As part of the "Municipal Tourism Administration" course in the tourism track of the Department Management of Service Organizations, third-year students embarked on a tour of two unique houses in Ein Karem.  The tour was held as part of the "Stories of Women in Jerusalem" project, initiated by the Culture, Society and Leisure Administration of the Jerusalem Municipality. Women of Jerusalem opened their hearts and doors to groups that arrived to experience their unique way of life. 

The tour was conducted in two homes in the Ein Karem neighborhood:

"Eco Home in Ein Karem"– the Home of Ms. Oria Amit

The visit to this home was directly linked to the course "Rural Tourism Management", in which students studied the Fundamentals of Eco and Sustainable Tourism, and also got a sample of "The Ecotourism Niche."  Viewing this home provided students with the opportunity to actually experience an ecological home within the city limits, constituting a tourist attraction. Ms. Amit spoke with us about the fundamentals of green living and their significance, while providing demonstrations her home, such as a garden that is irrigated with greywater, an organized recycling system, autonomous electricity generation, compost services, a solar oven, and more.  In addition, they viewed samples of cosmetic products and other items that were made by Ms.Amit.  Organic refreshments were served and the preparation of a homemade ecological laundry detergent kit was also demonstrated. 

 

"Kurdish Festival in the Yemenite Valley (Emek Hateimanim)" – The Home of Ms. Dalia Harfouf

The visit to this home featured the "Ethnic Tourism Niche," while providing a hands-on experience. The reception at Dalia's home was accompanied by Kurdish singing and dancing.  This was followed by the story of the childhood experiences of a woman born to a Kurdish family, as told by Ms. Harfouf, who arrived in her youth to reside with her husband in the isolated Ein Karem neighborhood, which encountered development hardships for many years.  The visit included a hands-on experience of making Kurdish kuba (kubeh-fried croquette with minced beef). The students learned how to make kuba soup and ultimately ate the fruit of their labor.

The tour met all expectations and enhanced the students' understanding of the concepts studied in the course.

We extend our gratitude to all those who were involved in preparing and implementing this tour: our fourth-year student Alicia Kisiliov, who initiated the tour; Alona of the Jerusalem Municipality, Doron Pesachovitch, Sima Sherry, and of course Oria Amit and Dalia Harfouf.