In 1982, right after Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, We left our home near Sharem A-Sheik and headed north to the Galilee. We left behind the white sands of the Sinai desert and the clear beautiful red sea, but we did not want to give up a simple life of peace and quiet, surrounded by unspoiled nature.
Inspired by the permaculture and organic farming movements in the US, and with images from Robinson Crusoe in our minds, we dreamt of a little farm where we could build our life and cultivate the land with our own hands. A place to produce our own food, craft local materials into useful items and build from used items that carry the grace of a disappearing world of crafts and local traditions.
After a long search for a possible location, we settled on the southern slope of Mount Kutar in the Upper Galilee and turned a new leaf in our lives. It was a stip southern slope of a bare mountain, with no water and only two olive trees for shade.
For the next 18 months, we built our stone house and lived in an improvised tent. We grew our vegetables in a little patch, using water that we had to fetch from ancient water holes up the mountain. Those were long hard working days and quiet nights by candle light.
After the house was built we started cultivating our little farm, slowly turning stones into terraces and the slope in to a stepped garden. We planted olive trees, grape vines, figs, vegetable, and herb gardens, and raised our own goats and chicken.
Soon enough people started coming by, wondering about the little green patch the farm has become, and we always liked having people come over to share the shade of the trees and the produce of the farm with us. In 1990 we decided to make this way of life into a small family business and built the first cabin. As years past and the farm developed and matured we added new cabins one by one. Today there are 5 beautiful cabins at kadita.
People often ask us whether it was not difficult to live such an independent life in a remote, isolated place, aspecially in the early years. And we readily admit that it's not always easy. Is such a life worth the effort? When you have visited us you might be able to give your own answer.