A visit to "Open Houses" in the Modi'in region

"Open House" events have become very popular in recent years and are a great opportunity to meet talented people, those whose home is also a mirror of their dreams and the creations they bring out from under their hands. In the Modi'in region, right in the center of the country, in small green settlements surrounding the Ben Shemen forest, they created an interesting concept.

Every year, just before Passover, an "Open Houses" event takes place in one of the settlements in the West Bank. Manufacturers, artisans, cooks and creators from the locality host in their homes colleagues, small businesses of artisans and creators from other localities. Thus, the travelers can enjoy meeting dozens of exhibitors, as they travel to their pleasure between nine or ten houses. Stocking up on food for Shabbat - yes, there are also many home cooks who bring aromas and flavors with them - buying gifts for the holiday and discovering collections, professions and styles that they did not know.

This year the "Open Houses" event of the Modi'in region will take place on Friday, April 5, in Moshav Rinatya, which at this time enjoys a beautiful burst of wildflowers, with the dominant color being the bright yellow of the wild mustard and lots of green everywhere.

What is a terrarium?

Tzur Ronen Amsalem walks around with sparkling eyes in the little kingdom he created for himself in a container in the yard of his parents' house. He creates, hold on tight, terrariums. what is it Anyway? Tzur holds in his hands a glass jar, one of dozens, maybe hundreds, that are placed on the shelves around him, all of which grow special exotic plants, and explains: "Terra is soil. A terrarium is a container. A terrarium is soil in a container. Inside the containers I plant special tropical plants such as miniature orchids , begonias, ferns, tropical carnivorous plants and more. In them I combine special insects whose job it is to clean the tank of dry leaves and rotten roots and their secretions are used as fertilizer for the soil. It's basically a piece of nature in the tank."

Each of the containers is a kind of one-of-a-kind work of art, and together with them you must also create a collection of over 80 types of exotic animals: snakes, turtles, tarantulas, lizards, insects and more. Tzur's path to fulfilling his dream was through medical studies in Budapest, and when he returned to Israel he completed an internship and worked as a radiologist at Ichilov Hospital. And all this time he felt that this was not the life he wanted.

He resigned from his job, returned to the moshav, founded "Zirzorim", and is already planning the expansion of the business. In addition to the sale of the terrariums he creates, according to the customer's order, he also conducts various workshops. In one he teaches how to build a terrarium, the other is an exposure workshop to the world of reptiles and arthropods and above all he feels he provides his clients with an experience of disconnection and escapism. "I found my vocation in life," he concludes with great satisfaction.

At the "Open Houses" event, the artist Liat Messing will be hosted by him, who will offer holiday packages that include clay vessels of her work, the "honey from the doctor" that is worn by her husband, and candles from beekeeping. Her daughter Yaeli will sell cakes and cookies for Shabbat (kosher).

How to get there: at Wise: "Zirzorim".More details: 054-3082278

Happy and delicious food

She was a TA officer all her life, in her last position she was deputy public inquiries officer, she retired from the army two years ago, but it was difficult to coordinate a meeting with her because she is currently serving in the reserves. Still, Galit Alfasi finds time to cook, delve into unfamiliar culinary worlds, learn cooking techniques News and also to conduct cooking workshops in her beautiful house, which overlooks an endless view of fields.

"From school, I would come to my grandmother's house, who was disabled, and yet she taught me to cook. I would bring her the pots and the groceries to bed, and she taught me the Moroccans' 'little bit of everything'. My husband's grandmother taught me to make Moroccan couscous, but I also prepare Asian, Italian and Kurdish Cuban food. There are also workshops for gluten-free dishes, workshops for pastries and banim, and once every few weeks I open tables full of food, together with Naa Toledano (whom we'll get to shortly - Mash), who brings the breads and her excellent pastries, and we sell ready-to-eat food for Shabbat."

And if all this is not enough, Galit is also a certified butcher, a graduate of baking studies in Danon and most importantly - her motto is to make people happy through food. Being in the kitchen seems to make her happy. She runs around, cutting and peeling while we talk, serves, urges me to taste and sends me on my way with delicacies made by her hands.

