Kibbutz Neot Semadar: Israel's desert oasis quenches thirst for tranquility, nature’s raw beauty

According to the UN organization, “Rural tourism destinations with accredited cultural and natural assets, a commitment to preserving community-based values, and a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability across economic, social, and environmental dimensions” are the criteria based on which it bestows the award.

“As a predominantly insulated community, we did worry about the implications of entering the competition and receiving global exposure. Group discussions still revolve around how we can find a balance that will allow us to invite guests in without endangering our distinct way of life,” said Advah Meir Weil, the director of Neot Semadar’s Art Center.

The kibbutz is indeed unique. Made up of residents and volunteers, it numbers approximately 250 individuals. It cherishes a modest lifestyle, veganism, homegrown organic produce, leaving as little a carbon footprint in the form of a “waste not want not” approach, and existing in harmony with nature, oneself, and one’s community.

Barry Eshed, a tall, lean, tanned man of the land and one of the tour guides at the kibbutz, described a day in the life of a Neot Semadar member as people rising before dawn to tend to the livestock, farm, kitchens, or whatever is needed, depending on one’s designated role. Then, members sit down for a hearty breakfast at 8 a.m., eaten in complete silence, after which work continues until approximately 1 p.m., when the focus shifts to rudimentary maintenance tasks.

The community exists to sustain the community. Most, for example, do not receive a paycheck. Instead, kibbutz members are allotted provisions based on their evolving needs. Another interesting practice related to this concept has to do with transience – no one keeps the same occupation or lives in the same home for over seven years. If a family unit grows, for instance, so does the house it is granted. A farmer can find herself in the position of office manager, then kindergarten teacher, then tour guide. Nothing ever stays the same; stagnation, a mundane routine, is simply not an option.

Although unusual, “Everyone here is here by choice,” Meir Weil said. “We are interested in nurturing a communal sense of social and environmental responsibility. What we would also like to do now is share the enriching impact this can have with others.”

Honoring one of the UN’s stipulations that winners demonstrate they can preserve their uniqueness, the community has decided to launch a winter program, inviting the public in, but in a manner that does not feel intrusive.

“We do want to avoid being gawked at, which is why our guest rooms are in a separate section of the kibbutz,” Meir Weil noted. “That said, visitors will have the chance to interact with our members directly, be it via our guided tours, workshops, and a variety of other exciting activities that we are now offering as part of our winter program.”

Guests at Neot Semedar can experience rising to the whistling of the desert’s winds, hiking through stunning mountainous terrain, sampling a diet bursting with rich, earthy flavors, engaging with singular human beings, and entering an environment rife with creative outlets.

The kibbutz offers 22 guest rooms. These are simple, elegant, and decent-sized huts built from natural materials. Modest but accommodating, the rooms come with amenities such as a kitchenette and a small fridge. Careful to keep the use of artificial lights to a minimum after dark, lodgers are likely to be lulled to sleep by a still, dark night. With a dazzling desert view, particularly noteworthy is waking up at dawn to peer through the window, witnessing the sun washing over the soft beiges of vast, majestic hills dotted with palms.

If you are lucky, you may even run into the science station’s director, bubbly astronomer Prof. David Polishook, and watch as he expresses dismay over the moon “being too bright tonight,” enthusiasm over Saturn’s potential disappearance, and joy that on a nightly tour just like this, a woman who once partook in it “has since made me the happiest husband and father alive.”

The community’s distillery produces distinctly flavored organic alcoholic beverages. Shmuel Roze, the kibbutz’s contemporary winemaker, said that locally grown produce – dates, apples, and grapes, which undergo a natural fermentation process, is to blame for the delicious outcome. Adventurous explorers will not be disappointed when sampling the cheese drizzled with olive oil produced by the kibbutz, along with the beverages.

For those with a hankering for flavorful vegan cuisine made with fresh, locally grown ingredients, stopping by the kibbutz’s restaurant is another great option.

Located on Highway 40 near the Shizafon junction. For more information, visit: neot-semadar.com/en/tours-visits/pundak-neot-semadar

Particularly fun for kids, this tracking session is engaging and educational. Don’t let the desert outfox you into thinking it is deserted, lead tracker Danny Ronen is likely to say. Examine the paw prints, hoof marks, and footprints left in the sand. They tell a story – let’s discover what that story is. Foxes, wolves, deer, and onagers are just some of the wildlife people will likely catch a hint of during this playful adventure.

The kibbutz is extending an invitation to book a scheduled tour of the compound, during which participants will have the opportunity to converse with a longtime member who will discuss the community’s value system, including what made it special enough to receive the UN award.

It took 14 years for impassioned community members to erect the Neot Semadar Art Center. With an unmistakable phallic symbol rising in its midst, the center, inspired by Moroccan architecture – right down to its embedded cooling system – is certainly one-of-a-kind. Upon gazing at the structure’s soft pastels of blush and sapphire, one half expects to see a delicately clad harem breezing through the palace-like hallways. The public is invited to tour the center, which also features a lovely gift shop with artisan goods made by local residents.

Beyond a general tour, Neot Semadar is running seminars in the facility as part of its winter program. One-time Haaretz graphic designer Hadar Segal is leading the Inspiration Notebook workshop in her painting studio. Fit for a group of up to 12 individuals per session, children and adults alike can engage in designing booklets from start to finish using acrylic paint and watercolors. It is well worth asking Segal about the jars of color on display for a firsthand account of how she produces pigments from natural resources.

Lastly, for those interested in other handcrafted options, such as sculpting or natural home remedies, artisanal work tutorials have been set up throughout the Art Center for this purpose.

Neot Semadar supplies a charming, off-the-beaten-track type of experience. Following the international exposure to this little spot of heaven on Earth, “interest in the complex has spiked to an all-time high,” Lital Shmueli, the Hevel Eilot Regional Council’s director of tourism, said. “The 22 guest rooms currently available are fully booked on weekends for the foreseeable future, which means that Neot Semadar is going to need to expand.”

Considering this, a large event hall is currently under construction, with one of its designations being to cater to yoga lovers seeking a calm retreat. As for the kibbutz’s winter season program, it will run until March 15.

Neot Semadar’s large variety of tours and workshops offers something for everyone. Perhaps this unconventional community has found the balance it was looking for after all: Weaving tourists into its tapestry for a fleeting moment in a way that perfectly preserves its own dynamic, transient nature.