5 recommendations for a day trip to the heart of the Sharon

This week, 20 guides explored the Lev Hasharon Council, uncovering hidden gems for a day trip filled with olive groves, forests, botanical gardens, and ice skating delights.

  (photo credit: Lev Hasharon Council)
(photo credit: Lev Hasharon Council)

This week the Sharon Council initiated a special tour for 20 tour guides that combines learning, spectacular views, an oil harvester, a forest, a botanical garden and ice skating for dessert. The purpose of the tour is to acquaint the guides with the many places and activities in Lev Hasharon as part of a vision to promote tourism in the region in order to bring as many travelers as possible to Lev Hasharon.

CEO of the Lev Hasharon Council Nissan Kanafi: "As part of an exposure tour for guides and tour guides at tourist sites in the council, we started by getting to know the group and then they went to several sites throughout the council. I met them at their last stop at the Ilanot Forest Visitor Center where they watched a film about the forest and on this occasion I shared with them In my personal experience as a resident in the heart of the Sharon and why this place is so sought after, I told about the tourist projects that are being planned and are starting to take shape these days, many thanks to the tourism committee headed by Sharon Ben Ari and of course to the guiding singer and storyteller from Moshav Yaef.

  (credit: Lev Hasharon Council)
(credit: Lev Hasharon Council)

Recommended places for a fascinating and fun sightseeing day

The 5th Brigade Memorial - The 5th Brigade, also called the Sharon Design, was tasked on the eve of the Six Day War with the defense of the Sharon region, Israel's narrow waist, where only about 16 kilometers separated the Mediterranean coast from the border with Jordan. 

Kerem Zadok - harvesting and stopping the oil in Moshav Gaolim are done on the same day, under conditions of maximum hygiene without human contact. The oil is extracted by cold pressing. A special experience for the whole family.

  (credit: Pascal Peretz-Robin)
(credit: Pascal Peretz-Robin)

Commemorative monument to the children of Oslo-Binov - a view to the east towards the mountains of Samaria (Grizim and Ibal), the settlements of Lev Hasharon and Emek Hefer.

During 1949, the process of bringing about 200 children from North African countries began. On 11/20/1949, a round of 2 flights left for Oslo with the aim of continuing from there to Israel. The first plane reached its destination safely. The second plane that left Tunis for Oslo with 28 children on it. Just before arriving at the destination and during the descent before landing, the plane hit the tops of trees in a forest south of Oslo.

A fire broke out in the plane and it fell into pieces. All the passengers of the plane and the crew were killed with the exception of 11-year-old Yitzhak Elel who was sitting in the back of the plane which was detached from the body of the burning plane. Yitzhak was not injured as a result of the crash and managed to survive the intense cold that prevailed in the area thanks to the fire that continued to burn in the plane and warmed him and as a result of a crate of apples he fed on for 3 days until he was rescued.

Ilanot Forest - forest, forest botanical garden (arboretum) and visitor center. In the heart of the Sharon is a unique forest, unparalleled in Israel. 750 species of trees grow side by side and represent a huge selection of places around the world. A tour of the forest is an experience for nature lovers and an opportunity to get to know foreign, strange and wonderful trees, some of which have a fascinating exotic appearance. KKL-Junk runs a visitor center in Ilanot that is entirely dedicated to trees, combines the latest technologies in the field, and offers its visitors a one-of-a-kind experience.

One ice - To end the fascinating day, we recommend ice skating with the children at At Tnuvut, a fun experience for both children and adults.