EL AL | Atmosphere

Photo: Oren Dolev

Timna Park | An unexpected Christmas location Located in the heart of the Arava desert, Timna Park spreads wild across 70 km2 of land. For four whole days, it will hold its very own Christmas market, with a 6m-tall Christmas tree, and a myriad more attractions, such as present wrapping stalls, installations of every kind, a reindeer sleigh, a “Santa’s corner”, etc. Live music will add to the atmosphere, as will the “Sparks” circus performance, as acrobats and aerialists make the sky their stage. 26-29.12, from 18:00, to take part visitors need to sign up and pay in advance, via parktimna.co.il/en The Emanuel Centre Jerusalem Simultaneously hotel, restaurant, café, and garden, the Emanuel Centre is an important heritage site with a museum and an Anglican church on its grounds. Many events are scheduled to take place here over the Christmas period – some free, some not. Festivities take on a resolutely European spirit, with gingerbread cookies and mulled wine becoming café staples for the season. (December 24 th opening hours: 17:00-22:30, emanueljlm.co.il). The YMCA The lighting of the YMCA Christmas tree on November 27 th marks the beginning of festivities at the Jerusalem YMCA, as it gets ready to host its annual Christmas Bazaar which takes place on the following dates: 8-10.12, 15-17.12, 22-24.12, 29-31.12. The “JLM Lights” tour of illuminated Jerusalem A guided night tour aboard a tourist bus, of thirty of the city’s main sites, all illuminated and decorated for the festive season.

Christmas Delight | The Galilee Table: flavors, sights, and stories from the land where Jesus walked

Yosef “Zuzu” Hana, one of the country’s most inventive chefs, has just published his very first book. Hana, or as he is known by all, Zuzu, is the man behind the wonderful Magdalena restaurant at the Galilee Migdal junction. There, he composes exquisite dishes that riff on the traditional flavors of Arab-Galilean cuisine. Not by chance is the restaurant located in Migdal, birthplace of Mary Magdalen (hence the name of the restaurant) and Zuzu’s nearby hometown of Rama. The beautiful Galilean landscapes, with their majestic olive groves overlooking the Sea of Galilee, are both the inspiration behind Zuzu’s rich and diverse cuisine, and the very literal fertile ground, in which the ingredients he cooks with grow. The book is an expression of his deep-rooted connection to his place of birth. He writes about his life there and the significance family meals always had for him. The book is Zuzu’s attempt to connect the Galilean food traditions he grew up with, to the stories of the land where Jesus walked. The book is divided into six themes: bread, fish, Christmas recipes, Easter, pre

Lenten meals, and food for

celebrations and special occasions. Each recipe is accompanied by Daniel Lailah’s

magnificent photos, with shots of the Galilean landscape peppered in between. Zuzu manages to combine classic flavors of traditional Arab cuisine with his own personal touch, achieving meticulously precise dishes that are as impressive to behold than they are delicious to eat. “The Galilee Table” contains more than 40 recipes, including for lahmajoun, grilled kebab on a bed of mashwieh, St. Peter’s fish fillets with roasted tomatoes, shishbarak meat-filled dumplings in yoghurt and mint sauce, and more. Many of the recipes found in the book are on the menu of the Magdalena restaurant, a stunning place to lunch or dine at, drawing tourists and locals all year round. magdalena_restaurant The book is purchasable via thegalileetable.com

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ATMOSPHERE DECEMBER 2022