time of year (High Season, Festival Holidays, and Safed Klezmer Music Festival).

    Contact Information

    Visit us at: Old City Stones

    Contact: Jacob or Angela at: 052-703-4855, USA: +1 347-758-5268, UK: +44 203-769-6266

    Email: oldcitystones@gmail.com

    Check out our Safed accommodation and Things to do Video at: https://www.youtube.com/c/Oldcitystonesinfo

  • The Souzakohn Gallery Zimmer

    Best value in town! We have a lovely comfortable spacious zimmer with all amenities. Two double or triple bedrooms, space for big groups or families, huge kosher kitchen fully equipped, including plata and Shabbos urn, cooker, fridge,

    Souzakohn Gallery Zimmer2 kosher sinks, reverseosmosis drinking water, dining table & chairs.

     

    Lovely salon with books and large dining table and chairs, bathroom with shower and toilet plus a second separate toilet room, baby cots, floor fans, ceiling fans and air conditioning. A very large magnificent outside courtyard, serene & peaceful overlooking Meron and splendid mountainous panorama.

    Very well located, minutes from restaurants, shopping, cultural centres, the Artists’ Quarter, art Galleries, The Chabad House and All Shuls including The Ari and Yosef Caro.

    The Zimmer is on Rehov Bar Yochai very close to Kikar Maganim. Street parking right in front. Only 177 nis per person per night.

    View photos here.

    Please contact us at: the.souzakohn.gallery.tzimmers@gmail.com

    Or call Naomi-Yeudith Abrahamsson 052-8770893

  • Israeli Art Boutique Art House

    Stay in a boutique art house surrounded with the best Israeli art and scenery.

    If you are looking for a special place where you can enjoy and have a relaxing vacation for your entire fa

    Art Boutique Art Housemily in the north of Israel, consider the Boutique Art House.

    Located in the heart of Tzfat, the Boutique Art House is just the right place to combine rest, spirituality, culture, art a

    nd Judaism.Set on a mountainside in Tzfat at the edge of the Artists’ Colony with beautiful views of the mountains and Meron,Israeli Art Boutique Art House is a place where time seems to stand still.

    The 240Sq.m (788Sq. foot) villa boasts four luxury bedrooms, an elegant large dining space, a wide comfortable living room, your own private swimming pool and a veranda spanning the length of the house where you can sit and  relax in front of the awesome Galilean panorama spread out before you.

    This Galilean villa complex comprises four bedrooms,three with a private wide intimate terrace, a large comfortable living room, a well-equipped very large kosher kitchen and two dining spaces, a Galilean garden in which you’ll find an herb garden, a beautiful grape arbor, your very own private swimming pool and exhilarating air.

    Shops are less than a five-minute walk away. It is a ten minute walk to the Old City where you may find a large variety of famous synagogues, a ten-minute walk to the lively city,  and a two-minute walk to the Tzfat family zoo.

    The house sleeps up to 15 comfortably and, on request, we can accommodate more.Pictures are available upon request.

    Please contact Reli Wasser at  vilartsafed@gmail.com or 0545-950-895. View photos of the house.

  • Sarah’s Vacation Tzimmer

    Location: Sarah’s Vacation Tzimmer is located in the heart of the old city across from the Sanz shul where there is always a minyan. One minute from Kikar Meginem  and Rechov Yerushaliam (main street). Our tzimmer is in the best location for the ul

    timate Tzfat experience, minutes away from the art galleries, synagogues, historical sites and restaurants.

    Sarah’s Vacation Tzimmer

     

    The Tzimmer: Our tzimmer can sleep six comfortably, and there’s room for more mattresses. There are three bedrooms. There are two full bathrooms, including one in the master bedroom. The tzimmer has a large, luxurious kosher kitchen with a family-sized refrigerator, oven and stove. We also offer a full Shabbos set up with a hot plate, hot water urn and a crock pot if needed.  The salon is spacious, large, and airy. There is a large beautiful dining room table that fits large families. Sarah’s Tzimmer is beautiful and elegant but at the same time inviting and kid friendly.  To ensure your comfort, Sarahs Tzimmer has air conditioning/heating , washing machine, and optional internet.

     

     

    Atmosphere: There are large windows and a great cross breeze filling the tzimmer with fresh Tzfat air.  The tzimmer has two porches. There is a large porch overlooking the old city of Tzfat , Meron and Tiberias. The porch is the perfect place to eat dinner on a breezy summer night and to unwind with the view of a magnificent sunset.

