On the Way to Jerusalem: A Family Winery with a Magnificent Repertoire and Breathtaking Views
A visit to the Motza Valley reveals hidden gems just minutes from Highway 1. From a cafe filled with danishes in a historic home to a jewelry brand with a social mission and wine tasting under the vines.
The red house on the Motza curve was for years a road sign indicating that we were approaching the capital, Jerusalem. It never occurred to me to turn off the main road. It is hard to believe, but just a few minutes from one of the busiest roads in the country hides a quiet corner that offers fine cuisine and sites where one can feel history.
10:00 | Something to eat: mountains of sweets and a salad that leaves a mark
We started the morning at the historic Beit Yellin, the first house built in Motza in 1890, which symbolizes the beginning of agricultural settlement in Eretz Yisrael. It is recommended to start with a tour of the modest visitor center (must be coordinated in advance) to understand the site's history, then head to the Alloro cafe.
In the orchard, where fig trees cast shadows on wooden tables and archaeological excavations from the Iron Age hide between the paths, you will find a soulful cafe. The display case is full of fancy savory and sweet pastries. It was very difficult to choose between a cream cheese and avocado danish and a square of dough topped with grilled artichoke, sun-dried tomatoes, and leeks.
The place passed the burekas test of my Jerusalemite friend with honors, but it was the "greens tower" that stayed with me long after we left—a generous pile of lettuce, fruits, and sprouts in a delicate sauce with toasted almonds. It is not every day that you leave such an excellent bakery and remember the salad in particular.
12:00 | Something to see: jewelry with imperfect pearls
From Beit Yellin, we drive a few minutes to the visitor center of the jewelry brand Yvel. 40 years ago, Orna and Isaac Levy began stringing pearls in their home in Jerusalem. The business grew, and the big breakthrough came when they dared to go against the current and incorporate amorphous, imperfect pearls into their jewelry, which became the brand's trademark.
Isaac, who remembered his challenging years as a new immigrant from Argentina, also established a jewelry school for new immigrants on the site. Later, "Megemeria" ("In the beginning" in Amharic) was born—a social-business venture that gives Ethiopian immigrants the opportunity to acquire a profession. The tour passes through workshops and ends in the old stone winery, formerly the seat of the Efrat winery.
14:00 | Something for the soul: a place of healing
"Do not look back," asked Dikla Pomerantz, one of the founders of the House of Pioneers of Light (Beit Halutzei HaOr), a moment before we entered. Of course, we looked back. The historic building, known as "The White House," was built in the 1920s in a neoclassical style and originally served as the Arza sanatorium.
The origin of the name is the cedar tree that Herzl planted here during his only visit to Israel. After October 7, the building became a therapy center and a place of mental rest for various communities. Every space in the house commemorates a fallen person: the studio named after Shani Louk, the library named after Arnon Zamora, and the activity hall named after Dekel Suissa. These are not memorial rooms in the conventional sense; they continue to fill with people, music, and creativity—as if the best way to remember is to continue living.
15:00 | Something to drink: refreshing blends from the Judean Hills
A few minutes' drive west, on the slopes of the Judean Hills, lies the Flam Winery. It is hard to think of a more suitable place to end the day than here, facing the vineyards.
At the entrance, we met the head of the family, Israel Flam, who was the chief winemaker of the Carmel wineries. When his sons, Golan and Gilad, decided to start their own winery, the father was skeptical, but today he comes and enjoys the fruits of their labor. We sat under the vines with a selection of wines from the winery's magnificent repertoire, accompanied by excellent cheeses from the Gal farm, amber olive oil, and sourdough bread. Each glass told a different story of the wonderful terroir of the Judean Hills.
