The Northern District

The Northern District of the Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel is one of the country’s largest, most diverse, and historically rich regions. It encompasses the Golan Heights, the Upper and Lower Galilee, the northern valleys, and the Sea of Galilee region, extending from the Galilee Panhandle and the Golan Heights in the north to the Gilboa, Megiddo, and Beit She’an regions in the south.

This is a district where multiple layers of settlement, cultures, and local narratives coexist: ancient cities such as Safed, Tiberias, and Beit She’an; the First Aliyah agricultural settlements; pioneering training farms and early Zionist compounds; kibbutzim and moshavim; Ottoman and British Mandate buildings; historic railway stations and infrastructure; and sites associated with Israel’s security history and the pioneering settlement of the early State.

Alongside these are heritage sites located in Arab villages and the multicultural communities of northern Israel, which are administered by the Council’s National Arab and Circassian District under the leadership of Samer Fallah Al-Haib and the Chair of the Public Committee, Prof. Mustafa Abbasi. This district encompasses all Arab and Circassian communities in Israel and works to preserve historic buildings, traditions, crafts, and local narratives as an integral part of the country’s unique cultural and human mosaic.

The uniqueness of the Northern District lies not only in the sheer number of heritage sites but also in the profound relationship between heritage, landscape, community, and everyday life. Here, nature, agriculture, culture, settlement, and collective memory intersect, requiring a holistic approach that views conservation as a bridge between past, present, and future.

Three Pillars of Activity

The Northern District safeguards the region’s heritage and historic landscape through three principal areas of activity.

Planning and Statutory Conservation

The district works closely with planning authorities, local governments, and district and local planning committees to integrate heritage conservation into planning and development processes.

We promote heritage surveys, documentation projects, and conservation policy documents; provide professional guidance for statutory plans, master plans, and building permits; and work to ensure that heritage assets remain an integral part of evolving urban and rural environments.

In recent years, our work has reflected a comprehensive approach that regards conservation as an essential component of planning, development, and community life—not as an obstacle to progress, but as a means of creating a sustainable future rooted in local identity.

Practical Conservation

The district advances a wide range of projects involving the conservation, restoration, and revitalization of historic buildings and sites.

We work to prevent the demolition or deterioration of heritage properties, promote physical conservation, and facilitate the adaptive reuse of historic buildings so they remain vibrant public assets that serve their communities.

Current initiatives include the restoration of buildings in historic agricultural settlements, the establishment of active heritage centers, the development of military and settlement heritage sites, the conservation of artworks in kibbutzim and public buildings, and the transformation of heritage sites into centers for culture, tourism, and community life.

The approach I advocate views conservation not merely as protecting the past, but as creating the future through meaningful connections between heritage, community, and economic development. Heritage tourism is therefore promoted as an important cultural, educational, and economic resource.

Community, Education, and Culture

Alongside our professional and conservation work, I place great importance on strengthening the public’s connection to heritage through community engagement, education, and cultural initiatives.

The district organizes conferences, seminars, guided tours, exhibitions, cultural events, and educational programs designed to deepen the connection between communities, places, and their local stories.

We continue to expand our network of volunteer Conservation Trustees, local organizations, and community partners, based on the understanding that heritage conservation is a collaborative process connecting people, places, and shared narratives while giving heritage contemporary relevance.

In recent years, the district has also expanded its activities to include the preservation of intangible cultural heritage, including traditional arts, music, crafts, oral histories, and local cultural traditions, recognizing that these elements enrich and give meaning to the historic landscape.

About Me

For more than three decades, I have worked in archaeology, heritage conservation, planning, and community engagement, driven by a deep commitment to connecting heritage, place, and people.

I began my professional career with the Israel Antiquities Authority, where I served for nearly thirty years as a field archaeologist, researcher, and District Director for the Eastern Galilee and Golan Heights, and later for the Lower Galilee and Valleys District.

During this time, I led major archaeological and conservation projects, managed multidisciplinary teams and budgets, and worked to integrate heritage protection into planning and development processes in cooperation with planning authorities, local governments, and government ministries.

Alongside my professional work, I initiated numerous community-based projects aimed at strengthening public engagement with heritage.

Public Committee for Heritage Conservation

The Chair of the Northern District Public Committee is Eyal Betzer, former Head of the Jezreel Valley Regional Council.

Together, we lead conservation initiatives, campaigns to protect heritage sites, strengthen partnerships with local communities and municipalities, and promote heritage conservation throughout northern Israel.

His extensive experience and deep familiarity with the region, local authorities, and government agencies provide an invaluable foundation for advancing heritage conservation across the district.

We have established a Public Committee for Heritage Conservation composed of volunteer Conservation Trustees from throughout northern Israel.

The Committee works actively to increase public awareness of heritage conservation, deepen public understanding of the district’s activities, and provide professional advice, support, and leadership for local conservation initiatives.

Partners in Our Work

Assistant District Director Meital Fishel-Yelinski brings exceptional professionalism, dedication, and strong working relationships with communities and local authorities.

She is a key partner in leading district activities, coordinating public events, advancing conservation projects, and strengthening our connection with the public.

The district’s work is built upon broad cooperation with many partners, including the Council’s executive leadership, district and headquarters staff, managers of heritage sites, the Ministry of Heritage, local authorities, planning institutions, non-profit organizations, volunteer Conservation Trustees, and—most importantly—the communities and residents themselves, whose active participation is essential to preserving and celebrating the heritage of northern Israel.

Looking Ahead

I believe that heritage conservation is not solely about preserving the past. It is a cultural, educational, and community-centered endeavor that shapes quality of life, strengthens our sense of place, and defines the character of the Northern District for both present and future generations.

Protecting and promoting our built cultural heritage enriches public life, creates vibrant and meaningful living environments, and provides a foundation for social, cultural, and economic growth.

It is both our moral obligation to those who came before us and our responsibility to those who will follow.

Guided by this vision, we continue to integrate heritage conservation into planning and development processes, strengthen younger generations’ connection to local heritage, and establish heritage as a living, influential, and enduring element of the Northern District’s future.

With best regards,

Dina Avshalom Gorney
Director, Northern District
Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel

Email: dina@shimur.org.il

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