Gush Etzion

Explore the vibrant tapestry of Gush Etzion, from its historical landmarks to economic initiatives. From this article, you’ll gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Gush Etzion’s role in shaping Israel’s past, present, and future. The Rebirth and Flourishing Community of Kfar Etzion Kfar Etzion was established in the 1920s but was abandoned during the Arab riots of 1929. It was re-established in the 1940s by a group of Jewish settlers. The settlement was a focal point of conflict during the 1948 war. In May 1948, just before the establishment of the State of Israel, Kfar Etzion fell to Jordanian...

After the Yom Kippur War, a group known as the ‘Ma’aleh Adumim group’, which was organized in Jerusalem and included members from all walks of life and from all walks of life set out to inhabit the area of Ma’aleh Adumim. After much effort, in the year 1975, the Government of Israel decided to approve the establishment of a residential camp for the workers in the area (the area now called Givat HaMayasdim) and henceforth a new Jewish community was established. Ma’aleh Adumim is a community largely comprised of families. As such the municipality does a great job of giving...

Derech Avot (road of the fathers). This road, which still exists, gets its name from the fact that it is the road that all of the Jewish patriarchs traveled while they resided in Israel. Bat Ayin was established by seven families led by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburg in 1989, on land originally purchased by Jews before 1948, which, under Jordanian rule until 1967, was treated as “enemy property”. Bat Ayin is located within the jurisdiction of the Gush Etzion Regional Council. In 2015 it had a population of 1,226. The city is located in the portion of Israel that was designated...

Over 8,000 people flocked to Kibbutz Rosh Tzurim in the Gush Etzion region in Judea, just south of Jerusalem on Friday for the annual cherry picking festival, less than two weeks after a nearby cherry orchard was attacked and torched by Arab assailants. The assailants responsible for the pre-dawn attack, using burning tires, have so far not been identified. Nevertheless, the festival continued and hundreds of families and took the opportunity to enjoy a healthy, natural and fun day out. Visitors were told that it was an “all you can eat” affair, and that they could take home baskets of...

It was after Shlomit and her family moved to Bat Ayin that a chance encounter created the impetus for Shlomit to start producing her own organic cosmetics. Shlomit recounts that about 11 years ago, her husband Tomer, who was running a survival training camp for the boys in their community, became sick and was unable to continue leading the camp. He asked Shlomit to take over the camp that day and to teach the kids something special. Shlomit took the opportunity to first teach the boys about a variety of plants and to then gather those plants with the boys....

At a ceremony in the Gush Etzion (Judea) region of Israel – in commemoration of the jubilee or 50 year anniversary of the return of the Jewish people to the Judea, Samaria, the Golan and the Jordan Valley areas of Israel – soldiers who are currently serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) received packages from Lev Haolam. These soldiers held senior positions in the IDF and were presented the gift packages by the Gush Etzion regional commander, Sharone Asman. The IDF specifically wanted to present the soldiers with packages assembled and arranged by Lev Haolam so as to match...

We traveled to Tekoa to meet with Olga, to hear her story and – although we did know it beforehand – to stand in awe by her masterpieces. Olga crafts stunning handmade candles that are bright even before being lit. Olga is truly an artist. The work that went into creating the engraved candles designed for our Lev Haolam subscribers requires an acute attention to detail and an intuitive spark of creativity. During our interview, we discovered that Olga’s passion for candle making came much later in life. “I’ve always dreamt of being a professional artist,” Olga tells us. “I...

This hilltop is the home to 50 idealistic families who built their houses, planted their trees and paved the roads of their village with their own hands. We meet Tamar Rund in front of her house, as she greets us with a smile and a hot beverage. Even on a warm spring day, the winds of Pnei Kedem are cooling. She invites us inside to a beautiful living room that is covered with oil paintings of Judean landscapes. “My daughters picked those paintings from my collection” she smiles, “they like having a changing exhibition in the house”. Tamar, 33, was...