At the "Open Houses" event, she will open a table full of cuisine from around the world, and will be hosted by Adva Azulai with the WHITE WITCH brand, which produces natural cosmetics, soaps and candles; Efrat Makov, designer of silver and gold jewelry set with natural gems; and ceramic artist Orna Karo, who will present elegant serving dishes for the holiday table.

Galit Alfasi, happy food, in Wise: Mesk 58 Rintia.More details: 054-9270407

Owls, pastries and breads

Like many, Noa Toledano, who is still a private English and math teacher, discovered the world of baking during the Corona virus. A friend who grew sourdough gave her a piece and she started researching, experimenting and trying recipes, testing techniques and additions and developing her own recipes. "I distributed to friends and neighbors, and very quickly they started asking me why I wasn't selling. When I felt that I was creating bread that was good enough (even excellent, I tasted it - MS), I started selling, and also dived into the world of macarons, croissants, challah, cakes and savory and sweet pastries , and along with them I also started making aged vegan cheeses and spreads and creating creative sandwiches." Her products can be ordered in advance, and you can come to the fair she holds every few weeks in her yard or together with Galit Alfasi.

And how are the owls connected here? Nea has an online store with a beautiful collection of tools, textile and paper products and other surprises collected around the world, all with prints of owls and other animals.

At the "Open Houses" event, Naa will offer a selection of her sourdough breads from super flours, as well as Shabbat challah, sandwiches and pastries, croissants and macarons; Next to owl items such as scarves and socks, notebooks, cloth bags, drinking bottles and more. She will be joined by Lior Tunis with bags and rucksacks, cool sets for shashuka and pouches that she designed and sewed; Multidisciplinary artist Gila Newman will offer useful ceramic works; And Raphael Sage - creative and delicious cupcakes and cakes.

Noa Toledano, 115 Halanit, Rintia.More details: 050-7818229

Nostalgic clothes and objects

It turns out that moving to a new house can become an opportunity to build a new career. Liron Becher discovered this, when she cleared out her house before moving to the new house she and her husband built in Moshav Rintia, and wondered what she was doing with the crazy and huge collection of vintage clothes she had accumulated over the years. "My husband, who is a collector of locks and keys from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, suggested that I present the collection at one of the vintage fairs. It went crazy, and I realized that I had something good in my hand, that I am probably a good curator of vintage clothes and my items are unique. Since then, I founded the ba-ba brand yamim and I started traveling abroad and bringing vintage clothes from around the world. I do a sale at my house, once every month and a half, on Shabbat that attracts hundreds of crazy people to talk."

Her beautiful house is fully studded with dishes and decorative and vintage objects, and the view from the huge windows to the fields open to the horizon with spots of blossom. "My clothes are real vintage, from the 1950s to the 1980s, from around the world. I only bring Israeli items that are especially considered, such as mats and embroidery." It seems that the hobby, which has become a profession, fills her with enthusiasm and joy, but the real occupation for the soul for her is her "real" profession, a kindergarten teacher in anthroposophical education.

At the "Open Houses" event, Liron will present vintage items and clothes, jewelry, tools and other great items, the age and origin of which Liron will be able to tell those interested. Merav Cohen, the owner of the "Lavandula" brand, the herbalist and apothecary of care products, will also be staying at her home; Ceramicist Dafna Sommer with dishes and decorative items, pastry chef Dedi Rabivo will fill the house with the aromas of challah and fine sourdough breads, cookies and cakes, olives and jams; And Guy Horowitz from "Root and Leaf Farms" will spread vegetables and plenty of greens collected early in the morning from the hydroponic greenhouse, the garden beds and the germination beds.Liron Bacher, ba-bayamim.

More details: 054-2574222The "Open Houses" event in the Modi'in region will take place in Moshav Rintia.On Friday, April 5, at 09:30-14:30.You will find more information on the website: www.thm.org.il