Over the weekend, Yehudit Katzover and Nadia Matar, leaders of the Sovereignty Movement, inaugurated a new Cholent restaurant at the Oz veGaon Nature Reserve in Gush Etzion. The site is operated by Ephraim and Yoni Rozen and serves cholent, the traditional beef-and-grain stew widely associated with Jewish Shabbat meals and often eaten late at night before or after Shabbat. In many communities the dish is also known as hamin.
The opening event was attended by Knesset member Ohad Tal of the Religious Zionist Party.
Katzover and Matar explained that the initiative aims to combine a culinary experience with Jewish tradition. “Efi and Yoni wanted to do something good for the soul and for the reserve, and decided to open a cholent spot - something deeply Jewish, a traditional food enjoyed by Jewish communities everywhere," they said.
At the launch, visitors were served Ashkenazi-style cholent. The organizers added that additional varieties are planned, including Moroccan-style hamin with wheat.
According to the organizers, the evening took place in a festive atmosphere. “It was tasty, pleasant, and warm - another night of Jewish presence filled with joy over the victories and miracles we experience every day and night," they said.
They also addressed the significance of the location. “People asked how this is connected to sovereignty," they said. “The answer is that the owners chose to open specifically in Judea and Samaria to express Jewish identity. There is nothing more associated with Jews around the world than cholent."