Hogwarts, wizards and more in Israel

When I think of Israel, I think of the famous curative waters of the Dead Sea, the beautiful Chagall windows at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, fond memories of watching the world go by sitting in the cafes along Dusseldorf Street in Tel Aviv, the glorious beaches in Eliat, the haunting remembrances of the holocaust in Yad VaShem, and bargaining with vendors in the Arab market in Jerusalem’s Old City to buy the hand carved backgammon set for my children.

You could imagine my surprise when I learned that of Israel’s connection to the infamous teen wizard Harry Potter. According to Israel’s Ministry of Tourism North America, inspired and intrigued by the final tale of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, travelers are flocking to the town of Ramle to visit the gravesite of “Harry Potter.”

The gravesite is not really that of the famous wizard but of a deceased British soldier who incidentally shares his name. The soldier, Harry Potter, was killed in battle with an armed band in Palestine in 1939 during the period of the British Mandate.

Previously tourists visited Ramle, located halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, to visit the town’s archeological sites, ancient caves and UNESCO-recognized White Mosque. Now Harry Potter’s grave is an intriguing and coincidental attraction and adds some extra excitement for Harry Potter fans visiting Israel.

Israel may pay homage to its “wizards” but it also known for its commitment to the environment. I recall visiting the home of a prominent judge in Haifa and being told that right after lunch everyone puts on a sweater and takes a nap because they shut the heat for a few hours to save energy.

Now visitors can pass through The “Green” Tunnel that was just unveiled in Haifa to see firsthand Israel’s interest in being green and providing ample opportunity for green travel. The newest site is The Carmel Tunnel, a new traffic route and the longest of its kind in Israel, has just opened under strict eco-friendly standards.

The 3.5-mile route is built on top of a former landfill and connects Haifa’s eastern and western districts, redirecting drivers from downtown to an alternate route to the eastern and central parts of the city and Haifa Bay.

This new tunnel prevented the extensive environmental impact that the construction of an overland road would have caused. The project also included replacement of local soil, natural shrubbery and the native white lilies on the slopes surrounding the Rupin interchange, one of the largest thruways in Israel.

A mountain of garbage has been transformed into an environmental jewel. Within 10 years, it will be a beautiful self-rehabilitating forest. According to the landscape artist for the project, they will give it the first push by planting and watering and nature will do the rest.

In recognition of Hanukkah, the festival of lights, along Alcou Mamilla Avenue in Jerusalem, children’s arts and crafts projects were displayed as well as free dance performances and 10,000 pieces of Legos for children of all ages to put together.

Every weekend in December, Haifa will come alive with the 17th Holiday of Holidays Festival. This celebrates three festivals and neighborly goodness that characterizes the mixed city. The main focus this year is the art trail, an open-air exhibition entitled “Neighbors” that starts at Beit HaGefen with a unique artistic project that features a dialogue between the works of Jewish and Arabic artists through the tales of daily life in the neighborhood.

The trail continues through the alleyways, gardens, courtyards and stonewalls of the Wadi Nisnas neighborhood, featuring sculptures and paintings by Jewish and Arabic artists of different generations.

The international writers convention “Words Without Limit”— authors for peace — will take place from Dec. 1-4 with participation of 45 international and local writers, Jews and Arabs, addressing issues of human rights through poetry readings and more.

In conjunction with the convention, two exhibitions will open in the Haifa Cinematheque: Cinema Jenin — a photography exhibitions of Jenin and the newly restored cinema by German photographer Fabien Zapteka and The Poor Book — an exhibition of original writings.

Eighteen liturgy musical concerts will also take place in Haifa’s churches, including, for the first time, in the magnificent Yochanan HaMatbil New Greek Orthodox Church, by Israeli and international performers. Christmas lights will line Ben Gurion Boulevard in the German Colony and special-themed tours and activities for children will also be available.

Israel has something for everyone—for wizard fans, ecologists and culture enthusiasts. For more information on travel to Israel, contact your local travel professional or www.goisrael.com

Copyright by Marcia Abramson

E-mail: mascribe@aol.com