“Every moment is the new beginning.” Ellie Wiesel 

Yesterday was the 15th of the Hebrew Month Shevat, known as the new year for trees, also called Tu Bishvat. This date is important as it signifies the date on which trees are starting to bloom, so to celebrate, we eat the fruit mostly associated with Israel: pomegranates, dates, olives, figs, and grapes.  

It seems strange to celebrate a holiday associated with not yet visible fruits. However, this is an excellent lesson for us all, in that a lot must happen behind the scenes before you can enjoy the fruit. The process is the source of celebration, and this marks its beginning.

We had a team meeting a few weeks ago, and I made this point. We are at a breakthrough time in the GCI’s existence, where we are getting ready to move everything to the next level. In 2022, we will need to have everything together to launch our culinary institute and start the restaurant and tourism programs. This is no short task, and I am excited to be able to bring you monthly updates. 

Speaking of new beginnings, today we are launching our Podcast, “What’s Burning.” Our podcast invites experts from across the food industry and globe to discuss reimagining culinary education to prepare the next generation of food professionals. Our host, Mitchell Davis, who we also interviewed in this month’s newsletter, is not only someone we really like, but he also is great at capturing what is most important from our guests through meaningful conversation. Mitchell has helped us since the beginning during several of our summits and is doing such a fantastic job with “What’s Burning.” For those of you who don’t know, the first two weeks are crucial to being seen on a podcast platform, so please subscribe and rate our show to get some great momentum.  

This month we also started filming a new video pilot series, highlighting what makes the Galilee and the North of Israel unique. We made a few dishes in the kitchen with some major Israeli influencers and met with who I would say, is the top chef from the Galilee. Last, we went foraging with one of Israel's leading experts in the field, so stay tuned for our pilot series coming soon. 

A few more GCI updates. We have been receiving so many great pre-applicants and will be inviting pre-applicants to our full application this month. We just finished demolition and are finalizing our annual budget. Finally, we are figuring out our plan to bring on new team members and get active on social media. We met with several schools here in Israel, and some new partnerships are being formed. We love every moment of this!   

Last, as we start 2022, I want to say that I am truly humbled by the tremendous support we are getting from JNF USA partners, local businesses, and local leaders. This is not only monetary support but intellectual capital and people sharing with us their time and knowledge. This month I traveled to Tel Aviv to speak to a few people about our vision, and every person (major leaders in the Israeli culinary scene) want to help in the best way possible; it is amazing to see people come together around common goals and genuinely giving with such an open heart. 

I know 2021 was a rough year for the world, but as I mentioned in the beginning of this, I feel everything is starting to change for the good. Therefore, 2022 should be the most fruitful year of all.  Thank you, everyone, for joining us on this journey. 

L’chaim (To life)  

Nathan