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Beit Shemesh Tourism

Ethnic Home Cooking



Do you live in or are travelling to the Beit Shemesh area, love ethnic home-cooking, but don't know where to find it? You've come to the right place. This site will tell you where to get the tastiest and most authentic ethnic Jewish home-cooking right here in Mateh Yehuda and Beit Shemesh. The area is blessed with women of many different ethnic groups who still cook the traditional foods that their mothers and grandmothers made. With help from Partnership 2000 of the Jewish Agency, the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council and the Yoav Yehuda Tourism Association, some of the local women have opened small catering businesses in their homes. You can call and book a meal for a special occasion or buy food for Shabbat. They serve the food right in their own livingrooms or gardens - this is much better than most restaurants I've eaten in - I keep going back for more and more
.

Call ahead to book a place. Most of the women usually have a 10 person minimum booking. The meals range in price from 90-120 NIS per person ($25-$30). This is a great dining experience and also a nice way to support local women's small busineses.

B'te'avon!!

Kurdish cooking: Kurdish cooking is very special - highlights include kubeh (balls of semolina stuffed with meat) and rice with lufa (a poisonous plant if not prepared properly).

OSNAT MOSHE - MOSHAV AGUR Tel. 02-9912868, 050-7510161
Osnat Moshe has been cooking using the traditional cooking stove since she was a child. When you visit her home she will be happy to show you her special cooking room. Her moshav is located near the British park. To drive there from Beit Shemesh: Take route 38 south, turn off at route 353 towards Luzit and Srigim-Li-On. Drive on this road for approximately 10 minutes and you'll get to the moshav. Also located on Agur is the Agur Winery run by Shuky Yashuv. The wines are delicious and from 2007 there are kosher varieties wines produced. Osnat has a kosher certification from Mateh Yehuda Rabbinate and is closed on Shabbat.

TZUKIT AND RACHEL AHARON - MAACHALEI NANA - SRIGIM Tel. 052-2407232
This mother daughter team are fabulous cooks and very hospitable too. They can serve a large group on their beautiful porch on Srigim with a lovely view of the Ella Valleh and Adulam area. The Kubeh are amazingly fresh and her pumpkin-eggplant dish is super tasty. Lots more where that came from too. They have kashrut certification from the Mateh Yehuda Regional council. Closed on Shabbat.

TZIONA LEVY - TZAFRIRIM 02-9911212
The Levy home is truly an inspiration. Not only do they run a barber salon, but husband Nissim is a talented sculptor using only recycled metal parts. He has also built a Kurdish heritage museum in his yard and a model of the village where his family came from in Kurdistan. Tziona is a very gifted cook and has been featured on Israeli television for her specialty Kurdish dishes. Kosher kitchen but without certification. Open on Shabbat.

LILLY AZIZ - MOSHAV ZEHARIYA 050-7680869
Lilly serves a wonderful Kurdish meal on her gorgeous balcony overlooking a breathtaking view of the Ellah Valley. She is very warm and easy to work with. Kosher with certification from Mateh Yehuda Rabbinate. Closed on Shabbbat. To get to Moshav Zechariya from Beit Shemesh travel south on Route 38 for approximately 5 km. Turn left into Moshav Zehariya.

ZEHAVA AND AVI BAR - MOSHAV GIVAT YESHAYAHU
02-9991420, 052-8449319 Zehava and Avi run a restaurant that presents Kurdish cuisine - this is not in their home but the food is as good as home cooked. They have a kosher certification from the Mateh Yehuda rabbinate and are closed on Shabbat. To get to Moshav Givat Yeshayahu: Drive south on Route 38

Yemenite cooking GILA BASHARI - FOOD AND SONG - MOSHAV YISHI052-3226001 Gila Bashari is a talented Yemenite folk singer. She can host large groups in her gorgeous garden setting where she sings and teaches about Yemenite heritage while serving a traditional Yemenite meal. This is a super authentic ethnic experience not to be missed! Kosher with certification from Mateh Yehuda Regional council. Closed on Shabbat.

Moroccan Jewish cooking has lots of different delicacies from candided watermelon rind to traditional couscous. Both meat and fish dishes are popular as well.

ALIA GABBAI - MOSHAV GEFEN Tel. 0522-442804 Alia lives on Moshav Gefen which is about a 25 minute drive from Beit Shemesh. She is a fabulous cook with a very sweet personality. She can prepare food for large groups and hosts guests both inside and out of her home. To get to Moshav Gefen: Drive south on Route 38, turn right (West) on route 383 at Tzomet Azeka. Drive for approximately 10 minutes and the Moshav will be on your left. Kosher. Closed on Shabbat.

BATSHEVA GABBAI - MOSHAV GEFEN - Tel. 050-5349252
Batsheva Gabbai also cooks wonderul authentic Moroccan food. Aside from whipping up a whole meal she sells amazing fig and grape preserves and jam - ask her about it! Kosher. Closed on Shabbat.

ZOHARA BEN HAMU - MOSHAV LUZIT - 02-9911143, 057-4824282
Zohara is yet another fabulous Moroccan cook She can serve large groups in her yard on Moshav Luzit. I happen to love her Moroccan fish dish myself. She also serves a Moroccan breakfast during the annual Ethnic Rural Food Festival held every year in February. A special attraction is her spice making center in the back of her house. Ask her to show you! To get to Moshav Luzit: Travel south on route #38, turn right at route 53 towards Luzit. Drive for about 15 minutes and you'll arrive at the Moshav. Kosher with certification from Mateh Yehuda Rabbinate. Closed on Shabbat.

COCHINI COOKING TOVA SIMON - MOSHAV MACHSYIA - 050-6382714
For something spicy (but you can ask her not to make it hot) and exotic try a Cochini homemade meal. Tova cooks with lots of coconut, cardamon and other super fresh and tasty spices. She can also prepare a delicious fish or vegetarian meal if this suits your fancy. Her tapioca tastes like heaven. She is set up for smaller groups inside her home. If you have a large group ask her about accomodations. Kosher - closed on Shabbat. To get to Moshav Machsiya from Beit Shemesh: Drive through the northern industrial area of Beit Shemesh until you get to route #10. Turn right on Route #10 and you will soon see a left turn to Moshav Machsiya. Kosher. Closed on Shabbat.

INDIAN COOKING
RINA LEVY - MOSHAV TZAFRIRIM 050-7736240
Rina and husband Emanuel specialize in vegetarian Indian cuisine. They can accomodate a large group in their yard and can bring in a wonderful Indian musical group if you wish, with group dancing. To get to Tzafririm from Beit Shemesh: Drive south on Route 38 for about 10 km, pass Tzomet HaEllah, drive another 2 km and turn left at route 353. Drive down the road to the end and you'll be in Moshav Tzafririm. While you are there, pop into the popular and well-known Kakadu art gallery (02-9990357) or Nissim Levy's amazing sculpture garden and Kurdish museum (02-9911212)

FRENCH AND ITALIAN GOURMET MEALS
ESTERIKA BAR - RAMAT RAZIEL - 02-5340935, 0506-303203
If you want something delicious but not necessarilly Eastern, try out Esterika Bar's gourmet kitchen on Kibbutz Ramat Raziel. She specializes in small intimate groups. To Get to Ramat Raziel from route 1, take the Beit SHemesh exit, drive on ROute 38 south for several kilometers. Take left turn at route 395 (north) drive for approximately 15 minute and you'll get to Ramat Raziel high up in the mountains.

YAEL ROSENBAUM - ARGENTINIAN GRILL - SRIGIM054-598-7999 Yael specializes in Asado grill cooking. She also opened up a picnic basket business for people taking trips in the area.



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