Foraging for edible and medicinal plants is fascinating, fun, and an excellent entrance to healthy living, besides offering a unique taste – literally - of the Land of Israel.
Wild plants silently bear witness to the march of time, bonding together places and people of the past, present, and future. Foraging makes Israel come alive: our heritage isn't just a bunch of ancient ruins.
Book Your Private Foraging
Standard Foraging Walk - 2 hours
Easy walk or hike in the Bet Shemesh area. Most routes are 1.5-2 miles long in the area of the Elah Valley, where David fought Goliah. Along the way, we might also climb inside an ancient well, crawl through a small cave, and/or visit little-known ancient archeological sites. (Details depend on route and season.)
Half-Day or Full-Day Foraging Experience
With more time, we can explore other ancient Jewish cities, crawl through a Bar Kochva cave network, plan a deeper experience of Israel’s natural world, and/or visit the Gaza Envelope to experience Israel’s struggles from the time of King David until today.
Healthy Jew Journeys
I also offer immersive hiking experiences that include any combination of intense hiking, meditations, special trail food, navigation training, and much more. These can be one long day, or multiple days with camping out.
Open Foraging Walks
These popular activities are offered occasionally in the Ramat Bet Shemesh area at a discounted, per-person price, and are usually a 2-3 hour walk along mostly-easy dirt paths. An easy hike, but a hike nonetheless.
To stay informed about upcoming walks, follow the Foraging in Israel Whatsapp Group or my Healthy Jew Whatsapp Status.
Important Notes:
Accessibility - The exact route depends on the season and hiking capabilities of the group. There are even stroller/wheelchair accessible options, but they will include less access to the area’s rich history and nature.
Transportation - Some locations aren’t accessible through public transportation. Let me know if that’s necessary and we’ll arrange accordingly.
Season - There is always something to forage, but in early winter there’s much less out there. The exact times depend on the rainy season, but it’s usually slow from early November until mid January.
Location - My specialty is the Emek Ha’elah area to the south of Ramat Bet Shemesh; most of my routes are inside or near there. But feel free to ask about options for other areas of the country.
For more information and to book your walk, click here:
Want to learn more about foraging walks?
Check out these posts:
And click here for the many Healthy Jew posts about foraging in Israel:
