Northern Border Businesses to Take Center Stage at Jaffa Port Fair

Dozens of farmers, artists and producers from Israel’s northern border area will arrive on Wednesday, June 17, at Warehouse 2 in Jaffa Port for the three-day “Heart with the North” fair. The event, organized with Channel 12 News and Jaffa Port, is meant to support evacuees and business owners from the north who were hurt during the war. Visitors will be able to buy goods directly from the businesses, without middlemen.

Among the participants is the family boutique winery Kerem Har Zemer from Dishon in the Upper Galilee. The winery tells the story of the Gidassi family, three generations tied to the land, whose roots trace from Yemen through the desert to their holding in the Galilee. The family says its farming and alcohol-making tradition goes back more than 100 years, beginning in 1905.

The family story starts with grandmother Malka Gidassi, who came to Israel with traditional knowledge of alcohol production and herbal remedies. Her daughter Mazal and Mazal’s husband Shlomo, who also came from Yemen, were among the founders of Moshav Dishon. They planted vineyards and passed their knowledge and connection to the land to later generations. Today, third-generation member Ofer Gidassi runs the winery, which was founded in 2012.

Gidassi oversees the full production process, from the family-owned vineyard to the bottle. He says the winery combines old family traditions with modern winemaking technology and careful year-round vineyard care. “Full control over the grape quality allows us to produce wine with minimal intervention in the production process,” he said. The fair, which runs through Friday, June 19, will also feature food stalls, seasonal produce, honey, jams, olive oils, chocolates, cheeses, fresh meats, jewelry, ceramics, fashion, accessories and vintage items, plus street performances and live coverage from Channel 12 with Guy Varon and Almog Boker.