    Booking:  Call Sarah at 058-513-6131 or 058-516132 or email at sarah.a.winer@gmail.com

  • The Safed Sugar Suite

    The Safed Sugar Suite, opened in 2013, is a two-bedroom apartment minutes from the heart of Safed. If you are looking for a clean affordable apartment in Safed, the Safed Sugar Suite is the place for you.

    Location:

    Safed Sugar Suite

    Filled with light, the clean, airy two-bedroom apartment is located in Givat Shoshana, a short 7 minut

    e walk from the central bus station and 5 more minutes after that you are in the center of Safed, close to the galleries, synagogues and dining.

    We have plenty of parking. There are 50 steps from the parking lot to the apartment so unfortunately it is not handicap accessible. The good thing about being so high up is the incredible view!

    The Rooms: The Safed Suite has a private entrance which opens up to a salon. You can see the Kinneret in the di

    stance as you come down the walkway. The salon has a comfortable couch that can sleep two. Open the sliding glass doors to sit on the balcony and gaze at the sunset, make a barbecue, see the lights of Tiberius in the background. Off the salon is a full kitchen, with a stove, oven, microwave, full fridge and a toaster oven for dairy. All Shabbat amenities are available, including an urn for Shabbos, a blech, tea lights etc.

    The parents room has two single beds, with American style mattresses. The second room has four single beds and a fifth mattress could fit on the floor for larger families. Altogether there are eight beds. The bathroom has a bathtub which is convenient for small children. And of course there is air conditioning and heat.

    WIFI is free! While you are on vacation there is always the feeling of wanting to share your adventures with those back home. With free WIFI you can catch up, do your work or give the kids the chance to relax and watch a movie while dinner is being prepared around the corner.

    Rates: Rates range from 400-700 shekels per night, depending on season and number of people. Children aged two

    and under are free. Cribs available upon request.

    Bonus! Free family photo and a calendar.

    Jodi is a professional photographer and her artwork adorns the walls. As a guest you receive a free calendar and a family photo can be emailed to you. Make the most of your time in Safed. Jodi is also available to take you on a kabbalistic photographic walking tour of Safed, taking you to the key tourist sites like the candle factory, the Ari and Abuhav shuls, the artist row and the Citadel and she will show you where she shot her famous doorways pictures and sharing mystical concepts of Judaism along the way.

    Catering: Breakfast is available for 40 shekels per person. In addition if you want healthy Shabbos meals they can be delivered from the finest restaurants in town. Sushi, stir fry, healthy, sugar free deserts and more.

    Contact: 

    Call Pnina Sugar at 0504-772-771 or the US line 773-295-7473.

    Email: sugartzimmer@gmail.com or the Safed Sugar Suite website.

  • Beit Kramer Old City Tzimmer

    Beit Kramer is a sweet and beautiful guesthouse in the Old City of Tsfat, only seconds away from restaurants, shopping, ancientsynagoguesand art galleries. You will be amazed at the convenience of this location and the privacy it comes

    Beit Krameralong with.

    The Outside

    Go to 29 Jerusalem St. (the midrahov) and you will find Beit Kramer: a 2-room apartment with central heating/air

    conditioning, surrounded by the breathtaking artwork of Tsfat’s very own artists. Adjacent to the tsimmer is an enormous 200 sq. meter courtyard + gorgeous garden area with shaded patio furniture, and you’re very own “park” includes swings, jungle gym, slide, little house and an array of outdoor toys.

    The Inside

    Walk under the grapevine, pass the jasmine bush and continue through the wooden stain glass door and you will find a deluxe bedroom with two dark wooden bed frames and top quality mattresses. There is also a non-transparent window for light and air (an essential quality when researching tsfat rentals!). The second room is a salon-type room with plenty of natural air and light, has a fabric partitioning, a retractable table set + 9 chairs, a couch and pull-out bed and an extra fold-up bed if needed. There is also a kitchenette to the l

    eft of this spacious room, fully equipped with all your Shabbat and/or weekday needs (refrigerator, counter space/cooking area, hot plate, etc…), making your visit comfortable and enjoyable. The bathroom was built in very good taste, with a large shower and a robust shower head, plus a window to the outdoors.

    Beit Kramer takes pride in keeping its accommodations immaculately clean, and ensuring the upkeep of new bedsheets and towels.

    Contact

    Beit Kramer is best suited for couples or small families wishing torelax during a magical vacationin the Holy City of Safed.

    Call or e-mail Avraham or Talie Kramer 04-682-7665 or (cell phone) 050-322-0433 oratskramer@gmail.com

    Referrals given upon demand. We guarantee customer satisfaction.