The southern Golan Heights, characterized by its basalt cliffs and expansive volcanic landscape, serves as a region where deep-seated history and contemporary resilience converge. From the vantage point of the Kfar Haruv cliffs overlooking the Kinneret, the area offers a vista that bridges centuries of memory and modern-day experience. Despite political discourse surrounding the territory—including public assertions by Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa regarding his family’s roots in the Fiq-Kfar Haruv sector—the reality on the ground is defined by a local commitment to hospitality and community.
Liora Shimoni of the Tourism Department at the Golan Economic Association emphasizes the importance of the region’s ongoing tourism activity, noting that even during periods of national focus on the North, the Golan remains a diverse and accessible destination. She highlights that tourism businesses are the “beating heart of the area” and that visitor support is vital for sustaining local livelihoods and community growth.
This spirit of resilience is evident in the local culinary and hospitality sectors. At Givat Yoav, chef Dudie, a graduate of the Tadmor Culinary School, operates a restaurant that has become a social hub. His philosophy of hospitality begins with a glass of local “Golan Water,” a gesture intended to offer dignity and grounding to travelers. The restaurant sources ingredients locally, including beef from pasture-raised cattle in Nov, and serves a diverse clientele ranging from reserve soldiers to families.
Restorative initiatives are also central to the region’s current identity. Kibbutz Kfar Haruv hosts Mitzpe Hashalom, a resort that functions as a community hub. Following the outbreak of war in October 2023, the site provided long-term housing for evacuees from northern border communities. Today, it continues to serve as a base for emotional recovery, offering subsidized water-therapy sessions for reservists and their families through its “Ruach Al HaMayim” center, where therapists like Adi Horwitz lead Watsu sessions.
The region’s ancient heritage is similarly being preserved through a blend of technology and communal effort. At the Ein Keshatot heritage site, managed by Avishag Mironi, a 6th-century synagogue that collapsed in 749 CE has been reconstructed stone by stone using three-dimensional modeling. The site serves as a meeting point for diverse groups, including Orthodox prayer groups and secular visitors. Even when affected by external pressures, such as fires caused by drone strikes, the site has seen continued renewal through the efforts of volunteers, including Taglit-Birthright groups.
Nearby, the ancient city of Susita, or Hippos, provides a skeletal glimpse into Roman-era civic life, with its basilica columns framing the landscape of the Kinneret. In communities like Moshav Ramot, the focus remains on slow, intentional processes, such as the 72-hour dough preparation used at the LOL ART bakery, founded in memory of local pioneers Nava and Moïse.
Looking ahead, the southern Golan is likely to continue balancing its role as a site of historical preservation and a sanctuary for contemporary restoration. As local entrepreneurs and community managers maintain their focus on regional hospitality and heritage, the area may increasingly serve as a model for how communities can integrate past trauma and ancient legacy into a functioning, restorative present. Future visitor engagement will likely remain a critical factor in the region’s ability to sustain its unique blend of agriculture, tourism, and communal life.
