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Friendship across borders: Palatinate and Israeli winemakers against the war
Rhineland-Palatinate: Winemaking friendship between Germany and Israel after Hamas attack - strengthening solidarity and regional partnerships.
Friendship across borders: Palatinate and Israeli winemakers against the war
“The most beautiful wines often come from the strongest friendships.” This is how you could describe the connection between the Palatinate winery Georg Mosbacher and the Israeli winery Vitkin. For 14 years now, the two wineries have maintained a close friendship characterized by mutual support and respect. But since the devastating Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, in which numerous lives were lost, this friendship has been put to a severe test.
The married couple Sabine Mosbacher-Düringer and Jürgen Düringer from Forst are deeply concerned about their friends in Kfar Vitkin, the winemakers Sharona and Doron Belogolovsky. This is also confirmed by the report from rheinpfalz.de, in which the Düringers report a tense atmosphere at their most recent meeting at the “Long Night of Wineries”. Despite the difficult circumstances, conversations about wine and friendship remained at the forefront.
Solidarity in difficult times
In the face of these tragedies, the “Twin Wineries” initiative was created, which aims to connect German and Israeli wineries. A recent campaign under the motto “The Taste of Friendship” was launched to show the compassion of German winemakers for their Israeli partners. More than 40 wineries are involved in this solidarity movement, which sees wine as a cultural link between nations. Vinum reports that this campaign not only strengthens the friendship between winemakers, but also aims to send a message of hope against the horrors of war.
The presence of Italian wines at the “Long Night” created an open atmosphere; visitors showed great interest and interest in the stories behind the wine bottles. This openness helped to overcome inhibitions. “We feel in good hands here in Germany,” said Sharona Paz-Belogolovsky, summing up the thoughts of many Israelis who want to maintain their connections to Germany despite the tense situation.
Challenging times for Israeli society
The effects of the Hamas attack are clearly felt in Israeli society. As Paz-Belogolovsky reports, the conflict not only initially brought the community together, but also led to tensions and unrest. Her sons, who were drafted as reservists, have had traumatic experiences that also put a strain on the family environment.
The desperate hope for peace is further weakened by the continually disappointed expectations. Nevertheless, the connection to the German partners remains strong, because the wine partnership created a friendship that can offer support in stormy times. In the Vitkin and Mosbacher wine shops you can sometimes find each other's wines, which symbolizes the solidarity and mutual exchange that is practiced.
Anyone who has the opportunity should try the wines from the “Twin Wineries” and not only show a bit of friendship, but also a sign of support in difficult times. Because in the world of wine, as in life, it is often the roots grown together that produce the best.