Mountain Biking with Sheep in Israel

Although I usually try to write about stuff that most normal people enjoy, like nice swimming pools and petting farms near Ramat Beit Shemesh, I get a bit carried away when it comes to small, Kosher, woolly quadrupeds.

On a recent mountain bike ride in the beautiful Judean Hills near Ramat Beit Shemesh, my friend Nachum Wassosky of Hakshiva fame, snapped this shot of myself, my Scott Aspect bike and some Bedouin sheep, with his Nokia E71.

As my close friends know, I love biking and aspire to be a shepherd, so this picture nicely combined the two.

Davida's Farm

horseback riding at Davida's Farm

My family are big fans of Davida's Farm. Located on Moshav Yishi, it's just minutes from Ramat Beit Shemesh, and is loads of fun for everyone.

The farm has a petting area (rabbits, hamsters, turtles and other assorted critters) as well as horses, a camel, some goats and woolly sheep.

You can feed the animals (make sure to bring some apple cores for the horses) milk some of 'em, and even go horseback riding (for kids age 2 and up). However, there are no cows, so bovine-lovers will need to head over to Kibbutz Tzora.

water slides at Davida's Farm

In the heat of the summer, there are super-fun, water trampolines and slides which keeps the kids wet, cool, and smiling. (If you really want a full-body splash, head over to the gorgeous, private Yishi pool.)

They also have a "pot-your-own-flowers" activity where you can....you guessed it, pot your own flowers to beautify your home.

Lastly, they have a great tractor/cart ride for the whole family where you can bounce into the hills for some incredible views and fresh, herb scented air.

For more info, call Davida at 050-573-9899 or 02-991-0061.

Private Pool on Moshav Yishi

It’s summertime, it’s mega-hot and the kids are going bonkers.

For my family, the best place to chill out and beat the heat is the gorgeous, private out-door pool on Moshav Yishi. The pool is owned by Menachem and Deena Mendlowitz (originally from Monsey, NY and Toronto respectively), and is availale for families on an hourly basis.

The pool itself, the beautifully landscaped grounds, and the showers/changing rooms are clean and perfectly maintained.

Pool on Moshav Yishi

With shade, great views, comfy lounge chairs and even a BBQ, the poolside ambience really allows a family to unwind and feel like they are on vacation somewhere in Southern California (or 5 minutes from Ramat Beit Shemesh-whatever floats your boat).

In addition, Mendlowitz has a lovely guest house that can host about 60 guests. It’s perfect for large family get-togethers, school Shabbatonim and other events. Everything is tastefully designed and fits with the rustic Moshav atmosphere.

For more info, call Menachem at 052-595-5073.

Little Violinists in Ramat Beit Shemesh

Regina Eliaz, a resident of Ramat Beit Shemesh A, is really passionate about her work. Every day from 9AM until 9PM she is teaching children (and teens) to become great violinists. Trained professionally in Russia, she combines expert instruction with affectionate care, treating her students like her own children.

Some of the students rehearsing for a recent concert

Recently the students performed in the Matnas (on Nachal Dolev) and really impressed the audience with their solos and groups performances.

Although violin lessons are a bit pricey (around 500 NIS/month for 8 or so lessons), it provides a wonderful outlet (kinda like the baseball Chug) for musical children while potentially creating rewarding careers for those who excel.

So next time you hear some violin in Ramat Beit Shemesh, it might just be Regina or one of her many students playing.