Fruits of the Earth

Another meeting of ‘Slow Food’ in the verdant garden of Birgit and Tsaly Reshef as the afternoon breezes of the Upper Galilee dispersed the heat of the late summer day. To one side were serving tables laden with an abundant variety of vegetarian dishes; the program was about the link between plants and humans – biodynamics – as taken from the writings and philosophy of Rudolf Steiner and the talk was to be given by Jutka Harstein who runs the vegetarian restaurant in Kibbutz Harduf. Biodynamic agriculture is practiced there, as in many other places world wide, and is based on being down-to-earth (so to say) – and uses common sense, being conscious of the surrounding land and the inner development of each practitioner. Those who practice biodynamics strive to be self-sufficient in energy, fertilizers, plants and animals and their aim is reliability, cleanliness, order and being up-to-date on each and every aspect of their work.

 “The origins of these practices”, we heard, “are based on the philosophy of Rudolph Steiner”. This brings me to the focal point of my article, for in the course of her animated talk Jutka explained about how the adoption of the philosophy affects not only the people's mode of life but also what is eaten and how it is prepared. After consuming the Upper Galilean produce brought along by the participants and as herbal tea aided digestion I sat with Jutka to discuss more of her beliefs. Our hostess Birgit joined us, revealing that she too had adopted anthroposophy as a young woman. A little red bell rang in my brain transferring the wish to know more but then it was time to finish the wine. However the next day found me back at the Reshef's, hearing about Birgit's beliefs.

Aged 20 in her homeland, Germany, she felt she was searching for a ‘way’ in life; after studying education and art she decided to take the path to special education and went to an open week of meetings and lectures in Stuttgart. She began to work with children with special needs, which she did for three years and then heard about Kfar Rafael in the Negev. This is a remedial community where adults with special needs live together with foster families and their children; many young volunteers, both from Israel and abroad, come there to work and gain experience in this field. The running of the community is based on Steiner's philosophy and aims to serve the complex and changing needs of such people whilst allowing each individual to integrate in a rich and full social environment.

And so Birgit entered into this world and found fulfillment in the methods practiced. As her eyes lit up with a smile, she explained: "It is how one lives life – security and not loneliness." She also met the young man who was to become her first husband. They married in Germany as she was only partially Jewish and there they spent some years when he studied the Waldorf Educational System. Then a big decision was made and they returned to Israel where he set up the initial Waldorf kindergarten in Jerusalem. They had three children who were all brought up with the life philosophy they had adopted. The kindergarten methods are such that children are especially immersed in domestic, practical and artistic activities and music. They are given awareness of changing seasons and the joy of festivals; power of imagination is encouraged with selected stories and free play where they act out scenarios of their own making. They are encouraged to collect objects from nature and use them in play and to enhance their surroundings, and toys are made from natural materials.

The system teaches that there should be order in life, as this is believed to bestow calmness. The first seven years of life are a time of tremendous growth and transformation; during this time countless capacities and skills have to be developed in order for the child to become independent. And in this Birgit firmly believes; changes in life itself came about when the marriage ended, but her faith and beliefs in anthroposophy stayed with her. She married again, began life in the Upper Galilee, had two more children and is content, surrounded by orchards, ponies in the field and four-legged friends also sharing their calm and comfortable home.

It was in Jerusalem through the kindergarten that she first met Jutka, the second part of my article. The following day I took the road to Kibbutz Harduf which is situated in the Lower Galilee. The kibbutz was founded in 1982 and was inspired by the holistic philosophy of Steiner. They developed a special environment where besides opening a Waldorf school, now attended by some 600 pupils of all beliefs from the area, they also opened Beit Elisha - for the rehabilitation of adults with special needs as well as the Tuvia community for children and youth who have been removed from their homes and need a new foster family; and the Hiram, which seeks to help youths who suffer from emotional problems. This is besides cultivating organic produce and providing complementary medicine. Those with special needs are, whenever possible, integrated with the kibbutz members.

The situation of the kibbutz is in itself special – high on a hillside at the end of a winding road leading through the neighboring Arab villages – development in the kibbutz is in tune with the natural surroundings. Jutka awaited us in the simple and welcoming restaurant and took time out to tell her story.

Born in Transylvania to a Jewish father and Christian mother they were part of a minority in a strong dictatorship and this background left the marks of what it feels to be a second class citizen. She tells how her Jewish roots became the strongest and eventually pulled her into coming to Israel with the right of return. She studied English Literature at Ben Gurion University and taught English for eight years at the school in Kfar Menachem. There she married, but over the years did not find the life fulfillment she searched for, nor did she like the practiced system of school education. She was drawn to anthroposophy by a German woman, Magda Meyer, whom she met when Magda came to study Hebrew and find her Jewish roots in Israel.

Besides Jutka there were a number of new teachers in the school to whom Magda spoke and who also found the spiritual development upon which the Waldorf system is based of special interest. They too became convinced that the interaction of body, soul and spirit should go together with intellectual development and they felt that this should be recognized and nourished by the educational system. Jutka found herself strongly drawn to this philosophy and in an effort to find fulfillment and a meaningful personal karma she left Kfar Menachem with her young son and went to live in Jerusalem, where she put him into the Waldorf kindergarten. And there she first met Birgit.

Work as an English teacher did not give her satisfaction and she decided to go to England to study the Waldorf approach to education especially for people with special needs. And thus she was drawn to Forest Row, a village with both school and college based on this formula at Greenfields. The educational system is never from a fixed syllabus or through established tradition, but is created and recreated anew in every school and in every teacher to suit the requirements of the pupils. In the course of studying she found herself especially drawn to the side of biodynamic agriculture and food as introduced by Steiner.

With consideration for food from a spiritualistic point of view, together with a passion for food preparation with respect for the ingredients, she was given the job of running the kitchen which she did for four years.  Then once again an inner calling came about it being time to move on. She wanted to stay in the fulfilling field of food preparation. However, not being able to find an opening for a restaurant in Forest Row, she recalled the couple from Harduf whom she met whilst studying at the school and contacted them with the inner belief, "another place is calling you," and it soon became obvious that this was the right step, as she had an answer from Harduf – "we have a restaurant and it is crying out for a mother!"

So that was her destiny and in 1995 she found herself managing the restaurant and finding fulfillment. She has also written of her food in a recipe book published in Hebrew and illustrated by her now-adult artist son. Just watching her speak as she talks of her life philosophy, of food and the pleasure that its preparation brings into her life is to see complete conviction.  

Further details: www.harduf.org.il or email rest@harduf.org.il