Justin Baldoni needs a spiritual break in Israel
The actor/director could use less Hollywood heat — and a little Baháʼí peace
In its commitment to enhancing Israel’s hospitality landscape, the Fattal group is in overdrive with 15 new properties in stages of development, but Hotel Botanica – an upscale, adults-only establishment is already open for business.
More importantly the 163-room hotel is the most likely place to spot actor Justin Baldoni, because it is located at the foot of Haifa’s renowned Bahá’í Gardens and only a 1,700 step climb to the Shrine of the Báb.
Baldoni ,widely recognized for his role in Jane the Virgin, is a man of layered spirituality and deep convictions because he was born to an Italian Catholic father and an Ashkenazi mother who converted to the Baháʼí faith, and while acknowledging his ancestral Jewish roots, Baldoni is also a devout Baháʼí member who has made pilgrimages to Israel to visit the Baháʼí holy sites which was “the spiritual highlight of my life.”
That was in 2022 and before Baldoni became embroiled in controversy as a result of his film, It Ends With Us and creative differences with co-star, Blake Lively. While Baldoni directed the movie, Lively also served as a producer, leading to reported tensions over creative control and the situation escalated when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment and an orchestrated smear campaign against her.
Baldoni has vehemently denied these allegations and responded with a $400 million countersuit, but as it’s the talk of Hollywood, the actor/ director is likely to be in need of some spiritual respite and a good rest at the Botanica‘s rooftop pool, gym, spa and restaurant, and the Baháʼí Gardens are only 450 meters away.
Should Baldoni choose to extend his stay, the Dan Hotel group is also growing in the pine-scented hills of northern Israel in Safed (Tzfat), where the Ruth Safed Hotel has beautifully appointed rooms with views of the always-green Mount Meron.
Safed is definitely a bit of Baldoni because it is one of the ‘four holy cities’ and each represents a different spiritual element: Jerusalem is fire, Hebron earth, Tiberias water, and Safed is air. What makes Safed so compelling for the spiritually inclined is its deep-rooted association with Kabbalah. In the 16th century, after the Spanish Expulsion of 1492 , the city was home to Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, more famously known as the Arizal – a towering figure in Jewish mysticism. He passed away just two years after he arrived in 1570, but his teachings transformed the city into a Kabbalistic centre.
Blending ancient architecture with modern comfort, the Ruth Safed sits within the original stone walls, has a large outdoor pool and offers farm-to-table cuisine from local producers. Add in the well-stocked wine cellar showcasing regional vineyards and you’ve really got the makings of a spiritual experience. Safed and Haifa – a two-centre trip made for Baldoni.
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