A Day of Fun in Nachal Shnir (Snir Stream) – A Purifying Experience
On one particularly hot summer day in August, I decided that I needed to rejuvenate myself in the fresh, and icy, waters that streams directly down from Mt. Hermon. Yes, I could have traveled to Switzerland but why? Snir Stream is only one hour’s drive from my home in Zichron Yaacov. We can go to the beach any time throughout the year. But what’s good for the rest of the year – sea, sand and paddleball – is not quite right when what you want to recharge your batteries. Snir Stream, also known as the Hasbani, meets and surpasses all of these expectations.
Originating in Lebanon, this icy, freshwater stream is one of the three main sources of the Jordan River that travels along 65 kilometers of lush, blossoming green vista that is teeming with fish and birds, all working together to reinvigorate the body and soul of all visitors. In particularly rainy years, 300 million cubic meters of fresh ‘thirst-quenching’ water can flow through this stream! Hiking on a spectacularly beautiful yet moderately easy path while stopping every so often to immerse yourself in the running stream waters, you will enjoy one of the most purifying and refreshing experiences available, transporting yourself from the middle of the hot, steamy Israeli summer into a completely different world of Eastern plane trees, and vast, dense tracts of fern forests. The branched species are somewhat reminiscent of the baobab trees mentioned in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince. A magical world that is nothing like the world outside the nature reserve.
Until you reach Snir Stream in your air conditioned car and exit into the hot summer, you are still in another place. Hiking, you enter a world with a completely different climate. Dark green vegetation and strong flowing waters surround you in every direction. We went in our bathing suits, meeting other travelers, Israeli and foreigners, of all ages and languages along the way, slipping on the gorgeous pebbles, taking pictures, laughing, standing under the secreted yet surprisingly powerful waterfalls.
Here, any mention of politics, Israeli or otherwise, is completely forgotten. The outside world, in fact, becomes a distant memory. The stream is a nature reserve that embraces and engulfs you, shielding you from the outside.
We ended this exceptional trip at a local restaurant, Dag al Hadan, fully enjoying the fine, healthy salads made from the finest products available in this Land of Milk and Honey. Succulent Yemenite pitas are baked on site in the oven. Trout, and everything else, is smoked. Our gorgeous waitress, a kibbutznikit who landed in Israel from Australia (!) to earn money and travel, delicately and skillfully filleted our fish. All that was left to do was imbibe the fine wine and pray that all of this beauty and goodness in Eretz Yisrael will never come to an end.
About the Author
The daughter of a venerable Jerusalemite family whose father studied in “Heder” Hameah Shaarim and served as a cantor, Varda is a fifth-generation Israeli. Varda was born in Em Hamoshavot, the largest and most central city in Eretz Israel founded by Jerusalemites such as her grandfather who relocated to this new place from Lubbes (former name of Petah Tikva). These pioneers built homes, paved roads and planted groves.
Educator, journalist and author, Varda seeks out the hidden treasures in Eretz Israel. In this blog, she tells you everything you need to know about this special country in terms of climate, history, recreation, routes and seasons.
