The Way to Jerusalem Wins Prestigious European Wine Heritage Award

Ancient Pilgrimage Route Recognized for Cultural Excellence and Community-Centered Tourism

 November 2025:  The Way to Jerusalem Pilgrimage Way has been awarded the prestigious Iter Vitis – Cultural Wine Heritage Award for 2025, granted by the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe. This recognition celebrates the cultural and community mission of the route, and its leadership in meaningful, human-centered tourism that connects people, traditions, and land.

 "Binding his donkey to the vine, and his colt to the choice wine branch; he washes his garments in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes." This ancient blessing, spoken by Jacob to his son Judah, the future leader of the Tribe of Judah, is far more than a promise of agricultural abundance. It positions Judah as a center of culture, identity, community, and cultivation—a place where the land is fertile, communities flourish, and human encounters are woven into the very nature of the path.

 A Modern Pilgrimage Rooted in Ancient Paths

 The Way to Jerusalem is a 111-kilometer pilgrimage beginning at the historic Port of Jaffa and ending at Jaffa Gate, the entrance to Jerusalem's Old City. It is an accessible walking route that brings pilgrims into direct contact with diverse communities—ancient and new—with the living wine heritage of the Judean Hills, and with landscapes that carry stories thousands of years old.

 Along the way, pilgrims stay within local communities in villages, towns, and neighborhoods where they meet residents, listen to their stories, and engage in meaningful intercultural and interfaith dialogue. It is a slow, human, honest form of travel—echoing the way this land has been walked for generations.

 With the guidance of leading historians, archaeologists, and researchers, the ancient pathways once used by merchants, travelers, and pilgrims have been carefully reconstructed. These routes carried faith, trade, hospitality, and encounter—and even today, the emotional and cultural experience of walking them remains remarkably similar.

 The Wine Heritage of the Judean Hills

 In its mountainous section, the route passes through the heart of the Judean Hills wineries, an area where the vine has shaped local identity for millennia. The wineries along the way are not merely places to rest—they are living testimony to an agricultural tradition that continues to evolve.

 Together they form the Judea Wine Region—a distinct geographical area with unique flavors that has received its blessing from Jacob our forefather until our days, and is now recognized worldwide as an official wine appellation under the name The Judean Wine Region. The succession of wineries along the route tells an ancient story of land, spirit, and community—a story that continues to be written today.

 A Pilgrimage for Our Time

 This is a modern pilgrimage that binds past and future—walking through communities, experiencing genuine hospitality, engaging in multicultural and international dialogue, supporting local economies, and honoring the values of slow, sustainable, and responsible travel.

 The Way to Jerusalem Pilgrimage Route invites every person—regardless of gender, age, culture, or faith—to experience a journey that bridges past and present, land and people, tradition and contemporary meaning. A journey walked in simplicity, humility, and gratitude.

 The People Behind the Path

The initiative that brought the Way to Jerusalem back to life was created by Yael Tarasiuk Nevo and Golan Rice. Golan, a researcher of ancient and modern pilgrimage routes with extensive experience walking routes such as the Camino de Santiago, brings deep knowledge of history, culture, and interreligious dialogue. Yael, a community builder and leader of social projects, specializes in connecting people and fostering inclusive and resilient communities.

 Together, they mapped the historical routes, consulted archaeologists and scholars, and established a modern pilgrimage path that is safe, accessible, and grounded in community. Their shared work strengthens local economies, empowers residents, and revives one of the oldest cultural journeys in the world—a path that connects people, landscapes, and stories across time.