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Noah Caf�-Gallery
Tamar Wisemon
Safed, Rehov Yitzhak Levanon (near General Exhibition Hall), Artists� ColonyTel. (04) 682-1732Sun.-Fri.: 10 a.m.-midnightSat.: after Sabbath-midnight
The glow from a bold, stained-glass door adorned with stars beckons passersby from the narrow, cobbled alleyway into the enchantment of the East. Cavernous, arched rooms, in traditional Safed blue, are lined with bright, cushioned benches, Beduin rugs and low, ornately painted tables.
The furniture, hand-crafted by owners Menachem Mehadipur (he�s Israeli-born of Persian origin) and his artist wife, Miriam, both in their 40s, reflects a Moroccan influence. But her richly detailed paintings, mirrors and screens are straight out of India. Unlike her sari-clad models, the creator of this Eastern romance is a freckled, jeans-clad Dutch woman, her ginger braids topped by a cheerful scarf. Miriam, who has never visited India, can�t explain why she paints in this style.
After wandering through Europe, the couple fell in love with this Arab building in Safed, and decided to put down roots here. Named after the Biblical Noah, who set out to establish a more beautiful, innocent world, the Mehadipurs see their caf� as �a place to take off your shoes, relax and experience something real and natural.� During the year it took to restore the building, they consulted with the Antiquities Authority and elderly local Arabs to ensure they used authentic materials, a combination of lime, sand and clay (�No cement�) and original techniques. When they excavated the floor of the innermost room, they discovered a small well, which is proudly illuminated and surrounded by a low fence; the water (they checked it out of curiosity) �doesn�t taste bad� according to Miriam, though it�s not on the menu.
A handwritten card offers espresso (6 shekels, or $1.50), quiche (29 shekels) and cake (12-17 shekels). The food is kosher (though there is no kashrut certificate) and the atmosphere is seductively languorous.
Good Taste
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