Jutka Harstein says that I was the first journalist, who wrote about her restaurant in Kibbutz Harduf. May be. It was in far 1994... But I know exactly: Jutka was the first and only person, who was agreed to promote my first visit to Harduf. Other people, to whom I addressed a request for an interview, refused me. "There is closed society, - claimed one of them. - We chose a simple life. Your article would have to destroy our silence." Twenty years ago I had a slim chance to get acquainted this Kibbutz if not Jutka. In this far time she just began her business - the vegetarian organic restaurant.
(this pictures was not taken by me)
Kibbutz Harduf, in the Lower Galilee, was established in 1982 by a group of young families inspired by Anthroposophy, the spiritual philosophy of Dr. Rudolf Steiner. Jutka was born in Romania. She is English teacher. A long years ago she was inspired by ideas of Anthroposophic education and settled in Hurduf, where was set up the first Waldorf School in Israel. Currently Jutka continues to participate in numerous educational programs. (About 150 adult students receive their training in the Waldorf Education Teachers' Training Program, the Social Therapy and Curative Education Training Program and in specialized courses in drama, art therapy, biographical work and more.) But really Jutka's heart is dedicated to food: to health food, to organic food.
Do you agree with me? It's not impossible to create such a cozy restaurant without love!
It's not impossible to cook such exclusive food without love!
"I grew up on Hungarian food, which mostly consisted of different parts of the pig, and I have undergone a long journey from then to now, where I welcome customers to my vegetarian restaurant which serves organic food full of life. Yet my memories from my childhood are all positive. It is true I had to stand in a long queue every morning in communist Romania for milk and bread. But, on the other hand, everything was home-made because the food shops were empty. So food – especially because it was made by Omama (Granny) – was delicious." - wrote Jutka in her book "The living kitchen".
"My relationship to simple food that is grown and cooked with love, my belief in living and cooking without waste, the feeling of harmony and gratefulness for everything that I have, are only a small part of the inheritance of my childhood. The rest you will find in my stories and you will eat through the recipes in this book."
I think, that Jutka's kitchen expresses through "food full of life" the basic principles of anthroposophic philosophy: living in harmony with yourself and with the world.
There are currently about 650 people living in Harduf, of which 170 are children, youth and adults who require special support. As part its unique ideology, Harduf has initiated numerous projects over the years in education, special education, mental health, welfare and organic agriculture. These members, residents of the four rehabilitative frameworks within the kibbutz make up 25% of the kibbutz population and are fully integrated into the kibbutz life. One of these frameworks Hiram Rehabilitative Center for adult with mental health problems. People are living and working here.
What else about Harduf? There are many addition sites to visit and to enjoy or... to study. You may do it with me or with my husband who is a very talented tour guide in Russian.
Bye-bye...
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