The Meiliya fields served until 1990 as a large pasture for growing tobacco in the Land of Israel. The area has been known since the 19th century as the best cultivation area in the Galilee. The majority of the families in Meiliya made their livings from their tobacco fields, and although the cultivation of tobacco ceased being a main and important source of income, you can find to this day in the alleyways of Meiliya, clusters of tobacco hanging on the roofs and the balconies, as although making a living from tobacco has ceased, the tradition of cultivating the tobacco in is the DNA of Meiliya and to this day they continue to cultivate tobacco for their own enjoyment.
Tobacco House, with clusters of tobacco hanging from its ceiling, tells the agricultural story of tobacco in Meiliya. This is an ancient building constructed in 1914, and it belongs to the Kassis family, an agricultural family who made their living in the past cultivating tobacco and olive groves, and who cultivated the tobacco fields until 1990, when the cigarette producer “Dubek” stopped purchasing tobacco from the farmers and cultivation of tobacco stopped being a source of income.
In the house, with its walls soaked in history, one can learn about the life of the Kassis family who lived in it for many years, together with their animals, everyone in one space.
The house is constructed on two levels: on the first level the animals lived who were brought inside the house during the winter to protect them from the cold and rain; and the family lived on the upper level.
The items in the house tell the story about the family’s life: an ancient table, original cupboards: one of them was brought as a dowry in 1890 from Halab in Syria, the other served as a cupboard for bed linen and another cupboard served as a wardrobe. You will also find “the ant cupboard” a cupboard used for food with netting on the front designed to protect it from ants and other insects on the one hand, and to enable ventilation on the other. At the side is a baby’s cradle and on the walls photographs of the family throughout the generations. There are two fireplaces – one for the women and the other for the men. Each of them had a function designated for each of the sexes: the women’s fireplace served for heating water and cooking, the men’s fireplace for heating water and washing.
The ceiling of the house has been preserved in entirety, and it is made of planks of the margosa tree (the margosa is a bitter tree that is not infested by worms) and from bamboo, which insulate the ceiling from the cold and heat.
The visit to Tobacco House is accompanied by an explanation and at the start a movie is screened about the tobacco cultivation in Meiliya and about the production process.
The visit is designed for groups of 15 and upwards.
The visit includes screening of the movie and the explanation and costs NIS 12 per person.
You can add homemade wine and arak tasting for NIS 20 per person.
Tobacco House, with clusters of tobacco hanging from its ceiling, tells the agricultural story of tobacco in Meiliya. This is an ancient building constructed in 1914, and it belongs to the Kassis family, an agricultural family who made their living in the past cultivating tobacco and olive groves, and who cultivated the tobacco fields until 1990.
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The Meiliya fields served until 1990 as a large pasture for growing tobacco in the Land of Israel. The area has been known since the 19th century as the best cultivation area in the Galilee. The majority of the families in Meiliya made their livings from their tobacco fields, and although the cultivation of tobacco ceased being a main and important source of income, you can find to this day in the alleyways of Meiliya, clusters of tobacco hanging on the roofs and the balconies, as although making a living from tobacco has ceased, the tradition of cultivating the tobacco in is the DNA of Meiliya and to this day they continue to cultivate tobacco for their own enjoyment.
Tobacco House, with clusters of tobacco hanging from its ceiling, tells the agricultural story of tobacco in Meiliya. This is an ancient building constructed in 1914, and it belongs to the Kassis family, an agricultural family who made their living in the past cultivating tobacco and olive groves, and who cultivated the tobacco fields until 1990, when the cigarette producer “Dubek” stopped purchasing tobacco from the farmers and cultivation of tobacco stopped being a source of income.
In the house, with its walls soaked in history, one can learn about the life of the Kassis family who lived in it for many years, together with their animals, everyone in one space.
The house is constructed on two levels: on the first level the animals lived who were brought inside the house during the winter to protect them from the cold and rain; and the family lived on the upper level.
The items in the house tell the story about the family’s life: an ancient table, original cupboards: one of them was brought as a dowry in 1890 from Halab in Syria, the other served as a cupboard for bed linen and another cupboard served as a wardrobe. You will also find “the ant cupboard” a cupboard used for food with netting on the front designed to protect it from ants and other insects on the one hand, and to enable ventilation on the other. At the side is a baby’s cradle and on the walls photographs of the family throughout the generations. There are two fireplaces – one for the women and the other for the men. Each of them had a function designated for each of the sexes: the women’s fireplace served for heating water and cooking, the men’s fireplace for heating water and washing.
The ceiling of the house has been preserved in entirety, and it is made of planks of the margosa tree (the margosa is a bitter tree that is not infested by worms) and from bamboo, which insulate the ceiling from the cold and heat.
The visit to Tobacco House is accompanied by an explanation and at the start a movie is screened about the tobacco cultivation in Meiliya and about the production process.
The visit is designed for groups of 15 and upwards.
The visit includes screening of the movie and the explanation and costs NIS 12 per person.
You can add homemade wine and arak tasting for NIS 20 per person.
